First hour: Special rebroadcast - Understanding the warning signs of abuse when children are most vulnerable
Second hour: Special rebroadcast - Zachary Arenz, 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year
We have special rebroadcasts today on "Connections."
This first hour conversation will explore difficult subjects that may not be appropriate for some listeners.
Retired New York State Police Investigator Sayeh Rivazfar says she’s a “fighter” when she shares the horrific story of her childhood. At the age of eight, Rivazfar was abused, raped, and attacked with a knife by her mother’s boyfriend. That man also killed her then six-year-old sister when Rivazfar was just steps away. "There will be times in your life that it feels like you can't get above it," Rivazfar has told students. "But I'm telling you, I surrounded myself with positive people and positive things and I fought. I kept fighting to push through and move on. I'm telling you what, it has not failed me yet." Now a board member for Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Rivazfar works to prevent other children from experiencing abuse, while raising awareness of the issue among the public. She joins us this hour to share her story. We also talk with the CEO of Bivona about the latest with the organization’s work in the community. Our guests:
- Sayeh Rivazfar, child abuse survivor, retired New York State Police investigator, and board member for Bivona Child Advocacy Center
- Daniele Lyman-Torres, Ed.D. president and CEO of Bivona Child Advocacy Center
Then in our second hour, a Rochester City School District teacher has been named the 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year. Zachary Arenz is a music teacher at Flower City School 54. As reported by WXXI's Noelle Evans, “The Board of Regents recognized Arenz for his work to uplift students, like keeping his classroom closet stocked with clean clothes and toiletries for them and learning Spanish to speak some students’ first language.” He was also recognized for designating his school a grief-sensitive school though an initiative with the New York Life Foundation. This hour, we sit down with Arenz to discuss his teaching career, his work with students in Rochester, and what it means to be a leader in social-emotional learning. Our guest:
- Zachary Arenz, 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year, and music teacher at Flower City School 54 in the Rochester City School District
