Four Darien High School seniors have been named semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. — an announcement from Darien High School
Lily Cowles, Ellen Gaaserud, Katherine Kahn and William Moles are this year’s DHS semifinalists. “We are so proud of this exceptional group of students and wish them well as the process moves forward,” said DHS Principal Ellen Dunn. About 16,000 high school students nationwide have been recognized as National Merit semi-finalists. These academically talented students have an opportunity to continue in the program for National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.
Gerald Nielsen, president of The Nielsen Company and a former Darien selectman, has joined the board of the Norwalk Community College Foundation as one of three new members. Nielsen, also a partner in Nielsen’s Florist and a director of First County Bank, is on the Advisory Board at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence and served as Darien Selectman from 2009 until 2015. He was on the Darien Police Station’s Building Committee, the Darien High School Building Committee, the Darien United Way/The Community Fund of Darien, Darien Charter Revision Commission, Darien EMS-Post 53 Community Advisory Board, and others during his long history of community service. “I am really excited to be involved with NCCF because it truly is changing lives for the better in Fairfield County,” Nielsen said in an announcement published in the NCCF newsletter. “NCCF’s mission is an incredible inspiration to me and I look forward to my involvement.”
Vietnam veteran John Wolcott will be the Grand Marshal in this year’s Darien Memorial Day Parade, the town Monuments and Ceremonies Commission announced.— an announcement from the commissionBorn in Berkeley, California in 1943, John lived in northern California, Peru and Trinidad before attending the University of California, Davis, then Berkeley, collecting bachelor’s and advanced degrees.John entered the army in 1967, achieved the rank of captain, served one year at Fort Carson, Colorado before shipping out to Vietnam, where he served a year and a day at Pleiku in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.John’s career as a CPA began with Price Waterhouse in the Bay Area for six years. John and his wife, Jane moved to Darien when he was asked to “temporarily” relocate to the New York office.When asked to resume his career in San Francisco, John and Jane demurred, choosing to remain in Darien, believing Darien was the perfect place to raise their two beautiful daughters, Dana and Kristine, a decision they’ve never regretted.John joined a NYC boutique investment firm as SVP/CFO for a decade, before devoting the remainder of his career to private wealth management.Locally, John has served as treasurer and on the boards of both the Middlesex Club and Country Club of Darien, and is a former president of the Darien Mens Association.John was recently elected to the Town Board of Finance.John and Jane love watching their four grandchildren grow up (and their daughters and sons-in-law managing that effort,) travel, theatre, museums, music, reading, suffer as faithful Cal and 49er fans, and play duplicate bridge.John will ride at the head of the Parade, which will commence at 10:00AM, starting from Goodwives Shopping Center, marching up the Post Road to Spring Grove Veterans Cemetery, where our traditional Commemoration Ceremony honoring those who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces will take place at 11:15.Any organization looking for information regarding the parade should email the parade committee at: 06820mayparade@gmail.com
Alan McIntyre of Darien was honored Saturday at The Palace Theatre in Stamford for his service to Stamford Symphony as chairman of the Board of Trustees, and for services to people in Fairfield County. — an announcement from Stamford Symphony
McIntyre remains on the board and will continue to chair the Orchestra’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee. McIntyre joined the board in 2010, becoming chair in 2015. During his tenure, he oversaw the hiring of a new chief executive and the appointment of Music Director Michael Stern. He also made the leadership gift to the Orchestra’s Crescendo Fund for the Future of Stamford Symphony.
The YWCA Darien/Norwalk is seeking nominations for women who epitomize leadership in the areas of racial equity, social justice, and/or have worked to strengthen our community. — an announcement from the YWCA Darien/Norwalk
If you know of someone who fits this description, please consider nominating them today! After nominations are received, the Women of Distinction Nominations Committee will review the submissions and select the honorees. The women chosen will be honored at the Women of Distinction Awards this Spring. The YWCA Darien/Norwalk encourages you to nominate women who are leaders, role models, agents for change, mentors and/or an inspiration to others.
Darien Fifth Grader Ivy Childs will showcase her cooking skills on Fox television’s MasterChef Junior, broadcast nationwide on Fox starting March 17. — an announcement from Fox, with additional information
11-year-old Ivy is one of a select group of 16 young chefs from across the country vying to be named the next “MasterChef Junior.” The competition show was actually filmed when Ivy was 8 years old and in Grade 2. MasterChef Junior gives talented kids between the ages of 8 and 13 the chance to showcase their culinary abilities and passion for food through a series of delicious challenges. On the Season Eight premiere, 16 junior chefs, between the ages of 8 and 13, receive a coveted white apron and must prove that they deserve to stay in the game by completing their first mystery challenge of the season.
