For the past decade, North Babylon High School sophomore Emily Meyer has made it her mission to provide gifts to hospitalized children during the holidays. 

On Christmas night in 2009, Emily became sick and was admitted to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where she had her first encounter with the hospital’s Child Life Program. 

Through specially trained and certified child life specialists, the program helps children to learn about the hospital, as well as provides therapeutic play and support for patients and their families. 

After receiving a large gift bag filled with toys from a Child Life representative in 2009, Emily was determined to provide that same experience to others. Every year since then, she asks for donations of new, unwrapped toys to be donated to Good Samaritan, as well as Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Stony Brook University Hospital, the John Theissen Foundation, Angela’s House and the Ronald McDonald House.  

Donations can be picked up from any location by contacting Emily directly at em1810@yahoo.com. Emily has also partnered with the North Babylon Union Free School District, which has set up donation boxes in the main lobby of each school for students to donate new toys. 

“My goal this year is to match the 2,500+ toys collected and delivered last year and bring joy to the children that need it most,” Emily said. “Thank you so much for your help and Happy Holidays!”

 

Photo captions: North Babylon High School sophomore Emily Meyer donates gifts to hospitalized children during the holidays.

 

Photos courtesy of the North Babylon Union Free School District

 

The pandemic did not stop students and staff at West Islip’s Bayview Elementary School from holding their annual Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 6.  In lieu of the usual festivities and breakfast that are normally held inside the building, 39 local veterans participated in a Car Convoy parade to the delight of those gathered on the school’s front lawn.  More than 400 students and staff members cheered as the veterans’ names and military backgrounds were announced before the exuberant crowd.

 

IMG_1900, IMG_1912, IMG_1918, IMG_1930: West Islip’s Bayview Elementary School celebrated Veterans Day on Nov. 6 with a  Car Convoy parade featuring 39 local veterans.

 

Photos courtesy of West Islip School District

 

Northport elementary students are embracing World Kindness Day with messages of love and peace for their peers, teachers and school staff. World Kindness Day takes place on November 13th and “promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world.”

At Dickinson Avenue, fifth grade members of the Leadership Club came together to produce a video that shares ways to be kind and the importance of practicing kindness. At Ocean Avenue, students created posters highlighting World Kindness Day to be hung in the hallways. 

A class at Pulaski Road assigned a student the “Kindness Coordinator” position. This “Kindness Coordinator” is in charge of collecting other students’ acts of kindness and writing them on a sticky note for a kindness bulletin board. Another class assigned students a “buddy” for the day and challenged them to complete as many acts of kindness as they could, such a writing a friendly letter. 

Students across the district embraced the holiday, finding unique ways to be kind to another and spread positivity. 

Photo Caption: Ocean Avenue students show off their World Kindness Day posters. 

 

Photos courtesy of the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District  

 

The Mineola High School Key Club collected 140 pounds of candy to be mailed and donated to our troops and first responders as part of Operation Gratitude. The club collected left over Halloween candy throughout the first week of November through a drop box at the high school. 

Operation Gratitude, a national non-profit, has hosted the Halloween Candy Give-Back Program since 2007. It’s a way to connect communities with deployed troops, veterans, and first responders through volunteer service projects and acts of gratitude.

 

Photo courtesy of Mineola Union Free School District

 

Members of Bronxville High School’s Habitat for Humanity Club recently volunteered to clean up a garden and restore and beautify the streets of Mount Vernon. 

Under the direction of club adviser Zhanna Cabrera, students Tim Atkenson, Nate Kim, James Rhee and Isaiah Weir cleaned up the garden by ripping out large amounts of weeds and vines from the metal fence, as well as other deep-rooted weeds. They swept up trash on the street and in the gutters and used rakes and brooms to pile up and place the weeds, vines and leaves into trash bags. 

Split into two groups, the students planted 20 small flowers, beautifying the area around the garden, while another group planted vibrant flowers along the sidewalks of Mount Vernon to beautify local storefronts. 

 

Photo caption: Members of Bronxville High School’s Habitat for Humanity Club volunteered to clean up a garden and restore and beautify the streets of Mount Vernon. 

 

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville Union Free School District