The Sophie Fund thanks the 29 bakers who entered their masterpieces in the 9th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest. Judging so much originality, creativity, and skill is a challenging task! Besides the three top awardees, 10 contestants were selected to receive Honorable Mention Awards. Bravo to all! Honorable Mention awardees were presented with $25 gift certificates from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.
Honorable Mention
Aušra Milano
Jessica Cullen
Katy Holloway
Angela Meeker
Avery Carr
Renee & Julia Bauer
Pragadeeshwaran Sivasamy
Hailey Ayres
Alecia Sundsmo
Aušra Milano’s “All Things Orange Cupcakes”: Blood orange flavored chocolate and olive oil cupcakes topped with a bouquet of blood orange buttercream flowers.
Jessica Cullen’s “Mango Magic Cupcakes”: Classic vanilla cupcake with a tart mango curd filling, vanilla frosting, and whipped cream topping.
Katy Holloway’s “Waiting for Spring Cupcakes”: Vanilla cupcakes with a pomegranate curd filling and pistachio buttercream frosting flower garnished with four pomegranate seeds representing the time Persephone must spend in the underworld.
Angela Meeker’s “Dark Chocolate Raspberry Curd Cupcakes”: Gluten free decadent deep dark chocolate velvety cupcake, with a homemade raspberry curd filling topped with a homemade cream cheese, white chocolate, and raspberry swirl frosting decorated with dark Bavarian chocolate and fresh raspberries.
Avery Carr’s “London Fog Cupcakes”: Chocolate cupcakes with brewed Earl Grey tea, topped by a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting emulsified with butter steeped with vanilla bean and Earl Grey tea and adorned with salted caramel.
Renee & Julia Bauer’s “Autumn Tea Party Cupcakes”: Chocolate cakes with ganache filling, topped with Earl Grey buttercream frosting and a candied orange slice decorated with a chocolate leaf.
Pragadeeshwaran Sivasamy’s “Chai Cupcakes”: Chai-infused cupcakes, with cinnamon frosting decorated with a pippette containing a sip of Chai tea.
Hailey Ayres’s “Apple to the Spice Cupcakes”: Apple spice cakes filled with apple cider dices, topped with cream cheese frosting with cinnamon bites and leaf sprinkles.
Alecia Sundsmo’s “Summer Reprise Cupcakes”: Strawberry lemonade birthday cupcakes, with lemon cakes and filling topped with strawberry icing decorated with strawberry wedges.
Sadie Hays won 1st Place and the Grand Prize with her “Orange Pomegranate Cupcakes” in the 9th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest organized by The Sophie Fund on October 19.
Her sumptuously moist olive oil orange cakes with a hint of pistachio, almond, and cardamom and a piquant pomegranate curd center were topped with a white chocolate labneh and cream cheese frosting with notes of rose water and pistachio.
“There is a lot of struggle in the world these days,” Hays said. “Through it all, I am looking for the sun rays, the lightness, the freshness, the optimism, and above all, the harmony.”
“I love baking because it lets me create something new by balancing opposing concepts and flavors. This was an experiment in using Middle Eastern flavors. I hope these bring you a little ray of sunshine and some joy in your day,” she said.
1st Place Awardee Sadie Hays
Marina Mahashin captured 2nd Place with her “Rasmalai Tres Leches Cupcakes,” vanilla cakes soaked in a three-milk syrup infused with saffron and cardamom and a whipped cream frosting dusted with crushed pistachios.
Mahashin’s Bengali and Dominican flavors were inspired by her childhood in Bangladesh and her enjoyment of a friend’s tres leches birthday cake after arriving in America.
“Growing up, sweets were an essential part of every celebration, no matter the occasion,” she recalled. “Among them all, my favorite was rasmalai. The richness of the milk and the blend of delicate flavors always captivated me. Every bite of rasmalai feels like a warm reminder of home and cherished memories.”
Marina Mahashin’s “Rasmalai Tres Leches Cupcakes”
The judges awarded Grace Qi 3rd Place for her “Harvest Caramel Apple Cupcakes,” consisting of fluffy cakes made with Fiji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith apples with spiced apple pie filling and topped with salted buttercream frosting drizzled with caramel.
Qi said that her contest entry sought to honor memories of growing up in Oklahoma. “Every year at the state fair, my mom and I would always get caramel apples together. That sweet, sticky treat became one of my all-time favorites, and I wanted to recreate that comforting flavor in these cupcakes. They’re a tribute to those moments with my mom.”
Grace Qi’s “Harvest Caramel Apple Cupcakes”
Isabel Perkins received the Youth Award for her “Dream Cupcakes,” with rich, moist chocolate cakes with a fluffy peanut butter frosting and filled with arequipe, a “sweet surprise” also known as dulce de leche.
