Islip students are pumpkin-flinging kings

Islip students have proved that the fling is their thing.

An eight-student team from Islip High School won first place overall last month at the Long Island Pumpkin Fling, an annual catapulting contest held at Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank.

The team's winning launch of 906.2 feet broke the Island record of 819.4 feet set by Islip in 2006.

"This was like winning the World Series," freshman Michael Maratta said. "We've got a great understanding of just how to make a machine better."

He said this year's machine, the Jack-O-Splatter, was a "basic trebuchet" with a 41-foot sailing mast for an arm and eight garage door springs that could handle 400 pounds of tension each - along with four more 30-inch springs added before the event. The unit was bolted to a portable trailer donated by Gershow Recycling in Bay Shore.

The team was awarded a first place trophy as well as the Perpetual Trophy, which Maratta called the "Stanley Cup of pumpkin flinging" because it is engraved with the winning school's name and re-awarded each year.

His teammates were Dan Angileri, Joe Brown, Mike Barsalona, Brian Eichner, Al Hill, Sam Melaniff and Joe Salerno.

"This is a way for kids to show their expertise in science and engineering and put it to a practical use, instead of just learning it in the classroom," said team coach Ken Phalen.

The event was sponsored by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.

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 (STEP), a competition for middle and high school students promoting 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 & 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."

HAUPPAUGEOrchestra in spotlightHauppauge Middle School's seventh-grade orchestra performed a selection of classical pieces last month at the New York State School Boards Association's 91st Annual Convention, a Manhattan-based event that consists of workshops for school board members to learn new education initiatives. The 44 students were the youngest to ever perform at the convention, school officials said.

Officials attending included state Education Commissioner David Steiner and Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents Merryl H. Tisch.

"The performance was incredible," said Ann Macaluso, the district's board of education president. "We were so proud to see dignitaries give our kids a standing ovation."

SOUTH HUNTINGTONAcker named principalKathleen Acker has been named principal of Walt Whitman High School. She had served as interim principal since James Polansky was promoted earlier this year to assistant superintendent of personnel and district services.

Acker was previously the school's assistant principal and is also credited with initiating its business department.

COUNTYWIDEThinking fitnessDozens of Suffolk County schools focused on health and wellness last month in activities designed to promote fitness and positive life choices.

In Miller Place, North Country Road Middle School hosted a Wellness Week that included character education presentations by the nonprofit Camfel Productions and Paul Failla, a retired Suffolk County police officer who discussed bullying, driver safety and moral issues.

In the Smithtown school district, more than 200 parents attended a Parent University that included a food tasting hosted by Rob Dell'Amore of Healthy Kitchen, an arts-in-education initiative of Nassau BOCES.

At Babylon Elementary School, 400 students participated in a Walk to School Day that encouraged kids to think fitness by walking to school.

ISLANDWIDEPartners for the FutureEleven 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.