Winter break week is a time to relax and recharge. As the pandemic continues, vacations and going out are still off the menu for many.  Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to make memories and stay entertained this week. Here are some ideas to get you started. 

GET ACTIVE:

• Build a Snow Sculpture. The Children’s Museum of Saratoga wants to see your creations! Take a short (no more than 30-second video) and send it to digitalmedia@cmssny.org

• Dance like you’ve never danced before. The Virtual Flurry Festival: Dancing in the Cloud, is happening Feb. 12-14. 150 Zoom sessions and optional 6-month access available. Ticket prices $25- $115/each. For more info go to www.flurryfestival.org

• Socially-Distanced Snowy Slow Roll. Cold weather bicycling. Feb. 14. 1 pm. Palette Café. 493 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Recurring event. Find out more by visiting www.thepalettecafe.com

• The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is hosting a whole week of family-friendly hikes. For details, go www.wiltonpreserve.org/calendar. To register, call the office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org.

• NYS Free Fishing Weekend. February 13th & 14th. Anyone can fish the fresh waters of New York State and no fishing license is required. For details, go to www.dec.ny.gov

• The National Museum of Dance hosts the Ageless Dancer Ballet Barre class for older adults ages 50 +, offered by Mary Anne Fantauzzi beginning Feb. 22nd. To register, visit www.nationalmuseumofdance.org/calendar

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ENTER A CONTEST:

• Heart Scavenger Hunt. The Schuylerville Public Library, Hudson Crossing Park, and Greenwich Free Library invite you to find a heart, take a picture and post it to Facebook with the hashtag #thegreathearthunt to enter the drawing to win a $50 Battenkill Books gift card.

• Forests in Focus Photo Contest. Love nature photography? Enter your photos for a chance to be published in American Forests magazine. Details at www.americanforests.org

LEARN SOMETHING NEW:

• Foreign Language: Learn that in India they hear the same commercials we do and more when you listen to the instantly available music being broadcast from radio stations all over the world, starting with the one closest to you, at radio.garden

• Try any of the free 12 at-home activities prepared by The Children’s Museum of Saratoga, attend their online story time and more. Go to cmssny.org and follow them on Facebook. 

• Saratoga Arts High School All Stars Exhibition. Until Feb. 28th check out a virtual exhibition featuring artwork created by high school students in Saratoga, Fulton and Montgomery counties. Visit www.saratoga-arts.org/High-School-All-Stars

• Activity kits and online classes are happening all week through the Saratoga Springs Public Library. For a full list of what’s available, go to www.sspl.org

Ballston Spa — The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA) is once again offering a $500 scholarship to a Ballston Spa High School graduating senior.

High school students who hold jobs in the community, while maintaining good standards in their schoolwork and deportment, should be recognized for their diligence and responsibility. The Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association Scholarship shall be awarded to a graduating senior who has demonstrated professionalism in his/her place of employment and responsibility in their school community.

Students can pick up the application information sheet at the Ballston Spa High School guidance office.  A printable version is also available on the BSBPA website, www.ballston.org. 

Submit completed applications to the BSHS guidance office, emailed directly to the BSBPA at info@ballston.org, or mailed to: BSBPA Scholarship, PO Box 386, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. Submission deadline is Thursday, April 1, 2021.

Saratoga Springs — The Saratoga Springs Lions Club is looking for scholarship applicants who are planning to attend a two or four-year accredited institution, or professional / vocational school.

The scholarships to be awarded include: 

• $10,000 Lions Foundation -Jack Berkowitz Memorial Award ($2,500/yr.)
• $5,000 Four-Year Academic Program Award ($1,250/yr.)
• $2,500 Four-Year Academic Program Award ($625/yr.)
• $2,500 Leos Club Member Scholarship Award (625/yr.)
• $2,500 Two Year Academic Program Award ($1,250 / yr.)
• $2,500 Professional/Vocational Licensed Program Award

To be considered, all applicants must include:

• A transcript complete through the fall semester of the senior year. 
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty or community leaders.
• A resume of School and Community activities, 
• An essay on “Lionism.” This essay should describe any experience the student has had helping others, serving their school, and/or the community.

Applications must be submitted by March 15, 2021. Applications are available online at www.saratogaspringslions.com/programs/scholarships

SARATOGA SPRINGS — SUNY Empire State College and Hudson Valley Community College have announced a new academic partnership.

Under the partnership, SUNY Empire will guarantee admission to the program for associate degree graduates, eliminate the orientation fee and provide a small scholarship to Hudson Valley transfer students with a concentration in information systems.

To increase access and support for our nation’s service members and veterans, they’ve also recently announced the SUNY for All campaign. Upon completion, students will be automatically accepted to any of SUNY’s 30 community colleges or SUNY Empire, with application and orientation fees waived.

SUNY Empire has also expanded academic programs in the undergraduate, graduate, certificate programs, and the first-ever Ed.D. in educational leadership. 

SUNY Empire State College will celebrate 50 years of academic achievements and excellence throughout 2021. Founded in 1971, SUNY Empire began as a bold reimagining of higher education, one focused on increasing accessibility and opportunities for students.