Perkins’s entry included a surreal fictional story she wrote about her “dream cupcake.” The protagonist imagines a rich, moist chocolate cupcake, and then in a dream set in a futuristic world comes across a ginormous building in the shape of a cupcake that houses a huge rich, moist chocolate cupcake on a golden pedestal.
Isabel Perkins’s “Dream Cupcakes”
Twenty-nine bakers entered the contest this year, displaying a range of themes including: fall colors, autumn tea parties, campfires, Halloween, Greek mythology, birthdays, Persian delights, Cayuga Lake swims, creatures known as cats, and empathy and understanding.
Judging the finalists were professionals from Ithaca’s culinary community, Via Carpenter, of Via’s Cookies, and Yuko Jingu, of Akemi Food, along with Susan Hack, co-founder of The Sophie Fund.
The Awards Ceremony was hosted by Carley Robinson and Gabriella da Silva Carr, and the event featured live musical performances by SingTrece & Kenneth McLaurin, Joe Gibson & Dan Collins, and Rachel Beverly.
The contest was produced by Cara Nichols of CRN Events.
Volunteers from student organizations at Cornell University supported the contest: Cornell Circle K, PATCH (Pre-Professional Association Toward Careers in Health), Alpha Phi Omega, and Cornell Minds Matter.
The contest is organized every year by The Sophie Fund, which was established in 2016 in memory of Cornell University fine arts student Sophie Hack MacLeod to support mental health initiatives aiding young people. Sophie’s passion for baking cupcakes inspired the launch of the first Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest in 2016. At the time of her death by suicide at age 23, Sophie was on a health leave of absence from Cornell and active in Ithaca’s culinary scene.
America is experiencing a youth mental health and suicide crisis, as kids grow up in a world that is increasingly stressful and scary for them, according to Tiffany Bloss, executive director of the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County.
Tiffany Bloss speaks at youth mental health town hall
Bloss said that a quarter of the young people who die in the United States today take their own lives. She said the causes of suicide are complex, but pointed to stress factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, academic pressures, addictive social media, poor family relationships, and financial anxiety.
“They are trying to navigate so many things in their world, and it is a scary place to be right now. And, with social media, there is no escape,” she said.
Bloss was a featured speaker at “Youth Mental Health & Wellness,” a community town hall hosted by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition at the Tompkins County Public Library on October 5.
Bloss said that suicide is preventable, and emphasized the importance of normalizing discussions about mental health and being aware of warning signs that could be indicators of suicidal thoughts.
“We talk about our physical health all the time. We don’t ask about mental health. If your gut tells you that something is kind of going on for your youth, you’ve really got to ask them questions about suicide and see what we can do and open up that conversation,” she said.
Some of the warning signs Bloss described were not going out with friends anymore, failed relationships, slipping grades, changes in sleep patterns, excessive agitation or anger, and talking about dying by suicide.
She said that her agency and others in Tompkins County offer support services to address mental health challenges and emotional crises. She said that when people have serious concerns about themselves or someone else, it is wise to call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Melanie Little, director of Education and Youth Services at the Mental Health Association of Tompkins County, spoke about the importance of recognizing risk factors can make youth more vulnerable to developing a mental health disorder.
Melanie Little provides “Mental Health 101”
Among the risk factors are trauma, substance abuse, social marginalization, lack of supportive relationships, a physical illness or disability, and bullying, she said. She said mental disorders are increasingly common in youth, with 1 in 3 teens experiencing anxiety, 1 in 5 major depression, and 1 in 5 eating disorders.
Little emphasized the need to avoid perpetuating stigma around mental health. She listed some common examples of stigmatizing language that can be harmful to young people struggling with a disorder.
“Everyone has anxiety. Some people are just stronger than you are.”
“Therapy and medications are just scams. You don’t need them.”
“What do you mean you can’t get out of bed? It’s not like your legs aren’t working.”
“Kids can’t have mental illness. What have they got to worry about in life?”
“All women are a bit bipolar.”
Pat Breux, former director of School and Youth Initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Center of New York, discussed the vital role that schools play in preventing youth suicide.
“We take an approach that we call ‘confident, connected, caring school communities.’ What that means is everyone has a role to play. Everyone is challenged to have the competencies to notice, and know where, when, and how to access help for somebody when somebody’s in need,” she said.
Breux said schools can help educate parents about mental health starting when the children enter kindergarten. “We need to start having those conversations and preparing parents for the idea that mental health crises are pretty common by the time kids get into middle school or high school. And you need to be able to recognize that early and know how to get help for your kid,” she said.
In New York State last year, Breux said, more 5,000 children went to the emergency department for self-injurious behavior.
