Ithaca

Ithaca Cupcakes 2019: Special Awards

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Contestants in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest on October 19 dished up spectacular entries—congratulations to these winners of Special Awards!

I Might be a Short Cake, But It Really Stacks Up Award

Madely Myers

I’ve FALLen For You Award

Natalie McCaskill-Myers

Pumpkiniest Award

Faith Heath

Un-Be-Leaf-Able Award

Monica Lee Cotto

Paws-itively Adorable Award

Kelsey Pipkin

Head Over Heels for the Chocolate Heart Award

Audrey Greene

It’s Early Gre(y)at

Veronica Fitzpatrick

It Takes Two To Mango Award

Mary Sever-Schoonmaker

Tea-Riffic! Award

Ashley Bacalso & Shiang Chin

Nonu Would Be Proud Award

Kyra O’Toole

Mint to Be Award

Violet Zoner

Berry Delicious Award

Erin Morris

Season’s Greetings Award

Miranda Crosley

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice Award

Rebacca Gray

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread Award

Tabitha Gray

It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Award

Hannah & Cheryl Stephenson

Most Attractive to Bees Award

Hallie Sims

madelymyersMadely Myers’s entry: strawberry and cream cheese cupcakes reflecting “sweet” Sophie

nataliemccaskillmyersNatalie McCaskill-Myers’s entry: pumpkin and spice cupcakes inpired by the Farmer’s Market

faithheathFaith Heath’s entry: pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and gold and black crystal sprinkles

monicaleecottoMonica Lee Cotto’s entry: banana cream cupcakes decorated with a chocolate gold feather

kelseypipkinKelsey Pipkin’s tiramisu expresso-flavored cupcakes decorated with kitty-themed lady finger biscuits

audreygreeneAudrey Greene’s entry: chocolate and raspberry cupcakes with a chocolate heart decoration

veronicafitzpatrickVeronica Fitzpatrick’s entry: Earl Grey cupcakes with a candied grapefruit peel, brandy snap, and edible flower petals

maryseverschoonmakerMary Sever-Schoonmaker’s entry: “Mango Wango Tango” ginger cupcakes with homemade mango curd with a white chocolate bubble bark garnish

ashleyshiangAshley Bacalso & Shiang Chin’s entry: Green tea cupcakes garnished with a matcha pocky stick

kyraotooleKyra O’Toole’s entry: dark chocolate cannoli cupcakes with Italian meringue frosting

violetzonerViolet Zoner’s entry: chocolate cupcakes with mint Oreo, Italian meringue frosting, and Oreo crumbles and candy melt drizzles

erinmorrisErin Morris’s entry: Blueberry bourbon homegrown basil cupcakes iced with blueberry buttercream frosting

mirandacrosleyMiranda Crosley’s entry: pumpkin cupcakes filled with spiced cranberry sauce topped with leaf-shaped pie crust decorations and a sugared cranberry

rebeccagrayRebacca Gray’s entry: chocolate lime and black pepper cupcakes with coconut lime frsoting

tabithagrayTabitha Gray’s entry: lemon mango cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting decorated with chocolate chips and lemon drops

hannahcherylHannah & Cheryl Stephenson’s entry: “Puff-kin Patch” spice cupcakes with cinnamon caramel ermine frosting and jack-o-lantern decorations

halliesimsHallie Sims’s entry: wild blackberry cardamom cupcakes and lemon blackberry cream frosting decorated with sugared blackberries and mint leaves (all of which seemed to delight Ithaca’s honey bee population!)

Ithaca Cupcakes 2019: Honorable Mention Awards

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This year’s annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest set a record for entries—66 bakers created their magic and brought it down to the Bernie Milton Pavilion on Saturday October 19. The judges had an impossible task, but besides the top three winners they selected six bakers to receive Honorable Mention Awards. Bravo and thanks to all 66 contestants—you were amazing!

All Honorable Mention awardees were presented with $25 gift certificates from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.

