Partners + Napier visit for Communication, Marketing, and Design
Posted on December 9th, 2019 by artwitholiveriStudents from AC’s Communications, Marketing, and Design class visited Partners + Napier at their new location in downtown Rochester at the Metropolitan building. When we first walked into the conference room there was swag waiting for each student on the table! Mini pendants, pins, and a pencil, inviting us to Leave A Mark.
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- Artwork hanging in the Metropolitan atrium
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- Flexible workspaces
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- Open space office setting
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- Optical illusion painted in the hallway
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- Artwork by employees
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- Waiting area
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- Stair case that also functions as an amphitheater
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- Kitchen and Lounge area
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- Meeting rooms with whiteboard walls and screens for projecting
Posted in: Centers for Impact, Eleventh Grade, Entrepreneurship, Highlights, Ninth Grade, Tenth Grade, The Birches, Twelfth Grade, Upper School, US Birches
Visiting Local Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Posted on December 5th, 2019 by artwitholiveriThis year in Essentials of Entrepreneurship, an entrepreneurship course for Upper Schoolers, students are choosing local businesses, start-ups, incubators, entrepreneurs, and co-working spaces to visit. The students are calling and making arrangements for our visits. Many of our students have never been responsible for seeking out local organizations and people then cold-calling to begin a relationship with them and make arrangements for a meeting. It’s a great opportunity to get them thinking about and planning logistics, timing, details, and travel arrangements.
AC ninth grader Adam Rogers chose to visit RIT Venture Creations. This is an incubator space associated with RIT in Henrietta. On our visit, we explored one start-up and two successful businesses who graduated from the incubator.
Phase Innovations provides new solutions for energy conversion and storage applications. Our work is grounded in a commitment to clean water, air, and energy.
BlackBox Biometrics is the industry leader in sensor technology to instantly assess forces that can cause traumatic brain injury.
Optel provides a variety of services to companies in the medical device field including product design services from concept to initial prototypes through completed product ready for manufacture, manufacturing services in compliance with the requirements of the U.S. FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices, the European medical device standard ISO 13485, and other medical device manufacturing requirements around the world.
Amy Oliveri reflected, “Venture Creations at RIT was a fantastic visit for our entrepreneurship students. Not only did we see businesses in the incubator phase but also successful businesses who had ‘graduated’ from the program within one facility. It seems ideal to be housed with other startup businesses in order to share resources and gain insight. Perhaps the most interesting innovation we saw was from Phase who are investigating new ways to convert heat into cooling solutions. The best advice students received was from the father and son team who run Optel. They said that many people think of entrepreneurship as unstable and uncertain. Their advice – “Entrepreneurship is more certain and stable than working for someone else because you are your own boss.”
Our next visit was to the historic American Hotel in Lima. Thomas Riveros, AC ninth grader, chose this location because of a phenomenal dining experience and the businesses long-standing history.
There has been an American Hotel on this site since about 1790. The first two were made of wood, and the present day building was built in 1840. After two fires in the 1850’s, it was rebuilt in 1861 by Mr. Mosley. The hotel has been owned and operated by the Reynolds family since 1920.
Thomas shared, “I chose this location because I had eaten there before and I really enjoyed it. I loved learning about their history. If you want to be in the restaurant business, then you have to truly care about what you’re doing. If you own a restaurant for the money, you might not be as successful; you have to love what you do and truly care about it.”
Our third location was Atlas Eats. AC tenth grader Alex Wexler chose this location due to his long-standing interest in culinary arts.
At Atlas Eats, they continuously explore the tastes and traditions of foods from around the world. Their changing menus reflect their interpretation of the standards and classics from many cuisines. Atlas Eats procures the freshest ingredients possible from a host of sources in search of the unique and authentic. During the growing season, they engage local farmers and growers for produce whenever possible.
Andrew explained, “I chose this location because I am very interested in the food industry. Atlas had a unique idea to change the menu every two weeks. I thought that the most interesting part of the visit was going into the storage room to see how they stock their supplies and food. One thing I took away was the need to be very enthusiastic about your career in the restaurant business. I would definitely recommend this location to others, it was a very comfortable and nice environment, and I think that it is a must-try!”
Posted in: Eleventh Grade, Entrepreneurship, Highlights, Ninth Grade, Partnerships, Tenth Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School, US Birches
AC Holiday Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Dec. 12th
Posted on December 4th, 2019 by acsrochesterSupport Allendale Columbia School by Shopping at Barnes & Noble in Pittsford on December 12th!
Enjoy caroling, story time with local children’s authors, student musical performances, AC recommended reading by grade level, a scavenger hunt, and more! Just mention “Allendale Columbia” at the register and a portion of your purchase will be donated to support our students!
