Local Boy Makes Good With Rye Cable TV

Less than five years ago, ex-Garnet track star and Rye Cable TV luminary Andrew Dapolite went from Rye High School, where he learned the TV production ABCs, to the State University of New York at Oneonta to major in TV and film production. Now Dapolite, a young man in a hurry, has proven you can go home again, full time. 

Dapolite, 22, has been named Production Coordinator for Rye TV, replacing award-winning documentary film producer and veteran network cameraman Junius Hughes.

“He impressed me from the very beginning as an extremely intelligent and creative hardworker who wanted to learn everything there was to learn from us,” said Nicole Levitsky, RyeTV Access Coordinator.

Dapolite and Travis LaBella created “Garnet Insider,” a 30-minute bi-weekly program that reported on the sports teams at the high school in 2006. They were an immediate hit; their segments are on YouTube and Google Video. 

Dapolite groans when he thinks about that early work. He prefers to talk the documentary he's editing, “Language of the Unheard” a film about the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and a college documentary he produced about the oldest serving public school teacher–age 90–in New York State, that was distributed to school districts statewide.  

Dapolite also worked with Councilman Joe Sack on a video chronicling the history of the Rye City Council featuring council members and mayors going back to Mayor Ed Grainger (1962-67).

“Public access TV always gets a bad rap, but not here in Rye because it is widely watched. From the School Board meetings to the City Council Meetings to the special programming,” says Dapolite. “I know because people will stop me on the streets and tell me how much they enjoy our shows. I feel RyeTV gives me the chance to be really creative as well as give back to my community.”