Our Goals

NOTE: The date of this post is intentionally wrong to ensure that it remains above all other posts.

We are three students from Scarsdale High School who will be spending 6 weeks on an internship project. We will be reaching out to foundations that support mental disabilities, construction companies and citizen activists. Our goal is to contact any people and foundations that might want to help fund the sidewalk. During our internship, we will be learning how petitioning and town and state government works. We will be also raising awareness about mental disabilities and public safety. Our ultimate goal in this project is to get the sidewalk built.
This blog will be a compiliation of everything relating to the sidewalk project and our progress.

The End of Our Project

This is the end of our Senior Options project. We are so thankful to have this kind of opportunity to help people and become involved in local government. We would like to specially thank Mr. Henry, Emily Kingsley, the Three Musketeers, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, Greenburgh Police Chief John Kapica, Sgt. Gillis, George & Kevin from Cable Access, Mel Tanzman, Richard Swierat, Victor Leviatin, Dr. Constantine Andreadis, the students at Woodlands High School, and Yolanda Robinson for letting us have a more in depth exploration of our project. It was a really great experience and we learned a lot more than we thought we would. Although the sidewalk hasn't been built yet, we feel that this project made a big impact on the issue.

We didn't change the world, but we definitely changed ourselves.

Day 33

We devoted this whole day creating our presentation. We made a powerpoint about our project and we worked out what we were going to say with each slide and who would speak. We looked at our second video and found that it was easier to watch than our first video.

Day 32

We began to work on our presentation for school. We were thinking about the different ways we can make the presentation. Things we took into consideration were poster boards, clip shows, powerpoint, and having the Three Musketeers speak.

Day 31

We finished editing our second video. We're really glad about how the second video turned out compared to the first video we created and edited. Sadly, today was also our last day working at the Greenburgh Town Hall. We had to say our goodbyes to everyone we have met and gotten to know.

Tonight, we got a special proclamation awarded to us and several other interns for our hard work and devotion to improving the community. It felt really good to have this awarded to us because it made us feel that people were taking notice of what we have done.

Day 30

Today we were supposed to finish editing our second video, but things didn't go as planned. Instead we emailed disability groups about the project so we what we have done will not be forgotten and will be continued after we're gone.

Day 29

Today was our last radio show. We talked about what we learned throughout the project. We also talked about how the project had changed over the weeks. During the show we met a writer named Joe Queenan. He talked about the effect of documentaries on the media and culture. It was very interesting to hear what he had to say.

Day 28

We called more companies to see of we could get any last minute meetings for next week. We are sad that the project is coming to an end because for the previous weeks, we have really gotten into the project and now we don't want to leave it.

Day 27

Today we watched the completed version of our first video. We were a little bit disappointed because while we were editing it, we thought it looked very professional. When we watched the completed version on the television, we got a very different impression of it. Some of the camera angles were a bit shaky and the editing wasn't as crisp as we thought it was. We realized that we still have a lot to learn about video and editing. We are still happy that we got the chance to learn more about video editing as part of our senior options project.

Day 26

We spent the entire day finishing the editing for our first video, and cutting the footage for the second video. We are getting much better at editing, and are now able to edit almost completely on our own.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip to Albany. The trip had to be cancelled for several reasons; we have to be 21 or older to rent a hotel room, our parents couldn't get off of work to assist us, we weren't able to schedule enough meetings. Although we are disappointed, we realize that with every project, there are setbacks. We will continue to work on this project and aim to met with several more groups located in the Westchester area.

Day 25

Today we met with Yolanda Robinson, who is a representative from Andrea Stewart Cousins office. She was very helpful in giving us ideas and suggestions about alternatives to building a sidewalk. We could tell that she was very dedicated and interested in the project, and it was great to be able to meet with someone who cared about the issues surrounding the project and was able to provide guidance to us.



Erin Bracken, Jana Trenk, Carolyn Schepis, Yolanda Robinson.