Mark Your Calendar: On Feb. 8, at 1:30 p.m. join alumnus Natural Langdon ‘18 and photographer and SUNY Empire professor Terry Boddie, for a screening of Langdon’s award-winning action movie, “Nikita,” a coming-of-age story about a blind 15-year-old girl who must save her family from the criminal underworld. 

For more information, go to www.esc.edu/50th-anniversary

Saratoga Central Catholic School demonstrates how even COVID can’t take them down – awards $17,800 raffle prize to kick-off a week-long celebration that will culminate in a virtual gathering of thousands. 

Even the tiniest opening can let in the light. 

Abraham Lincoln was president in 1862, when Saratoga Central Catholic School was established. It’s a school that has remained steadfast in its mission- rooted in compassion and caring- ever since, while simultaneously demonstrating that the only way to survive is to adapt to change.

“Tradition is important because it grounds the school and connects different generations of students to one another – there’s meaning and value in that. It’s important that we honor the past by being realistic about the present,” said school principal Joseph Kilmade.

WEATHERING THE STORM
By merging the old with the new, they’ve been able to weather even the COVID pandemic, a storm that has forced so many other Catholic institutions across the nation to shutter their windows and close-up shop. 

“Saratoga Central Catholic is a mainstay in the area. It has always been the size it is. We know who we are. We’re a small school,” said Kilmade.

By focusing on their programming and offering both in-person and virtual learning models, they have been adapting to what families and students want from their education this year. This flexibility has allowed them to remain strong. 

CELEBRATING MIND, BODY & SPIRIT
Catholic Schools Week is a tradition that has been celebrated nationwide since the 1970s. Saratoga Central Catholic School felt like it was important to continue this annual tradition – a demonstration of individual and school spirit, despite the unique challenges this year due to social-distancing restrictions. 

They kicked-off the festivities with a non-gala raffle. 

Because a significant portion of their budget relies on fundraising, the relationships they’ve forged within the community, and the generosity of their patrons, they typically host an annual gala. That wasn’t possible this year, so instead they sold tickets to a “non-gala” raffle. They sold-out all 500 tickets. Coach Alphonse Lambert sold a whopping 100 of those tickets single-handedly.

The 50//50 raffle garnered $35,600, half of which, $17,800 was awarded to lucky winner Joe Kakaty. 

Other activities for the week include a school-wide rock, paper, scissors competition, dress-down days, and a diocesan-wide mass.

FAITH. EXCELLENCE. SERVICE.
This week, decorations line the hall of Saratoga Central Catholic School while students dress-down to rise up and meet the challenge of serving others. 

They are “paying” for the privilege by bringing in personal-care items that will be donated to help re-stock community service organizations including Code Blue Saratoga and the Franklin Community Center. 

“When we dress-down, we do it for a cause. We’re promoting service and helping others in the community,” said Maria Izzo. 

Izzo graduated from the school and has taught there for 32 years. Celebrating the values that they’d like the students to embody in fun ways this week will culminate and be reflected upon in a virtual mass on Friday. Every school in the diocese is slated to attend – a crowd of hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers.

“It’s a celebration of the value of the Catholic education and what we give to the community,” said Izzo.

Looking for something to do during Winter Vacation? Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park offers a full week of  outdoor programs. In addition to the programs, snow shoe and cross-country skis will be available for rental all week at the Cabin in Parking Lot #1 on Scout Road. Rentals are available starting at 11 a.m. The last rentals need to be returned by 3 p.m. Rentals are $10 per pair for adults and $5 for children/students. 

Scavenger Hunt with Saratoga Springs Public Library
Monday, February 15 · 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Children will learn to use their senses to explore the outdoors by working to complete a winter nature scavenger hunt. For children ages 5 and up. If there is no snow, the program will take place without snowshoes. Registration is required by calling the Library at 518-584-7860 option 3.

Winter Nature Detectives at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Monday, February 15 · 1-2 p.m. | Go for a hike through the eyes of an animal! Children will become animals of the winter using our five senses, and learn the basics of animal tracking. Remember, just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there! 

History of Snowshoes Hike at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Tuesday, February 16 · 1-2 p.m. | Join us for a gentle snowshoe hike! Learn how nature taught us to walk on snow. Where did these funky looking shoes come from, how were they made, and how important were they in making New York what it is today? Let’s find out!

Winter Tree Identification at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Wednesday, February 17 · 1-2 p.m. | With autumn long gone and a lack of leaves on the trees, how do we identify them? Find out the differences between trees with needles and ones with leaves. Join us to learn simple ways to determine tree species found at the Wilton Preserve! For ages 5 and up. 

Animal Tracking at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Thursday, February 18 · 1-2 p.m. | What better time to learn about animal tracks than after snowfall? Join our educators on the trails to learn the basics of animal tracking. For ages 5 and up. 

Camp Saratoga Scavenger Hunt at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead 
Friday, February 19 · 1-2 p.m. | Children will learn to use their senses to explore the outdoors during winter by working to complete a nature scavenger hunt. For children ages 5 and up. Let’s search the trails for an animal track. Look for a tree at your height. Do you think you can find a leaf in the winter? Find these things and much more with our educators!

