A Hamilton College graduate had the honor of pushing the button that lowered the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. Jared Fox, a 2003 graduate of Hamilton, is an environmental and climate science teacher at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School in upper Manhattan. Fox received a 2019 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics in New York City Public High Schools for the work he and his students have done centered on environmental initiatives. According to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s website, “Each year FCNY conducts a city-wide search for superb nominees from all five boroughs. Winners receive a cash award of $5,000 and their schools each receive an award of $2,500 to augment their educational offerings.” By receiving this award, Fox appeared on the radar of the Times Square Alliance. That’s because, Fox said, the director of the Times Square Alliance knows the director of the Fund for the City of New York. The Times Square Alliance picks a theme every year for the New Year’s Eve celebration. Climate change and youth activism tied into this year’s theme. Fox said the organization wanted to honor the science teachers that are educating youth to take action. Fox and Aida Rosenbaum, a teacher at the Bronx Latin school and Sloan award winner, along with...