LI students win in business competition
First-place winners show off their awards in various categories of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce's 17th Annual Emerging Leaders Business Competition. Credit: LenMarks Photography
Thirty Long Island students were first-place winners in a competition that challenged them to demonstrate their knowledge and capabilities in a business environment.
The 17th Annual Emerging Leaders Business Competition drew more than 300 participants from 17 high schools who used their understanding of business to address given tasks and current issues in 17 categories ranging from sports and entertainment marketing to interview life skills.
The event was held last month at St. Joseph's College in Patchogue and hosted by the Huntington Chamber of Commerce.
The competition's first-place winners, their high schools and categories were: Ariana Aghili and Michael Kaimis, Commack, Entrepreneurship A; Ryan Padalla, Garden City, Interview Life Skills; Sari Strizik, Half Hollow Hills East, Interview 11/12; Prableen Kaur, Herricks, Interview 9/10; Rebekah Joseph and Akshal Shah, Herricks, Technology; David Salmonson and Min Yoon, Jericho, Entrepreneurship B; Emma Schwarzwald and Laura Zhao, Jericho, Graphic Design and Branding A; Ada Chen and Gloria Cheng, Jericho, Graphic Design and Branding B; Sujay Sundar and Kevin Zhu, Jericho, Healthcare; Jake Kupferman and Aaron Marasia, Jericho, Hospitality and Tourism; Shania Mehta and Elisa Ng, Jericho, Retail Marketing B; Joshua Dong and Blake Mayourian, Jericho, Sports and Entertainment Marketing B; Emily Gilbert, Kings Park, Non For Profit Fundraising; Christopher Buckley and Joseph Cortez, Kings Park, Sports and Entertainment Marketing A; Rafiq Elkiki and Harsh Patel, Northport, Retail Marketing A; Nadeem Gangat and Nicholas Thomas, Syosset, Finance; and Nikita Bijani and Jyothi Mathur, Syosset, Human Resources.
CEDARHURST/HICKSVILLE/WEST ISLIP
New York Recycles
Four Long Island students were winners in the 17th Annual New York Recycles Poster Contest sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York Recycles Steering Committee.
In Centerport, Washington Drive Primary School recently unveiled a new mural that depicts 14 different books that were chosen by teachers to serve as a gateway for greater in-class discussions on topics such as empathy, compassion, kindness and diversity. Credit: Harborfields School District
Luna Pankratz of Oquenock Elementary School in West Islip placed first in the grades K-3 category, Estee Hofman of Hebrew Academy of Five Towns & Rockaway (HAFTR) High School placed second in the grades 10-12 category, and Diya Kumar of Hicksville Middle School and Ellinore Hazan of HAFTR High School placed third in the grades 4-6 and 10-12 categories, respectively.
For winning, their recycling-themed artwork will appear in the 2020 New York Recycles calendar. They also were honored at the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling's annual recycling conference in upstate Cooperstown.
COUNTYWIDE
Coca-Cola Scholars
In East Setauket, Nassakeag Elementary School recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the building's new indoor recess room. Credit: Three Village Central School District
Ten Suffolk County students are among 1,928 semifinalists nationwide in the 2020 Coca-Cola Scholars Program based on their leadership skills, academic achievements and community service. Semifinalist applications are currently being reviewed with 250 to be named regional finalists and 150 becoming Coca-Cola Scholars who will receive $20,000 scholarships.
Semifinalists and their school districts are: Isabella Collado, Central Islip; Christine Kong, Commack; Sarah Abrams, Half Hollow Hills; Lily Stein, Huntington; Tara Donohue and Alexa Vargas, Sayville; and Kira Conte, Smithtown. Other semifinalists are Caitlin Beirne and Meghan Brady-Fuchsman of St. Anthony's High School and Annunziata Rich of St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School.
ISLANDWIDE
All-State Festival
Approximately 275 students from Long Island were among some 900 statewide selected to participate in one of eight ensembles at the New York State School Music Association's (NYSSMA) 2019 All-State Festival, which was held last month in Rochester.
Lindenhurst Union Free School District hosted an ENL & Dual Language Family Night last month that attracted more than 150 people. Pictured are student volunteers and members of the district's MCJROTC program. Credit: Lindenhurst School District
The ensembles were instrumental jazz, mixed chorus, string orchestra, symphonic band, symphony orchestra, treble chorus, vocal jazz and wind ensemble. To get selected, sophomores and juniors statewide participated in an audition process that included performing solos at the highest level of difficulty.
"NYSSMA is thrilled to celebrate these students and the high-quality school music programs they represent," NYSSMA president Michael Salzman said.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
