Students throughout the Smithtown Central School District wore gold laces on Sept. 24 to support Solving Kids’ Cancer. At Accompsett Elementary School, students also arrived with sandwich bags filled with coins (and a few bills, too) to support the charity.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This year marks the fifth annual Lace Up for Kids Awareness Campaign.
“Our take was, ‘Changing’ kids’ lives,” said Accompsett Elementary Principal Timothy Hellmuth, explaining the white bucket that greeted students upon their arrival, where they generously placed the coins.

Hellmuth took the gold color associated with the campaign to an extreme. He wore bright gold shoes on Sept. 24. By the time arrival had been completed, the bucket was filled with coins and bills, which will go toward helping in the fight against pediatric cancer.

 

Photo captions: Students at Accompsett Elementary School donate to Solving Kids’ Cancer, while Principal Timothy Hellmuth wears gold shoes to help raise awareness.

 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

 

On Sept. 19, the Lindenhurst Union Free School District’s athletic teams, coaches, administrators and community members, joined members of the Renna family at the annual Christina Renna Foundation Walk-A-Thon and Blood Drive held at the George D. Smawley Memorial Track at Lindenhurst Middle School.

Christina, a former student of the district, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, and passed away in 2007.

The walk supports the Christina Renna Foundation goal of “supporting children’s cancer research and increasing the levels of awareness and education through the support of cancer groups and outreach programs for the direct support of those in need,” as stated on the website, www.crf4acure.org. All money raised will benefit children’s cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

 

Photo caption: On Sept. 19, the Lindenhurst Union Free School District’s athletic teams, coaches, administrators and community members, joined members of the Renna family at the annual Christina Renna Foundation Walk-A-Thon and Blood Drive held at the George D. Smawley Memorial Track at Lindenhurst Middle School.

 

Photo courtesy of the Lindenhurst Union Free School District

 

As the nation observes the 20th Anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the Herricks Public Schools showed their reverence for the heroes and victims with several remembrance activities. On Sept. 10, many students and staff members throughout the district wore red, white and blue and each school held a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks.

At Searingtown School, Dan Franciscovich’s third grade class read the book “We Knew Everything Would Be All Right,” written by first grade students from H. Byron Masterson Elementary in Kennett, Missouri. Students reflected in small groups, brainstormed some powerful ideas in response to the story and developed their thoughts individually in their journals. Many other lessons and activities throughout the district honored the lives lost and first responders who put themselves at risk to help others.

 

Photos courtesy of Herricks Public Schools

 

Photo caption: In remembrance of 9/11, the West Islip junior varsity and varsity girls volleyball teams coordinated a car wash to raise money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The car wash raised $500, which was donated in memory of West Islip resident and NYPD officer Sgt. Terrence O’Hara. Sgt. O’Hara passed away in 2017 from cancer that developed as a result of participating in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 attacks.

 

Photo courtesy of West Islip School District

 

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School held a 9/11 recognition ceremony on Sept. 11. prior to the school’s varsity football game, with the participation of the Greenlawn Fire Department. Also in attendance at the Patriot Day event, which commemorated the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, were representatives from the Suffolk County Police Department and more than 300 community members.

Dr. Kenneth Bossert, the district’s superintendent, presided over a moment of silence, while high school students Anson Kwan, Toni Meyer and Katie Schieble sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“It was a beautiful day and a wonderful tribute,” said Dr. Bossert. 

“The events of 9/11 changed our country’s fabric in many ways,” said Athletic Director David Shanahan. “Twenty years later, we had a chance to remember all who lost their lives that day and give tribute to them.”

 

IMG-0110: Elwood-John H. Glenn High School students Anson Kwan, Toni Meyer and Katie Schieble sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the school’s 9/11 recognition ceremony on Sept. 11.  

 

Photos courtesy of Elwood School District