LI schools spread holiday cheer near and far

Dozens of Long Island schools celebrated the holidays last month with activities to spread cheer to those near and far - from local families in need to U.S. troops overseas.

In Ronkonkoma, Cherokee Street Elementary pupils participated in Macy's Believe campaign in which the store chain donated $1 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for every letter to Santa deposited in store containers.

Second-grade teacher Kelly Randazzo said letter topics ranged from asking Santa to aid sick grandparents to thanking World Wrestling Entertainment for its various charitable efforts.

"Sometimes, kids don't think that they have the ability to make a change in the world, but they do," Randazzo said.

In Carle Place, fifth-graders at Rushmore Avenue Elementary used construction paper and crayons to create dozens of greeting cards of thanks and support for U.S troops serving in Afghanistan. The cards were shipped overseas by DHL with holiday trees and decorations in its Operation Holiday Cheer.

"It's just a little something to let troops know we're thinking of them even though they are far away," said fifth-grade teacher Katherine Manzella, who coordinated the school's effort.

In Levittown, Wisdom Lane Middle School students participated in a similar overseas mailing project called Operation Mistletoe. Hundreds of cards were sent individually, with the kids donating their loose change to pay for postage.

The names and mailing addresses of the troops were provided by Susan Bruckbauer, the mother of two Marines who attended Wisdom Lane.

"The climate sometimes isn't great overseas, so it's nice for troops to know they are appreciated," said the school's social worker, Nina Glenn, who coordinated the writing campaign.

Other activities included a holiday festival at Newfield High School in Selden that consisted of face-painting booths, ornament crafting and a performance by the school's kickline.

In Copiague, Great Neck Road Elementary School held a "Stockings for Soldiers" drive that collected batteries, snacks and toiletries for the troops.

In Wyandanch, the district's teachers association donated $1,000 to several community agencies to aid needy families in the holiday season.

COUNTYWIDE

Zone Award winners

One male and one female student from each Suffolk County high school recently received a Suffolk Zone Award from the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance based on their academic prowess, leadership and physical performance. Local winners were:

Amityville: Erin Governanti and Brian Kretz of Amityville High School; Babylon: Ellen Murphy and Noah Lessing of Babylon High School; Bay Shore: Julia Wendt and Matt Racanelli of Bay Shore High School; Bayport: Christy Thoden and Gary Farley of Bayport-Blue Point High School; Bohemia: Marissa Monaco and Tyler Murtha of Connetquot High School; Brentwood: Kendra Cornejo and Alexander Hayden of Brentwood High School; Central Islip: Shannon Doyle and Ryan Satchell of Central Islip High School; Commack: Sarah Bell and Daniel Brown of Commack High School; Copiague: Emily Hall and Maxwell Woelk of Copiague High School; Deer Park: Maria Racano and Christopher Ciuffo of Deer Park High School; Dix Hills: Morgan Donovan and Mason Thorbjornsen of Half Hollow Hills High School East; Tiffany Ejikeme and James Barone of Half Hollow Hills High School West; East Islip: Tara Friel and Bryan Maddock of East Islip High School; Elwood: Gwendolyn Rosen and John Linitz of Elwood-John H. Glenn High School; Farmingville: Kelsey Ferguson and Timothy Doherty of Sachem High School East; Greenlawn: Katherine Walsh and Greg Fitzmaurice of Harborfields High School; Hauppauge: Krystina Choinski and Nolan Conway of Hauppauge High School; Huntington: Sarah Ehrman and Ryan Mulligan of Huntington High School; Huntington Station: Julie Cortese and Christopher Mallinson of Walt Whitman High School; Islip: Paige Costantino and Alexander Gaviria of Islip High School; Kings Park: Meghan Eckel and Sean Brady of Kings Park High School; Lake Ronkonkoma: Dana Castro and Doug Wirth of Sachem High School West; Lindenhurst: Elizabeth Gorman and Michael Roehrig of Lindenhurst High School; Melville: Gianna Gualtieri and Jonathan Licandro of St. Anthony's High School; North Babylon: Jillian Manzo and Luke Noone of North Babylon High School; Northport: Erin Magnuson and Matt Lertora of Northport-East Northport High School; Sayville: Holly Citeno and Daniel Siegal of Sayville High School; Selden: Joanna Regan and Brandon Hiltz of Newfield High School; Smithtown: Dominique Jack and Joseph Carpeneto of Smithtown Christian High School; Julia Apoznanski and Mark Valentino of Smithtown High School West; St. James: Alexis Annitto and Anthony Ferrara of Smithtown High School East; West Babylon: Nicole Lyman and Alex Hennessy of West Babylon High School; West Islip: Ali Foote and Michael Sagl of West Islip High School; Lindsey Minor and Anthony McQuade of St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School; Wyandanch: Lineker St. Hilaire and Shaahquan Rogers of Wyandanch High School.