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Wearing green to show our support for mental health awareness week. This week is dedicated to positive body image. It’s important as athletes to take care of our bodies, so be mindful of your body this week! #ItsOkToNoBeOk#takingMACtion 💚

This week is MAC Mental Health Awareness Week and OU is #takingMACtion Two of our juniors, Kendall and Alex, are helping break the stigma and ready to talk about Mental Health Awareness and Body Positivity! “Be the change you want to see in the world, because sometimes all you have to ask for is help.”

To learn more about them visit: https://www.instagram.com/ohioufieldhockey

On Feb. 7, eighth graders at Oldfield Middle School in the Harborfields Central School District participated in The Charity Challenge — a fundraising competition in which proceeds were donated to the charity organization myFace.

Each year, eighth-graders at Oldfield Middle choose a charity they’d like to support with this grade-wide fundraiser. After rounds of persuasive speeches within classrooms, students vote on their peers’ essays. Ten semifinalists are then chosen to present their charities to the entire grade. This year’s winner was Wyatt LaFountaine, who chose the charity myFace — a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with facial disfigurement. Focused mainly on children and their families, myFace funds medical, surgical, dental and psychosocial services as well as research and public awareness.

“I have a personal connection with this charity,” Wyatt said, “and I was so thankful my classmates chose myFace. This organization help so many people, and make so many lives better…and we’ll be helping them do that.”

To participate in the challenge, students paid an entrance fee, plus any additional funds they raised and formed teams. Students participated in physical and mental challenges, such as human “Hungry Hungry Hippos,” a ring toss, Kahoot trivia and more.

“My parents always told me that our generation is going to be the one to make a difference,” said eighth-grader Quinn, “and being able to participate in something like this really makes me feel like that’s true.”

 

Photo Captions:

1. Eighth graders at Oldfield Middle School participated in The Charity Challenge on Feb. 7.
2. Wyatt LaFountaine (second right) and his team participated in The Charity Challenge on Feb. 7, raising money for the non-profit organization myFace.
3. At Oldfield Middle School’s annual Charity Challenge’s, students participated in many challenges, including human “Hungry Hungry Hippos”

 

Photos courtesy of the Harborfields Central School District

In honor of American Heart Month, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School students and staff members in the Rocky Point School District participated in the annual Jump Rope for Heart event this February.

During the after-school program, the students demonstrated their jump-roping skills to the beat of popular music, and through their participation collected donations for the worthy cause. Students participated in a “free jump” event before competing in grade level challenges to determine who could jump rope the longest.

Under the leadership of physical education teacher Maria Amoscato, the students helped to raise more than $11,672 for the American Heart Association.


 Jump Rope for Heart is an annual program sponsored by the American Heart Association in an effort to raise not only awareness of heart health issues, but also funds for continued research.  

 

Photo caption: Rocky Point School District’s Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School students and staff raised $11,672 for the American Heart Association during this February’s Jump Rope for Heart event.

 

Photo courtesy of the Rocky Point School District.

In keeping with the Boys Varsity Basketball Team’s mission of giving back to the community the players took time out from practicing on the hardwood to volunteer at the Hempstead Salvation Army on Saturday, February 10, 2018. Led by Head Coach Jack McCutcheon, Assistant Coaches Chris Lyons and Don DeFino, the boys arrived at the Salvation Army at 9:00 AM sharp and began distributing lightly used clothing to those in need. The players then helped prepare breakfast and lunch for the many families who weathered the cold to eat a hot meal for the first time in a week.

Junior Thomas Cipolla commented that, “it was a privilege for the team to prepare and serve meals to the many people who came in off the streets and helped remind us to appreciate everything that we have.”

While much of the work was labor intensive, the players felt tremendous satisfaction upon seeing the smiles on the faces of the people as they ate and socialized in a loving and caring environment that the Hempstead Salvation Army provides for the many people in need of the simpler things in life.

As the players received many compliments for their generous service to those in attendance the players themselves were the ones who felt blessed. Junior Sean Boll said, “It was an eye-opening and unforgettable experience for me and the rest of the players that I believe has brought us closer as teammates. We look forward—as a team—to do more charitable work in the future.”

Both on and off the court this group of basketball players is showing they represent the values of the Kellenberg Memorial motto of One Heart, One Mind.