Day 24

Today we began drafting an essay about our project goals which we will be handing out to legislators and mental health committees when we go to Albany later this month. This letter will help summarize our objectives and make it easier for us to accomplish our goals. We are also arrange more meetings for our trip to Albany. We hope that our trip will be successful.

Day 23

Today we finished editing the video footage for our first episode.
We finished filming for our second episode of the show.
We also confirmed a meeting for next Tuesday with Yolanda Robinson, a representative from Andrea Stewart Cousins office, and continued making plans for our Albany trip.


Erin Bracken, Jana Trenk, Carolyn Schepis, George Malone [cable access].

Day 22

We spent most of our day editing our cable access video. We are now in the final stages of finishing the video. This is really exciting because this is the first time that any of us have ever had a video that we produced to be shown on cable TV.
Today, we also met and filmed the Three Musketeers and Emily Kingsley for our second cable access video. It was easier to film our second video because we learned a lot from the first video we made. We have learned a lot about making, producing and editing films in the past week.


Top: Jana Trenk, Carolyn Schepis, Erin Bracken.
Bottom: Jason Kingsley, Raymond Frost, Yaniv Gorodischer.



Carolyn Schepis, Emily Kingsley, Jana Trenk, Erin Bracken.

Day 21

The three of us were invited to present to a junior English class at Woodlands High School to talk about what our project is and why we're doing it. We presented a powerpoint explaining the project and then had a discussion afterwards to fully explain what the project is trying to accomplish. Hopefully this presentation will get more people informed and involved with the project. People should get involved, so after our internship is over, there will be more students who will take off from where we left. We realized how important this project is and that this project is an ongoing process, even after our internship is over.

Day 20

Today we met Mel Tanzman, he is the Executive Director for Westchester Disabled on the Move, Inc. We had a meeting about the placement of group homes and the rules that go along with the placements. He explained into further detail about how group homes work. After talking with him, we fully understand about why it is difficult to place a group home. He really informed us well and made us understand better about the situation.
We also filmed Mel Tanzman for our second cable access video. On Wednesday, we are going to film the Three Musketeers and Emily Kingsley about how their petition got started to help build a sidewalk.

Day 19

Today we met with Richard Swierat from Westchester ARC. We discussed placement and regulations for group homes and learned about the services that Westchester ARC provides.
We realized that our project is more complicated then it originally seemed. While we want people with developmental disabilities to be protected, if we over protect them then we will be taking away their rights as citizens. The ideal in this project would be to find a solution to the problem that is a balance.


Meeting at Westchester ARC.

Day 18

Today we began editing the video footage that we filmed last week. We are working with George from the Public Access Department and we learned how to cut the footage and put in transitions and text boxes.
This day made us realize how long the process of editing and creating a cable show takes. Although it is a long process, its a great experience to be able to fully write, film and edit a show.

Day 17

Today we planned to meet a representative from a lawmaker's office at 8:30 AM on Chatterton Parkway. We waited for her for over an hour and she never showed up or called us. She later called Paul Feiner's office to inform him that she was sick and couldn't make it.
We were very upset about this for several reasons. First of all, we found it slightly insulting that she did not inform us about this beforehand and caused us to waste our time waiting. We were also disappointed that she called Paul instead of us because this gives the impression that we are unimportant.
Between yesterday's day off and this morning's bad start, we found it hard to get back to work and focus on our project. We realize that routine is so important in a job, and once you break the routine it is very hard to get back into it and to be productive.
Tomorrow we plan to edit our footage and begin planning hotel accommodations for our Albany trip.

Day 16

Due to a family emergency, today had to be a day off from Senior Options.
We will resume our project tomorrow.
Mr Henry- don't worry, we will make up the hours at the end of Senior Options.

Day 15

One thing we have noticed is how much more confident we are becoming about approaching people and describing our goals in this project.
We remember the first day of senior options when we were introduced to Nita Lowey, and all of us were unsure of how to describe the project to her. Now when we meet people we portray an impression of confidence and knowledge about the subjects and issues relating to our project.
We are now able to arrange meetings on our own and feel like we really know what we are talking about.

