May News
Focus on The Arts 

 
Students and faculty embraced Spirit Week with great pride. April 23-27 was packed with spring-time activities. During the Senior Slumber Retreat at the lodge in Black Rock Forest, faculty members brought appreciative students a "potluck" dinner of favorite home-made dishes, followed by a night hike and campfire.  

The week also included a morning of campus beautification projects in celebration of Earth Day, an Art Show in the Dining Room, athletic games, and a week of themed dress. Monday was Pajama Day, Tuesday was Backwards Day, Wednesday was School Colors Day, Thursday was Decade Day, and Friday was Twin Day.  

Alexa H and Alex B, backwards

Students enthusiastically applauded their classmates who were inducted into the National Honor Society (see story below) and others who won prizes in the Art Show.  

It was a week of fun and celebration of the diverse and talented Storm King School community. Read more about it here. To view more photos of the NHS Induction Ceremony, click here and then click on the "Photos" tab in the Media Gallery.  

Mr. Simontacchi, backwards

NHS Induction

National Honor Society members and new inductees were honored at a formal ceremony and special dinner on Thursday, April 26. Criteria for membership include scholarship, service, leadership, and character. All members must maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale and contribute positively to the School and the community through volunteer work, leadership opportunities, and a good attitude. Students, faculty, and family members voiced approval as current members welcomed new members during the candlelit ceremony.

Fine Arts Department Chair Amanda Penecale covered all the walls (and some of the windows!) of Orr Commons Dining Hall with artistic works that students had completed and matted throughout the year. A panel of judges from the faculty voted on the entries into the Art Show. Ms. Penecale awarded prizes in the following categories:

Most Creative: Caroline F for "Bird Woman"
Excellence in Digital Art: Bobby C for "Widdikanda"
Excellence in Drawing: Sam K for "P"
Excellence in Photography: Shu S for "Lily"
Excellence in Painting:Bonnie J for "Lady"
Best in Show: Shu S for "Lily"

Photos courtesy of Amy Flynn and Amanda Penecale.  

The Storm King School's Department of Performing Arts will present The Drowsy Chaperone on May 18, 19, & 20 in the Walter Reade, Jr., Theatre. Evening performances are at 7:30 PM and the Sunday matinee is at 2:00 PM. Twenty-five students are involved in the production, which includes many dance numbers. 

Performing Arts Department Chair Anne Fulton offers this synopsis: "To chase his blues away, a modern day musical theatre addict known simply as 'Man in Chair' drops the needle on his favorite record--the 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the uproariously funny musical magically bursts to life on stage, telling the tale of a pampered Broadway starlet who wants to give up show business to get married, her producer who sets out to sabotage the nuptials, her chaperone, the debonair groom, the dizzy chorus girl, the Latin lover, and a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs. Man in Chair's infectious love of The Drowsy Chaperone speaks to anyone who has ever been transported by the theatre." For tickets and information, please call (845) 534-4135.
  

The dining hall bustled with activity as students, faculty, and staff milled around sampling foods and learning about various cultures and traditions at SKS's annual International Fair on May 2. Students in foreign language and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes chose a country--their country of origin for many--and prepared colorful poster boards, signature dishes, crafts, music, and more.  

Offerings included an assortment of teas, soups, and cheeses, Spanish "street food," Tamales Mexicanos, Kebabs grilled to order, Vietnamese Summer Rolls, and much, much more. There were face paintings, music, palm readings, and games in addition to all the food. Countries represented included China, Korea, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Spain, France, Ukraine, Russia, Vietnam, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Panama, Slovakia, and Chile. 

Foreign Languages Department Chair and event organizer Anna Stein-Obreros described some of the thirty-five projects that students presented this year and said in summary, "....the fair was, as always, a great cultural and culinary experience that was enjoyed by the entire Storm King community."

Jib of the Clearwater with Storm King Mountain in the background

The sun was shining and the wind was strong on May 10 when SKS's environmental science classes and crew team boarded the Hudson River Clearwater Sloop and headed out for an afternoon of environmental investigation and sailing.  

The Clearwater was built by folk music and environmental legend Pete Seeger and a group of friends in the late 1960s in an effort to save the Hudson River from increasingly degrading pollution. The 106-foot long replica of the traditional sailing vessels that worked the on the river is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is known as America's Environmental Flagship.  

Students study the chemistry of PCB pollution in the Hudson River.

Evan E '16 had a blast as the group journeyed down the Hudson in what felt like an old-time pirate ship, tying knots and pulling up nets, getting a first-hand look at the types of fish and other creatures that call the Hudson home, singing "working songs" to keep the crew in rhythm as they performed chores, learning to control the ship with its tiller, and discovering the history of the river. These experiences are meant to educate and stimulate environmental stewardship, and it was clear from Evan's enthusiasm and that of the other students that the day's adventure was a success.

 

The Office of Admissions cordially invites you to attend an Open House for prospective students and their families. The Open House will begin in the Walter Reade, Jr., Theatre at the center of The Storm King School campus.

This Open House will provide an opportunity to tour our beautiful campus. After the tour, you will see a short video about the School and participate in a discussion about the application process. There will be plenty of time to answer your questions about the School.  

Open House Schedule:
10:00   Tour of Campus
11:15     SKS Video
11:30    Overview of Application Process and General Question
                and Answer Session
12:00    Closing Remarks
 
Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
314 Mountain Road
Cornwall on Hudson, NY 12520
845-534-9860
admissions@sks.org

Saturday, June 23, 10:00 AM-12:00 Noon 

Open Houses generally start in Orr Commons in the center of The Storm King School campus.  We will begin with a tour of the campus after brief welcoming remarks.  You will learn about the School and its programs.  After the tour, you will see a short video about the School and participate in a discussion about the application process. 

It is helpful if you call (845-534-9860) to register in advance.