Eric and Aria Komoroff
Bank Street School for Children '17
I think Bank Street had an impact on that for us because of the way music is integrated into learning. There’s always music at Bank Street, and Betsy has created a thread connecting father and daughter that remains
On Saturday, May 18, Bank Street’s third annual Alumni Weekend will welcome Bank Street School for Children graduates for this year’s class reunion, which celebrates the graduating Class of 2023, Off to College Class of 2020, and every class celebrating milestones from five to 50 years, including the Classes of 2019, 2014, 2009, 2004, 1999, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1979 and 1974. As the reunion approaches, one father-daughter pair, Eric (SFC ‘74) and Aria (SFC ‘17) Komoroff, took a trip down memory lane and decided to volunteer together as alumni class delegates. They are currently busy engaging former classmates, encouraging them to attend the reunion and celebrate.
After Eric Komoroff graduated from the School for Children 40 years ago, he studied Art Therapy at The New School for Social Research. Soon after, for 20 years he founded and ran Community of Unity, a program for young people living in adverse circumstances that cultivates social-emotional skills and helps them to complete high school and college, engage with their communities, and lead productive lives. Eric’s entrepreneurial career also includes teaching college-level courses in socially responsible education and other related topics at New York University. He co-owned Pachute, a clothing store, co-founded the Bridge Studio, a commercial recording and video production studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and recently owned Barryville General, a unique roadside market in upstate New York.
With fond memories of Bank Street, Eric and his wife chose to send their children to the School for Children, knowing they also would receive the kind of education that enhances and develops curiosity, creativity, and a healthy dose of risk-taking.
Eric said, “When I was at Bank Street, there was an edginess. When my kids were at School for Children, I was involved in various Bank Street activities as a parent and as an alum. Over the years, I’ve also had opportunities to work as an advisor at Bank Street’s Continuing Professional Studies. As a parent, it seems like I’ve always stayed connected to Bank Street folks.”
Aria, Eric’s daughter, graduated from the School for Children in 2017 and Brooklyn Friends School in 2021. She will graduate from Bard College in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, then she will pursue her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Hunter College.
Aria learned about Bank Street’s renowned reputation in early childhood spaces during a job search.
Aria said, “I discovered that the Bank Street name gets me in a lot of places. When I was in high school, I started working at Brooklyn Friends School Preschool. They weren’t going to hire me because it was a teaching job, but the director was a Bank Street College graduate. She had hired a lot of teachers from Bank Street and really liked that I had come from the School for Children, so she hired me.”
Eric is not surprised that Aria is seeking a profession that addresses issues of poverty and increasing diversity while finding ways to bring more progressive thought into urban education.
Eric said, “I was interested in schools and education at a young age, too. I think it’s not a stretch to assume that our time at Bank Street, 10 years for each of us, defined some of our opinions about classrooms and what good teaching looks like. Bank Street is definitely an influencer of our professional choices to be active in schools.”
This father and daughter alumni pair have fond memories of Bank Street in common, including the roots of their love for music, which was nurtured by former head music teacher and beloved folk singer, Betsy Blachly.
Eric said, “Betsy taught both of us! We are also extremely passionate music fans. I think Bank Street had an impact on that for us because of the way music is integrated into learning. There’s always music at Bank Street, and Betsy has created a thread connecting father and daughter that remains.”
Now, as a reunion class delegate, Eric came up with an idea for a social media campaign called “I Am Bank Street because…” that invites all alumni to remember and share what makes them “Bank Street,” just like Eric and Aria attribute their love for music to Betsy and the School for Children.
Eric said, “The social media campaign is a way of connecting people to those pieces of themselves where it has remained deep-down inside. We’re hoping that many people will articulate some foundational aspects of who they are—as parents and professionals—that came from Bank Street. I thought it would be a good place to start reconnecting.”
Find out more about the upcoming Young Alumni and 21+ Reunions, on Saturday May 18, 2024.