Bethpage pupils using new fitness room

Charles Campagne Elementary School held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month to unveil a new fitness room that includes a range of equipment from elliptical machines to stationary bicycles.

The room is open to fourth- and fifth-graders in the Bethpage school's Fitness Club and will become part of the physical education curriculum next month.

"It's an area where you can challenge yourself and not worry about winning or losing," said physical education teacher Betty Bohringer, who developed the idea along with co-worker Michael Posch. "Also, a lot of families these days have fitness equipment at home, and this is a great opportunity to instruct children on how to properly use it."

The $15,000 fitness room, located in an old school locker room, has 18 different exercise machines and a heart-rate monitor that students are encouraged to use before and during their workouts, Bohringer said.

The club held a mock triathlon last week in which a dozen kids completed 20 minutes each on the elliptical, stepper and stationary bike and had their photos posted on a "triathlon board" in the school lobby.

Bohringer said additional equipment requested by students - such as rowing machines and a treadmill - would likely be added to the fitness room later this school year.

AMITYVILLE

Taking steps in science

Two teams from Edmund W. Miles Middle School recently won first and second place in Farmingdale State College's Science & Technology Entry Program, a competition for middle and high school students to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Teams from four local school districts presented research projects at a fair judged by Farmingdale professors.

The top team - Erika Canales, Fatima Hernandez, Danery Molina, Vanessa Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez and Isais Vasquez - won for a project titled "Enzymes and Temperature: Production of oxygen with a change in temperature."

The runners-up - Madison Baldwin, John Davis and Ciara Rayu - presented a project titled "Forensics: Fingerprinting investigation and analysis."

ELMONT

Positive social skills

Clara H. Carlson Elementary School has expanded its curriculum to teach positive social skills. It is integrating violence prevention and emotional learning components into "Community Read," a weekly program in which visiting community members read books to students. The program's goal is to help students develop empathy and problem-solving skills.

To kick off the changed curriculum, fourth-graders read Louise L. Hay's children's book "I Think, I Am!" and followed that by burying pieces of paper containing their "negative" ideas and then planting flower bulbs to grow something positive.

MASSAPEQUA

'Pink' event nets $10,000

Massapequa High School's girls varsity volleyball team raised more than $10,000 for breast cancer research last month through a "Dig Pink" event, which drew hundreds of community members. At the event, held during a game against Baldwin High School, players had pink uniforms and volleyballs and volunteers sold pink clothing and baked goods.

"The term 'dig' in volleyball means 'to pass,' " said volleyball coach and event coordinator CarolAnn Habeeb-Kiel. "This is our way of passing on resources to help find a cure."

COUNTYWIDE

Thinking fitness

Dozens of schools throughout Nassau County focused on health and wellness last month in programs and activities designed to promote fitness and positive life choices.

In Syosset School District, more than 50 health-themed presentations were given by various student groups as part of the district's Health Awareness Day. Students also sampled healthy food options and engaged in physical activities ranging from cardio kickboxing to golf to rock climbing.

At Lynbrook Kindergarten Center students dressed in the colors of their favorite fruits and danced with a group of student teachers from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University as part of the district's Health and Wellness Week. The morning announcements also featured a different health tip each day.

In North Merrick, Camp Avenue Elementary School held a Walk to School Day encouraging kids to think fitness by traveling the old-fashioned way.

ISLANDWIDE

Partners for the Future

Eleven Long Island seniors have been selected to participate this school year in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's "Partners for the Future," a program that pairs students with scientists to conduct research with state-of-the-art equipment and materials. Participants are:

Cold Spring Harbor: Laura Bergsten and Heather Szilagyi of Cold Spring Harbor High School; Garden City: Gloria DiMino of Garden City High School; Greenlawn: Victoria Lellis of Harborfields High School; Hempstead: Rigina Gallagher of Sacred Heart Academy; Locust Valley: Jordan Woldenberg of Friends Academy; Merrick: Melissa Gluck of Sanford H. Calhoun High School; Old Westbury: Kevin Liaw of The Wheatley School; Syosset: Daniel Kim and Deanna Zhu of Syosset High School; West Sayville: Neha Kinariwalla of Sayville High School.