News

Bellport High School fall varsity athletes recently spent time with third grade students at Verne W. Critz  Elementary School as part of the South Country School District’s social and emotional learning program Second Step.

The program was inaugurated during the 2022-2023 school year, with fall and winter athletes visiting students at Kreamer Street and Brookhaven elementary schools.

Second Step aims to create lasting bonds between Bellport High School student-athletes and third graders in the district’s elementary schools. The athletes serve as role models as they shadow the third graders and support them in all aspects of their day, from assisting with lessons and academics to accompanying them to lunch.

Prior to the visit, all of the student-athletes were trained in social and emotional learning techniques. 

Photo caption: Bellport High School fall varsity athletes recently spent time with third grade students at Verne W. Critz Elementary School as part of the South Country School District’s social and emotional learning program Second Step.

Photo courtesy of the South Country Central High School District

Students at Malverne’s Davison Avenue Intermediate School are putting a personal touch on this year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive.

In addition to collecting non-perishable food items to benefit the I.N.N. in Hempstead, the school’s Mathletics Club is working together across grades to create Thanksgiving Math Mats. Each hand-decorated placemat includes message of cheer, hope and love and will be delivered to the I.N.N. along with the food donations. Their intention is to brighten the day of all those who eat upon them and let them know there are people out in the world who care.  

The district is proud of the kind, thoughtful and generous students who are working together to brighten the holiday for individuals in need and making a positive impact on local community. 

 

Photo captions:

 

#1 Davison Avenue students show off their food donations collected for the I.N.N. in Hempstead.

 

#2 Davison Avenue students with Thanksgiving Math Mats and food donations that will be delivered to the I.N.N. in Hempstead in time for Thanksgiving.

 

#3-4 Davison Avenue students creating Thanksgiving Math Mats to be included with food donations delivered to the I.N.N. in Hempstead.

 

Photos courtesy of Malverne School District 

Service learning is an important part of the curriculum for kindergartners at Martin Avenue Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District. At a young age, they completed a successful Thanksgiving food drive that could help dozens of local families.

The weeklong food drive culminated on Nov. 17 when students sorted items and packed boxes. The nonperishable goods were donated by Martin Avenue students and staff. Several of the boxes will be given to specific families in the community, while the rest of the food will go to the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s Community Cupboard.

Kindergarten teachers Melissa DeBlasio and Jennie Kuhn noted that this project ties into the district’s mission statement in “contributing to our global community with creativity and compassion.” It also supports the kindergarten social studies curriculum, which focuses on communities. 

“Our goal of this service-learning project for our kindergarten students is to shift from an inward focus on themselves to an outward focus on others while contributing to our school and eventually our global community,” said Ms. DeBlasio, who spearheaded the project. “Through this process, our students develop a stronger sense of compassion, empathy and personal responsibility.”

Last year’s kindergarten service project was a collection drive for a local animal shelter. Ms. DeBlasio explained that service learning opportunities help students develop critical thinking skills, create positive relationships, increase awareness of community issues and develop a deeper understanding of empathy and respect for others.

 

Photo caption: Martin Avenue Elementary School kindergartners organized a Thanksgiving food drive to help local families for a service learning project.

 

Photo courtesy of the North Bellmore School District

Students and staff in the Cold Spring Harbor Central School District along with parent groups and the community worked together to ensure there was plenty of food for the holidays for those less fortunate. The districtwide initiative was part of the Cold Spring Harbor Unites Initiative for November.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the PTG’s, student council advisers and members, and various groups at Cold Spring Harbor Jr./Sr. High School everyone was busy bringing in food donations. The Spanish Club went above and beyond, who for the second year in a row did a Hispanic food drive for Spanish foods not typically donated, but so much in need. Students wrote out grocery lists in Spanish, shopped and then decorated their boxes in Spanish. 

The amount of food collected at each elementary school was truly incredible. Each classroom at Goosehill Primary School filled boxloads of food, which were packed and sorted by the GHPTG for distribution. Student council officers at Lloyd Harbor Elementary School visited every classroom to remind the students to support Helping Hands Mission in Huntington, and the results were 25 boxes filled to the brim, their largest collection ever. At West Side Elementary School, Kids Care collected food donations and monetary donations to purchase turkeys. 

The students and staff exceeded their expectations thanks to the generosity of everyone who participated. There is no doubt that their efforts to help others during the holiday season was a success. 

Photo captions: 

CSH 1: Cold Spring Harbor Jr./Sr. High School community service coordinator Karen Uhl-Smith (far Left) and students collected food for the holidays.

CSH 2: Students in Kelly Jordan’s Spanish class at Cold Spring Harbor Jr./Sr. High School collected Spanish food items and decorated their food boxes in Spanish. 

CSH 3: Members of the Goosehill Primary School PTG and the school custodian sorted food donations placed in boxes decorated by the students.

 CSH 4: Students and staff at Lloyd Harbor Elementary School worked together to make their food drive a success.

CSH 5: At West Side Elementary School, students and staff collected food and monetary donations to purchase turkeys for the holidays.

Photos courtesy of the Cold Spring Harbor Central School District

Helping others has been a mission for students in the Massapequa School District as Thanksgiving approaches. 

Berner Middle School’s student council, under the direction of advisers Denise Robertson and Teresa Ferreira organized a food drive, collecting hundreds of nonperishable goods to help local families. On Nov. 8, the student leaders packed up the donations and traveled to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Massapequa Park, where they helped stock the food pantry and learned about the impact the donations will have.

The student councils at East Lake and Fairfield elementary schools also spearheaded food drives. At East Lake, nonperishable food and paper goods were collected for the food pantry at St. Rose of Lima Church in Massapequa. Fairfield’s donations went to the Island Harvest food bank. Students from both schools made signs to hang around the buildings to promote the food drives.

Lockhart Elementary School not only held a food drive, but fifth graders also decorated paper bags with fall or Thanksgiving designs and made cards. The bags will be filled with food that will be given to local families in time for the holiday. This is the fourth year the school has done the bag decorating and the goal is to spread joy for Thanksgiving. 

 

Photo captions:

1: The East Lake Elementary School student council, joined by adviser Meggin Hall, held a Thanksgiving food drive for St. Rose of Lima Church’s food pantry.

2: Lockhart Elementary School fifth graders decorated bags with Thanksgiving and fall designs for families receiving food donations from St. Rose.

3: Fairfield Elementary School student council members, from left, Vincent Guardino, Hailey Reinle, Selara Fam and Dylan Sonntag showed donations for the Thanksgiving food drive for Island Harvest.

 

Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District