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Pelham Examiner

Pelham Examiner

Pelham Examiner

Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor (2022-23)

Cristina is a senior at Pelham Memorial High School. She is the class of 2023 secretary and the Editor-in-Chief of the PMHS Pelican Yearbook. Cristina is also the co-president/founder of the PMHS Breast Cancer Awareness Club, co-president of the Pelham Together Youth Council, and a president of the PMHS Operation Smile Club, as well as a member of the PMHS Italian Club. She also enjoys participating in the PMHS Concert and Chamber Choruses, as well as the Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theater Department. She is excited to contribute to the Pelham Examiner and hopes to continue journalism in college.

(This was Cristina’s profile when she graduated from high school in 2023.)

All content by Cristina Stefanizzi
Andrew Scott was one of three seniors selected to give a speech at the Pelham Memorial High School graduation on Saturday.

[Photo] Isaiah Graves’s graduation speech: ‘Take a risk, and even if it’s not a perfect fit, you gain more than you lose’

By Isaiah Graves
June 27, 2024

Andrew Scott was one of three seniors selected to give a speech at the Pelham Memorial High School graduation on Saturday.

Erik Fontanella was one of the two recipients of the Memorial Tablet.

Erik Fontanella was one of the two recipients of the Memorial Tablet.

Laura Shelton was one of the two recipients of the Memorial Tablet.

Laura Shelton was one of the two recipients of the Memorial Tablet.

Samantha Gregware was named the first place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Samantha Gregware was named the first place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Issac Lief was named the second place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Issac Lief was named the second place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Avery Goodman was named the third place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Avery Goodman was named the third place W.W. Fairclough Scholar.

Andrew Scott was one of three seniors selected to give a speech at the Pelham Memorial High School graduation.

Andrew Scott was one of three seniors selected to give a speech at the Pelham Memorial High School graduation.

Isaac Lief was one of four seniors selected to give a speech.

Isaac Lief was one of four seniors selected to give a speech.

Isaiah Graves was one of four seniors selected to give a speech.

Isaiah Graves was one of four seniors selected to give a speech.

PMHS Principal Mark Berkowitz.

PMHS Principal Mark Berkowitz.

Building for sale sign posted on Pelham Bakery door.

[Photo] Snapshot: Pelham Bakery storefront is for sale

By Gillian Ho, Deputy Managing Editor
June 22, 2024

Building for sale sign posted on Pelham Bakery door.

'It was mayhem:' Pelham's swifties share their experiences buying—or not buying—tickets to The Eras Tour

‘It was mayhem:’ Pelham’s swifties share their experiences buying—or not buying—tickets to The Eras Tour

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Senior Editor
July 7, 2023

You'd have to be living under a rock, or, "all the bricks they threw at me," to not know that Taylor Swift is taking the US by storm with Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. And, yes, this storm is complete...

UPDATE: Some PMHS science classes relocated due to bad air quality caused by Canadian fires; masks given to students walking home

UPDATE: Some PMHS science classes relocated due to bad air quality caused by Canadian fires; masks given to students walking home

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Senior Editor
June 7, 2023

Pelham Memorial High School moved one science class into the auditorium and shifted all outdoor activities inside Wednesday because of bad air quality caused by Canadian wildfires. The main office was...

Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Westchester and neighboring counties diverge on whether to allow asylum seekers from NYC

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Senior Editor
June 7, 2023

The decision by New York Mayor Eric Adams to send some asylum seekers received from Florida and Texas to counties north of the city has been met with widely contrasting reactions by those suburban governments,...

After death of Manor man who waited 14 minutes for transport, Pelham Town Board holds emergency meeting on ambulance service

After death of Manor man who waited 14 minutes for transport, Pelham Town Board holds emergency meeting on ambulance service

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
May 30, 2023

The Pelham Town Board held an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the death of a Village of Pelham Manor resident on May 18, the 14 minutes it took to get an ambulance to the man's house and to provide...

The eighth grade mural committee.

[Photo] PMS eighth graders unveil mural created in collaboration with Connecticut artist

By Gabby Ahitow, Assistant Managing Editor
May 26, 2023

The eighth grade mural committee.

The good, the bad and the Ivy: Pelham and the college admissions process

The good, the bad and the Ivy: Pelham and the college admissions process

By Cristina Stefanizzi and Bella Caruso
May 13, 2023

As high school juniors make their transition into the college admissions process toward the end of the academic year, they're met with hundreds of mailings, email pitches and other advertisements from...