Honorable Mention

Active Minds at Ithaca High School

Rachel Allison

Akiko Cliteur

Kate Bagnell

Erica Brath

Heather Williams

7B584E0C-0F84-4436-AD61-E3BFB936284CActive Minds at Ithaca High School’s entry: Napoleon ice cream-themed cupcakes set in a classic cone with layers of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate cake topped with homemade whipped cream and sprinkles.

ADA14739-ADFC-4EA3-963B-B03605AE43FDRachel Allison’s entry: Chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate truffle and intense strawberry flavor, topped with a Nutella, raspberry and white chocolate buttercream swirl–and a pouring cup of chocolate sauce.

F80A9D81-A5A4-4862-B7D7-194B5E52B589Akiko Cliteur’s entry: Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting accompanied by lemon flavored macarons with almond, cranberry, and pistachio toppings.

B5FA12AB-ED89-4E13-94BB-39D9EC4F4AD4Kate Bagnell’s entry: The “cookie-lover’s cupcakes” are chocolate chip cupcakes with cookie dough core, topped with chocolate fudge, buttercream frosting, and a mini chocolate chip sandwich cookie.

F967CB72-7C7D-4402-A394-15CC95948654Erica Brath’s entry: All-vegan chocolate stout cupcakes with whiskey buttercream icing and dark chocolate dragon decorations.

0496724F-77CE-48CE-A870-74CC19275F96Heather Williams’s entry: Spiced pumpkin cupcakes filled with cranberry compote with cranberry cheesecake frosting.

Ithaca’s Best Cupcakes 2019

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Here are the winners in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest organized by The Sophie Fund in the Ithaca Commons on October 19. (More winners will be posted soon!)

ZoeDubrowZoe Dubrow (right) won the Grand Prize

DubrowCupcakesZoe Dubrow’s “Cup(cakes) of Tea” were made of Earl Grey cake layered with fall flower honey cheesecake and honeyed lemon curd inside of an Earl Grey-infused white chocolate tea cup. The cupcakes were garnished with a candied lemon slice and a frosted Earl Grey short bread tea bag cookie.

1st Prize

$250 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Zoe Dubrow

2655AC04-F3E8-48E5-9A9D-2A72D3B17233Ann Phelan’s “Toasty Campfire Cupcakes” won second prize in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest!  Her chocolate cupcakes with Graham Cracker crust were topped with marshmallow-like frosting.

2nd Prize

$100 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Ann Phelan

F507859D-7B65-4DD4-B876-FDBFE8281B01Jennifer Dobmeier’s “I Love Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes” won third prize in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest! The pumpkin spice cupcakes were filled with expresso mascarpone filling, and topped with pumpkin spice vanilla frosting and a white chocolate coffee cup lid.

3rd Prize

$50 gift certificate for GreenStar Natural Foods Market

Jennifer Dobmeier

48628259-563B-410A-ACF5-F86388F8E9A2Takoda Warner’s vegan cupcakes won the Youth Award in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest! The fig and rosemary pound cake cupcakes were topped by a vegan white chocolate flower.

Youth Award

$100 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Takoda Warner

Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Day!

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The Tompkins County Legislature on Monday designated October 7 to be “Bullying Prevention Day” throughout the county and encouraged schools, community organizations, government agencies, and others to strive for a “bully-free environment.”

proclamation

Martha Robertson, Legislature chair; Kate Shanks-Booth, director of the Tompkins County Youth Services Department; Bridgette Nugent, Task Force co-coordinator

Legislature Chair Martha Robertson issued a proclamation at the Legislature’s meeting that observes a Bullying Prevention Day for the first time in the county. Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Day falls on World Day of Bullying Prevention and within National Bullying Prevention Month in October.

The proclamation reads in part: “Every member of the Tompkins County community, government agencies, community organizations, school administrators, teachers, athletic coaches, parents, and students can play a part in creating a bully-free environment in our schools, athletics fields, public spaces, and online.”

The proclamation notes that more than two dozen government agencies, community organizations, parents, and representatives from the county’s six school districts formed the Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force in March 2019. The Task Force’s mission is to facilitate comprehensive cooperation across the community in developing and promoting appropriate bullying prevention and response strategies in Tompkins County.

