HCCS Alumni

List of 12 items.

• Daniel Seltzer ’76

  ...an entrepreneurial information technologist, came to talk to the fifth grade about technology and the telecommunications business. Presenting an interesting perspective on the evolution of the computer, he pointed out that when he started working with computers, as a fourth grader at HCES, they were an exclusive piece of technology but they were wide open to development and limited only by the imagination of the user. Today computers are ubiquitous but the software on them limits what the user can do. It is important to think about the shift from using computers to make things (in the old days) versus using them to browse/watch/buy things now, he said. Computers have gone from being more open and raw to being more closed and polished. He encouraged the students to think of all the things they could make with computers and all the places that the technology is present. Using a smart phone and a Web app, he also showed us a recent bike ride he took through a map, a series of photos and a set of physical data such as length of time and speed he was traveling.

• Blake Eskin ’88

  ...the Web Editor for The New Yorker, spoke with third graders about the evolution of The New Yorker and the publication of journals in general. He discussed the need for fact-checking in reporting: even if you think you know the facts, he said, it is important to check them from a reputable source because what you read “somewhere” could have been incorrect. He spoke about the differences between a paper publication, which requires time to reach its readers and requires a second issue to correct errors, and the immediacy of a Web-based publication, where the pages can change each time you look at them. Although we can now take the Internet with us, he said, the fact that a paper copy is portable and impervious to signal availability and battery power, makes it a clear favorite with readers of The New Yorker -- for now.

• Jordan Wouk ’60 and Josselyne Herman-Saccio ’85

  ...both work in the field of volunteer organizations. After posing a question to their fourth grade audience --why might people not able to take care of themselves and their environment -- they received many great answers. They discussed the need to band together to tackle large problems, pointing out that while we can do many things on a personal level, we sometimes need to do things as a group or organization. They then engaged the students in a conversation about the ways in which they can participate in volunteering in their communities and the world at large. The ideas included helping the environment, making healthy personal choices and participating in available programs. They also encouraged everyone to come up with new ideas to reuse, reduce and recycle. Jocelyn, who has spent the past 12 years as a personal manager for actors, writers, directors and recording artists, has been active in fund-raising for various non-profits and education programs. Jordan, a Central Park volunteer, comes from a long line of HCES graduates; he also shared the graduation certificate, from the 1930s, of his mother, Joy Lattman.

• Paula Feder ’47

  ...is a writer of children's books (“The Feather-Bed Journey”) and a retired elementary school teacher. Paula had the second grade enthralled with a story she wrote when she was 8 years old. Curiosity, she told them, is at the root of a writer. While sharing a couple of her illustrated children’s books, she discussed plot development and use of imagination as she retold the stories. She asked the children to participate in creating a story from ideas they came up with on the spot. Think about everyday places and things but look at them from a new perspective, she said. The class came up with excellent suggestions and worked together to weave them into a story involving a building, gravel and ice cream.

• Seth Greenberg ’69, Kysha Harris’89 and Jackie Goldstein ’06

  ...came as a group to talk to the fourth grade about the culinary arts. To be in the food business, they all agreed, you have to love food. The hours are long and the work is hard, but the rewards are delicious! Seth is a baker, owns a business and teaches. He waxed poetic about the chemical reactions possible between flour, butter, eggs, and perhaps some cream. He also pointed out that if we were to eat only local food, we would not be able to eat chocolate. Kysha, who owns a personalized cooking service and is a culinary producer and food columnist, commented on the diversity of jobs that exist in any industry a student chooses. Jackie is a recent graduate of Emerson College and her passions lie in the food industry. With some experience in public relations she is seeking to find her niche in this diverse world. This range of alum from '69 to '06, at different points in their careers, brought a unique opportunity to the students and to the conversation.

• David Rapkin’56 and Mark Kondracki ’84

  ...both work in the audio book business. Speaking to fifth graders, they discussed the nuts and bolts of audio book production. David, spoke from the point of view of a director, noting that it is his job to help the reader release the story from the page. He outlined the director's role in making the heart of the text clear to the performer and helping him or her understand the nesting arcs of meaning, rhythm and feeling that inform each sentence, paragraph, section, chapter and ultimately, the entire book. And all this should be achieved without overwhelming the reader with too much information. He also discussed questions like whether to use one voice or many and how to get the best possible performance from the reader. He also shared some practical tips such as wearing loose soft clothing and sitting very comfortably, to eating a Granny Smith apple to clear mouth sounds. Mark discussed the various technical considerations. He drew a picture of his recording studio, which is suspended on rubber pucks and has three layers of plywood insulated walls. He showed the students a microphone baffle and demonstrated how it reduced the sound of air coming out of their mouths. He also talked about sound effects and their role in telling the story, an addition to an audio book not available on paper, which can support the story in a dramatic way.