“About 2,000 of those kids ended up hospitalized. Where did the other 3,000 end up the next morning? Back in school. Were they fixed? No. There are kids who are going to struggle with suicidality who need access to education. They need to be able to move through life with that. How do we create the environment that those kids can be okay and make sure that we’re having some kind of eyes on them and they have access to the supports that they need at the level that they need?”
Breux distributed copies of “A Guide for Suicide Prevention for New York Schools,” a booklet prepared by the Suicide Prevention Center of New York that provides information for training school staff and educating parents as well as targeted and individualized interventions against suicide risk.
Town Hall organized by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition
Other speakers at the town hall included Shawn Goodman, a psychologist in the Ithaca Central School District; Nicole Roulstin, Contact Center Manager for 211 Tompkins/Cortland; a student at Tompkins Cortland Community College; and Randy Brown, a member of the Tompkins County Legislature.
Goodman said several things inspired him to write the self-help manual. He said that he noticed that some people his age were still struggling with their childhood issues. And while he found books to help adults heal their issues, he couldn’t find any books for kids to help them before they became adults themselves.
“And I had kids coming in essentially asking for that, saying ‘This is going on with my dad. This is going on with my mom. I want my relationship to be better. How do I do that?’”
Goodman said his favorite strategy for living in a difficult family is to learn how to manage the situation, not the relationship.
“Many kids are holding the entire relationship and feeling responsibility for it. I tell kids it’s not your job to change your parents’ behavior. And even if it were your job, it’s mission impossible. So instead, just try and manage each situation. Throughout the book, if kids stick with it, I’m really hoping that they’re going to be building confidence in navigating difficult situations and improve their outcomes, one moment at a time,” he said.
The Tompkins Cortland Community College student shared a personal story of a suicidal crisis that began before she turned 11. She said that while she grew up in a supportive family, an attentive youth pastor and later a therapist played crucial roles in guiding her on a path to healing. “Sometimes talking to parents can be really challenging especially for a middle schooler,” she said.
The student noted that that while she is feeling fantastic and is enjoying college today, speaking about her ordeal is still difficult. She said she agreed to speak about it publicly for the first time at the town hall because “I thought it was a good idea to bring awareness.”
In her presentation, Roulstin provided an overview of how the 2-1-1 hotline can help Tompkins residents access a multitude of community services for support, including food, housing, transportation, health and mental health, utilities, legal aid, veteran needs, job listings, and tax assistance. She said the hotline uses a database with over 1,600 local, state, and federal resources.
Tompkins County Legislator Randy Brown: “The issue of our time”
Brown provided the town hall’s welcome remarks, saying “I think mental health and wellness is the issue of our time, more important than any other issue that I can think of. When I ran for the legislature a few years ago, it was the number one issue for me and still is. I think that there’s more that we can do as a county.”
The Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition is comprised of health agencies, community organizations, and individual members who share a determination to prevent suicide deaths in our community. It is a collective of volunteers that strives for diverse and inclusive representation and encourages collaboration for achieving goals.
If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
Our teens continue to experience poor mental health, according to a new U.S. government report. Female and LGBTQ+ students are far more likely to experience feelings of sadness and hopelessness, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, the report said.
The report said that 10-year trends are improving for some areas of adolescent health and well-being, including sexual risk behaviors and substance use.
“Unfortunately, the data show that from 2013 to 2023, almost all other indicators of health and well-being worsened. Data highlight worsening trends in protective sexual behaviors, experiences of violence, persistent sadness or hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” the report said.
The CDC conducts the YRBS every two years among a nationally representative sample of public and private high school students. It provides the most recent surveillance data as well as 10-year trends and two-year changes in health behaviors and experiences. The survey tracks sexual behavior, substance use, violence, mental health, suicidal thoughts ad behaviors, social media use, and racism in schools.
According to the survey, 29 percent of respondents said they had poor mental health during the previous 30 days; and 4 in 10 said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year. Female teens were twice as likely as males—53 percent to 28 percent—to report those experiences; and nearly 2 in 3 students identifying as LGBTQ+ reported persistent sadness or hopelessness.
The survey results for suicidal behaviors were particularly concerning. Twenty percent of respondents said they seriously considered taking their own lives during the previous year; 16 percent reported making a suicide plan; and nearly 1 in 10 students said they had actually made a suicide attempt.
Looking for help? DOWNLOAD the 2024 Mental Health Support and Crisis Services guide for Tompkins County
There were some major disparities in sex, and sexual and gender identity. For example, 39 percent of female respondents reported poor mental health compared to 19 percent for males; 53 percent of teens identifying as LGBTQ+ reported poor mental health.
Female students were twice as likely to consider suicide than their male counterparts: 27 percent of females (and 41 percent of students identifying as LGBTQ+) said they considered making an attempt compared to 14 percent of males.
