Four LI students nominated for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
Four Long Island teens are among 25 statewide nominated for one of the nation's highest honors for high school seniors.
The students — Arpie Bakhshian of Lynbrook High School, Karyme Hurtado of East Hampton High School, Thomas Gomez Morrobel of Freeport High School, and Aditya Sehgal of Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills — have been nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program by the New York State Education Department.
"Each of these students has worked incredibly hard during high school, and their accomplishments are testimonials to their tremendous effort," said the state's interim education commissioner, Shannon Tahoe. "I thank our legislators for recommending these stellar students."
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will select scholars based on factors such as academic success, artistic excellence and community service. Semifinalists will be notified in April, and scholars will be announced in May.
Winners will receive a trip this summer to Washington, D.C., as well as a medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House.
"Aditya is a determined and innovative young man whose success both in and outside of the classroom continues to make a positive impact on all those around him," said Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights), who nominated Sehgal.
Assemb. Fred W. Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor), who nominated Hurtado, said: "Karyme has displayed academic excellence, leadership qualities, community involvement and extraordinary personal achievements."
BABYLON/MASSAPEQUA/PORT WASHINGTON
Flag design winners
Four Long Island students have been named winners in the 2020 New York State Youth Art Month Flag Design Contest sponsored by the New York State Art Teachers Association in partnership with Sargent Art. This year's contest received more than 200 submissions statewide.
Sarah Lucas of Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School in Port Washington was the overall winner, Vanessa Espinoza of Babylon High School was the high school winner, Eliza Harnden of Carrie Palmer Weber was the middle school winner, and Gabriella Cimino of East Lake Elementary School in Massapequa Park was the elementary school winner.
Lucas was awarded art supplies valued at $500 for herself and $1,000 for her art teacher, while the others received art supplies valued at $100 for themselves and $300 for their art teachers.
COUNTYWIDE
"Hour of Code"
Many local students learned the fundamentals of computer programming last month as part of the nonprofit Code.org's "Hour of Code," a worldwide effort held in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week.
In Huntington Station, first-graders at Washington Primary School played a Grinch-themed game in which they programmed drones and a high-tech sleigh to capture presents and navigate down a mountain to return Christmas to Whoville.
In Shoreham, kindergartners at Miller Avenue Elementary School played and programmed a Skoog, an electronic cube on which they created vocal percussion sounds.
In Greenlawn, students at Thomas J. Lahey Elementary programmed a dragon to navigate an obstacle course and a robot to clean marine debris.
ISLANDWIDE
Top STEM schools
Ten Long Island high schools were named to a list of the top 500 STEM high schools nationwide this fall created by Newsweek in partnership with the website STEM.org.
The local high schools named to the list and their rankings were: Great Neck North, 147; Great Neck South, 163; Jericho, 182; North Shore, 321; Harborfields, 336; Roslyn, 347; The Wheatley School, 429; Garden City, 457; Syosset, 470; and Cold Spring Harbor, 487.
The rankings recognized schools that offer "skilled teachers who keep up with developments in these fields and who create dynamic learning environments to engage students," the magazine 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.