Thursday, December 12th
Barnes & Noble in Pittsford Plaza
3349 Monroe Ave.
10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Volunteers Needed
Parents of Allendale Columbia Kids (PACK) invites parents, guardians, and grandparents to help make the AC Book Fair a success by volunteering! Shifts are 30-60 minutes long and include set up, staffing the welcome table, and helping with the craft table.
Sign up to be a volunteer here. (sign in to MyAC required)
Performance Schedule
The AC community will be onsite at Barnes & Noble spreading holiday cheer. Plan to be there to hear musical performances or a story from children’s author Vivian Vande Velde and Kevin Kurtz!
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: AC Ukulele and Voice Performance
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: AC Godspell cast and Select Choice Performance
- 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.: A story with local children’s author Vivan Vande Velde
- 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.:AC Brass Ensemble and Chorus perform
- 5:00 – 5:30 p.m.: A story with local children’s author Kevin Kurtz
- 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: AC Brass Ensemble and Chorus perform
Gift Wrapping (Complimentary!)
Now you can buy your gifts AND get them wrapped! Parents and AC staff will be there to wrap your gifts and tag them with AC cheer. Gift wrapping is free but donations to the Allendale Columbia Book Fair are always appreciated!
Cheesecake Sales
You can also order a delicious Cheesecake Factory dessert through the B&N Cafe and a portion of the purchase will be donated to AC. The Winter 2019 menu includes Seasonal Cheesecake, Original Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, and a sampler cheesecake with all four. (Hungry, yet?!) Order now through Dec. 17th by downloading the order form.
- Pay by cash or check made out to Barnes & Noble.
- Drop off your order form and payment at the AC Welcome Desk anytime before Dec. 12th or bring orders directly to the Barnes & Noble where you’d like to pick up your cheesecake. Orders submitted directly to Barnes & Noble must be brought in between Dec. 12th-17th to count toward the AC Book Fair.
- Pay by credit card in the store by simply bringing your completed order form to the B&N Cafe.
- Pick up your cheesecake at the store where you ordered any time Barnes & Noble is open. They stay open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve!
- Cheesecakes are frozen so allow a day or two in between your pick up date and your enjoy date.
- AC Book Fair pricing is only good for cheesecake orders placed and paid for by December 17th, 2019.
Print This Page to Cut Out Your Voucher Now!
Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, PACK, The Birches, US Birches
AC Students Find Common Ground with Peers from Mexico
Posted on November 15th, 2019 by acsrochesterFrom October 17th to October 26th, 10 students from The Harkness Institute, located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, were hosted by students at the International House and eight AC families. Their time in Rochester consisted of fun, tourist activities, like the Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls, a tour of the University of Rochester, and a bike tour of downtown Rochester. The students also spent time in Lower, Middle, and Upper School Spanish classes, giving AC language students the opportunity to converse in Spanish with native speakers. Harkness students enjoyed being able to act as “assistant teachers” in the Lower School Spanish classes and spending time with their host families learning about traditional American activities, meals, and family traditions. (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Global Engagement, Highlights, Partnerships, The Birches, US Birches
Seventh Graders Forge Lasting Connections at Camp Pathfinder
Posted on November 15th, 2019 by acsrochester
Allendale Columbia’s seventh grade class traveled to Camp Pathfinder, a camp for boys owned and operated by AC alumnus Mike Sladden ’76, located in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. For more than twenty years, AC seventh graders have made the trek into the Canadian wilderness for this annual outdoor education experience. During their stay, the students learn a variety of outdoor skills, become more self–reliant, and gain a greater appreciation and respect for nature.
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Highlights, Middle School, MS Birches, Seventh Grade, The Birches
AC Students Spend Time Face-to-Face with Colleges from Across the Nation
Posted on November 15th, 2019 by acsrochesterCynara Nelson ’21 and Zoe Crego ’21 meet with Garrett Manning from the University at Albany.
Throughout the fall, more than 70 college admission representatives visited with prospective students at AC. Students in grades 11 and 12 met in small groups to learn about college opportunities, get questions answered about the application process, and educate the admission representatives about their AC experience. By meeting an admission counselor face-to-face, students feel more confident reaching out to the admissions office with questions down the road.