Day 14

Today we were planning to begin editing our footage, but we had a scheduling difficulty, and had to change our plans.
We have so many different meetings that we decided to get organized and get a blank calender where we can write down our appointments to help us keep track of our schedule. Looking at our calendar, we feel very accomplished and we feel like we are business people out in the real world.

One person that has gone out of their way to help us is George from the Public Access Department. Although he has a very busy daily schedule, he always treats us like we are important.

Day 13

Today we interviewed Chief Kapica of the Greenburgh Police Department for our cable TV show.
We met in the filming room at the Greenburgh Town Hall, and this was our first time being in a real TV studio. Although we were really nervous to be on camera,it was definitely a good experience.
We also plan to interview other people for our show. We are thinking about interviewing Town Board members and representatives from disabilities organizations.
We also have to think of a name for our show and edit the footage that we already have. Creating a TV show is a lot of work. There are so many different aspects that go into making a show entertaining for the viewer.

Day 12

Today we began planning for our lobbying trip to Albany. We will be in Albany on June 11th and 12th.
We set up meetings with Ric Swieret from WARC and a woman who works for Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Once again, we faced the obstacle of having people not take us seriously on the phone or in emails. We had to call places several times, usually getting only an answering machine, or getting transferred to another number. One person who we emailed wrote angrily that she had no idea why we would even think of contacting her. We have learned to become more assertive during this project so people will listen to what we have to say.

Day 11

Today we made our third radio broadcast.
This was the first time that we really got to look back on our progress and what we have done. Although we have been facing a lot of obstacles, we realized that we have been accomplishing so much. This is only our third week of internship, and already we feel that we have made so much progress. As we look back on the first day of this project, we realize that we have learned so much about how politics works, and we have all become much more confident speaking on the radio and the phone. We are also getting the opportunity to meet so many different people who have given us insight about this project and other topics.
As we continue with our internship, we would just like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsor, Emily Kingsley as well as Paul Feiner, and our mentor at Scarsdale, Mr. Henry.

Day 10

Today we continued our efforts to contact organizations and companies that might want to help us.
We plan to meet with Westchester Disabled On The Move and Westchester ARC to find out more about the placement of group homes in dangerous areas, and what can be done to help the disabled.
Next Wednesday we will be interviewing Chief of Police Kapica about traffic safety in the area.
We will also be spending the next week editing and organizing the footage that we have, so the first episode of our show will air on television very soon.

Day 9

Today we started the filming and production of the first episode of our cable TV show.
We started the morning at Chatterton Parkway, filming the area, the traffic situation, some road signs, and the group home. We then interviewed Vic Leviatin about his personal experiences relating to the issue, and his feelings about public safety. We also interviewed Paul Feiner about his political standpoint.
After our filming session, we went to Woodlands High School and met Constantine Andreadis and other teachers at the the school. We are planning an effort to work with students at Woodlands and other people in the community, to try and get them involved in this project.
In the next two weeks, we will be preparing a presentation to make for the Junior Class at Woodlands High School, and hope that they will become a part of this project.

Day 8

We went to the New Greenburgh Residents Meeting at the Greenburgh Town Hall. We handed out fliers explaining our project and how to contact us or become involved. We also spoke at the Town Board Meeting about our progress in this project and what we have been accomplishing. Overall,we felt that we had a very positive experience today. We feel like we are doing a good job reaching out to residents, and it was great to see so many people praising our project and offering support.

Day 7

We began the planning for our weekly cable tv show. We scheduled a meeting with Vic Leviatin who will be our first guest. We will begin filming the show on Thursday morning at Chatterton Parkway & Old Tarrytown Road.
We attempted to contact NY State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin but we are unable to get a meeting with her due to political and district reasons. We also emailed AAA to ask them about safety issues concerning sidewalks.

