Operation Shoebox

Thursday November 19, 2009 12:28 PM By Joie Tyrrell

Members of the Westhampton Beach High School's Key Club took time out to send care packages to service men and women this fall. At the urging of the High School Librarian, Parry Merendino, whose son is enlisted in the service, students spent two weeks in October collecting items for care packages which would be sent out through the service project Operation Shoebox. To date, Operation Shoebox has sent almost 500,000 care packages out.
Each homeroom was challenged to collect as many items to send to the troops as possible. “Key Club offered a contest: the homeroom with the most items gets a free bagel breakfast from Key Club (donated by the local Kiwanis),” said Key Club advisor Erin Roy.
To stir up support, Key Club made boxes to place in homerooms and hung up posters around the school, spreading the word about the cause. Students also created announcements, which were read over the school’s public address system during homeroom each day and acted out a commercial advertisement for the morning “Hurricane Watch” announcements on Fridays.
On Tuesday, October 20, members collected all of the homeroom boxes. The student body donated candy, granola bars, gum, cards, toiletry items, batteries and more.
“We had a lot of homeroom involvement. Mr. Hilly’s homeroom won the contest, collecting over 1,113 items. Ms. DiMarco’s homeroom came in second place, collecting more then 700 items. Each student in Ms DiMarco’s class contributed a handwritten letter to a soldier for moral support,” Ms. Roy said. “Overall, Key Club’s “Operation Shoebox” yielded $142 and 3,461 individual items to donate to “Operation Shoebox.” Patty Merendino, at her own personal cost, will be sending the collection of items.”

Let the sunshine in

Thursday November 19, 2009 12:27 PM By Joie Tyrrell

Fittingly, skies were clear and the sun was shining on a fall afternoon when students dedicated the installation of several solar panels at Westhampton Beach High School.
The late October dedication ceremony marked the activation of some 24 solar panels, which have been adhered to the roof of the school's gymnasium. The panels generate 5 kilowatts of electricity for the school, enough to power a small house.

The project, which has been in the works for two years, was funded entirely by the fundraising efforts of members of a high school environmental club, Classmates United in Restoring the Environment (CURE).

The students were able to raise $3,000 towards the project at a battle of the bands concert in the spring. The solar panels were installed in partnership with Brian Tymann, a Westhampton Beach alumnus and former CURE member who is now the director of operations for SunStream USA, a Southampton-based renewable energy company. SunStream USA sold the club the solar energy system at wholesale and donated its labor.
Through its help and a Long Island Power Authority program that offers rebates for residences and businesses that install solar electric systems, CURE members were able to knock the price of the project from its retail cost of about $37,000 to just $3,000.
But the students are not stopping there. Mr. Kommer said they are hoping to move on to raising funds for solar panels on the other district buildings over the next decade. “This is really just the start,” he said.

Blue Ribbon designation

Tuesday November 17, 2009 4:47 PM By Joie Tyrrell

The Glen Cove School District is proud to announce that Landing Elementary School has been selected by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as a nominee to the United States Department of Education for the 2010 Blue Ribbon Award. Schools designated as Blue Ribbon Schools serve as role models for schools throughout the nation.
This prestigious nomination is reserved for public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are academically superior or have demonstrated dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels. “This nomination is a testament to the commitment that the Board of Education, administration and staff have made to improving student achievement and to the hard work of our students,” stated Landing Elementary School Principal Dr. Michael Israel. “We are very proud to be nominated.” The Landing School must now submit a detailed application, including New York State English Language Arts and Math assessment data. The winners of the 2010 Blue Ribbon Award will be announced by the United States Secretary of Education in September 2010.

Bachelor of Business Administration

Tuesday November 17, 2009 4:43 PM By Joie Tyrrell

Briarcliffe College has received approval from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to offer a bachelor of business administration degree in management through a completely online format.

The start date for the online program is January 2010 and applications are now being accepted.

“On the ground or online, the Briarcliffe College B.B.A. in Management provides students with a solid base in business principles and contemporary management practices,” said Briarcliffe College President Dr. George Santiago, Jr. “The online option is another way Briarcliffe College offers our students flexibility and convenience.”

According to Briarcliffe College Director of Academic Technology Dr. Allen Zilbert, “The online program entails the same enrollment and coursework requirements as our traditional program, and our faculty meets the same criteria of expertise and industry experience. The difference is the online format allows for 24-7 access to the curriculum and library.”

For more information on the B.B.A. in management program, please call 631-654 5300 or 516-918-3600. For more information about Briarcliffe College, visit www.bcl.edu.

