LI students send support to Paris after fall attacks

Student Council members at John F. Kennedy Intermediate School in Deer Park recently created a French flag poster signed by all students to send to a school in France in the aftermath of the terror attacks on the French capital. Credit: Deer Park School District
Long Island students haven’t been shy about voicing solidarity with Paris in the aftermath of the city’s recent terror attacks.
Several schools have shown their support by sharing messages of hope, love and peace with the French capital, which lost a total of 130 people during the attacks on Nov. 13.
In East Setauket, 42 French-language students at Ward Melville High School translated a series of inspirational messages submitted by listeners of two local radio stations: WBLI 106.1 FM and WBAB 102.3 FM. The roughly three-minute video, titled “From Long Island to Paris,” was mailed to a radio station in Paris for broadcast.
“You’ve been through the unimaginable,” said the video’s opening message. “This hasn’t made you weaker — it’s made you stronger . . . Good outshines evil when we come together.”
In Bellmore, Mepham High School’s French Honor Society and A World of Difference Club invited students to wear the French flag’s colors for a school day as a gesture of unity.
The red, white and blue teens then assembled for a photo behind a banner reading “Vive la liberté,” which translates to “Long live freedom.”
“I felt the most meaningful, yet simple and feasible, activity was to invite the school to wear the flag colors and take a picture to document it,” French Honor Society faculty adviser Betsy Siegelaub said.
In Deer Park, the Student Council at John F. Kennedy Intermediate School created a French flag poster that was signed by all students and mailed to a school in France.
“I know art can heal,” said JFK art teacher Joanne Buck. “Art transcends all languages.”
ISLIP
Cosmetology program
Islip High School has unveiled a cosmetology program to provide teens who have a passion for beauty treatments the opportunity to gain real-world experience. The program teaches professional hair and makeup techniques to juniors, with a chance to become licensed cosmetologists after the two-year course.
The school also recently unveiled a state-of-the-art cosmetology studio to further simulate a realistic hair salon setting, school officials said.
“The students feel comfortable, as if they’re actually working in a salon, and when they finish here they can get a certificate of completion and go on to take the state boards,” Islip teacher Ann DiMaria said.
STONY BROOK
Scholastic achievement
W.S. Mount Elementary School fourth-grader Madison Esposito appeared on the cover of the Dec. 7 Scholastic News magazine as part of a feature story about her interest in 3D printing. In the photo, Eposito is pictured holding a 3D replica of herself created at DOOB-3D store in Manhattan.
To coincide with the story, Madison’s class read the piece, titled “Me in 3D,” and discussed the ways that 3D printers differ from regular ones.
“I was so excited to have made my ‘mini-me’ and happy to be included in the piece as well,” Madison said. “It is something I will always remember.”
ISLANDWIDE
National Festival
Six Long Island students are among about 200 nationwide selected to perform in one of three ensembles — Honor Band of America, Jazz Band of America or Honor Orchestra of America — coordinated as part of Music for All’s 2016 National Festival in Indianapolis March 9-12.
The selected students are: Adam Cordero and Mikayla Chan of Herricks High School, Danielle Davis of Baldwin High School, Andrew Golub of Smithtown High School West, Sam Towse of Friends Academy in Locust Valley, and Kristina Wirkowski of Portledge School in Locust Valley.
To be selected, they submitted two contrasting recordings of themselves showcasing their musical technique and range.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.