Day 6

Today we spent the morning making our second radio update. on the radio with us were two women. One was trying to organize an effort to impeach Bush and the other was trying to stop ConEdison from cutting down too many trees. These women were of great help to us because they told us of other dangerous streets in Greenburgh that do not have sidewalks. One of the women knew Bronwyn Baird who was killed on Old Tarrytown Rd.

We met with Tim Lewis, the town attorney for Greenburgh. We discussed what would be necessary in order to utilize a walkway on Lawrence Birnbach's property. We then called New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin asking if she wanted to become involved in our project.

Day 5

We spent most of this day researching pedestrian safety in Westchester and nearby areas. We also researched companies and foundations that might give us information on local traffic laws.
Paul Feiner wrote an entry on his blog about our project and this site. We were shocked and appalled to find that our project was met with such negative and angry commentary. It is horrible that people would even consider our project as a political move for Paul. Our only purpose in this project is to see if we can make a difference in pedestrian safety on Chatterton Parkway and in other areas. Please don't put your political opinions above the safety of your fellow citizens.

If anyone has further criticism of our project, we invite you to comment on this blog.

Day 4

Today we met Vic Leviatin, a former teacher at Woodlands High School. He showed us a section of Old Tarrytown Road where two people have died as a result of having no sidewalks in a dangerous traffic area. Old Tarrytown Road has a blind spot and looks very similar to Chatterton Parkway. One of the victims was a former student of Vic's, and the other was his wife's best friend. Seeing these two road markers gave new meaning to our project and really showed us how important the issue of pedestrian safety is. Too often, people don't take the initiative to change a problem until it is too late.
We hope that it will not take an accident on Chatterton Parkway to make people realize the dangers posed by not having a safe area for pedestrians to walk.



Vic, Erin, Jana, Carolyn standing next to a marker of one of the victims.


Erin, Jana, Carolyn and Vic observing the traffic situation on Old Tarrytown Road.

Day 3

Today we met Sgt. Gillis of the Greenburgh Police Department. He took us to Chatterton Parkway along with Paul Feiner. There we met with Emily and Jason Kingsley, who is one of the three musketeers. We took measurements of the road and discussed what options we had for making a sidewalk.

While there we also met several members of the local community who voiced their concerns about the safety of pedestrians. One elderly woman who wished to be anonymous told us that there had been several accidents in the past few years due to the blind curve on the street.

Another man by the name of Lawrence Birnbach has offered to allow the town to use a part of his property to make a path away from the road that does not interfere with the phone polls or go against ADA sidewalk requirements. Thank you sir, you have helped immeasurably with our effort.


Measuring the width of Chatterton Parkway


Jason Kingsley, Sgt. Gillis, Carolyn, Jana, Erin.


Carolyn, Lawrence Birnbach, Erin, Jana, Jason Kingsley.


The part of Lawrence's property that he is willing to let pedestrians use.

Day 2

Today we visited Chatterton Parkway for the first time. The street is very narrow and very busy because it connects Central Ave. with White Plains.

We went to Greenburgh Town Hall today and planned with Paul Feiner on how we could reach out to disability support groups in the Westchester area. We called Westchester Disabled on the Move, Westchester ARC, Peckham Industry Inc, PAB Contracting Corp., Gardner M. Bishop Inc., Chief of Police John Kapica. Hopefully they will call us back.

If you want to become involved please leave us a comment.


Calling associations and engineers and setting up Blog.


With town engineers


Looking at maps of the sidewalk site.

Day 1

Today we started our Project with the creation of this Blog.

We spoke about our project on WVOX am 1460 which is Paul Feiner's weekly radio program which is on every Monday at 11:00am. We explained what our goals are for the project. We will be making weekly updates on the project on the show every Monday, so please tune in for further information.

We later got to meet with congresswoman Nita Lowey and her assistant Peter Feroe. Hopefully they will be willing to assist us later on in the project.


Erin, Jana and Carolyn at the WVOX radio station.


Erin, Carolyn, Nita Lowey and Jana.


Peter Feroe, Jana, Carolyn, and Erin.