Dix Hills teens cleaning up graffiti in community

In Dix Hills, a teen task force is erasing graffiti one location at a time.

The group, launched by Suffolk Legis. Steven Stern (D-Huntington), includes 40 Half Hollow Hills East and West high school students out to improve the community by hitting the streets with paint in hand.

In last month's project the teens used a power washer to remove graffiti on a stockade fence just west of the East campus on Vanderbilt Parkway and then painted the fence tan using materials donated by The Home Depot in East Northport.

"The recent increase in graffiti is not only an eyesore, but a threat to our quality of life," Stern said. "These students send the important message that young people care about our neighborhood's integrity."

The task force was launched last spring, Stern said, after he approached Half Hollow Hills officials with the idea. Prospective locations are suggested to Stern by students, police and community members.

The first blighted site to be cleaned was a fence a block away from Chestnut Hill Elementary School in Dix Hills.

"It's an easy way to help the community and have fun at the same time," said Elliot Greenfield, a task force member and Half Hollow Hills East senior.

BAYPORT

Grim Reaper lessons

Bayport-Blue Point High School students learned about the importance of drug prevention and education last month through the school's annual celebration of Red Ribbon Week.

Activities included a Grim Reaper Day in which a member of the Students Against Destructive Decisions club dressed as a reaper and removed one student from every classroom each period to symbolize the frequency of drunk-driving deaths. Victims' faces were painted white, and they didn't speak for rest of the day.

In addition, an agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spoke about law enforcement on our borders.

COPIAGUE

International perspective

Copiague Middle School recently hosted an International Night with 100 students performing songs and dances to promote cultural diversity and tolerance.

There was also a fashion show of students modeling ethnic apparel such as Indian saris and Japanese kimonos. Visitors toured an exhibit of research projects on 35 countries, reflecting the ethnic makeup of the students. And students carried mock passports that they had stamped at each table.

Local eateries also donated food representative of the students' heritage.

MIDDLE ISLAND

Sharing songs, warmth

More than 450 student vocalists from Longwood Central School District recently performed with professionals during a visit from Ball in the House, a Boston-based a cappella group. The five-man group conducted three instructional workshops with students in grades 5-12 that culminated in a joint evening performance attended by 1,000 community members.

In other news, Longwood Junior High School has joined schools nationwide in teaming up with Aeropostale for a coat drive coordinated by the nonprofit One Warm Coat. The clothing chain will match donations of up to 100,000 gently-used winter coats with new coats of its own. So far, Longwood students have collected more than 200 coats.

COUNTYWIDE

Veterans Day observed

Dozens of Long Island schools observed Veterans Day this month with various programs and activities to honor those who have served our country.

At Ronkonkoma Middle School, 50 local veterans of wars from World War II to the Gulf War joined students and faculty for breakfast and then split up to go into the classrooms and share their experiences. The school's jazz band played the official songs of each branch of the armed forces at the breakfast.

In Cold Spring Harbor, West Side Elementary School second-graders made and wrote cards and poems of thanks to those who are serving. They will be shipped overseas this fall with donations of toiletries and phone cards.

In Miller Place, North Country Road Middle School students served dinner to members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

ISLANDWIDE

GRAMMY semifinalists

Twelve Long Island schools are among 129 nationwide to be named 2011 GRAMMY Signature School semifinalists by the GRAMMY Foundation for supporting music education as an integral part of the curriculum. Forty schools will win grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 later this year based on submitted recordings of their student ensembles. Semifinalists are:

Bay Shore: Bay Shore High School; Commack: Commack High School; East Meadow: East Meadow High School; East Setauket: Ward Melville High School; Great Neck: John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School and William A. Shine Great Neck South High School; Hewlett: George W. Hewlett High School; Huntington Station: Walt Whitman High School; Middle Island: Long wood High School; Northport: Northport High School; Sayville: Sayville High School; Westbury: W. Tresper Clarke High School.