SARATOGA SPRINGS — Canadian Road poet Scott Cook is coming to the Caffe Lena stage on Sept. 29. From 7 to 9 p.m. Scott Cook sings with “his heart and soul,” providing uplifting and inspiring music to anyone who listens. He is “truly one of Woody Guthrie’s children” and a concert you can’t miss!

Caffe Lena, Youth2, and All Hands and Hearts hopes you will join them in-person for the concert; however, in-person ticket holders will also be provided with a complimentary livestream link upon request. If you are certain you will not be attending in-person, you are encouraged to buy a livestream ticket now so you can support Youth2 and enjoy the event from home. 

This concert will benefit Youth2 – Youth Helping Youth, a youth philanthropic group and All Hand and Hearts – Smart Response, an organization committed to effectively and efficiently addressing the immediate and long-term needs of global communities impacted by natural disasters. Youth2 is a field of Interest Fund formed under the guidance of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. Youth2 seeks to encourage young people to participate in meaningful community service work. The participants of Youth2 serve on the Advisory Board and learn leadership and philanthropic skills. Youth2 helps to fund and give guidance to social action projects that are proposed, approved, and led by young people. Youth2 is also committed to connecting youth to already existing community service projects. 

In-person at Caffe Lena: Scott Cook Benefit Concert “Songs of Social Action & Social Justice” on Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. Ticket Link: www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-squared-presents-scott-cook-songs-of-social-action-social-justice-tickets-160013230881.

Live Stream Ticket Link Only: www.caffelena.tv/programs/live-scott-cook?categoryId=94013 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Sponsor A Scholar (SSAS) is accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year. SSAS is entering the 14th year of helping deserving high school students attend college. Applicants must be a sophomore attending Saratoga Springs High School and an engaged learner with a good attendance record and a desire to attend college. Students must also meet economic qualifications. 

Participating students will receive two Dell computers (one for high school and another for college) and will be assigned a mentor to assist with professional and life skills development. SSAS also pays for SAT and ACT prep courses, as well as school- related expenses such as school trips, prom tickets, club fees, yearbooks, caps and gowns, and even college deposits. SSAS will also cover the cost of college tours, cultural immersion trips, and social skills development. Participants will also receive $1,250 per semester for 8 semesters while attending college. 

Past participants have attended local community colleges as well as schools such as Brown, Columbia, Cornell, RPI, Skidmore, and all NYS colleges and universities. 

SSAS works with the Saratoga Springs High School Guidance Department. Students interested in applying to the Sponsor A Scholar program should contact Brandy Crary or Matt Nelson in the Guidance Department at the High School, 518-587-6690. The application deadline is October 28, 2021; teacher recommendations may be required. 

For more information on the Saratoga Sponsor A Scholar program or for more information on how to support the program, please contact Executive Director Cynthia Hollywood at 518-207-7682 or email cindyhollywood@gmail.com. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Independent School (SIS) has hosted its annual Kite & Flight Festival for many years. The greater Saratoga community has come to love this free, family event and will be even happier to know that it will be in-person on Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the SIS campus. SIS will comply with the health and safety measures put forth by New York State. All individuals, regardless of vaccination status will be asked to social distance and wear a mask when not eating. The event will be outside, rain or shine, with an open-air tent. This year’s Festival will provide local families the opportunity to embrace flight in a fun and creative way, with new and exciting activities, and delicious local food vendors. 

The festival will feature a hot air balloon on display (weather dependent), a climbing rock wall, flight-themed crafts, face painting, room to fly kites, DIY kites, kites and frisbees for sale, Kite & Flight swag for sale from Nourish Designs, nature trails, local food vendors such as Kaleidoscope Café, Jay’s Pizza, and Ben & Jerry’s, and so much more. The event is free to attend, and while many activities will be free, some will require a small fee. 

For more information about this year’s Kite & Flight Festival, please visit www.siskids.org/giving/kiteandflight.cfm 

SARATOGA COUNTY — Tri-County Literacy Center is excited to announce that they have received a three-year pledge from The Sandy Hill Foundation for their reorganization project. 

This funding will enable Tri-County Literacy Center (TLC) to help their neighbors improve their lives by fostering literacy skills through practical, learner-centered education. TLC provides adults in Warren, Washington, and Saratoga Counties with one-to-one volunteer tutors who work with their learners to help them achieve their literacy goals. 

Tri-County Literacy Center’s main office is located in Crandall Library in Glens Falls, and according to Kathy Naftly, Director of Crandall Library, “Crandall Public Library is honored to be able to support Tri-County Literacy Center and its adult learners and tutors by providing a home base for a myriad of services. When our shared community thinks of our public library, they envision books. The ability to read, or literacy, is the key to unlocking our complex and delightful literary visions. Both of our organizations honor all who want to gain from said services; rich or poor, old or young, native-born or immigrant, worker or soon-to-be-employed, all are welcome. The Library and literacy – a perfect match.” 