• David Strait ’81

  ...is a paleoanthropologist who studies the evolution and functional anatomy of humans and other primates. He kept a fifth-grade science class riveted as he showed a row of human skulls that he set out one by one on a table. With each one he discussed the characteristics it displayed to show the evolutionary stages in the development of the human skull. He discussed time-line adaptation and tool use in early humans. He answered questions about opposable thumbs and manual dexterity. He also conducted a demonstration, with the aid of a volunteer, of the gait caused by the straight angle of the thighbone in apes as opposed to the sloping one in humans. Bipeds of all sorts were next on the agenda. He also encouraged the students to line up and touch the human bones that he brought with him. Someone remarked that they could go home and tell their parents that they had touched a human bone and then gone to lunch.

• Rosaly Roffman HCHS’ 55

  ...a Professor Emeritus of Mythology and Folk Tales came to a 3rd Grade classroom. She began her visit with a discussion of the distinctions between Myth and Legends, Folk Tales, Tall Tales and Fairy Tales. She had a visual presentation of various mythical creatures to illustrate these ideas. The students had a lot to say on the subject and had obviously read a great many of each. She talked about the fact that every culture has its own mythology, much of which comes from the physical nature of the surroundings in which they live, but incorporate some ideas that are global. The sky and clouds being examples of some things that feature in many different tales. She told the story of Orpheus, with illustrations of various paintings, and how his skills as a musician changed the mind of a god. She discussed how the message of love and loss has been so powerful, that Orpheus has come to represent the beauty of music in much of the world. The class finished with the students illustrating the story on an image of a Greek urn.

• Margo Amgott ’69, Laura Antar ’79 and Lela Mayers ’80

  As professionals in the field of physical and emotional development, these alumnae met with the sixth grade to talk about what goes on in the body and mind of an adolescent. Although an impossible task not so long ago, they were able to shed quite a bit of light of the subject with the aid of neuro-scientific and medical research. The question they posed was: “What do I wish I had known in sixth grade?” To answer that question, they used visual presentations that show how the synapses of the brain change with age, how behavior changes with hormonal surges and how relationships change over time and with maturity. They also discussed with the students differences that exist across the broad range of what is considered typical and how to notice something outside the typical range. The conversation pointed to friendship and emotional connections as one of the most important indicators of mental health.

• Harold Koenigsberg’57

  Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, along with his assistant/daughter, a third grader herself, displayed MRI images and spoke about the functions and basic anatomy of the human brain. The third grade students were fascinated by how an MRI captures images and how doctors use these images. They were also impressed with the mechanics of the MRI, especially the importance of not bringing anything magnetic into the MRI room and what happens if you do. After a lengthy discussion, the students had the opportunity to handle a model of the human brain.

• Marisol Rosa-Shapiro’97

  ...is a director, producer and a creative assistant to Jujamcyn Theaters. She made a dynamic presentation to the sixth grade detailing all the creative roles that work together in producing a theatrical performance. After describing her journey in theatrical arts, she gave the students the opportunity to share their experiences and theatrical dreams. She also reinforced the idea that one does not have to be onstage to have a “starring role” in any production. Creativity and artistry play a major role in all aspects of the theater. Her presentation set the stage for the announcement of this year’s sixth grade presentation, “Seussical the Musical.” Stop by to see it on Wednesday, May 25 at 10 a.m.

• Sascha Segan ’86

  ...is a Web journalist who writes about cell phones for

  PCMAG.com. We asked him to tackle the subject of cellphone security with a sixth-grade class. The discussion was lively and informed on both sides. Our students can more than hold their own in discussions of the various features of handheld smart technology. What Sascha added to the conversation was the how and why of wireless communication. He pointed out the permanence and portability of messages both texted and recorded, and the various advantages and pitfalls that come with having instant access to a wide audience. The students had a lot of questions about this technology and how it might develop.