Pelham Manor, Village of Pelham fire departments assist with tractor-trailer rollover on I-95

Pelham Manor, Village of Pelham fire departments assist with tractor-trailer rollover on I-95

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
May 11, 2023

At 12:21 p.m. on Wednesday, the Pelham Manor and Village of Pelham fire departments were dispatched to I-95 south for a tractor-trailer rollover, according to a post on the Manor department's Instagram...

Pelham Hockey celebrates after winning state semifinals match against Saranac.

Pelham defeats Saranac 8-2 in state ice hockey semi, heads to final on Sunday

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
March 11, 2023

Pelham overwhelmed Saranac 8-2 in the Division II state ice hockey semifinal at Buffalo's LECOM Harborcenter on Saturday. The Pelicans will play on Sunday against the winner of the Skaneateles vs. Salmon...

Hockey team celebrates with the student section after winning the state title last year.

State ice hockey semifinal: Live updates on Pelham Examiner Instagram, Twitter

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
March 10, 2023

In the Division II semifinal, Section 1 and regional champions Pelham (16-7-1) will take on Saranac (13-8-2) at 9 a.m. on Saturday in LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo. Saranac beat Queensbury, the team...

Pelham schools call two-hour delayed start Tuesday after snow forcasted for Monday night

Pelham schools call two-hour delayed start Tuesday after snow forcasted for Monday night

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
February 27, 2023

All Pelham Public Schools will open on a two-hour delayed start Tuesday following the forecast of snow Monday night into Tuesday morning, said Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ in an email sent out Monday...

Where are the drugs hidden?

What’s in your kid’s bedroom? Pelham Together creates mockup for parents to search for drug, alcohol hiding spots

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
February 16, 2023

Water bottles with fake bottoms. Lanyards that unravel into smoking pipes. Bracelets that unscrew to serve as a flask. These were some of the items placed in an interactive mockup of a "typical" teenage...

A Post-it with a message that had the N-word added (all but the "n" blocked out by the Pelham Examiner) along with other messages on a poster encouraging positive communication.

Racial slur found at PMHS on poster encouraging students to spread positivity

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
December 22, 2022

A Post-it with the N-word written on it was found Monday at Pelham Memorial High School on a poster that aimed to encourage students to share positive messages with their peers. According to an email...

College Board begins releasing PMHS PSAT scores after testing company withheld them because wrong exam given by district

College Board begins releasing PMHS PSAT scores after testing company withheld them because wrong exam given by district

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
December 16, 2022

The College Board started releasing PSAT scores Thursday to Pelham Memorial High School sophomores and juniors following a hold put on their distribution because the wrong test was administered by the...

Voting continued after Fifth Avenue closed by police due to accident

Voting continued after Fifth Avenue closed by police due to accident

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
November 8, 2022

Voting continued Tuesday afternoon at the Daronco Town House, the Village of Pelham's polling station, after police shut down Fifth Avenue between First and Second streets to vehicular traffic following...

PMHS soccer, field hockey players say football team gets preference in field scheduling

PMHS soccer, field hockey players say football team gets preference in field scheduling

By Bella Caruso and Cristina Stefanizzi
October 26, 2022

Pelham Memorial High School student-athletes have criticized the athletic department for prioritizing the football team over other fall sports in allocating fields during the week, forcing delays, reschedulings...

Notes from Pelham school district:*Regents Assessments based on Common Core Learning Standards have 5 performance levels (Algebra I & Geometry: level 1 = 0-54, level 2= 55-64, level 3 = 65-79, level 4 = 80-84, level 5 = 85-100; Algebra II : level 1 = 0-54, level 2= 55-64, level 3 = 65-77, level 4 = 78-84, level 5 = 85-100; ELA: level 1 =0-54, level 2 =55-64 , level 3 = 65-78, level 4 = 79-84, level 5 = 85-100 ) Regents Assessments based on 2005 Learning Standards have 4 performance levels (level 1 = 0-54, level 2 = 55-64, level 3 = 65=84, level 4 = 85-100)

Regents results: Pelham students attaining proficiency drop in seven of eight exams in 2022

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
September 6, 2022

Pelham high school and middle school students attaining proficiency dropped in seven of eight Regents examinations this year, with the largest declines coming in geometry, chemistry, earth science and...

