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Southern Ulster Times , Wednesday , March 14 , 2018
IN THIS ISSUE
Calendar .......................................... 12 Craig McKinney ................................ 9 Classifieds ...................................... 30 Crossword ...................................... 32 Highland ......................................... 23 Letters to the Editor ........................ 9 Marlboro ........................................ 22 Obituaries ...................................... 26 Opinion ............................................. 8 Police Blotter ................................... 4 Plattekill ........................................ 24 School News ................................... 29 Service Directory ........................... 35 Sports ............................................ 36
PUBLIC AGENDA
THURSDAY , MARCH 15 WHAT : Lloyd Planning Board WHEN : 5:30 p . m . WHERE : Lloyd Town Hall 12 Church St ., Highland
WHAT : Marlboro School Board WHEN : 7:30 p . m . WHERE : Marlborough Town Hall 21 Milton Tnpk , Milton
MONDAY , MARCH 19 WHAT : Marlborough Planning Board WHEN : 7:30 p . m . WHERE : Marlborough Town Hall 21 Milton Tnpk , Milton
TUESDAY , MARCH 20 WHAT : Highland School Board WHEN : 7 p . m . WHERE : Highland High School 320 Pancake Hollow Rd ., Highland
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The Southern Ulster Times ( USPS 022-586 ) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh , NY 12550 , with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , NY Single copy : $ 1 at newsstand . By mail in Orange , Ulster or Sullivan Counties : $ 40 annually , $ 44 out of county . Periodicals permit at Newburgh , NY POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Southern Ulster Times , 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , NY 12550 .
Highland teacher and daughter honored
By MARK REYNOLDS mreynolds @ tcnewspapers . com
Last week , in a special presentation , the Highland School Board honored retired Spanish and French teacher Patricia A . Steffens by naming a special room at the High School the “ Love Out Loud Choir Room ” in her honor and in celebration of the life of her daughter , Alicia Jovita Quintana [ 1985-2007 ].
In 2007 , Quintana , then 21 , was a music major at St . Rose College in Albany . On the evening of July 11 she accepted a lift to the train station in Troy from a co-worker so that she could meet her boyfriend in Rhode Island . Her friend took a wrong turn on Rte . 787 , facing into oncoming truck traffic . Both were killed in a head-on collision .
Steffens said this dedication was conceived by her former student Olivia Pacheco , who one morning over breakfast at a local restaurant , spoke of dedicating the choir room in Steffens honor , with special mention of her daughter .
“ It was an embarrassing scene at the Bistro when I burst into tears when she said this ; I was just so touched and surprised and beyond how much I love and appreciate Highland ,” Steffens said .
Steffens taught in the New Paltz School system from 1977 until 1983 when she took a few years off after her children were born . She resumed teaching in 1987 in Highland , where she remained until her retirement in 2010 . For a time Alicia and her brother Daniel attended school in Highland and had performed together and won in an all-district talent show , singing “ That ’ s What Friends Are For ,” and in 1993 Steffens even directed her daughter in a production of “ Fiddler On The Roof .”
Steffens said her son Daniel helped to establish the “ Love Out Loud ” scholarship program at the New Paltz High School that to date has awarded $ 12,000 to graduating seniors . She said after her daughter ’ s death she pressed upon her students the importance of not drinking and driving , which had been a contributing factor in her daughter ’ s tragic accident .
Steffens recalled what her son Daniel said at his sister ’ s Celebration of Life ceremony , “ I dedicate my life to be whatever my sister wanted it to be and I dedicate mine to keep volunteering at Highland . I love you all out loud .” Steffens ended by reading a quote that is on the choir room dedication plaque , which is also engraved on Alicia ’ s headstone , “ Love , like a beautiful song , echoes on in the heart even when the last note is
Retired Highland teacher Patricia A . Steffens [ r ] holds a plaque that dedicates the Choir room at the High School in her honor . Olivia Pacheco , who worked tirelessly to bring this about , stands beside her .
silent .”
School Board member Ed Meisel said Pacheco brought this to the board ’ s attention last year . He said Steffens , “ was the quintessential teacher . You had the most tragic moment in your life and the person you loved more than anything and turned that into a teachable moment for the other children that you love like your own . It was that that swayed the board to say this is truly what we want of all teachers , someone who is always teaching to the positive [ and ] to the hopeful ; the way that you live your life that you continue to share with us is really what moved us .”
Board President Alan Barone acknowledged Pacheco ’ s role in honoring Steffens .
“ She had emailed us constantly and she had presented us with several plaques for the board and herself to make the decision of which one we ’ d want to have hanging outside that Chorus room
Alicia Jovita Quintana 1985-2007 . in your honor . So Olivia , I want to thank you on behalf of the entire board for what you started and for what , you completed and where we are today ; it ’ s all because of you .”
In a subsequent interview , Pacheco said she wanted to do “ something big ” to mark the 10th anniversary of Alicia ’ s passing . The idea of the choir room seemed appropriate because of the involvement of both mother and daughter at the high school .
Pacheco persisted in her effort and recalled going to Alan Barone ’ s house “ and I showed up on his front doorstep and told him of my idea .” Barone favored the project and urged her to make a formal presentation to the full school board .
“ I wrote a speech and I went to a board meeting and a lot of students came in support of her [ Steffens ] and the board approved it ,” Pacheco said .
Pacheco then gathered a few designs of the plaque for the board to review , “ and I paid for it all by myself .”
Pacheco said when she went away to college she always kept her promise to not drink and drive , something Steffens has long preached to her students .
Pacheco thanked former Superintendent Debra Haab and the school board for approving the project , and especially Ed Meisel and Asst . Supt . Sarah Dudley-Lemek for their support .
Steffens said she was surprised and moved by the School Board ’ s honor .
“ From a mother ’ s standpoint , I broke down in tears because you deal with the loss the best you can ,” she said . “ I was emotionally overwhelmed and grateful but it gave [ me ] such an unbelievable feeling of peace and moving on .”