The Task Force is calling on Tompkins County schools to consider organizing special activities on October 7 in observance of Bullying Prevention Day. In a message sent to school districts, the Task Force suggests activities such as an all-school assembly featuring speakers, films, or skits; pledge-signing events; and walks/runs to raise awareness about bullying. The Task Force also asked teachers to consider classroom activities such as videos with follow-up discussions about tolerance and respect; and student presentations, creative writing assignments, or art projects on the bullying theme.

Click here to download the School Activities to Promote Bullying Prevention packet.

The Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) and the Task Force are organizing a rally for 4:30 pm on October 7 at the Bernie Milton Pavilion in the Ithaca Commons to mark Bullying Prevention Day. Students will begin a march from GIAC to the Bernie Milton Pavilion at 4:15 pm for a peaceful gathering suitable for all ages. There will be performances by GIAC Jumpers, a proclamation, poster making, and a Task Force announcement about bullying prevention activities. Participants are encouraged to wear blue as the color symbolizing the fight against bullying.

“The Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force is pleased to celebrate Tompkins County’s first Bullying Prevention Day,” said Bridgette Nugent, Task Force co-coordinator. “The primary goal of the Task Force is to mobilize all stakeholders in the community to recognize the negative impacts of bullying and to support efforts for its intervention and prevention. We hope that by raising awareness and energizing the community to address bullying on this day, we can further energize students, families, and community members to put an end to bullying in our county.”

Kate Shanks-Booth, director of the Tompkins County Youth Services Department, said that Bullying Prevention Day offered an important step forward.

“The Tompkins County Youth Services Department deals with all the different municipalities and school districts that are encompassed within Tompkins County,” she said. “We hear from our partners at every level that bullying is a major area of concern, as the physical and emotional trauma experienced during these events lasts a lifetime. We are doing our part, working with Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force and other local partners to ensure that every youth in Tompkins County can thrive in life, work, and school without the negative impacts of all types of bullying.”

Celia Clement, a longtime school social worker and Task Force member, said: “The key to creating caring, kind, inclusive and safe school cultures is to empower students to be the agents of change.”

Clement said that the Task Force hopes that schools will initiate regular activities to increase awareness, facilitate discussions, and create opportunities for critical thinking and problem solving as part of an ongoing exploration and discussion between staff and students.

“Healthy school communities flourish and are sustainable when students are the driving force in creating kind and inclusive cultures,” said Clement. “We anticipate that providing these opportunities for education and dialogue will serve as a catalyst for students to take ownership in initiating Upstander leadership programs that will be responsive to the unique needs of their schools.”

TCBullyingPreventionDay-social

Download the Bullying Prevention Day Poster [DOWNLOAD]

TC Bullying Prevention Day Proclamation

Download the Tompkins County proclamation [DOWNLOAD]

For more information, go to:

https://thesophiefund.org/bullying/

 

Get a Cupcake Button!

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Student organizations are fanning out across Ithaca to support this year’s “Cupcake Button Fundraising Campaign” organized by The Sophie Fund, which will hand over all donations to the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County.

cupcakebutton2019

Students will be tabling at GreenStar Natural Foods Market, on college campuses, and other locations around town, collecting donations in exchange for a colorful button featuring a painting of a cupcake. The campaign is held in conjunction with the annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest, which will be held in the Ithaca Commons on Saturday, October 19.

“We are honored to designate the Advocacy Center as the recipient for this year’s Cupcake Button Fundraising Campaign,” said Scott MacLeod, a co-founder of The Sophie Fund. “The Advocacy Center does incredibly valuable work in our community, fighting sexual assault and domestic violence and providing essential support to victims of abuse.”

Last year’s cupcake button campaign raised $1,367.50, which was given to the Mental Health Association in Tompkins County.

Student groups participating in the 2019 campaign include:

—Active Minds at Ithaca College

—Active Minds at Ithaca High School

—Cornell University student organizations: Cornell Minds Matter; Alpha Phi Omega Gamma Chapter; Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity; PATCH (Pre-Professional Association Towards Careers in Health); and the Mortar Board Der Hexenkreis senior honor society

Image caption: Detail from Evolution (2009), a painting by Sophie Hack MacLeod