Similar wide disparities were seen in actual suicide attempts: 20 percent of LGBTQ+ students, 13 percent of female students, and 6 percent of male students reported trying to take their own lives.
The 2023 survey results showed a slight improvement, declining from 42 percent to 40 percent, over the previous two years in feelings of sadness and hopelessness. All other indicators remained static. However, the 10-year trends showed worsening teen mental health.
Forty percent of respondents reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness in 2023, compared to 30 percent in 2013. Percentages of those with suicidal thoughts and behaviors also increased, though relatively slightly.
The new YRBS survey showed a slight decline from the 2021 survey, from 14 percent to 13 percent, in female teens reporting being forced to have sexual intercourse. The figure still represented an increase over the 10 percent reporting forced sex in 2013.
In other areas, the 2023 survey showed a marked drop over 10 years, from 47 percent to 32 percent, in students reporting having ever had sex; and also a decline from 15 percent to 6 percent in those reporting four or more lifetime sexual partners. Twenty-one percent of students reported being currently sexually active. However, the CDC said there were also concerning decreases in condom use, STD testing, and HIV testing.
Downward trends were seen in alcohol and drug use. Twenty-two percent of respondents said they currently drink alcohol, compared to 35 percent in 2013; percentages of using marijuana and illicit drugs declined from 23 percent to 17 percent, and 16 percent to 10 percent, respectively.
Currently, according to the survey results, 22 percent of respondents drank alcohol in the previous 30 days; 17 percent used marijuana.
In new area of the survey, 77 percent of respondents reported using social media several times a day. Only about half of students said they felt close to people at their school.
Also, 32 percent of students reported experiencing racism in school; the figures were highest for Asian teens (57 percent), multiracial teens (49 percent), Black teens (46 percent), and Hispanic teens (39 percent).
According to CDC, poor mental health can result in serious negative outcomes for the health and development of adolescents, which can last into adulthood. Young people who feel hopeless about their future are more likely to engage in behaviors that put them at risk for HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancy, it says. Suicide risk not only places the life of the adolescent at risk, but is also a marker for experience with trauma and other mental health issues, CDC notes.
The CDC report called attention to the role that schools play in the lives and development of young people.
“Partnering with and supporting schools has the potential to reach large numbers of young people with strategies that can make a positive impact. Schools can provide education, connections, and environments that lessen the impact of negative life events and promote health and well-being,” the report said.
The guide outlines six strategies include increasing students’ mental health literacy; promoting mindfulness; promoting social, emotional, and behavioral learning; enhancing connectedness; providing psychosocial skills training and cognitive behavioral interventions; and supporting staff well-being. The strategies are stronger when supported at multiple levels by parents, families, and communities, according to the CDC.
If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
Our young people often put on a good face. But when they are anonymously surveyed about how they’re doing, their responses are concerning. In fact, more than one-third of middle and high school students in Tompkins County say they feel depressed or sad on most days and that “sometimes I think life is not worth it.”
“Our youth are struggling,” said town hall organizer Tiffany Bloss
A community town hall will be held at the Tompkins County Public Library on Saturday October 5 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. to throw light on the mental health challenges many of our young people are experiencing.
“Youth Mental Health & Wellness Town Hall,” organized and hosted by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition, will provide information on how to support the well-being of our youth and hear testimonies from young community members themselves.
The event, part of the United in Kindness series of events in Tompkins County, will feature short Ted Talk-style presentations with an opportunity for Q&A with like local mental health leaders.
Shawn Goodman, an author and psychologist in the Ithaca Central School District, will share anecdotes from his new book, How to Survive Your Parents.
Organizer Tiffany Bloss, executive director of the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County, said she encouraged youth as well as their caregivers to attend.
“This is such an important topic for our community. Our youth are struggling. There are so many pressures in their lives that other generations did not have to deal with: heightened academic standards, family pressures, compromised school safety, a global pandemic, and the ever-present social media. At the town hall, we will be discussing all of these topics and more,” Bloss said.
Bloss emphasized the critical importance of tending to mental health in youth.
“Mental health is vital to the overall health and well-being in a person’s life. The adolescent years are crucial for developing social and emotional habits that build a foundation for mental well-being. These include good sleeping habits, regular movement of the body, self-care routines, developing problem-solving and interpersonal skills, and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments within the family, at school and in the wider community are important to a youth’s mental health,” Bloss said.
Town hall attendees are encouraged to register (not mandatory) at https://bit.ly/4gsfGr6.
The Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition is comprised of health agencies, community organizations, and individual members who share a determination to prevent suicide deaths in our community. It is a collective of volunteers that strives for diverse and inclusive representation and encourages collaboration for achieving goals.
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