‘Let Grow’ campaign encourages kids to be independent, offers parents information on how to do so 

In the last several months, parents have been challenged to take on even more roles simultaneously than ever before. They have been tutors, cooks, nurses, caregivers, and so much more. Within that, many have been able to empower their children to take on some new tasks of their own - and that's a good thing. Let Grow is creating a new path for parents, schools, and America itself -- a path back to letting kids have some adventures, develop more independence, and grow resilience. Borough President James Oddo, Staten Island Parent and Let Grow are working together to help parents understand how to forge a path to independence for their children that is reasonable and safe. 

"Watching your kids grow into independent young adults has to be one of the greatest joys a parent can experience," noted Borough President James Oddo.  "Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen kids rise to a myriad of challenges as their parents navigate working from home, teaching and running the household. Let Grow celebrates these wins and paves the way for more of the same. I'm excited to share this concept with Staten Island parents."

The key take-aways of Let Grow are:

• Kids aren't fragile, they are "anti-fragile" -- built not just to withstand some challenges, but to grow stronger once they do.
• Doing a little less for our kids is not negligent or lazy. It is a vote of confidence in them.
• The world is not more dangerous today than in decades past.​

"People sometimes ask how I can make parents or kids less anxious, more confident. My answer? I can't. The only thing that can change parents -- thrill them, uplift them -- is their own kid,” said Lenore Skenazy, President of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. “Seeing your kid succeed at something new -- running an errand, climbing a tree, making a meal -- is such a fantastic feeling, it replaces the old worries with sheer joy: Look at my kid! Look how they're blossoming! The Let Grow Project just gives parents and kids that little push to make that happy moment happen."
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"SI Parent is happy to partner with Let Grow. This is an outstanding initiative to help parents reinforce and celebrate kids' milestones and foster independence," said David Miller, CEO of Davler Media Group and publisher of Davler Media-Parents, which includes Staten Island Parent. 

Parents can join the challenge until March 17 by tagging us in a photo of your child with @SIParent, @StatenislandUSA, and #LetGrowSI.  

SI Parent will host an informative webcast on the principles of Let Grow and how you, as a parent, can implement them in your home and empower your children and maybe make your life a little easier. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SIParent. 

​Join us March 3 at 12:30 on Facebook Live at Facebook.com/SIParent for an informational chat with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow, who will be talking about celebrating your child's milestones and empowering them toward independence.

The program is sponsored by Borough President James Oddo, Let Grow, Staten Island Parent and Applebee's. Families who participate in the Let Grow Project will also be entered to win a $100 Applebee's gift card!

If parents are unable to make the live event, the session will be available on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/SIUSABP. 

BP, local artists to present "Musical March," music for the dark evenings of winter

Beginning February 25, Borough President James Oddo will present a virtual concert series on Thursday nights, through March 25. These concerts, performed by Staten Island artists, will give residents a musical respite during the winter, and offer an entertainment option for people who continue to look for things to do while staying home. 

"The long, dark days of winter are always a drag, but this year, more so with the challenges of COVID-19," noted Borough President Oddo. "As a music lover, I thought it would be uplifting for local musicians to have an opportunity to entertain and lighten our spirits - even if it does need to happen virtually."

Each Thursday - beginning Feb. 25 - tune into the Staten Island USA Facebook page for a virtual concert. Music will be performed mostly by solo acts from their homes or other safe spaces. Folk, rock, country and other genres will be covered during the series. All shows, which will be approximately 45 minutes, will begin at 7:00 PM. 

Here’s the schedule: 
2/25 Hughie Lynch
3/04 Mighty String Demons
3/11 Vinnie Medugno 
3/18 Karlus Trapp  
3/25 Joan Caddell & the Midnight Choir

​Borough Hall partners with Serial Box to present free content to adult readers

A lifelong learner and avid reader, Borough President James Oddo is an advocate for reading for all ages - from the annual Readers Are Leaders reading competition for children to his ongoing book recommendations for adults, the BP is always looking for opportunities to share his love of reading - for learning and for pleasure.

Enter Serial Box. Run by Staten Islander Molly Barton, Serial Box is a library of award-winning sci-fi, fantasy, thriller and other titles that can be read or listened to on your personal devices.

Borough Hall and Serial Box have partnered to present a borough wide read/listen with the title, "The Triangle." The serial - ideal for adults - is available to Staten Islanders for free who want to escape our reality and enjoy a good mystery.

"Anyone who knows me knows I am committed to reading and see the value in it for personal growth, learning and for pleasure," said BP Oddo. "This story is an escape from our everyday and I am eager to see Staten Island readers engage with each other over this read."

“Books, shows, and podcasts are more fun when you can share the experience and talk with other people who are following the story," noted Ms. Barton. "In this long winter, I wanted to make a great mystery/thriller available to neighbors and friends to enjoy together. Happy listening!”
Launching on today, the title is available to those Staten Islanders who download the Serial Box app to their device and enter code SIREADSTRIANGLE to access the title. The title, which includes 10 chapters, will be available for free for 10 weeks.
In addition to the option of listening or reading - or going back and forth seamlessly between the two - Serial Box will also host a virtual "party room," where Staten Islanders can discuss the read with each other.

"The Triangle" is about a team of experts, shipwrecked on an island that shouldn’t exist, who must unravel the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle before it kills them all.

