Woodside organization launches program to
help students and parents with remote learning
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | FEB. 12-FEB. 18, 2021 23
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Throughout the month of
February, art lovers will get
the chance view works by local
creators at the Bayside
Historical Society’s (BHS)
first-ever virtual art show.
This year marks the 20th
consecutive year for the
BHS exhibition, which due to
COVID-19, was transitioned to
an online platform. This year,
a total of 42 Queens artist
working in various mediums,
are displaying their works in
virtual “galleries” open to the
public for the whole month of
February. The art show will
also feature the works of 19
young artists who currently
attend Bayside High School.
The following artists are
participating:
• Willy Airaldi
• Charles Bentz
• Rosetta Bentz
• Sheila Blunt
• Patricia Brintle
• Charles Castellino
• Effie Cavaseno
• Maureen Chen
• Brianna Dennis
• Audrey Dove
• EL (Elvishayan Galan)
• Susan Fiebert
• Giovanni Gelardi
• Kevin Goetzger
• Barbara Griffel
• Elaine Hajian
• Adam Hardy
• Donna Hovi
• Dominika Juraszek
• Ellen Katcher
• Sue Kendzierski
• Wing Kong
• Marilyn Lamy
• Madeline Lovallo
• Joseph Marziliano
• Kerri McKay
• Laura McManus
• Timothy Peters
• Claudia Schellenberg
• Bibi Shariff
• Elizabeth Sheehan
• Barbara Silbert
• Alacia Stubbs
• Thomas Surprenant
• Ana Tiburcio-Rivera
• Aphrodite Vairaktaris
• Christiana Vasilas
• Barbara Vinitz
• Charles ViVona
• Terri Will
• Anna Yefroyev
• Anna Zaderman
On the BHS website,
visitors have the options to
enter the main art gallery or
the student galleries.
Some of the original art
will also be available for
purchase.
Visit baysidehistorical.org/
events to learn more.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
As thousands of families
across Queens and New York
City juggle the continuous
shifts between in-person and
remote learning, New York
Edge’s Learning Labs are providing
a safe, educational environment
for children on the
days they are scheduled for virtual
school – easing the burden
for working parents who need
assurance that their children
are cared for during the workday.
New York Edge, located at
58-12 Queens Blvd. in Woodside,
is the largest provider of
after school programs in New
York City, servicing thousands
of students from more than 100
schools in grades K-12. Its programs
are located in the five
boroughs, with several learning
labs at churches, libraries,
and catering halls that have
been repurposed to provide a
space for children to feel safe
and supported.
There are also two other locations
in Queens at Our Lady
of Angelus at 63-63 98th St. in
Rego Park, and Antun’s Catering
Hall at 96-43 Springfield
Blvd. in Queens Village.
“These two locations provide
a safe and nurturing environment
where kids can log
on to classes and educators are
there to support them,” said
Rachael Gazdick, CEO of New
York Edge. “Instead of being
home and online, it’s an opportunity
for kids to go to these locations
and get the support they
need, and it eases the burden
for parents making sure their
kids are cared for.”
New York Edge currently
provides a mix of in-person and
virtual after school programs,
creating a sense of much-needed
normalcy during these unprecedented
times, according
to Gazdick.
“We have 1,400 employees in
New York Edge and in each of
those schools, they have very
personal relationships with
the kids who see them as mentors,
coaches and educators,”
Gazdick said. “Sadly, one of our
students lost a parent and she
said what was getting her up
and out of bed in the morning
was her online dance class.”
According to Gazdick, it’s
really critical for kids to not
just do the activities, but to be
with caring adults that help
them process some of the trauma
they’re facing during the
pandemic. Prior to the pandemic,
New York Edge was serving
40,000 kids in all five boroughs.
When schools were closed in
March, the organization transitioned
its entire programming
to virtual.
“We were able to give out
600 laptops to our students who
didn’t have access to technology,”
Gazdick said. “We run
both a hybrid in-person and
online learning at our labs and
after school programs depending
on the situation in each of
our schools.”
New York Edge’s Learning
Labs are open Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
providing engaging activities
that will enhance kids’ learning,
enabling them to grow academically
and personally, and
help them develop the passion
and perseverance to meet their
goals.
From homework support
to STEM activities, visual and
performing arts, leadership
skills, college access programming
and ACT/SAT prep, New
York Edge’s initiatives — which
are of no cost to the families
they serve — are customized
to integrate the school day curriculum
and lead to improved
academic performance at every
level. All of New York Edge’s
curriculum is age appropriate
with a heavy focus on kids’ social
emotional learning that
includes their overall physical
and mental health.
“That can be from eating
healthy foods to getting enough
sleep to also processing and
working through social isolation
due to the pandemic,”
Gazdick said. “We try to provide
our students with a holistic
approach to their needs and
really create a wrap-around approach
for all kids.”
While spaces are limited
and are not completely filled,
Gazdick is encouraging parents
to sign up for the program
as soon as they can.
“The work at the Learning
Lab is absolutely critical and
it’s been very challenging for
parents to organize childcare
and/or work from home while
their kids are at home trying
to get online,” Gazdick said. “I
think, overall, it’s a win-win for
students and parents.”
New York Edge currently provides a mix of in-person and virtual
afterschool programs. Photo courtesy of NY Edge
“One Trick Peony” by student artist Daniella Y.
Bayside Historical Society
presents virtual art show
/QNS.COM
/baysidehistorical.org