Pre-registration is required at least one business day in advance of the program. For more information, please contact the Preserve & Park office at 518-450-0321 or info@wiltonpreserve.org. For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, visit www.wiltonpreserve.org.

Ballston Spa — Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County will be hosting a free Vegetable Growing Series via Zoom. All classes in the series will be held from 12:15-1:15 p.m. 

On February 9, join Master Gardener Charlie for Seed Starting to learn about the basics of starting vegetables from seed. On February 16, join Susan Beebe, Agriculture Issue Leader, for Soils 101 to learn about which types of soils to use when vegetable gardening. On February 23, join Jessica Holmes, Consumer Horticulture, for Container and Raised Bed Gardening to learn about which vegetables grow best in containers and how to start a raised bed garden. 

Go to the events page on ccesaratoga.org/ for more details and choose one or all of the classes you would like to attend. Upon registration, you will receive a Zoom link within 24-hours of the class. If you would like more information, contact Jessica Holmes at jmh452@cornell.edu or 518-885-8995.

NEW YORK  STATE — The New York Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Committee is pleased to announce the 2021 Agricultural Youth Scholarship applications are now available. 

Three scholarships will be awarded for High School Seniors who will be continuing their education to prepare for a career in the agricultural industry after graduation. Students must currently be involved with agriculture and a family Farm Bureau Membership or a Student Farm Bureau membership is required. For application and more information, go to  www.nyfb.org/programs/promotion-education/scholarship.

The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) is also accepting applications for its scholarship program. The selected applicant will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Applicants must be a college student. The annual DCHA scholarship is awarded to a student who is currently enrolled in an agriculture-related program at an accredited college or university, who is also a DCHA member (or parent/legal guardian is a DCHA member). Applicants must have completed at least one year of post high school education. For more information, go to calfandheifer.org/scholarship.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College invites the public to contribute to the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, a community-created coral reef composed of hundreds of crocheted specimens that will go on view as part of the exhibition Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science, which is slated to go on view starting January 29, 2022.

For the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, anyone can participate by crocheting structures with coral-like ruffles, which represent hyperbolic geometry, an area of mathematics. The Satellite Reef is part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute for Figuring. The project draws on the long historical connections, especially in the United States, between fiber practice and community building. 

Monthly crochet workshops will also be held on February 9, March 16, April 13, and May 4, starting at 7 p.m. To connect, chat, and learn more about the project with Radical Fiber curator Rebecca McNamara, 30-minute sessions will be held on Wednesdays at Noon from February 10 through May 11. 

Registration for the workshops, to be conducted via Zoom, are available on the Tang website at tang.skidmore.edu.

Once participants complete their creations, they can mail them with their name and email address and phone number to: Elizabeth Karp, Senior Museum Registrar, Tang Teaching Museum, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

On January 22, school and student representatives came together to share their need for educational support in the 2021-22 school year. 

The districts are looking for financial support to pay for significant unbudgeted expenses, while the student panel talked about needing mental and emotional support to navigate through this year’s unique challenges. 

The students, school superintendents and board of education members from 31 districts, legislators, WSWHE BOCES staff, educators, and key stakeholders all came together for the 6th Annual WSWHE Chief School Officers Legislative Breakfast. 

OUTLINING DISTRICT NEEDS
Because the breakfast was held virtually this year, ahead of the meeting, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts students from both BOCES centers prepared boxes of baked goods, which were then sent to some meeting attendees. The occasion gave the CTE students a chance to practice catering skills and follow Serve Safe COVID-19 protocols. 

At the meeting, Andrew Cook, the Superintendent of the Hartford Central School District and speaking on behalf of the WSWHE Chief School Officers Legislative Committee, urged legislators to make every effort to preserve financial support for public school districts in the coming school year. The committee’s three key priorities are that the state;
1. Fund 2021-22 School Aid to the Greatest Extent Possible;
2. Support a Long-Term Solution to Small Group Health Insurance Protections; and
3. Address Dramatic Cost Increases Related to Unemployment Insurance

STUDENT INPUT
The meeting followed these requests with questions to a small panel of elementary, middle and high school students from Queensbury, Fort Edward, Schuylerville, and Hartford. 

The students talked about what challenges they’ve faced this year, what they missed out on, and what they were excited about. 

A common thread was woven through their responses. 

They missed not seeing friends and family, sports, and school events. When school is remote, they struggle to pay attention and to stay motivated. 

Landon Cook, a 6th grader at Hartford, said that he appreciates when there are breaks during remote-learning so that he’s not staring at the computer screen all the time.

Assemblyman Robert Smullen asked the students about their access to broadband internet. (He has been championing the need to strengthen high-speed internet options to rural areas of the state as critically-important for education.) The students said that getting work done online isn’t easy for everyone. 

All the students talked about the need for more connection and communication. 

When asked what advice the students would give to elected officials and school administrators about how to best support them now and when they transition “back-to-normal,” the youngest voice on the call gave the most unforgettable answer. 

“I think a lot of third-graders need someone to tell them that everything is going to be OK,” said Mitchell Mulder, a third-grader at Queensbury School.