WI Auditorium to be Named in Honor of Smith

In a night of much fundraising for the Foundation of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, there was also much honoring to be done.

The Foundation itself celebrates 20 years of supporting programs in the schools which would otherwise fall by the wayside, such as atheletics and arts.

Foundation Presdient Mary McBride passed the torch to new co-presidents Rosa Nigro and Catherine Foti, who described themselves as approachable.

Superintendent Howard Smith, for his part, said he found it saddening, and humbling, to learn so close to his own retirement that his predecessor, Donald Kusel, had passed away on April 7 in Nevada.

McBride wrote of Kusel on the Foundation Facebook page:

Superintendent of schools for many years, Donald was a great supporter of our district, and a larger-than-life member of our community. He was also a founder of our Foundation... The family has announced that donations can be made to the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. We are honored to be so remembered. To his family, we extend our deepest sympathy in this most difficult time. We also want to express our gratitude for his contribution to this community.

Finally, there were the many honors to come to Smith himself, who learned from Board President Joe Lillis that the Washington Irving auditorium would be named after him. On this night the honor came in the form of "another piece of wood that you can hang on your wall," Lillis joked.

Many students made cards for Smith, full of retirement scenes (hammock, palm trees) and "We will miss you" sentiments. 

More words from Smith from this special night in video to come.

More photos from the event can be found here.

And more tributes to come: on Thursday, Environmental Action Club students will be planting a five-foot apple tree. The tree was donated by the Foundation and will honor Smith in the place of his choosing: in front of the district administration building. 

"If it was not for Dr. Smith's continued support, the EAC would not have our wonderful gardens and been able to make continued success around the community," EAC club leader Mike Garguilo said. 

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