Girls’ volleyball celebrates Senior Night

In Sports, Sports - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

October 28, 2024

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — The Ravens girls’ volleyball team celebrated Senior Night on Wednesday.

There are two graduating seniors on the team — Talia Jones and McKenna Slingerland.

After honoring their seniors, the Ravens lost in their varsity game against the Ichabod-Crane Riders in four sets.

The Ravens started out strong, taking the first set 25-15, but then lost the next three sets by scores of 25-22, 25-17 and 25-20.

Check out images from Wednesday’s matchup on the team’s home court.

RCS senior walk-thru tradition returns

In News, News - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

June 13, 2022

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Graduating seniors did the traditional “Senior Walk-Thru” at each of the RCS school buildings. Courtesy of RCS Central School District

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — For graduating seniors, the annual walk-thru tradition is a glimpse back into their own past, and for younger students, it’s a look into the future.

The Class of 2022 last Wednesday participated in the annual pre-graduation tradition, walking through each RCS school building wearing their graduation cap and gown, as students and faculty lined the hallways and cheered them on.

The ritual returned after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic that put a halt to many treasured school traditions.

“It has been absolutely magical to be able to celebrate with all of our students again,” high school principal Dr. Lisa Patierne said. “Watching our students reminisce on their journey while connecting with the staff that supported them along the way and seeing our younger students get excited about their future at RCS was truly a memorable experience and an important tradition for our community.”

“We are so proud of the Class of 2022!” Patierne continued.

The day began with a breakfast for the graduating seniors, then they boarded a bus to travel to each school in the district.

At each school the seniors were greeted by younger students, who had the opportunity to see what lies ahead in their future years at RCS, as well as teachers and staff, many of whom knew the graduates long before they donned their caps and gowns.

Prospective graduates line up outside Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School for the traditional walk-thru. Courtesy of RCS Central School District

The event was one in a long line of end-of-year events in the school district, including the senior and junior proms at the high school, a PTA Father-Daughter Dance at A.W. Becker Elementary School, a middle school semi-formal, and performances by the bands and choruses in their spring concerts, among others.

The RCS Athletic Department and the RCS Sports Association held an awards ceremony at Joralemon Park on June 9, recognizing the accomplishments of the district’s student-athletes.

This year’s Athlete of the Year awards were given to Uchenna Uba and Ryan Southworth. Uba also won the state championship in the discus event in Division 2 in outdoor track and field.

The Coaches Award was given to Erik Chapman and Katie Pagnotta, and the Sportsmanship Award went to Nick Abrams and Mollie McFerran.

Southworth also won the Stephen McGowan Award, which is given annually to a graduating senior basketball player who has been positively affected by their time on the basketball court and plans to continue their education at the college level. The award also comes with a one-time $250 scholarship and is sponsored by the Stephen G. McGowan family.

The arts also celebrated achievement at RCS High School. Eleven students were inducted into the 2022 National Art Honor Society in a ceremony June 9.

To be a member of the NAHS, students must demonstrate dedication to their artwork, hold themselves to a high creative standard, create a positive atmosphere in the art classroom and maintain an average of B or higher in their art courses, among other requirements.

The following RCS students were inducted into the NAHS: Evan Agan, Katherine Burch, Jessica Diaz, Emerson Knapp, Nina Kozlowski, Khloe Kramer, Alivia Ortiz, Sonia Snyder, Abigail St. John and Kaitlin Strokes.

The group’s co-sponsor, art teacher Christina Wallace, said the students worked hard this year.

“Our students hit the ground running in the fall and utilized their skills and kindness to encourage art and art education in our community,” Wallace said. “I am incredibly proud of our new inductees and all of our students for their hard work and dedication.”

The RCS High School graduation will be on June 24 at 6 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, 279 Madison Ave. Tickets are not required and there is no limit to the number of attendees. At press time there were no COVID-19 restrictions in place for the graduation ceremony, and masks and virus testing were not required.

