A Star Student Making Chappaqua And The World Better & More Inclusive

CHAPPAQUA, NY — Star Students are found in classrooms, on concert and theater stages, and at debate lecterns, and out in the community doing good things to make life better for all of us.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize Star Students, and we’re working to tell the stories of these outstanding kids to their neighbors.

This submission comes from Jackie McCarthy who nominated her son Bailey of Chappaqua-Mount Kisco. His proud mother shares the pride of a community in recognizing a star student and an outstanding citizen.

Star local student’s name

Bailey

Star local student’s home state

New York

How do you know the star local student?

My son

Why do you believe the star local student should be recognized?

As New Castle’s only student member of our town EPIC Committee (Every Person is Connected), Bailey helps bring life to the committee’s mission of helping to make New Castle a more inclusive community for people with disabilities.

Last year he created the EPIC Summer Basketball Buddies program to bring together community members with disabilities with peer buddies for basketball ball fun on our outdoor town court. He also created the EPIC Inclusive Student Short-Film Festival that encouraged students to submit films that included cast/crew with disabilities in the production of their films or inclusive messaging.

At the festival, he showcased a film he made with his brother who has Down syndrome, called SuperBrady! His film had also recently been shown in Times Square at the AMC Theater as an official selection for the All- American High School Film Festival. Bailey also created a high school student club called ACCESS where he creates games and activities for his student members with disabilities to practice their social skills in order to help them have a more inclusive high school experience.

This past December, Bailey and his brother Brady, did assemblies at each of Chappaqua’s elementary schools for the third graders to help teach them about the importance of inclusion.

Bailey has Summa Cum Laude distinction at Horace Greeley High School. He plays the drums in the Stage Band. He has starring roles in the school’s theater productions. He also is a member of Greeley’s Unified Basketball Team which includes players with and without disabilities.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the star local student?

Bailey is passionate about wanting to make everyone feel like they belong. He hopes to become a filmmaker in order to provide more roles for actors with disabilities to show all their capabilities.

Congratulations on your achievements, and all of our best wishes to you in the future, Bailey!

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