Garden City High School seniors entered the building on Feb. 24 to find an uplifting surprise from their younger peers. They were greeted with congratulatory signs created by students from Stratford and Stewart schools. Throughout the hallways, encouraging words and illustrations celebrated members of the Class of 2021 as they prepare for graduation and promising futures. 

Elementary school classes designed decorative signs with positive statements such as “You’ve got this,” “Seniors rock,” “You did it,” and “Go seniors,” just to name a few. Many of the posters featured signatures, short messages and decorations from each student in the class. 

Leigh Dowden and Terri King, teachers at Stratford and Stewart, respectively, organized the collaborative effort. After collecting the finished posters, they visited the high school after school on Feb. 23 and affixed them to lockers and walls throughout the hallways so that seniors would see them first thing the next morning. Parent Sandra Cooper, who proposed the idea for this initiative, provided the oak tag boards.  

The signs brightened the high school and helped foster a sense of connection throughout the district as students and staff members support one another during difficult times. 

 

Photo Captions:

 

1-4: Students from Stewart and Stratford elementary schools created signs to celebrate the Garden City High School Class of 2021.  

5-8: Garden City High School students were excited to see the signs as they arrived at school on Feb. 24. 

 

Photos courtesy of Garden City Public Schools

 

On Jan. 12, Bayport-Blue Point High School celebrated “P.S. I Love You Day,” an annual event that encourages students around Long Island to “stand up against bullying, help end depression, and ultimately prevent suicide.”

This year, members of the school’s Interact Club, which focuses on volunteerism and community service, put together nine short videos that shared educational and inspirational messages related to the day’s theme. These videos were shown to all students in their classrooms at the beginning of each class period. Staff and students were also encouraged to wear purple, the event’s signature color, and were given purple masks to wear. In addition, slips of paper with a poem about kindness and resilience were distributed to each student and staff member, along with purple-wrapped Hershey kisses.

Bayport-Blue Point School District thanks the Interact Club and its adviser, science department Chairperson Nikki Restivo, for making this day so impactful for its high schoolers.

 

Photo caption: On Jan. 12, Bayport-Blue Point High School celebrated “P.S. I Love You Day,” an annual event that encourages students around Long Island to “stand up against bullying, help end depression, and ultimately prevent suicide.”

 

Photos courtesy of Bayport-Blue Point School District

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Photo caption: Members of Hampton Bays Elementary School’s service club, K-Kids, recently raised $200 for Camp Flying Point in Southampton as part of an annual autism awareness fundraiser. The club sold paper puzzle pieces that had been colored by students and then displayed in the school’s main hallway. 

 

Photo courtesy of the Hampton Bays Union Free School District

Massapequa High School’s Chiefs Challenge Club partners with French classes to celebrate P.S. I Love You Day on Feb. 12, the last school day before Valentine’s Day.

P.S. I Love You Day is an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of health and to decrease bullying in schools. It had been held on the second Friday of February for the last 11 years. At Massapequa High School, students and staff were encouraged to wear purple and participate in random acts of kindness. The goal was to remind everyone that they are loved, needed and, most importantly, never alone.

Students held affirmation bracelets and wrote positive messages in both English and French for the affirmation walls. They celebrated friendship by taking pictures together at a photo station in the World Language hallways, and enjoyed some treats together. 

 

Photo captions:

 

1: Massapequa High School students took pictures together at a photo station for P.S. I Love You Day on Feb. 12.

2: Purple was the color choice to show a school united in kindness.  

3: Students came together to celebrate friendship and spread positivity. 

 

Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District

 

Giovanna has stepped up to help those impacted by the pandemic. She has made a valuable difference, particularly in the community of Corona, Queens, which was hit hard by COVID-19 and job loss in 2020.  

Giovanna volunteered at a food drive hosted by the New York Hall Of Science in November. When she learned of the event, she immediately wanted to get involved and help those in need during the holiday season. As Giovanna handed out turkeys and other food items and assisted with flu shots and COVID-19 test preparations, she was deeply touched and grateful for the things she had. 

Giovanna saw firsthand how many families were facing hardships as she witnessed the long lines and helped the event run smoothly after the pantry spent months planning for it. Giovanna’s school, community and family are proud of her for assisting others during such difficult times.

Submissions are from staff, students, or parents. To nominate a GCHS senior, please contact Assistant Principal for Guidance and PPS Mandi Stefankiewicz at stefankiewiczm@gcufsd.net.