SHSW's Chelsea Margolis Worked On Holocaust Survivor Documentary

Smithtown High School West student worked on Holocaust survivor documentary

Smithtown High School West 11th grade student Chelsea Margolis is taking part in “Names, Not Numbers,” an innovative documentary film project by the Suffolk Y JCC, in which students share the stories of local Holocaust survivors.Smithtown HS West 11^th grade student Chelsea Margolis is taking part in “Names, Not Numbers,” an innovative documentary film project by the Suffolk Y JCC, in which students share the stories of local Holocaust survivors. The program transforms traditional history lessons by combining Holocaust research with lessons in video production, interviewing techniques and film editing.

“We hear about it on TV, but when you actually speak to the person it’s different,” Chelsea said of the project. “Even if you’re not Jewish it was a great experience to learn about someone’s story.”

Chelsea says she started working on the project last November, meeting and interviewing three Holocaust survivors. 

“The one who stood out the most to me was Rosalie Simon, who was 10 years old during the Holocaust. She taught me to always follow your dreams because she always followed hers….she made me want to learn more about my heritage.”

The film premiere is on Sunday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at the Suffolk Y JCC.     

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Accompsett MS Students Collect Canned Goods For Food Pantry

Accompsett Middle School students pitch in to make a difference

From left, Madison Klimkoski, Callie Shao, Molly Hyland, Francesca Zins, Abigail Sacco, Sadie Messler and Julia LuccaThe Need: To provide canned food items for those in the community who are going hungry.

The Project: Seven Accompsett Middle School students went to their classmates and encouraged their involvement to collect cans for those less fortunate.

The Result: More than 2,000 cans of food donated and $2,500 raised.

Twice a year, the Lead4Change organization hosts TheLead4ChangeProject, which is a small grants program that showcases the growth of students as leaders and funds their ideas for community impact. 

After collecting 2,384 cans, the students partnered with the Smithtown Township Food Pantry to donate all the cans they had collected.

Lead4Change then donated $2,500 to the pantry to help meet their needs as a community.

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Commack SD Announces Cedar Road As Its Ninth 'Official School'

CEDAR ROAD TO BECOME COMMACK SCHOOL DISTRICT’S NINTH ‘OFFICIAL SCHOOL’

Cedar Road COMMACK, N.Y. — The Commack School District values having the resources and infrastructure in place so that all students who live within the district’s boundaries have the ability to attend school here.

So it was with great pride that superintendent Dr. Jordan Cox announced during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting that Cedar Road Alternative School will become the district’s ninth “official school” beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.

Cedar Road, which has housed the district’s special education administration offices for the past several years, offers programs to assist students who are struggling with school avoidance, trauma and who present with social-emotional needs.   

Many districts place students with such needs in neighboring districts that have the resources in place to support those students.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on here in Commack is keeping our students home,” Cox said.

With the support of the Board of Education, the district has invested during the past six years in making Cedar Road an ideal home for students in need. That investment included roof and window replacement, installation of new blinds, new gym flooring, and interior upgrades to ceilings and flooring.  Many of the spaces, including the Counseling Center, have a soothing, modern design rather than a traditional classroom feel.

Cox noted that students who have attended Cedar Road sing its praises. During the Board of Education meeting, he pointed to the success story of a student who had avoided school for nearly two years, and who now embraces attending school and who serves as an ambassador for the program.

“The special ed department has done a fantastic job,” Cox said.

Mills Pond Elementary's Luciana Brown (AKA Beast Baby) To Represent Team USA

You go, girl!

Mills Pond Elementary student Luciana Brown has qualified for the 2024 UCI BMX World Championship. Mills Pond Elementary School student, Luciana Brown, will represent Team USA on the BMX world stage at the 2024 UCI BMX World Championships this coming May.

The 7-year-old beat out dozens of other racers to qualify for the World Championship, which takes place in South Carolina.

Luciana’s mother, Toniann Brown, said her daughter is feeling, “proud and full of love.”

Luciana’s nickname on the track is, “Beast Baby.” 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Commack HS Seniors To Be Taught Financial Literacy

REPLICA STOCK EXCHANGE FLOOR COMING TO COMMACK HIGH SCHOOL; ALL SENIORS TO BE TAUGHT FINANCIAL LITERACY

COMMACK, N.Y. —Students will soon graduate from Commack High School with an essential understanding of real-world financial topics, including investing for retirement and the perils of credit card debt.

 

Superintendent Dr. Jordan Cox unveiled plans during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting for an innovative partnership with Bloomberg that will include the conversion of existing space at the high school into a finance lab resembling the New York Stock Exchange trading floor — down to a stock ticker streaming across the walls.

 

Beginning with the Class of 2025, all seniors will be required to take a financial literacy course in the finance lab utilizing Bloomberg terminals that will be embedded into their social studies coursework.

 

The high school’s staff is beginning to train on state-of-the-art Bloomberg terminals that will be installed in the school’s soon-to-debut replica trading floor. The terminals are the same technology used at real-world financial institutions and contain modules for teaching subjects ranging from financial fundamentals to complex topics such as market concepts.

 

Other financial literacy topics students will learn include college loans, mortgages and checking, savings and investment accounts.

