Park Slope
Sempronio longo to Keri Gill. The brilliant junior at St. Saviour High School aced a perfect score on the National Latin exam. According to the exam committee, only 792 students out of 140,000 from around the world have attained this distinction.
Standing O offers the only Latin it remembers, “O stantem plaudente Keri,”
St. Saviour High School [588 Sixth St. at Eighth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 768–4406].
Red Hook
Ahoy landlubbers
Anchors aweigh to PortSide New York. The waterfront oriented non-profit was honored by the White House with the “Champions for Change” award on April. 24, for its outstanding service during Hurricane Sandy. PortSide is based on the historic tanker the Mary A Whalen.
Five days before Sandy hit shore, members of PortSide did their best to secure the Mary A Whalen in order to keep her safe and to prevent damage to the property of others. After Sandy left its trail of devastation, PortSide assembled a crew and immediately set out to help the community. Setting up “Sandy aid station 351” was the result.
District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Craig Hammerman, who nominated PortSide New York, told Standing O, “PortSide New York’s innovative approach was to apply their experience with cultural pop ups to create an immediate, inventive, community-based Sandy aid-station that continually changed services in response to needs and opportunities.”
Six months post-Sandy, and PortSide continues to provide relief work to the community.
PortSide New York [Aboard the Mary A Whalen Tanker, Carroll Street at the base of Degraw Street in Red Hook, (917) 414–0565].
Borough Wide
Der Bingle lives
Three cheers to Martin McQuade. The native son, who has dedicated his life to the study and singing of American popular music, was recently featured on the Joe Franklin Show— remember Memory Lane with Joe Franklin, folks? Anyway it was a staple in Standing O’s house.
In his latest appearance on the show, Standing O pal Martin said he discussed his involvement with the International Club Crosby, and the Bing Magazine, of which he is a contributor and consultant, as well as Bing’s legacy to the world of music and enterprise.
“Joe and I go back a long way. In the past, he would frequently feature me on his show to discuss classic movies and pop culture,” he said.
The balladeer routinely performs at the Greenhouse Cafe and the Schnitzel Haus, and is currently at work writing liner notes and serving as production assistant for the recent CD and DVD release of the crooner’s tunes.
Bay Ridge
Bright as the sun
Three cheers to Palvishah Ismail. The bright Ridgeite was accepted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Membership in the society is by invitation only and only to the brightest first and second year college students. “Scholars is more than just a symbol of academic achievement. Membership provides amazing benefits,” Stephen Loflin, founder and CEO of the society, explained to Standing O.
Dyker Heights
C’est bon-bon
Toques off to Kristen Battaglia, the New York City College of Technology senior took place in the “International Restaurant and Foodservice Show,” held at the Jacob Javits Center in that other borough across the river. Competitors were challenged to present a chocolate showpiece that reflected women. Our baking beauty Kristen beat out nine other students to slam the grand prize. Her vision of petit fours was a rendition of an opera cake, and her plated desert was a tasty confection of chocolate mousse, raspberry brulee, vanila cremeux, and other goodies.
Kristen was mentored by Anthony Smith, an adjunct professor and the pastry chef at the Cosmopolitan Club. “Professor Smith motivated me to enter the competition,” she told Standing O.
Kristen is planning on a trip to Gay Paris in June as part of her continuing eduction in a work study program.
Standing O wishes her bon voyage and happy baking.
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