Displaying items by tag: awards

BURNT HILLS — This past Friday was a day of celebration for The Charlton School. As music students practiced under the pavilion for their Juneteenth celebration, art students received awards from Saratoga Springs Mayor, Meg Kelly. 

On Friday, June 18, seven high school students at The Charlton School received the first ever Legislative Artistic Awards. Mayor Meg Kelly and Mary Jo Bradley, Art Educator at The Charlton School, collaborated to choose the recipients who were being awarded for their contribution to the community through their art. 

The Legislative Artistic Award recipients were: Kieara Pierrot-Mastaitis, Anna Wickiser, Cadence Love, Zoe Cordero, Maya Clapp, Natalie Biganini, and Sage Alling. 

Each student painted a landscape scene using acrylic paint with a palette knife and/or brushes. Their artwork is currently on display in the Mayor’s Office and will be for the next three months. 

“I can’t tell you how many people have come into my office and complimented the artwork,” said Mayor Kelly. “The talent that has come out of The Charlton School is amazing.” 

The Charlton School is a residential therapeutic school, and so the awards ceremony was livestreamed for the student’s parents. Bradley says she has seen elevated joy and confidence in the students who were recognized for their art, and she was happy that their parents could virtually attend the ceremony to show their support as well.

“Each piece was a process,” said Bradley. “But, each piece is also a masterpiece.” 

Zoe Cordero, one of the award recipients, painted a cherry blossom landscape that is among the collection in the Mayor’s Office. 

“It wasn’t an easy piece for me, but it was something I worked really hard on. I learned a lot about color matching and used different techniques in each corner of the painting,” said Cordero. 

Mayor Kelly has been working with The Charlton School for a year and half already, helping students get internships and part-time work. Although Mayor Kelly will not be running for office next year, the awards will be ongoing. Before her term ends, she is hoping to get more of the student’s artwork displayed around the city; commenting that Saratoga Springs is an
art community. 

“Art is about communication,” said Mayor Kelly. “Art changes lives.” 

Saratoga Hospital has been named one of “Healthcare’s Most Wired” organizations, a designation that recognizes the hospital’s commitment to using information technology to improve patient care and safety.

A total of 16,168 organizations participated in the annual Most Wired survey, which is conducted by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. Fewer than 400, or 3%, earned the Most Wired designation.

In the Capital Region, only Saratoga Hospital and its affiliate Albany Med made the Most Wired list.

“The Most Wired designation reflects our ongoing efforts to bring the benefits of today’s information technology to our patients and staff,” said John Mangona, vice president and chief information and compliance officer for Saratoga Hospital. “We continually invest in systems, technology and talent to improve the way we deliver care and protect the privacy of our patients.”

CHIME is the professional organization for chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. Its annual survey provides benchmarks to help healthcare organizations evaluate their progress in adopting and maximizing IT solutions. The goal is to improve patient safety and outcomes by driving change in the healthcare IT industry.

Saratoga Hospital was certified at “level 7,” which recognizes organizations that are “starting to achieve meaningful clinical and efficiency outcomes.” The hospital scored especially well in the category of security, underscoring Saratoga Hospital’s commitment to securing patients’ personal health information.

Candy Company, Saratoga Sweets to Join Forces

By Arthur Gonick

Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS – To paraphrase Reese’s, Saratoga County will soon have two great tastes that taste great together! 

That’s because the owner and co-founder of Halfmoon-based Saratoga Sweets, Mike Fitzgerald, recently decided to step back from day-to-day operations after 26 years. The creator of the iconic, beloved “Peppermint Pig” is turning over the reins to son Mike, Jr.

It was announced this week that Saratoga Sweets will shortly combine forces with the 17-year old Candy Company of Saratoga Springs, which was founded by local entrepreneur Dawn Oesch. The new entity will be called Saratoga Sweets Candy Co., retaining The Candy Company’s current retail location at 5 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs. 

The two company’s operations will merge, with an expanded area inside the nearby Rip Van Dam Hotel at 353 Broadway, where Fitzgerald, Jr. will head up a new candy kitchen that will be housed in this space. Meanwhile, Oesch will continue operations at 5 Washington Street with a refreshed look to accompany an expanded product line. Commenting on the forthcoming expansion and working with Saratoga Sweets, Oesch stated: 

“This is a great addition to my store and I am so excited.  My landlord, Bruce Levinsky (owner of both 5 Washington and the Rip Van Dam) has created a larger space for us to make more delectable creations and to carry on Saratoga Sweets traditions. As time moves on we will see what space may be needed to expand and we will grow from there.” 

The Rip Van Dam is also currently the home of an expanded Maestro’s at the Van Dam restaurant, which Oesch noted has a pastry kitchen. This could further help expand the new company’s product line further as the occasion arises.

A target launch date for the newly merged operation has been ambitiously pegged at Jan. 25 “just in time for the busy Valentine season,” Oesch noted. “We are hoping (by that date) to have everything meshed together including a wholesale division, new website and overhaul of both the retail and kitchen spaces.”  

For more information, contact Dawn Oesch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (518) 580-0499.