 

“This is so critically important,” Cox said. “It is our vision to ensure that every senior who graduates from Commack is financially literate, and that they understand how money works in the world and how they run their lives financially.”

 

The district has started its search for a financial literacy teacher.

 

Commack High School is transforming the traditional educational experience with real-life spaces, such as a mock courtroom that debuted this past September.
 
The stock floor, courtroom and associated curriculum are part of a larger plan by Dr. Cox and the Board of Education to expose students to career pathways while still in high school.

 

“Students are empowered to make meaning of their learning by engaging in relevant coursework and applying their knowledge to real-world experiences,” Cox said.

 

During Thursday night’s board meeting, Dr. Cox announced that the district plans to implement specialized schools within Commack High School, including schools of Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Fine Arts, Liberal Studies, Medicine and, in the near future, a School of Law. The schools are set to begin for the 2025-26 schoolyear.

 

Students will be presented with clusters of elective courses that will begin to prepare them for careers in those fields.

 

No specific courses will be mandated within a particular school. A student may take as many or as few of the elective courses as they want — while also receiving the benefits of invitations to attend presentations from guest speakers in that field, college admissions advisors and other programming.

 

Students may freely sample courses from other schools within Commack High School.

 

The School of Liberal Studies is intended to expose students to a wide range of courses and professions.

 

“This is an opportunity to ensure that all students graduate prepared to make the best decision for their college and/or career journey,” Cox said.

 

Smithtown High Schools Thrive At DECA competition

Smithtown High Schools thrive in state DECA competition

Ninety students from Smithtown High School East and West DECA competed in the New York DECA State competition this year in Rochester. 

Smithtown East and West received 75 medals and trophies, and 11 students qualified in their competition to attend the International Career Conference in Anaheim, California where they will compete against all the top winners from across the globe. 

There were more than 3,000 students from across the state competing. The competitions included business topics such as marketing, finance, public relations, accounting and entrepreneurship. Students competed in either tests and role plays or written manuals and presentations.

The 11 Smithtown students who won trophies as well as two students who received the School Based Enterprise Certification and one Thrive Leadership Academy student are advancing to the International Competition in Anaheim, California at the end of April.  

Photo caption: Smithtown High School East and West DECA students competed in state competition held in Rochester.

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Smithtown Elementary Third Graders Get A Hands On Lesson In Braille

Smithtown Elementary third graders learn about braille 

Ilda Wistreich taught Smithtown Elementary students about braille. Third grade students at Smithtown Elementary School were given a lesson in braille by family volunteer, Ilda Wistreich, on March 14.   

The students were able to see and learn about the braille alphabet, numbers, shapes, and even a map of the United States. 

Louis Braille was blinded at the age of 3 in one eye and eventually, became blind in both eyes. However, Louis excelled in his education and received a scholarship to France’s Royal Institute for Blind Youth, where he eventually developed a system of tactile code which subsequently was named after him.

His system is used worldwide and remains virtually unchanged to this day.

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Commack's Varsity Cougarettes Win National Title For The Third Straight Year

The Commack varsity Cougarettes won a pair of national championships in Orlando, Fla., this past weekend.

Celebrating the NDA large varsity kick national championship attached.On Saturday, the team captured the National Dance Alliance large varsity kick national title. Then, a day later, the Cougarettes won the national title in the medium varsity team performance category.

It marked the third straight year the Cougarettes have returned home from the competition with a national title.

Mt. Pleasant 2nd Grader Gabriella Stanco To Play Piano At Carnegie Hall

Mt. Pleasant Elementary student punches ticket to Carnegie Hall

Mt. Pleasant Elementary second grade student, Gabriella Stanco, will play at Carnegie Hall in April. A round of applause to Mt. Pleasant Elementary second grade student, Gabriella Stanco, who will be playing at Carnegie Hall next month

Gabriella won the silver award for her submission, M. Clementi - Sonata Op. 36, No. 3: Spiritoso. She was among several students chosen out of more than 500 nominees to play at the Golden Key Music Festival. 

Part of the judge’s comments to Gabriella were, “I enjoyed your performance. It’s obvious that you like this music and play it with a full understanding of its character and structure.”

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Suffolk County Community College Students Advocate in Albany

Suffolk County Community College Students Advocate in Albany

Suffolk County Community College students and administrators meet with Carl E. Heastie, Speaker of the NY State Assembly, at the state capital.Selden, NY – March 1, 2024 – Suffolk County Community College students and administrators recently visited the state capital to advocate for funding and support for the college’s operating funds for the benefit of the students.

Students spoke with members of the state legislature, including Carl E. Heastie, Speaker of the NY State Assembly; Steve Stern, State Assemblyman, District 10; Mario R. Mattera, State Senator, 2^nd District; Monica R. Martinez, State Senator, 4^th District; Fred W. Theile, Jr. Assemblyman, District 1. The students shared their personal stories, goals, and opportunities for investment in higher education. 

About Suffolk County Community College

Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling approximately 21,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead. Suffolk offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, as well as a variety of certificate programs. Offering affordable college tuition, a highly respected Honors program, workforce training programs, extensive extracurricular activities, championship athletic teams, and numerous transfer programs, Suffolk is a first-choice college for Long Island students. Visit us online at sunysuffolk.edu.