Darien High School seniors Cosmo Amatruda and Thomas Cleary will be honored with Arts Awards from the Connecticut Association of Schools in April, the high school announced. Amatruda will receive an award in the music/performing arts category; Cleary, in the visual arts category. The awards will be given at the 27th annual High School Arts Awards banquet in April.
Longtime Darien resident and Noroton Presbyterian Church member Chris Mead has been named NPC’s executive director, a newly created position to oversee and manage finance, administration, and human resources duties of the church. Mead was recently the head of global finance for data and analytics operations of the London Stock Exchange. He had worked for Refinitiv, partly owned by Thompson Reuters until Refinitiv was sold to the London Stock Exchange in January 2021. Since 1991, Mead had worked for Thompson Reuters in various jobs related to finance. Reporting to the chief financial officer, he had responsibilities in finance, management, strategic planning, and operations. “Chris is an immensely talented and personable individual.
Four Darien High School seniors have been selected as candidates for the United States Presidential Scholars Program. Anastasia Carey, Tam-Hao Nguyen, Katherine Wolters and Preston Yao have been recognized based on broad academic achievement and having scored exceptionally well on the SAT or ACT. — an announcement from Darien High School
The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by Executive Order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our Nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. Each year up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the Nation’s highest honors for high school students. Those selected Presidential Scholars don’t get scholarship money.
Ox Ridge student Elizabeth Abelson has won the Fifth Grade American History Essay Contest sponsored by Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was one of six Darien students who won recognition in the essay contest. — an announcement from the DAR Good Wife’s River Chapter
Seren Samy also an Ox Ridge student won second place, and Pavana Attonito, a Hindley student placed third. The runners-up are Cole Coghlin from Tokeneke; Tory Brupbacher from Hindley and Simona Sordoni from Ox Ridge. This year’s topic, “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” celebrated the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. on Nov.
Make-A-Wish Connecticut on Wednesday announced the appointment of Tracey Yurko of Darien as chair of the Make-A-Wish Connecticut Board of Directors. — an announcement from Make-A-Wish Connecticut
Yurko is the chief legal officer, corporate secretary and a partner of Westport-based Bridgewater Associates, global leader in institutional portfolio management and the world’s largest hedge fund, with approximately $1540 billion in assets under management. She is also a member of the firm’s Executive and Operating Committees. Yurko has served on the Make-A-Wish Connecticut board since 2017. “She brings strong general business skills, governance discipline and an unparalleled passion for the mission that will lead us to the next level as we focus on expanding the wish journey for every eligible wish child and family in the state,” said Pam Keough, the CEO and president of Make-A-Wish Connecticut.
In a first for Darien Scouting, Lindsay Ferretti was honored Sunday as Darien’s first female Eagle Scout. — an announcement from Darien Scouts
Lindsay has always been involved in community service, as an altar server at St. John Church, a volunteer at Person-to-Person, and even helping rebuild a home in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. After just a few weeks in Troop 219, Lindsay was chosen to be the senior patrol leader as the girls attended their first week ever at Camp Sequassen summer camp. For her Eagle project, Lindsay lead a team painting over 50 yellow fire hydrant locater markings on telephone poles to aid firefighters in quickly locating the closest hydrant in an emergency.
Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution presented the 2021-2022 Good Citizen Award pin and certificate to Darien High School senior Christopher “Tripp” Lyons on Sunday, Dec. 5. Tripp was chosen to receive this prestigious DAR award by the Darien High School senior class and faculty. The annual award is presented to the student who best exemplifies the qualities of patriotism, citizenship, dependability and service to community. Membership in the DAR is available to any woman over the age of 18 who can trace her direct lineage to a male or female Patriot who fought for or offered material aid to the cause of American Independence during the Revolutionary War.
Darien High School student Christopher “Tripp” Lyons has been honored with the 2021-2022 Good Citizen Award by the Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. — an announcement from the Good Wife’s River Chapter of the DAR
The award, officially the ” 2021-2022 National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award” is given to a DHS senior who best exemplifies the qualities of patriotism, citizenship, dependability and service to community. Tripp was selected to receive this award by the faculty and the senior class at DHS. He will receive his award pin and certificate from Darien’s DAR Chapter Regent, Nicole Gorman at a reception at the Museum of Darien on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 5.
Darien High School graduate Matthew Gentile will be awarded the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award from the National Eagle Scout Association on Sunday at the Andrew Shaw Memorial Scout Cabin. Gentile is an engineer with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is part of the Mars Rover Mission team. He was a scout in Troop 35 Darien when he became an eagle scout in 2010. — an announcement from Darien Scouts
The award is granted to eagle scouts who have distinguished themselves in their life’s work and have shared their talents with their communities on a voluntary basis. Only a couple of these honors are awarded from each Boy Scouts of America Council.