Tri-County Literacy Center offers a variety of tutoring services free of charge to adults including basic literacy skills (reading, writing, and math), high school equivalency preparation, English as a new language and assistance with preparation for the US Citizenship exam. TLC is dedicated to creating partnerships with other local social service organizations to assist individuals as they pursue their educational path and to help provide opportunities for independence and economic mobility. 

Marilyn Bien, Tri-County Literacy Center Board Chair, states, “Tri-County Literacy Center is very grateful to The Sandy Hill Foundation for their generous support of our fledging organization. We appreciate this community partnership as we build Tri-County Literacy Center’s outreach in Glens Falls and the surrounding areas. Providing more adults with improved literacy skills, helping them attain a high school diploma, or learn English as a new language helps the entire community grow. Now with the Foundation’s help we can continue our mission to adult learners.”

BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County 4-H is offering a Sheep Shearing Clinic this fall to youth ages 10 and older. The event will take place at the 4-H Training Center on Middleline Road in Ballston Spa on September 16, 2021 at 5 p.m. This clinic will exhibit the art of sheep shearing and preparing wool breeds for show. Participants will be provided a hands-on learning experience from professional shearer Siri Swanson. 

Siri Swanson is a Shepherd and Shearer of Yankee Rock Farm. Swanson has an abundantce of background knowledge in the sheep industry and has been shearing for the last five years. Siri along with shearing partner, Colin Siegmund, strive to maintain animal comfort and top-quality clipping. 

Cost is $5/family and is required at entry or prior to the clinic. The event is free of charge for 4-H members and their families. Please contact the 4-H office for additional information and to register at 518-885-8995 or email the 4-H Livestock Educator at rjl287@cornell.edu. 

4-H is the Youth Outreach component of Cornell Cooperative Extension that connects youth ages 5-19 to hands-on learning opportunities that help them grow into competent, caring, contributing members of society. To learn more go to www.ccesaratoga.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Academy for Lifelong Learning continues its tradition of presenting educational and social opportunities for adults 55+ by offering 18 classroom/outdoor courses and 26 Zoom courses this fall. Two, five-week sessions are being offered in the fall term. Session one starts Sept. 13. Session two starts Oct. 18. 

Course brochures are available at local libraries, YMCA’s and retirement communities or by request at 518 587-2100 x2390 or jeff.shinaman@esc.edu or online at www.esc.edu/all. Registrations will be accepted throughout the term until full. Some courses will sell out. Annual membership is $75 and goes through June 30, 2022. Five-week courses are $50. 

Topics for these noncredit courses include music, literature, mindfulness, poetry, solar system, sleep/dreams, climate change, Italian language, genealogy, local walking tours, supreme court, cooking, painting, life stories, environment, writing, hiking, fly casting, investing, iPhone photography, Chinese wisdom, speaker series, history, art, science, and more. Join A.L.L. locally for outdoor courses or from anywhere on Zoom options.

Founded in 1992, the Academy is a nonprofit, membership organization whose members share a love of learning. A self-funded entity, A.L.L. is sponsored by SUNY Empire State College. Designed to offer lifelong learning and comradery among seniors, A.L.L. also offers a winter and spring term, Special Interest Groups, (SIGs) and special events that are held throughout the year. If you would like to support the Academy by becoming a member or for more information, contact the Academy office at (518) 587-2100 ext. 2390, email jeff.shinaman@esc.edu, or go to www.esc.edu/all.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Educators and families from Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, and throughout the Capital District gathered on Saturday at Congress Park pledging to seek and “teach truth” about United States history and inclusive pedagogy. 

The action comes as state lawmakers across the country are introducing bills to ban school curricula that include information about the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other oppression in U.S. history. 

The program began with a teach-in at the Solomon Northup historical marker on the southwest corner of Broadway and Congress Street with Rachel Seligman, then moved to Congress Park for art-making activities with C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios and the Tang Museum. Conversations with families and educators took place through noon, and spread throughout the community with MLK Saratoga’s walking tour, and free admission to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. 

Several states, including MO, TX, ID, AR, IA, LA, NH, OK, RI, WV, AZ, and NC have targeted such curricula offered by the New York Times 1619 Project, Southern Poverty Law Center, Black Lives Matter at School, and the Zinn Education Project. Meanwhile, the New York State Board of Regents passed a framework this past spring to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the curriculum. 

Saratoga Educational Equity Network is organized around the belief that each and every student, family, and faculty member in the Saratoga Springs City School District should be seen. SEEN is committed to dismantling systemic racism, promoting intersectional justice, and confronting bias in the Saratoga Springs City School District. 

C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing a space where the benefits of artmaking impact both the individual and the community as a whole. They offer low-cost art workshops and groups, community wellness activities, and open studios to promote artmaking and the creative process as a vehicle for personal growth, communication, and social change. 

MLK Saratoga shares Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of peace and justice for all, building civil and human rights awareness by promoting inclusivity, diversity, and social justice through community events and offerings by utilizing performance, dialogue, and the arts as a collective launching point. MLK Saratoga is a registered 501(c)(3). 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — StoryWalks are popping up all over the United States, especially after social distancing practices went into effect due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Story Walk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg Hubbard Library. They can be found in all 50 states and 13 countries. A StoryWalk gives children and families the opportunity to participate in active movement, education, and literacy while exploring a special place in the community. Saratoga Springs Public Library and Pitney Meadows Community Farm have partnered to bring a new StoryWalk to the city. This particular walk features the children’s book “Cat’s Colors” by Airlie Anderson.