Veterans Honored

Tuesday November 17, 2009 4:41 PM By Joie Tyrrell

The children of the Elmont UFSD honored the community veterans at the Elmont Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, November 10 at the Covert Avenue School. Anahi Tapia, President of the Covert Avenue Student Council, composed and delivered a moving tribute to the men and women who serve our country and secure our nation’s freedom. Student representatives from each of the district's six elementary schools presented cards expressing gratitude and respect to representatives of the American Legion, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled Veterans organizations. Elmont students marched in the annual Veterans Day Parade on Wednesday, Nov 11. Our local Veterans are invited and attend Honors assemblies, concerts, and enrichment events throughout the school year

A look inside the ER

Tuesday November 17, 2009 4:31 PM By Joie Tyrrell

To mark Red Ribbon Week and continue with the district’s proactive approach to positive decision-making, all ninth-grade students at Massapequa High School – Ames Campus participated in a substance abuse prevention program entitled “Dying High – Teens in the ER.” This video and interactive discussion was presented during physical education classes and was facilitated by members of the Pupil Personnel Department, which includes school psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors.
The presentation of “Dying High” provides an opportunity for school personnel to take drug and alcohol awareness to another level. In addition to focusing on the harmful effects of substance abuse, this graphic video demonstrates what negative side effects actually look like as students watch doctors and nurses provide treatment to adolescent patients who have overdosed or have sustained injuries as a result of using alcohol or other drugs.
In a follow-up discussion, Ames guidance counselors led students in a proactive discussion, challenging them to identify their own action plan regarding making safe choices about alcohol and other drugs. The discussion culminated with encouraging words from the guidance counselors, who reminded students to have the courage to intervene on behalf of a friend who may be experiencing the consequences of alcohol or drug use.

Chemical Society Scholarships

Thursday November 12, 2009 2:22 PM By Joie Tyrrell

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program is now accepting applications from African-American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian students who are pursuing or intend to pursue degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology or related majors.

Renewable awards of up to $5,000 per year are given to qualified high school seniors, community college students and college freshmen, sophomores or juniors.

Applications will be accepted through March 1, 2010, for the 2010-2011 school year. Additional information and an online application form can be found on the ACS Scholars Program website (www.acs.org/scholars), by calling 1-800-227-5558, extension 6250, or by emailing scholars@acs.org.

ACS President Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D., points out that with a degree in chemistry you can change the world. “Whether you apply that degree to medicine and drug design, environmental studies, forensics, food, the search for alternate energy sources, safeguarding national security, or creating new materials, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are improving people’s lives in a very real way,” Lane said.

Starting salaries in 2008 for newly graduated B.S. chemists averaged $35,000.

ACS established the Scholars program in 1995 to attract underrepresented minorities to the chemical sciences and to build awareness of the value and rewards associated with careers in chemistry. In addition to financial support, the program provides mentoring and research and networking opportunities that help students acquire the skills and credentials needed for a successful career. Since its inception, the ACS Scholars Program has awarded more than $11.7 million to more than 2,260 students. For the 2010-2011 academic year, the Society expects to award approximately $1 million to both new and continuing Scholars.

Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School Musicians

Thursday November 12, 2009 12:16 PM By Joie Tyrrell

On November 1, eleven students from the Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School performed in the 11th Annual Friends of the Library Recital at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library. The performance included selections of piano and guitar music as well as a traditional Korean selection. The recital was dedicated to Joseph Giordano for his years of devotion the Friends of the Library.

In-school chamber music

Thursday November 12, 2009 12:07 PM By Joie Tyrrell

The Nassau BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services of Nassau County) Arts in Education office is partnering with The Academy—a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education—to offer in-school chamber music residencies to Long Island high schools beginning this spring.
“We are very pleased to include The Academy as our partner in music education,” said Joanne Spencer, Program Specialist, Nassau BOCES Arts in Education. “The residency brings another dimension to the study of music from the point of view of a professional musician, a necessary component in preparing the next generation of musicians.”
The program is open to Nassau County schools with intermediate to advanced string ensembles in grades 9 through 12. Alumni of The Academy will work with each high school string ensemble for five or more days. Each day can include sectional work, performances by alumni musicians, creative approaches to musical and technical skills; and listening sessions of related music. The residency experience is tailored to meet the needs of each school. String ensemble music directors committed to the idea that bringing a performer’s perspective into the classroom will enhance student learning, and who are open to non-traditional approaches to teaching musical techniques and concepts, will work collaboratively with Academy alumni to plan the residency. The New York State Standards are incorporated into each program.
Each school’s ensemble will participate in a free culminating performance at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center on April 15, 2010. The Academy alumni participating in this program will also perform. The public is invited to attend.

“The April performance is a great opportunity for high school string ensembles to get together and hear each other,” continued Spencer. “We hope that districts will take advantage of this wonderful partnership opportunity.”
“We are thrilled that Academy alumni will be able to take the skills they developed in our fellowship and apply them to the setting of the Nassau BOCES Arts in Education program,” said Amy Rhodes, Director of The Academy. “Working with the students in Nassau County school districts, these talented musicians will have an additional opportunity to inspire the next generation of music lovers and performers.”
The Academy is a two-year leadership program for postgraduate musicians designed to develop the skills and values necessary for careers that combine musical excellence with education, community engagement, and advocacy. These musicians are all alumni of The Academy and are high-level musicians who are passionate about sharing their artistry with music students. They have experience in creating strong partnerships with music teachers and working alongside educators to enrich students’ learning. For more information on The Academy, visit www.acjw.org.
For more information or to sign up your school for a music residency program call Nassau BOCES at 516-396-2345 or artsined@mail.nasboces.org or contact The Academy at 212-903-9737 or rsokolow@acjw.org.