School Notebook: singing at White House

Dozens of local students never expected to have this kind of "White Christmas."

Concert choirs from Central Islip and Northport high schools were invited to perform a selection of holiday classics this month at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Northport had 53 students split among two ensembles perform Monday, while Central Islip's 30-student choir is donning red cardigans for its performance scheduled Friday. Groups were issued a two-hour time slot to perform for visitors passing through the East Wing.

"It's a very big moment for us," Central Islip music teacher John Anthony said. "This is one of the most powerful places in the world, and it gives our kids a feeling of validation."

To be considered, the school submitted an audio recording and essay to White House staff earlier this year, Anthony said. Their performance will include classics such as "Deck the Halls" and "The First Noel." Travel costs will be offset by a variety show fundraiser and raffle auction slated for the spring that also will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Northport said its choir invitation was facilitated by district graduate Julie Raisch, who now is a White House intern. Choir members were chosen for the trip based on seniority.

"There's nothing better than performing among history," said the school's tour choir director, Ellen McCarthy, who will be joined by fellow director Nicholas Hart. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the kids are truly elated."

Northport students wore all black with gold ties for boys and gold scarves for girls. Songs included a barbershop rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock."

COMMACK

Reading for riding

Commack Middle School's sixth-grade science classes raised more than $3,200 this fall through a reading-based community service project that benefited Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, an Islandia-based nonprofit that offers therapeutic programs for disabled individuals.

To raise the funds, students sold wristbands and solicited pledges from family and friends based on each book they read during the first marking period of the school year. As a culminating activity, kids visited Pal-O-Mine for a tour of the facility "so they could see how their efforts were helping others," school officials said.

MEDFORD

Business plan winners

Patchogue-Medford High School's Future Business Leaders of America Club won first place last month at the Seventh Annual Business Plan Competition hosted by Briarcliffe College in Patchogue. The school has won the event for the past six years, school officials said.

For the competition, the team prepared a 55-slide PowerPoint presentation as part of a mock marketing effort for an automated restaurant menu called the "Quick Touch" by EVO Tech, a fictional company made by the club. They also created a website, prototype and commercial.

COUNTYWIDE (BY)

Physical leadership

One male and one female student from each Suffolk County high school received a Zone Award this fall from the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance for academic prowess, leadership and physical performance. Local winners were:

Amityville: Kelly Siry and Danny Parks of Amityville High School; Babylon: Maggie Griffo and Gregory Dieterich of Babylon High School; Copiague: Jessica Murphy and Gregory Lane of Copiague High School; Deer Park: Kelsey Dillon and Vincent Vitale of Deer Park High School; Lindenhurst: Ajsha Mekulovic and Kyle Cropsey of Lindenhurst High School; North Babylon: Emily Ude and TQ Grant of North Babylon High School; West Babylon: Jessica Peace and Glenroy Brown of West Babylon High School; Wyandanch: Lorenza Birt and Alexander Williams.

East Hampton: Katla Thorsen and James Budd of East Hampton High School; Autumn Rose Williams and Dylan Stilin of Ross School; Greenport: Erin Creedon and Mark Pagano of Greenport High School; Hampton Bays: Lexi Giannone and Perry Friscia of Hampton Bays High School; Manorville: Natalie Vero and Ryan Brisson of Eastport-South Manor Junior Senior High School; Mattituck: Siobhan Nolan and Thomas Sledjeski of Mattituck-Cutchogue High School; Riverhead: Victoria Tremble and Keith Schroeher of McGann-Mercy High School; Mariah Messina and Timothy Clement of Riverhead High School; Sag Harbor: Lilah Yardley and Hunter Leyser of Pierson High School; Shelter Island: Megan Mundy and Jon Licausi of Shelter Island High School; Shoreham: Madeline Massa and Tyler Lutjen of Shoreham-Wading River High School; Southampton: Victoria Shimkus and John Donovan of Southampton High School; Southold: Lauren Ficurilli and Brian Cassidy of Southold Jr./Sr. High School; Westhampton: Hannah Bisagni and Michael Polan of Westhampton Beach High School.

Cold Spring Harbor: Samantha Mistretta and Sean O'Neill of Cold Spring Harbor High School; Commack: Nicole Deissler and Conner Gray of Commack High School; Dix Hills: Sabrina Woods and Jessy Garcia of Half Hollow Hills High School East; Lauren Kiedaisch and Kevin Stanis of Half Hollow Hills High School West; Elwood: Maddlyn Sivilli and Daniel Gibbons of Elwood-John H. Glenn High School; Greenlawn: Tori Keegan and James Keegan of Harborfields High School; Hauppauge: Julide Giray and Sam Llinares of Hauppauge High School; Huntington: Alexandra Martinolich and Daniel Plant of Huntington High School; Kings Park: Alexandra Plastaras and Thomas Feeley of Kings Park High School; Northport: Rosemarie Hayes and Patrick Gathman of Northport High School; Smithtown: Chelsea Bellini and Richard Tomlinson of Smithtown Christian School; Dani Ackerman and Timothy McVeety of Smithtown High School East; Katie Doughty and Jake Markowitz of Smithtown High School West; South Huntington: Samantha Delle and Kyle O'Rourke of Walt Whitman High School; Jessica Reiszel and Ryan Sheppard of St. Anthony's High School.

Bay Shore: Erika Dannenfelser and Andrew Arcuri of Bay Shore High School; Bayport: MacKenzie Miller and Ralph Fabiani of Bayport-Blue Point High School; Bohemia: Joann Murino and Daniel Rees of Connetquot High School; Brentwood: Kaylee Acevedo and Eric Perdomo of Brentwood High School; Central Islip: Ava Rubino and Jamal Jackson of Central Islip High School; East Islip: Meagan Faughnan and Evan Maxwell of East Islip High School; Farmingville: Pamela Emengo and Edward Silber of Sachem High School East; Islip: Alexandra D'Acunto and Joseph Sabbatino of Islip High School; Lake Ronkonkoma: Rachel LaSala and Ryan Calabrese of Sachem High School North; Sayville: Connie Nielson and Christopher Siracusa of Sayville High School; West Islip: Kailey Lyons and Jack Kelly of West Islip High School; Alanna Brennan and Vincent Yancigay of St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School.

Bellport: Christina Dutcher and Brandon Santana of Bellport High School; Center Moriches: Victoria Holborrow and Mike Valentine of Center Moriches High School; Centereach: Jen Scheu and Joe Bello of Centereach High School; East Setauket: Lindsey McCulloch and Anthony Humphreys of Ward Melville High School; Farmingville: Pam Emengo and Ed Silber of Sachem High School East; Lake Ronkonkoma: Rachel LaSala and Ryan Calabrese of Sachem High School North; Manorville: Natalie Vero and Ryan Brisson of Eastport-South Manor High School; Mastic Beach: Jenna Hennessey and Derek Haase of William Floyd High School; Medford: Alicia Kreamer and Dylan Brown of Patchogue-Medford High School; Middle Island: Jessica Kalbfleisch and Kevin Perretta of Longwood High School; Miller Place: Carleen Altinok and Kevin Osman of Miller Place High School; Mount Sinai: Arianna Shaljian and Pat Hogan of Mount Sinai High School; Port Jefferson: Liz Acampora and Brandon Reiter of Port Jefferson High School; Port Jefferson Station: Victoria Ruplin and Matt Waldeck of Comsewogue High School; Rocky Point: Casey Heely and Ryan Rado of Rocky Point High School; Selden: Lauren DellaVecchia and Branden Schnetzer of Newfield High School; Shoreham: Madeline Massa and Tyler Lutjen of Shoreham-Wading River High School.