Check out more photos from the Senior Walk-Thru:

Positively Speaking: The obstacle person

In Health & Wellness, Health & Wellness - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

February 8, 2024

By Toby Moore

For Capital Region Independent Media

Toby Moore

I was recently reading Norman Vincent Peale’s renowned book, ‘”The Power of Positive Thinking.” In it, a chapter titled “I Don’t Believe in Defeat” particularly caught my eye.

That’s an intriguing statement. He doesn’t believe in defeat?

Yet, history and everyday life are littered with examples. The Nazis faced a resounding defeat in World War II, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali tasted defeat in the ring, and once-giant corporations like Blockbuster and Kodak have crumbled under the weight of progress.

Defeat seems not just a possibility but a certainty. So, what exactly does Peale mean when he boldly claims he doesn’t believe in defeat? When you dig deeper into Peale’s book, you understand exactly what he’s getting at.

He discusses two types of individuals and their approaches to life’s challenges. Inspired by Peale’s insights, let’s conceptualize a hypothetical scenario that embodies his principles.

Imagine two characters: “The Overcomer” and “The Obstacle Person.” These are not individuals Peale specifically names but archetypes we can use to explore his ideas further.

In this scene, The Overcomer, who embodies Peale’s philosophy of positive thinking and problem solving, discusses with The Obstacle Person, who symbolizes the defeatist attitude Peale warns against.

The exchange unfolds something like this:

The Overcomer, noticing a habitual negativity in the other’s responses, addresses The Obstacle Person with a mix of curiosity and challenge. “Why do you always emphasize the obstacles rather than the possibilities?” he asks, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

With a shrug of resignation, the Obstacle Person replies, “Because to be intelligent, one must always be realistic. There are undeniable obstacles in this project. And you, how do you propose we deal with these obstacles?”

“That’s simple,” The Overcomer responds with unwavering confidence. “I’d just remove them, that’s all, and then forget about them.”

The Obstacle person laughs sarcastically and replies, “That’s easier said than done,” skepticism heavy in their voice.

A knowing smile creeps across The Overcomer’s face as they lean in slightly. “My life has been a journey of overcoming obstacles. I’ve yet to meet one that couldn’t be dismantled with enough faith, guts and hard work.”

This interaction between The Overcomer and The Obstacle Person illustrates the essence of Peale’s philosophy. It’s about recognizing obstacles and having the mindset to confront and dismantle them. This leads us directly to one of Peale’s core pieces of advice.

To overcome any obstacle, Peale says, “Stand up to it and don’t complain about it or whine under it but forthrightly attack it. Don’t give way under it, and it will finally break. You will break it. Something has to break, and it won’t be you, it will be the obstacle.”

The Obstacle Person is already defeated before they even begin to strive toward a goal. Why is this? It’s because they are ensnared in a web of defeatist thinking.

Before embarking on any venture, the Obstacle Person already catalogs reasons for failure. Their mind is a battlefield where pessimism consistently overpowers optimism. Every potential problem is magnified, and every hurdle seems insurmountable. In this state of mind, defeat isn’t just a possibility, it’s a foregone conclusion. The Obstacle Person, crippled by defeatist thinking, loses the battle before it even begins.

This mindset is The Obstacle person’s most significant barrier, more so than any external challenge they might face.

Contrast this with The Overcomer, who approaches the same venture with a different lens. The Overcomer acknowledges the obstacles but doesn’t grant them the power to halt progress. Instead of being paralyzed by what might go wrong, this person is energized by what could go right.

I’m sure you’ve recognized this in your own life. There were times when you were able to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

I’ve noticed this in recent years in my own life. I’ve started a business that is in a very competitive market and one that seems impossible to crack. There have been moments where panic has overtaken me, but after I regain control and keep moving forward, I’ve found the obstacles fall away and were never as big as they seemed.

Conquering an obstacle or being defeated by an obstacle is a choice that defines your journey. Choose to rise, not surrender.

Toby Moore is a columnist, the star of Emmy-nominated “A Separate Peace,” and the CEO of Cubestream Inc.