“The Pitney Meadows Community Farm is thrilled to partner with the Library to incorporate the StoryWalk onto the recreation trails of the Farm,” said Pitney Meadows Education Director, Sarah Miles. “The program is a great new way to welcome children and families to explore the trails and experience the benefits of time spent outdoors together. We hope it will increase community engagement with the land and encourage future activity at Pitney Meadows, which is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.” 

This particular StoryWalk opened on Sept. 1 at Pitney Meadows (223 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs), and the public can continue to enjoy it until Oct. 31. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education meeting on Aug. 26 to discuss updates to the 2021-2022 school year reopening plan. 

The BOE is working to finalize the school district’s “Stay Open Plan” – the primary objective is to plan for full, in-person learning five days a week for K-12 including specials and electives. Superintendent of Schools Michael Patton thanked school staff for the successful in-person summer school programs and said that the school district will continue to monitor COVID-19 locally, using that local data and feedback to adjust the plan. 

Guidance received from Saratoga County Public Health Services, CDC, the school physician, and the Department of Education was used to frame the “layer approach” which combines multiple health and safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID on school grounds. Face coverings will be required for everyone indoors and on school transportation, regardless of vaccination status; face coverings are not required outdoors. Social distancing will be maintained at a distance of three feet, and students will be in cohorts or assigned seating to minimize transmission and reduce exposure. Classrooms will be disinfected twice a week and busses will be disinfected after each run. SSCSD will maintain an appropriate supply of PPE. 

SSCSD will also continue to hold vaccination clinics, as current guidance from the CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible get vaccinated as soon as possible; the next clinic will be held on Sept. 9. As of the Aug. 26 meeting, the transmission rate in Saratoga County is high with a current 7-day positivity rating of 4.9%. According to the school district, there has been a 2-3% increase each week in vaccination rate for students in the district ages 12-18.

Lisa Cutting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, explained the key takeaways from last school year that helped the district prepare the “Stay Open Plan”. Cutting noted that engagement and attendance were the two biggest issues with hybrid learning. There will be no hybrid learning this coming school year, but classes can pivot to Zoom temporally if there is an outbreak. Teachers will continue to use Seesaw and Canvas to post assignments. 

“In-person allows us to support them [the students] so much better, and we have learned a lot about instructional practices,” said Cutting. “The primary goal is to be back in-person where they have support services.” 

All students enrolled will continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch throughout the school year. Options are still being discussed for parents who prefer to keep their children home or for medical reasons; home schooling is the only option currently. 

Additionally, SSCSD is exploring a potential virtual partnership with the Capital Region BOCES for the 21-22 school year. 

Regarding school sports, the only mention was that unvaccinated athletes participating in high-risk sports will be tested for COVID weekly.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Five local high school students are hard at work providing literary resources to new families in our community. 

Ciara Meyer, Mia Hayes, Annabelle Brueggemann, Maddie Cook, and Ava Kuruzovich were only in eighth grade when they started thinking of ways they could give back to the community. After meeting with their principal at Lake Avenue, “Stories for Success” was born. These inspiring students are now juniors at Saratoga Springs High School and are looking to expand their organization. 

The goal of Stories for Success is to encourage reading and provide reading resources to new parents. The next step for Stories for Success is to become a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Becoming a registered nonprofit would allow them to host more events and expand to other areas in the Capital Region, like Glens Falls or Albany. 

Stories for Success has been working towards their goal of providing widespread access to early literary resources by holding community events and COVID-safe book drop-offs to put together “book bags” that contain two children’s books, library card information, and a reading list courtesy of Northshire for babies born at Saratoga Hospital. Every baby born at Saratoga Hospital so far this year has received one. 

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“It is important for kids to start reading at a young age. Promoting reading as they grow helps them learn to read and read faster,” said Maddie Cook. “Giving them these resources, even if it’s just two books to read to them when they are newborns to a couple of years old will help them.”

The young founders of Stories for Success say that the staff at Saratoga Hospital has been kind and grateful, and they have been surprised how far their reach is when people approach them at fundraisers to say that their neighbor, friend, or someone they know has received a book bag. 

“We want to give a big thank you to the community. Over the past year with everyone’s financial struggles due to COVID, we have still been able to manage around $4,000 in donations, which is incredible and more than we expected people to be able to give,” said Ciara Meyer. “We are just so thankful for everyone who has helped us, whether its organizations or businesses like Northshire, Saratoga Publishing, Saratoga Children’s Theatre, or the generosity of individuals.”

To learn more about Stories for Success and what they do, visit their website at storiesforsuccess.carrd.co. There you will a find a link to their GoFundMe. If you are looking to donate used books or volunteer your time, contact Ciara at ciarameyer28@gmail.com. Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stories4success and Instagram page @Stories4Success.