School Notebook: 18 LI winners in Apprentice Challenge
More than 200 students from 28 local schools were broken into mixed teams to compete in Adelphi University’s Apprentice Challenge, which was held at the Garden City campus. Credit: Melinda Neus
Two teams of Long Island students tied for first in a competition that challenged them to create a strategic marketing plan and present it to a panel of judges.
The winning teams took the top spot in Adelphi University’s Apprentice Challenge, which this year asked participants to develop marketing plans to help open a new branch for Del Fuego, a Tex-Mex restaurant with four locations on Long Island.
A total of 164 students from 19 schools were broken into mixed teams for the competition.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how excited I get when planning this event for students,” said the challenge’s coordinator, Melinda Neus. “It is a steppingstone in learning who they are, whether it is a team leader or a team member, and how to successfully collaborate on an award-winning marketing plan.”
The winning students and their high schools were: Mayelin Cruz and Smirna Yoc, Baldwin; Maya Kunis and Joshua Tepper, John F. Kennedy in Bellmore; Mirza Mahim and Thomas Mallon, Connetquot in Bohemia; Brooke Touti, Hewlett; Bhavika Bhasin and Elana Kane, Jericho; Ainah Brown and Steve Burkhardt, Kings Park; Dylan Maney and Jake Muchnick, Massapequa; Julia Powers, Plainview-Old Bethpage; Christian Graziano and Charlie Leo, Mepham in Bellmore; and Damiana Beige and Alexa DosSantos, West Islip.
Hampton Bays Elementary School students participated in Hampton Bays Reads Together, an annual program, by reading the same book and engaging in discussions and creating art and music themed around a children’s book, which this year was Melissa Thompson’s “Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up.” Credit: Hampton Bays School District
HUNTINGTON
Superintendent retiring
Jim Polansky has announced his plans to retire after 12 years as superintendent of the Huntington School District, effective Sept. 1.
Under Polansky’s leadership, the district reinstituted a full-day kindergarten program and established the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School in 2013. Before joining Huntington, he held administrative roles in the South Huntington School District.
“It has been a true privilege to be in the district long enough to witness the growth of so many young and reticent primary school children into dedicated, driven, caring and compassionate young adults,” Polansky said.
AP Research students at Mineola High School celebrated their year-long commitment to their research topic of inquiry through a mock wedding officiated by Principal Nicole Culella. Credit: Mineola School District
LYNBROOK
New superintendent
Paul Lynch has been appointed superintendent of the Lynbrook School District, effective July 1. He will replace Melissa Burak, who is retiring.
Lynch has served for the past decade as the district’s assistant superintendent for finance, operations and information systems. His other past positions include having been associate superintendent for public policy and government programs for the Archdiocese of New York, director of technology for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and English department chairman at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip.
“I look forward to serving the community and working with our exceptional teachers and dedicated staff to build on the great legacy of Lynbrook Public Schools,” Lynch said.
In Selden, Newfield High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions Club facilitated a driver’s safety program through a collaboration between the school’s health classes and the Town of Brookhaven. Credit: Middle Country Central School Distric
NORTHPORT AND SMITHTOWN
Footwear physics
Teachers at Northport High School and Smithtown High School East have been running a pilot program of a physics lesson for potential publication in a science journal to encourage teachers nationwide to provide engaging science lessons.
The lesson challenges students to create “shoes” designed for gripping uphill or sliding downhill to help them understand how properties of matter can affect an object’s function. Second-graders at Pulaski Road Elementary in East Northport were the first to test their shoes on a ramp.
“This is important because of the new national and New York State new science standards,” said Smithtown East physics teacher Gillian Winters, who is collaborating on the lesson with Northport physics teacher Karyn Libretto. “Karyn and I have the knowledge behind the physics-based standards and we thought we could help the elementary school teachers.“
West Hempstead School District students and staff celebrated the 110th birthday of Chestnut Street School accompanied by members of the West Hempstead Historical Society. The school marked the day by ringing its historic Meneely Bell, which is 105 years old, while students could ring a replica bell on display near the school’s entrance. Credit: West Hempstead School District
SYOSSET
Elevator pitch
A Syosset High School team has placed among the top 10% in a national elevator-pitch competition coordinated by Virtual Enterprises International, an educational nonprofit that provides opportunities for students to start and run simulated businesses.
The competition challenged participants to make an engaging elevator pitch to an angel investor in 60 seconds or less through video submission.
Syosset’s business, Thrive Healthy Living, offered nutritional health supplements that “make getting healthier more fun by combining traditional nutrients with the classic gummy bear,” according to the team’s video.
In Amityville, pre-kindergartners at Northeast Elementary School learned about the importance of physical and emotional health during a visit by doctors and health care professionals from Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. Credit: Amityville School District
ISLANDWIDE
Peace celebrations honor MLK
Dozens of schools across Long Island hosted peace-themed events last month in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In Malverne, the district held a celebration in which children shared tributes to the late activist in various mediums — including a video created by Howard T. Herber Middle School’s video production class that featured footage of King’s visit to Malverne in 1965.
Students at the Heights School in Roslyn participated in a peace march throughout the hallways and then gathered in the gym for an assembly about the legacy of King.
In Middle Island, Longwood School District’s Community Connections Committee coordinated a half-mile unity walk that attracted more than 500 community members.
“This walk serves as a remembrance of his historic contributions leading the Civil Rights Movement and how we, as a school community, honor his values today and every day,” said Vaughn Denton, the assistant superintendent for pupil personnel and community services for Longwood.
Third-graders at the Lloyd Harbor Elementary School recently learned about fossils through a lesson in which they were given a bag containing a mystery object and then used tools such as hand lenses and rulers to record data about their item’s properties and patterns. Credit: Cold Spring Harbor School District Zone: S1 (This should be the floater photo in the S1 zone.) Publication date: Feb. 12, 2023 Credit: Cold Spring Harbor School Distri
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.
