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Members of Elwood-John H. Glenn High School’s World Language Honor Society recently met to complete a community service project together.

To honor the memory of her Aunt Rhona, who had pancreatic cancer, junior Madelyn Katzman created the concept of “Rhona’s Rainbows.” These no-sew fleece blankets are donated to chemotherapy centers in children’s hospitals to bring smiles and comfort to those going through a difficult time. Every blanket kit has a special message tag on it to write messages of positivity and inspiration for those in need. Last summer, Katzman donated blankets to the Pediatric Oncology Center at Columbia University. 

For this recent project, WLHS students gathered to make blankets together for the next round of donations. 

“The students had a lot of fun learning how to make these no-sew blankets and loved knowing it was going to a great cause,” adviser Nicole Gendjoian said.

“To me, rainbows signify positivity, happiness and hope,” Katzman said. “My wish is that Rhona’s Rainbows continues to bring these feelings to many children and adults in need.”

 

JGHSRR (5), JGHSRR (7): Elwood-John H. Glenn High School’s World Language Honor Society recently met to complete a community service project making Rhona’s Rainbows no-sew blanket for children’s hospitals.

 

Photos courtesy of Elwood School District

Garden City Middle School’s Miracle Club collected more than 40,000 lollipops for children with cancer and delivered them to NYU Langone Cancer Center for Kids in Mineola. 

Years ago, a Garden City Middle School student was treated at the center and shared with other students that treatment can leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Because of this, the cancer center likes to always have lollipops available for patients and students decided this would be the perfect item to collect for patients in need. 

After two weeks of collecting, Mrs. Castoro’s class collected the most lollipops for one class, totaling 6,641. Overall, the Miracle Club’s whopping donation of more than 40,000 lollipops hopes to ease the treatment process for as many patients as possible.

 

Photo captions:

1: Garden City Middle School’s Miracle Club collected more than 40,000 lollipops for the NYU Langone Cancer Center for Kids. 

2: Mrs. Costoro’s class singlehandedly collected the most lollipops of any class at Garden City Middle School with a total of 6,641. 

 

Photos courtesy of Garden City Public Schools 

Center Moriches High School held a Ride for Life and Ice Bucket Challenge kickoff in honor of ALS Awareness Month. Members of the ALS Ride for Life organization visited Center Moriches High School to share their mission of raising research funds, supporting patients and families and raising public awareness. Later this month, the Ride for Life advocacy event will make a stop in Center Moriches. 

Additionally, Center Moriches High School kicked off its Ice Bucket Challenge. In the challenge, participants have a bucket of cold water poured over their head, then nominate others to do the same. The chain reaction promotes awareness of the disease and is soaking the whole high school community.

 

Photo captions: 

1 – The ALS Ride for Life organization visited Center Moriches High School ahead of its major advocacy event later this month.

2 and 3 – Members of the Center Moriches High School community are participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge to promote awareness of ALS.

 

Photos courtesy of the Center Moriches School District

Paul J. Bellew Elementary School in the West Islip School District is raising money and educating the community this April in recognition of Disabilities Awareness Month. On April 21, the school held a Mile for a Smile walk on the West Islip High School track. This is the eighth year of the walk. This year, Paul J. Bellew invited former students from the middle and high school to join the walk.

To raise funds for ALS and its Ride for Life, which will visit the school in May, Paul J. Bellew sold raffles for students to soak their favorite teacher with the ice bucket challenge. The school also had strike out a teacher and a one lap race prior to the start of the walk. Trophies were given to race winners. Raffles were also sold for a lunch with Principal Rhonda Pratt. 

Throughout the month, Paul J. Bellew students partnered with their buddy classes to create paper quilts highlighting the importance of acceptance, kindness and empathy toward others. Paul J. Bellew raised more than $1,800 for ALS this year. 

 

Photo caption: In recognition of Disabilities Awareness month, Paul J. Bellew Elementary School in the West Islip School District held a Mile for a Smile walk on the West Islip High School track on April 21.

 

Photos courtesy of West Islip School District

East Elementary School fourth graders Charlie Priest and Jordyn Rincon recently coordinated a sock drive collecting more than 700 pairs of youth and adult socks to donate to those less fortunate.  

The two Long Beach students organized the sock collection while learning about solutions to real-world needs during their WINGS period under the supervision of teacher Douglas MacConnell. WINGS stands for What I Need to Grow as a Student and provides extension activities in literacy and math. As part of the project, the girls conducted and researched how to assist the homeless and learned that socks are the most requested, but least donated items to shelters.

Students and staff celebrated the success of the event by concluding the two-week collection with a schoolwide “Sock Hop.”  Everyone was invited to dress accordingly and wear a pair of colorful socks. MacConnell was dressed in an Elvis like costume and wore a silly wig and acted as D.J. Mr. Mac for the afternoon dance party.

The socks were donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Long Island.

 

Photo caption: From left, East School students Jordyn Rincon and Charlie Priest. The two coordinated a school sock drive and collected over 700 pairs of socks.

 

Photo courtesy of Long Beach Public Schools