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Beach
Lake Preschool BEACH LAKE — Twenty-three students sang songs
for the new millenium to a packed house at their preschool graduation
on Wednesday evening, May 31. The Beach Lake United Methodist Church Christian
Preschool Class of 2000 is as follows: Miranda Card, Stacey Drongoski,
Michael Durando, Scout Edwards, Cecilia Hansen, Ean Hibian, Dustin
Hoffman, Madison Iacovino, Carson Klikus, Nicholas Krochta, Riley
Neenan, Olivia Olver, Kellsie Peck, Cole Rosemergy, Kaitlyn Taylor,
Andrew Weist, Meghan Boyer, Nicholas Britton, Eric Daniels, Candice
Driver, Carmen Francesco, Brenden Franklin, Jonathan Gillow, Tyler
Goda, Peter Kelly, Elisabeth Ostrow, Andrew Ott, Hannah Paparella,
Samantha Peck, Emily Schumske, Lacey Smith, Dawn Snedeker, Michael
Snow and Garrettt Treverton. The Beach Lake United Methodist Church offers
a three- and four-year-old program. Registrations are being taken
now for the 2000/2001 school year. To register or for more information, call 570/729-8644. Student soprano holds gala recitalBy TOM KANE NARROWSBURG – 109 people showed up at the Tusten
Theatre on June 6 to hear Melanie Henley-Heyn,
veteran singer of the Delaware Valley Opera (DVO). Proceeds
from the event helped fund Henley-Heyn’s summer trip to Europe
to study with renowned accompanist Dalton Baldwin. “This is a wonderful chance for Melanie to work
with the very best in the world,” said Simon Chausse, member of
the DVO and himself a baritone who has worked closely with Baldwin. Henley-Heyn is a sophomore and a scholarship
student at UCLA, and the 2000 recipient of the Elizabeth Walter
Award that will also help defray her expenses. “The purpose of
the award is to support promising young singers in the area to
continue their vocal study,” said Gloria Krause, DVO General Manager. The program was a tour-de-force for the young
singer, with selections from Bellini and Robert Shuman operas,
and Gabriel Faure, Franz Schubert and Mozart. The program ended
with selections from Leonard Bernstein, American opera composer
Carlyle Floyd and George Gershwin. The soprano was accompanied
by the pianist Carmela Sinco of New York City. Henley Heyn’s DVO career began 12 years ago with
her interpretation of the role of Amahl in Menotti’s “Amahl and
the Night Visitors.” Two summers ago she had the female lead in
the DVO production of Kurt Weil’s “Street Scene.” Near the
end of the recital, Henley-Heyn was joined by talented sister
Emma, a college freshman. The duo sang
“The Couple on the Hill” as a dedication to parents Chuck
and Andrea Henley-Heyn of Abrahamville, PA. REGION — The Sullivan West Central School District
has produced an informational video regarding the proposed capital
facilities project. The video takes residents on a visual tour
of current school facilities and reviews key facts about the pending
renovation and construction project. Copies of the video are available at the main
office of each school building, the district office and the local
libraries. Sullivan West community members are encouraged to share
the video with family, friends and neighbors to learn more about
this important capital project. Residents will have the opportunity
to vote on the $49.9 million project on Thursday, June 22 from
12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m. in their local election districts. For more information about the proposed project
or the informational video, call the district office at 845/482-4610,
ext. 258. By CAROL
H. RASCO Would you
allow your child to spend summer vacation watching television
every waking moment for two straight months? Of course not! Yet
over the course of a year, that is how much time the average child
watches TV—1,000 hours, or more than 60 16-hour days! The shows
kids watch add up, and summer’s free time can mean even more time
for the tube. But most parents don’t want their kids to have a
“dumber summer.” That’s when a student’s school year gains are
eroded or erased by months of mental idleness. National
studies show a decline in achievement when kids watch TV more
than 10-15 hours per week. Students earn higher test scores when
they read more and watch TV less. But few children can regulate
themselves when it comes to TV. When parents
take charge, however, the benefits are far-reaching. In a recent
study by PBS, parents who took charge of their child’s TV viewing
got remarkable results. Their children
watched 40 percent less TV each week and viewed more educational
shows. Parents were far more likely to watch and discuss the shows
with their children. The parents also read books to children more
often, and for longer periods, and took more trips to the library
and bookstore. Why do these changes matter? Smart alternatives
to TV can provide a big boost to your child’s brain. Did you know
that the vocabulary of the average children’s book is greater
than that found on prime-time television? Reading also builds
your child’s knowledge of new subjects. In addition, reading practice
advances the brain’s ability to recognize new words automatically,
a key step toward faster reading. Committing
to a smarter summer won’t cost you a cent, but it will enrich
your kids’ vacation. Here are a few ways your child can shine
this summer, while the TV screen stays dark. 1) Nurture
an interest in reading. Visit the library instead of the video
store. Let your children choose their own books, with guidance
from a librarian. If a child has a favorite TV interest, like
basketball or science fiction, help find books on the topic. Don’t
underestimate the entertainment value of the library. It really
can compete with videos when given the chance. 2) Hold a
camp-in. Before dark, set up a campsite in your home. String up
sheets to create a tent; use blankets for bedrolls. Turn off all
electrical equipment and rely on flashlights. Have family members
tell stories, eat snacks, play games and sing songs around a pretend
campfire. Allow the children to sleep in their tent. At breakfast,
ask how much they missed TV. 3) Play “Michael
Unplugged” (fill in your child’s name). At least once this summer,
take a family pledge to not watch TV for a week. Then have each
child record his or her unplugged activities—books read, letters
written and other activity during the usual TV time. At the end
of the week, have a celebration, ask children which alternative
they liked best and discuss future cutbacks on viewing. Remember,
your hand is on the remote control. Use it wisely, and you’ll
change your child’s channel to a smarter summer. For free
activity kits and more information on children and reading, call
800/USA-LEARN, or visit www.ed.gov/americareads.
For more on alternatives to TV, call TV Free America at 202/887-0436,
or visit www.tvfa.org. (Carol H.
Rasco is the director of America Reads Challenge) |
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