LI students help spread warmth
First-graders at Nokomis Elementary School in Holbrook displayed donations of winter clothing on a tree in the school's lobby. Credit: Sachem Central School District
The winter weather has inspired students to spread some warmth across Long Island.
Many local schools have hosted, or participated in, winter clothing drives in recent weeks that provided everything from scarves to socks to underprivileged individuals in their communities.
In Deer Park, the high school's Patriot and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) clubs spearheaded the creation of 23 gift bags — containing winter hats, gloves and toiletries — for homeless veterans at The Veterans Place in Yaphank.
"The response from the community was heartwarming and overwhelmingly generous," said the school's Patriot Club adviser, Laurie Osbern. "We can always count on Deer Park to come through whenever there is a need for support."
In Eastport, a group of 89 elementary schoolers crafted 36 fleece blankets for children in Suffolk County's foster care system with help from students at Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School. The blankets were accompanied by bags containing crayons, small toys and stuffed animals.
In Holbrook, first-graders at Nokomis Elementary School read Candace Christiansen's book "The Mitten Tree" and then collected dozens of clothing items that were hung on a tree displayed in the school's lobby. The donations went to a homeless shelter in Ronkonkoma.
In Hampton Bays, the elementary school's K-Kids community service club hosted a drive that collected 80 coats for local families in need.
In Deer Park, second-graders in Susan Steinman's class at May Moore Primary School were all smiles as they learned about Adelie penguins and spoke by Skype with scientists studying the aquatic birds at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Credit: May Moore Primary School
BRENTWOOD
Solve for Tomorrow
Brentwood High School is one of 100 state winners nationwide in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow Contest, which asked participants to find creative solutions to real-world issues affecting their communities by using their skills in science, technology, engineering and math — also known as STEM.
The school was selected for its proposal to develop a technique to curb salt marsh loss and decrease eutrophication. As a state winner, the school received a $15,000 prize package and a Samsung video kit to create and submit a three-minute video showcasing their project development.
Patchogue-Medford High School's Junior Air Force ROTC cadets recently learned about racial segregation in the military and in civilian life during a visit from William Johnson, left, a former member of the Tuskegee Airmen and a Glen Cove resident. The Patchogue-Medford JROTC Program is an Eastern Suffolk BOCES in-district program. Credit: Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Twenty national finalists of $50,000 prize packages will be announced in March, while five national winners of $100,000 grand-prize packages will be announced in April. More than 2,000 entries were submitted nationwide.
HAUPPAUGE
Emerging Fashion Designer Award
Hauppauge High School junior A'Kai Littlejohn recently received the 2019 Emerging Fashion Designer Award at the Cinémoi Network's CinéFashion Film Awards in Los Angeles. Cinémoi is a television network focusing on film, fashion and international style.
Littlejohn, a designer of luxury womenswear, was a contestant on the second season of Lifetime's "Project Runway: Junior" in 2017. He also debuted his first solo collection at New York Fashion Week in September.
Fifth-graders from Lloyd Harbor Elementary School recently studied pollen grains under the microscope and learned about genetic ancestry during a visit to the "Ötzi the Iceman" exhibit at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center. Ötzi is a 5,300-year-old man whose mummified remains were found by hikers in the Ötztal Alps in 1991 with pollen, wild goat, red deer, plants and wheat in his digestive system. Credit: CSH School District / Karen Spehler
"A'Kai is our hope for the future," Cinémoi President Daphna Ziman said. "In him, we see the essence of elegance that is timeless and enticing."
ISLANDWIDE
Bright Lights
Twenty-five Long Island educators have been named Bright Lights by Suffolk ASSET (Association of Suffolk Supervisors for Educational Technologies) for their "contributions using technology in their classrooms and schools," the organization said.
Honorees and their school districts are: Tim Quinn and Amy Stein, Amityville; Michael Masino, Bay Shore; Michelle Phillips, Bethpage; Sandra Rivadeneyra, Cold Spring Harbor; Daniela Reduto, Comsewogue; Scott Halford and CJ Rung, Connetquot; Jennifer Rosario, Copiague; Loni Stein, East Williston; Erica Giordano and Meghan Riley, Elwood; Chris Regini, Half Hollow Hills; Valerie Murray, Huntington; Lindsey Baird, Kings Park; Jennifer Kelly, Lindenhurst; Diane Nodell, Mineola; Jennifer Morrison, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park; Kevin Burke, Northport-East Northport; Brian Agostini, Oyster Bay-East Norwich; Stephanie Yohe, Plainview-Old Bethpage; Cheryl Irizarry, South Huntington; Gina Varacchi, Three Village; Kara Levy, West Babylon; and Kristie Ferruzzi, West Islip.
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.
