School Notebook: Bay Scallop Bowl winners

A five-student team from Mount Sinai High School -- Julia Eberhard, Ethan Donowitz, Camille Jwo, Patrick McKeown and Nicholas O'Mara -- beat 15 tri-state area teams to take first place last month in this year's Bay Scallop Bowl.

The "Jeopardy"-style tournament has fast-paced buzzer rounds and team challenges that test knowledge of oceanography and related sciences.

"This year's team is extremely well balanced, and all five members are very well-prepared," said Mount Sinai coach David Chase, a science teacher at the school. "It's not about the money for our team. It's about their passion for learning more and more about the ocean."

For winning, Mount Sinai's team members received $1,000 each; they will vie against 24 other school teams next month at the 2013 National Ocean Sciences Bowl in Milwaukee.

Senior Dennis Kim and junior Jenny Cho won the competition with performances of Bruno Mars' "Talking to the Moon" and Adele's "Rumour Has It," respectively.

In addition, Herrick's music department, Tri-M Music Honor Society and Music Boosters Association coordinated a collection of more than a dozen instruments for Long Beach.

Pre-K story time

The Seaford Union Free School District's soon-to-be kindergartners are being introduced to reading before their schooling through a story-time program titled "Literacy Experiences."

At Seaford Harbor Elementary School, 60 youngsters who are expected to make up the school's kindergarten class in September recently enjoyed stories about teddy bears while clutching the stuffed animals and also snacking on Nabisco's Teddy Grahams. At Seaford Manor Elementary School, 55 upcoming kindergartners were treated to a reading of Katie Davis' children's book, "Kindergarten Rocks!"

"This allows these youngsters and their parents several opportunities to visit our elementary schools and feel more comfortable when they come next year as full-time students," said John Striffolino, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Sharing volunteer goals

Participating organizations included Sunrise Day Camp in Wheatley Heights, Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, and HorseAbility Center for Equine Facilitated Programs in Old Westbury.

In addition, the school's Italian and Latin clubs presented $300 raised during a recent holiday fundraiser to Island Harvest in Mineola, and the student government contributed another $200 to the organization.

COUNTYWIDE

Dozens of schools across Long Island rang in the Chinese New Year last month with in-school parades and other festivities designed to introduce kids to the culture of China.

In Freeport, Columbus Avenue Elementary School's Early Childhood Education Center kicked off the Year of the Snake with a parade that included paper lanterns and a paper dragon, which symbolizes goodness and strength. Children also sampled traditional Chinese-American foods, such as flavored chicken and fried rice, from a local restaurant.

In Seaford, third-graders at Manor Elementary School spent weeks learning about the country's customs, geography and schools, and the lessons culminated with a Chinese feast. They also penned essays on whether they would rather go to school in China or the United States.

In Valley Stream, Howell Road Elementary School kindergartners paraded with signs that read "Gung hay fat choy," which means "Best wishes and congratulations."