'Where The Crawdads Sing:' Murder mystery film that addresses real-life issues

‘Where The Crawdads Sing:’ Murder mystery film that addresses real-life issues

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
September 2, 2022

I have to start this review off with a disclaimer. I haven't yet read the book "Where The Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens. This makes it possible that the differences between the book and the movie are noticeable,...

Pelham one of least equitable school districts in state, says WalletHub report

Pelham one of least equitable school districts in state, says WalletHub report

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
August 26, 2022

The Pelham Union Free School District is one of the least equitable districts in the state, ranked 630 out of 674 school systems, according to an analysis of income and spending by WalletHub. WalletHub...

Man who killed two women in Pelham apartment 36 years ago released on parole

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
August 26, 2022

A man who killed two women in a Pelham apartment building 36 years ago was paroled and released from Green Haven Correctional Facility on Monday, said the Westchester Rockland Journal News in an article...

Artists rendering of the lobby of Pelham House.

Village of Pelham board holds final public hearings on Pelham House; residents voice concerns

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
August 1, 2022

The Village of Pelham Board of Trustees heard from representatives of Pelham House LLC and members of the community during two public hearings Tuesday. Representatives of Pelham House LLC gave the board...

PMHS assistant principal leaves job after two years; interim to be named as search begins

PMHS assistant principal leaves job after two years; interim to be named as search begins

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
July 21, 2022

Pelham Memorial High School Assistant Principal Bethany Antonelli has resigned to take a job in another district after serving two years in the PMHS post. Her resignation is effective Aug. 31, said...

Mt. Tom Road.

Water, water everywhere: Pelham streets flood during Monday storms

The Bronx River Parkway was closed due to flooding at about 3:45 p.m. on Monday as thunderstorms deluged Westchester County. Many streets around Pelham were taped off because accumulating water made travel...

Andrew Kelly was named the first place recipient of the W.W. Fairclough Prize, which is awarded to the top three academic students in the graduating class, making him the valedictorian.

W.W. Fairclough Prize and Memorial Tablet winners named at PMHS graduation

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
June 27, 2022

The winners of Pelham Memorial High School's most prestigious awards, the W.W. Fairclough Prize and the Memorial Tablet, were announced at Saturday's Centennial Commencement Ceremony. The W.W. Fairclough...

Malia McLellan sang the National Anthem.

[Photo] Foto Feature: PMHS Centennial Commencement Ceremony

June 25, 2022

Malia McLellan sang the National Anthem.

Amazon's 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' will make fans fall more in love than the books ever did

Amazon’s ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ will make fans fall more in love than the books ever did

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
June 24, 2022

"The Summer I Turned Pretty" is the key to unlocking that ethereal summer feeling you’ve been yearning for all year. The seven episode series follows a sixteen year old girl navigating the familiar...

Foto Feature: PMHS band, chorus and orchestra spring concerts

Foto Feature: PMHS band, chorus and orchestra spring concerts

By Madison Cohen and Cristina Stefanizzi
June 16, 2022

The Pelham Memorial High School band, chorus and orchestra held their spring concerts on May 19, 24 and June 2, respectively. Musicians played an array of pieces for family members and friends. The band...

With three new trustees starting July 1, school board to vote Wednesday on four-year contract for Champ

With three new trustees starting July 1, school board to vote Wednesday on four-year contract for Champ

By Cristina Stefanizzi, Executive Editor
June 15, 2022

At its last meeting of the year and with three newly elected trustees set to begin their terms July 1, the Pelham Board of Education plans to vote Wednesday on a new four-year contract for Superintendent...

Senior Garrett Jenkins celebrates a win.

Foto Feature: PMHS Olympics renamed after late superintendent Dr. Charles Wilson

The annual Olympics were held Friday at Pelham Memorial High School after the event was renamed by the student association to the Charlie Wilson Olympics in memory of the late Dr. Charles Wilson, who worked...

From left, Hannah Steinberg, Pelham Examiner Opinions & Ideas editor, and Assistant Managing Editor Gabby Ahitow will attend

[Photo] Examiner Executive Editor Cristina Stefanizzi picked to represent NYS at Freedom Forum’s national journalism conference

June 9, 2022

From left, Hannah Steinberg, Pelham Examiner Opinions & Ideas editor, and Assistant Managing Editor Gabby Ahitow will attend

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