LATHAM, NY- The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is proud to announce Farmingdale High School (Section VIII) as the 2018 winner of the Community Service Challenge. Farmingdale was chosen as the winning school by the NYSPHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which is comprised of two current student-athletes from each of the 11 sections.

Established in the Fall of 2010, the program encourages students to get involved in their local community and beyond. Students and schools determined and executed a project, then submitted the project to their Section. The Sections then chose a representative for consideration to win the state award.

The Farmingdale High School Varsity Leaders Club and the Girls Varsity Lacrosse team, led by captain McKenzie Gaghan, started a project called Blessings for Bella. Isabella Inzerillo was diagnosed with Medullablastoma last winter, and at just three years old, had to undergo life changing brain surgery to remove a tumor. Bella went through radiation and chemotherapy treatments all while her parents, Justin and Michelle, were raising a newborn son Joseph John.

“Bella has taught us all the true meaning of strength, courage and willpower,” said Tracy Wiener-Provenz, Farmingdale Girls Lacrosse Coach. “She epitomizes all that it means to be a Daler. Her fight has become our fight and we are better people for it.”

Bella was made an honorary member of all Farmingdale High School athletic teams. The Varsity Leaders Club organized a sing-a-long for Bella’s fourth birthday. The Girls Varsity Lacrosse team raised money for the Blessings for Bella fund, ran clinics for youth players, organized a 5K run/walk at the high school and created an online clothing store that raised over $2,000 for Bella.

“Bella was not just an honorary member of our team, she became part of our lacrosse family,” said McKenzie Gaghan, Farmingdale Senior Captain. “Bella is a warrior princess who inspires us to live in the moment and persevere through any task set in front of her.  Even though our season has come to an end, our relationship with Bella will continue in her fight against pediatric brain cancer.  The Farmingdale community and the Long Island lacrosse community rallied behind Bella and her strength showing that no one fights alone.”

“It is an honor for Farmingdale High School to be recognized for this prestigious award,” said Jeanne Berkoski, Farmingdale Athletic Director. “We take great pride in all our student-athletes and the relationships we have with our community at large. Our coaching staff is proud of all the accolades our athletes and teams receive, however they are even more proud of how they pay it forward to a place they call home.”

In all, the Varsity Leaders Club and the Girls Lacrosse Team have raised over $5,000 for the Blessings for Bella fund during the 2017-18 school year. The team slogan for this past season was “No One Fights Alone-Bella 6” with the number six as a legacy number at Farmingdale, which will be retired at the end of the 2018 season in honor of Bella. One of the major goals of the campaign was to raise awareness of pediatric brain cancer.

Farmingdale High School will be presented an award and recognized for their accomplishments at the NYSPHSAA Recognition Luncheon during the Central Committee Meeting on July 24^th in Lake Placid, NY.

Previous Community Service Challenge State Champions-

2017 – Akron High School (Section VI)

2016 – Mahopac High School (Section I)

2015 – Kings Park High School (Section XI)

2014 – Arlington High school (Section I)

2013 – Columbia High School (Section 2)

2012 – Ossining High School (Section I)

2011 – Adirondack Central School (Section III)

About NYSPHSAA (Twitter: @NYSPHSAA | Facebook: NYSPHSAA | YouTube: NYSPHSAASports):
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. is a non-profit, voluntary, educational service organization composed of public, parochial, and private schools dedicated to providing equitable and safe competition for the students of its member schools. The organization conducts 32 championship events and governs the rules and regulations of high school athletics in New York State. Membership is open to secondary schools providing interschool athletic activities for boys and girls in grades 7-12.

Fifth-grade students in the Epic Club at St. James Elementary School in the Smithtown Central School District made bird feeders this spring. The feeders were donated to two local nursing and rehabilitation facilities to hang in their gardens. 

 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown Central School District

 

Fairfield Elementary School in the Massapequa School District recently donated $4,000 to the Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America.

The school raised $700 from the puzzle piece campaign in April, which is Autism Awareness Month. Families could make a donation and customize a paper puzzle piece to be hung in the school. The puzzle piece represents the mystery and complexity of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The donation was matched by second-grader teacher Jennifer Lidonnici’s family and also by a former Fairfield teacher. A staff fundraiser raised the rest. Executive Director Susan Reek visited the school on June 14 to accept the donation.

Money will support a day at Fink’s Country Farm for approximately 150 children with autism and their families. Activities will include pony rides, an animal farm, bounce houses, pumpkin giveaways and more.

 

Photo caption: Jennifer Lidonnici’s second-grade class at Fairfield Elementary School presented a donation to Susan Reek, right, executive director of the Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America.

 

Photo courtesy of Massapequa School District

Students at the Long Beach Public Schools’ Lido Elementary School are helping to promote recycling around the community through the “Adopt-a-Bin” program, presented by Leah Tozer and Amanda Moore of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Board. Classes sponsored local businesses and presented them with recycling bins during a gathering held on May 21.

Students and staff members generously provided donations to cover the $20 cost of each recycle bin. They also created signs for the businesses to encourage recycling and will monitor their efforts through follow-up visits. This initiative was coordinated with the objective of engaging the entire business community in practices that reduce litter and improve the environment.

Among the participating businesses are Bethpage Credit Union, Blacksmith’s Bread, Beach Baby Day Care, Tutti Frutti, Edward Jones Financial Advisor Kelly Sullivan, Engel & Volkers Real Estate, Long Beach Printing, Youth Theatre, NEFCU, Inspect R Us, Island Park Car Wash, Body & Soul, Barrier Beach Management, Creative Vibe, KoKo Fit Club, GWM Architect, P.C., Castle Real Estate, Denis Kelly Law Firm, Café of Life, Ooh LaLa, Cybernet and Key Food.

This is one of the many recent recycling projects that Long Beach schools have taken on. Last year, students from the high school’s Life Skills program teamed up with the Town of Hempstead on a recycling program. Students have also participated in environmental improvement ventures such as the International Coastal Cleanup Day held in September.  

Photo Caption:

 

Lido students and staff members were excited to be part of an effort to promote recycling among the local business community.

When Chris Pendergast visited Edna Louise Elementary School in the Port Jefferson School District a few months ago to share a message of strength and determination, his words left an imprint on several of the students.

His story of living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease for more than 20 years inspired four fifth-grade girls to host a fundraiser.

Gwenivere Connelly, Julia Fife, Alice Snyder and Emily Snyder sold small stuffed animals, loom bracelets, pencils, erasers, notepads and more to raise $334.35 for the ALS Ride for Life Campaign.

“We are very proud of them for taking this initiative to help out this worthy cause,” said Principal Thomas Meehan.

Photo caption: Edna Louise Spear Elementary School students Julia Fife, Emily Snyder, Alice Snyder and Gwenivere Connelly raised fund for ALS Ride of Life.

Photo courtesy of the Port Jefferson School District