This year’s college visits to campus included:
| Alfred University |
| Allegheny College |
| American University |
| Bard College |
| Boston College |
| Boston University |
| Bucknell University |
| Canisius College |
| Carleton College |
| Carnegie Mellon University |
| Case Western Reserve University |
| Champlain College |
| Clarkson University |
| Cleveland Institute of Art |
| Colgate University |
| Davidson College |
| Denison University |
| Dickinson College |
| Drexel University |
| Fairfield University |
| Furman University |
| Gettysburg College |
| Hamilton College |
| High Point University |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges |
| Ithaca College |
| Johns Hopkins University |
| Kenyon College |
| Keuka College |
| Le Moyne College |
| Marist College |
| Maryland Institute College of Art |
| Muhlenberg College |
| New York University |
| Niagara University |
| Northeastern University |
| Pennsylvania State University |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Rochester Institute of Technology |
| Saint Joseph’s University |
| Salve Regina University |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania |
| Southeastern University |
| St. Bonaventure University |
| St. John Fisher College |
| St. John’s College |
| St. Lawrence University |
| Stonehill College |
| SUNY Albany |
| SUNY College at Brockport |
| SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill |
| SUNY New Paltz |
| Syracuse University |
| The College of Saint Rose |
| The New School |
| The University of Alabama |
| The University of Tampa |
| Trinity College |
| Trinity College Dublin |
| Union College |
| University at Buffalo The State University of New York |
| University of Chicago |
| University of Connecticut |
| University of Rochester |
| University of St Andrews |
| University of Vermont |
| Vanderbilt University |
| Vassar College |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology |
Learn more about AC’s College Advising Program
DID YOU KNOW AC College Consulting serves non-AC students? Learn more
Posted in: College Advising News, The Birches, Upper School, US Birches
PACK Connections Symposium Survey
Posted on November 15th, 2019 by acsrochesterParents of Allendale Columbia Kids (PACK) is considering hosting a Saturday Symposium for AC parents on Saturday, February, 29th, 2020. Please fill out this survey to gauge interest in the event and possible topics.
The event will consist of two sessions of about 1.5 hours each. You’ll be able to choose one topic in each session to learn about. Supervised activities may be offered for AC students depending on interest and availability.
Please fill out the survey to rate some suggested topics, and please suggest topics you think you or others would like to learn about or teach. Note that these are only suggestions. If there is enough parent interest, we will move forward with the event. If you would be interested in helping to plan the Saturday Symposium, please fill out the contact info at the end of the survey or contact PACK President Lois Palomaki at lois@palomaki.org. THANK YOU!
HAC Girls Cross Country Captures Finger Lakes Championship
Posted on November 13th, 2019 by acsrochester
October 28, 2019
Wayne, N.Y. – In one of the most tightly contested Wayne-Finger Lakes Championship races in recent history, the varsity girls cross country team took 1st place overall by just a single point in the varsity ‘A’ race at Wayne High School on Saturday morning. The Wolves (115 team points) narrowly took 1st place overall as the top-4 teams were separated by just 4 points.
HAC was able to beat out Waterlo0 (2nd place – 116 team points), Wayne (3rd place – 117 team points) and Red Creek (4th – 118 team points) as they were led by sophomore Mary Cotter who took 3rd place overall out of 99 runners in a time of 20:26.
Senior Liza Cotter was HAC’s next fastest runner earning an 11th overall finish in 21:28. She was followed by 8th grader Evelyn Kacprzynski who ran a career-best 5k time of 22:25 while placing 27th overall. Tea Malone-Bonacci also ran a personal-best as she finished in 29th place in 22:30. She was followed by Emmy Kaza (24:01) who placed 51st and Olivia Woodring (24:30) who finished 53rd overall. Rounding out HAC’s top-7 runners was junior Zoe Crego who placed 58th overall in 24:42 to help secure the Wolves Finger Lakes League meet championship.
The race featured 14 different schools from the Wayne-Finger Lakes Area. The Wolves depth and team were also tested as they were missing one of their top runners in senior Roxy Reisch due to illness.
“HAC’s girls gutted out a thrilling victory in which a mere 4 points separated the top 4 teams,” said head coach Dan Deckman. “I have never seen anything quite like it in cross country. Every single point and every single runner truly played a decisive role in the win. It was a full team accomplishment that I will never forget.”
Meanwhile, the HAC varsity boys cross country runners also turned out a terrific performance as junior Ryan Mogauro paced the Wolves in the varsity ‘A’ race with a 60th overall finish in 19:48.
He was followed Zach Ellis who’s time of 20:23 placed him in 76th overall. Finishing right behind Ellis was Ming DeMers in 77th place (20:26) and Greg Castellano in 78th place (20:38). Ethan Hearne set a new personal-best 5k time in 21:09 en route to a 94th place finish, while Julian Quesada (22:12) and James Hawkins (24:20) rounded out HAC’s top-7 finishers by placing 111th and 129th respectively.
The boys race featured 133 racers from 19 different school districts.
HAC will race next at the Section V Championship race at Midlakes High School this upcoming Saturday, November 2nd. The girls will race in the Class C race that begins at 1:00 PM and the boys will race in the Class D race that begins at 2:30 PM.
Complete Wayne-Finger Lakes League Championship results can be found here.