For more and to sign up to access 'The Triangle,' go to  http://bit.ly/SIReadsTriangle
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Description of 'The Triangle':
Since two massive hurricanes hit the Bermuda Triangle region, ships and planes have been disappearing, leaving behind a trail of haunting radio transmissions. After his old ship, the USS Wasp, disappeared without a trace, Admiral David Segarra has put together a crack team to investigate the mystery before more ships are destroyed.
But they’ve barely set out into what should be an empty patch of ocean when disaster strikes. They’re caught in a third hurricane and shipwrecked on an uncharted island, where they soon discover that they are not alone. A little girl who hasn’t aged in the years since her father’s plane crashed, a submarine full of Russians who think the Cold War is still on, and a rich couple drinking their way through the years on their shipwrecked yacht––and that’s just for a start.
Can the team survive long enough to escape the Triangle and tell the world what’s really going on?

Borough President James S. Oddo has announced that he is continuing the Patrick F. Daly Award after reviving it in 2017 in honor of the 26th anniversary of Mr. Daly’s death. Nominations are currently being accepted for the award which goes to two educators who exemplify the values of fallen principal Patrick Daly, who was gunned down in Red Hook, Brooklyn while searching for a student who had left the school building 27 years ago. 

“I’m grateful to be able to continue this award in honor of fallen principal, Mr. Patrick Daly,” said BP Oddo. “This award gives us a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to his sacrifice and legacy, while also recognizing outstanding educators who have made an impact in our community. This year, we have seen many educators go beyond the call of duty and I look forward to recognizing two of them.”

Anyone who wishes to nominate a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, or principal may do so. The award will be given in Mr. Daly’s memory, honoring his legacy of service to the community, his steadfast commitment to his students, and his leadership. This time, the award will be given to educators who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. 

"My family and I would like to thank the Borough President for continuing to honor my father's legacy, as well Staten Island's many excellent educators, with this award. We look forward to this year's ceremony and meeting the new honorees,” said Pat Daly, son of the fallen educator.

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2020 calendar year award and will be accepted until Friday, February 12th. For full details, please visit www.statenislandusa.com/dalyawardnominations.

The New York City Emergency Management Department, together with Congress Member Max Rose and Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, and the National Park Service today announced plans to establish a Borough Coordination Center (BCC) on Staten Island for emergency responders. The BCC will serve as a hub for NYC Emergency Management responders to mobilize and coordinate emergency assets during large-scale emergencies on Staten Island. It will adopt the strategic, borough-response model implemented during Tropical Storm Isaias last August.
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"In response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management quickly established field operations centers in the boroughs that experienced the bulk of the storm's impacts. This strategy allowed us to quickly and effectively mobilize and deploy resources to the areas that needed help the most," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. "We intend to use this model for future emergencies, and I am thankful to Borough President Oddo, Congress Member Max Rose, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service for their support in helping us continue to build a robust emergency response structure in this city."

"This is an example of Staten Island finally being put first. All levels of government will now know where to show up whenever a big storm or a major emergency hits our borough. With our own 'Staten Island Situation Room,' we will be able to tackle any crisis comprehensively, instead of running around with our heads cut off," said Congress Member Max Rose. "I cannot thank Borough President Oddo, Commissioner Criswell, the National Park Service and the Coast Guard enough for moving heaven and earth to make this happen so quickly."

"Good things have always resulted when two or more of Staten Island's elected officials talk openly, honestly, and collaboratively with each other. That is what Congressman Rose and I have done for two years and this project sprung from that ongoing dialogue. We are excited and grateful to be a part of the creation of the new Borough Coordination Center. As leaders on the island, we have always been more comfortable with a local incident command center on the ground on Staten Island during emergencies," said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. "The BCC will allow local, state, and federal responders to coordinate and implement essential strategies for the borough from the Island itself, which is imperative to a well-executed plan on our most dire days."

"We at the National Park Service are pleased to be able to work with our partners in the City to explore options to house NYC Emergency Management in historic Fort Wadsworth. It would be a win for interagency coordination as well as the communities we all serve," said Jen Nersesian, superintendent Gateway National Recreation Area.

During the response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management deployed its Interagency Coordination Center to Staten Island Mall parking lot to coordinate field response operations in the borough. This mobile command center allowed the agency, along with its private partners, to strategically deploy resources throughout the borough. Under this new plan, the BCC would serve as the central hub for coordination and response. Staten Island Borough President Oddo is dedicating capital funds to the project to renovate a vacant location at Fort Wadsworth. In the interim, the agency will outfit space provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service to serve as a temporary coordination center in the event of a major emergency on the island.

Borough President James Oddo will host his annual Menorah Lighting ceremony via a virtual celebration on Wednesday, December 16 at 7pm. The ceremony can be viewed on Borough Hall’s webpage, here: www.statenislandusa.com/hanukkah2020.  
 
"While the holidays are different this year, we are grateful to still offer a way for all of us to come together and celebrate the spirit of the season in a safe way. We invite all Staten Islanders to join us this year for our virtual Menorah Lighting,” stated Borough President Oddo. 
 
Following a message from the Borough President, the ceremony will feature photos from past Borough Hall Menorah lightings and musical performances from songs from the Young Israel Day school students. The event, which celebrates the Festival of Lights, is sponsored by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island.

​Borough President James Oddo will host his annual Christmas Tree Lighting via a virtual ceremony on Thursday, December 10th at 7pm. The ceremony can be viewed on Borough Hall’s webpage, here: www.statenislandusa.com/Christmas2020.  
 
"Obviously, the holidays are one more thing that will look very different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this is unfortunate, I'm happy to be able to present a virtual Christmas Tree Lighting and spread a little joy from the steps of Borough Hall,” noted Borough President Oddo.
 
Following a welcome message from Borough President Oddo, the ceremony will feature Borough Hall’s Christmas Tree as it was put up and lit as well as a glimpse of holiday lights from around the island – including those at local BIDs and Merchants Associations. Be sure to stick around for musical numbers from the St. George Theatre’s Christmas Show and a special message from Santa himself.
 
We invite all to our virtual Menorah Lighting next week – details to come shortly.