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On Wednesday, March 29th, captains from each of the Garden City High School spring sports were invited to a breakfast with the Director, Mr. Ed Ramirez.

Mr. Ramirez congratulated the students on being selected as team captains and spoke to them about being good leaders, goal setting, as well as their roles on the team. The message of the morning, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Mr. Ramirez challenged the students individually to work on being a good athlete and better person.

He discussed the importance of legacy and leaving their mark on Garden City not only as student-athletes, but as people.

The captain’s breakfast is held before school at the start of each of the three sports seasons to recognize students that were bestowed the honor and title of team captain.

The entire Bellmore-Merrick school community came together March 22 for the districtwide annual Chop Your Locks for charity event benefiting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, hosted by Wellington C. Mepham High School.

This year’s in-person event has already raised more than $67,000 for the foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research and outreach.

“We couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of our seniors in Participation in Government to coordinate this event and to inspire their classmates and community members to come together for such an incredible cause,” said event co-organizer and social studies teacher Kerry Dennis.

Together with teacher Chris Patten, and social studies chairperson Robyn Einbinder, members of the department oversaw various details of the evening’s success. Patten also played the bagpipes with the Amity Harbor Pipes Band.

Students in Jackie Geller’s Leadership classes also volunteered.

One of this year’s honorees included Geller’s daughter, Giuliana Geller, and another local youth, Gabrielle Brancacio. In district students Carsyn Volpe and Robert LaSpina of Grand Avenue Middle School along with sisters Kate O’Halloran and Kristen O’Halloran of John F. Kennedy High School were also honored.

Mepham senior Thor Bjornsson was the evening’s top fundraiser, earning $4,300 for the foundation.

Cast members from Skull and Bones’ upcoming drama production, “Grease,” performed a dance number. The Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting team, under the direction of Stu Stein, Matthew Russell and Lisa Kalish, provided live-streaming of the event. Members of the Star Wars-themed cosplay group, the 501st Legion, were also on hand.

When it came time for the shaving shenanigans, students from the district’s cosmetology program, led by instructor Jaime Pendl, operated the hair buzzers. The program is housed at Sanford H. Calhoun High School.

 

Photo captions: 

1. Mepham ninth grader Braiden Giorgianni raised $717 to cut his long locks. Elliana Zagare, a student in the district’s Cosmetology program, shaved his head.
2. Mepham Principal Anthony DiMartinis, social studies chairperson Robyn Einbinder and social studies teachers/co-organizers Chris Patten and Kerry Dennis.
3. Students in Jackie Geller’s Leadership classes volunteered at fundraising booths.
4. Andrew Del Rosario, an assistant principal at Mepham, shaved student Manny Garcia’s head.
5. Sean McMillian and Amanda Ali were part of the live broadcast that Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting put together during the evening. 
6. The evening’s emcees honored Mepham senior, Thor Bjornsson, for raising the most money for the Chop Your Locks for Charity event.
7. Mepham senior Ryan Their raised $2,300 to shave his head and benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
8. Two of the evening’s honorees, sisters Kristen O’Halloran and Kate O’Halloran, with Kate’s twin sister, Jill O’Halloran.

 

Photos courtesy of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. 

Students at Mills Pond School might not have found the pot of gold this past St. Patrick’s Day but they did find some spare change. The school’s Mills Pond Cares Club held a weeklong spare change collection to benefit the Smithtown Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial and emotional support to Smithtown families who are in need or in a crisis. After counting all the coins, they raised $775!!!

 

Photo caption: Mills Pond Cares Club raised $775 for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation. 

 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown Central School District

 

Long Beach High School IB Diploma students along with Key Club advisors, officers and general members worked together with the Youth Council of Long Beach to create the “Little Free Pantry” for Long Beach neighbors in need. Students, teachers and community members gathered outside the Long Beach Senior/Community Center located at 650 Magnolia Boulevard on March 16 for the official ribbon cutting of the “Little Free Pantry.”

The “Little Free Pantry” is a sturdy, permanent structure that is open 24 hours a day and is a no barrier access point of food for neighbors in need. The students will keep it stocked regularly with nonperishable food items, paper and sanitary products. Community members are free to take what they need.

The students in the IB Diploma program are serving as project managers and have created spreadsheets indicating who will fill the pantry daily. Other students have spearheaded food drives to ensure a supply of food items.  

“We can’t think of a better project to help students to become active, compassionate members of their community,” said CAS Coordinator, IB Diploma Program, Key Club Advisor Arlys Digena. “Moreover, the students will have a sense of pride in doing something concrete to serve their community,” Digena concluded.

 

Photo Caption 1-4): Long Beach High School students were happy to officially mark the opening of the “Little Free Pantry” of March 16 for Long Beach neighbors in need.

 

Photo courtesy of Long Beach Public Schools 

On Friday, March 24, 2023, six Garden City High School Junior student-athletes participated in the 2023 Nassau County High School Principal’s Association Leadership Conference held at Great Neck North High School. 121 Nassau County student-athletes representing over fifty schools attended the conference. The conference featured Greg Sullivan, Professor and Director at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Mr. Sullivan discussed with students the importance of civility in athletics and developing shared values and demonstrating positive behaviors/attitudes towards the game. The students then participated in two breakout sessions. The first session, Making Teammates Better: Leading with Empathy, was hosted by Ms. Krissy Holak. The workshop provided a view into how to be an empathetic teammate while discussing: what is empathy and why is it important to Fill Emotional Tanks of their teammates (i.e., providing specific, truthful praise and a supportive environment). Ms. Holak introduced the PACT [Perspective, Align, Connect, Think] frame workshop and scenarios on how to apply the “PACT” in team situations. The second session, Honoring the Game, was a panel discussion hosted by Randy Nathan. The Panel included Nassau County Interscholastic Executive Director, Pat Pizzarelli, sitting Athletic Directors and Principals. This session focused on how all groups involved can share a common goal, identify strengths and opportunities for growth through honoring and respecting the ROOTS of the game (the Rules, Officials, Opponents, Teammates and Self). The students at the conferences representing Garden City were Maureen Arendt, Matt Kephart,Matt Liberopoulos, Kendal Morris, Emily Romeo and Bella Vona.