Congratulations Kings Park Class Of 2015

Kings Park Class of 2015 Graduates

By Tiffany Goldstein

Photo courtesy of Kings Park Notebook (click on photo to enlarge)

Singers and songwriters Don Black and Mark London said in their song “To Sir, With Love”.“The time has come for closing books and long last looks must end, and as I leave I know that I am leaving my best friend”

As the sea of flowing maroon and white gowns, tassels in the wind and smiling faces paraded across the track and onto the field known as the home of the Kingsmen…This Class of 2015 was united as one. Students were moments away from receiving the diploma they had worked so very hard for. 

As Student Council members reflected on the best memories of their class, the stands, overflowing with proud families and friends, erupted with applause, laughter and at times the deafening silence of happiness and tears.

The evening was chock full of reflection, advice and words of wisdom.  Valedictorian Zachary Marcone, addressed the Class of 2015 assisted by a drone that flew into the homeland of the Kingsmen delivering to him his speech.  A clear example of the cutting edge education that takes place in the Kings Park School District on a regular basis. Zacharay suggested “to always take the time to relax and always enjoy the wonders of life ahead of you”.  Salutatorian, Justin Barish suggested looking to the left and to the right “and you will probably recall some memory that involves those people and if you crane your neck in some direction, I am certain you will find someone who has become your best friend, a friend who will last a lifetime”.

Kings Park Principal Lino Bracco proudly announced that ten million dollars in scholarship funds were awarded to students of the Kings Park Class of 2015. Mr. Bracco spoke of Albert Einstein and his lack of patience with the scientist who took a board of wood, looked for the thinnest part and drilled a quick number of holes where the drilling was easy. “Mr. Bracco   encouraged students “to view their life in relation to the world and to go beyond the thinnest part and seek the difficult challenges, the ones that are thick and knotty that others shy away from”.

Superintendent Dr. Tim Egan delivered his very first Kings Park graduation speech with pride.  He spoke of the New York State reading theme for 2015, “Every Hero Has a Story”.  Dr. Eagan reflected on the life of Mr. Stewart Scott, a broadcaster who completely revolutionized ESPN, sports casting as well as the entire industry with his unique style and likable demeanor. Mr. Scott passed away this past winter after an 8 year battle with cancer and according to Dr. Egan he possessed unmatched courage. Dr. Egan went on to share the legacy that Mr. Scott left behind. “1. Appreciate and savor each moment. 2. Never let diversity define you. 3. Strive for excellence. 4. Believe in yourself, no one will believe in you more than you”. Dr. Egan’s closing remarks to his Class of 2015 “come back, tell us how we prepared you well and tell us how we could have prepared you better. Our product is preparing students to go out and find your place in the world”.

As the Class of 2015 marched across the stage, to receive their diplomas, the time may have come for closing books and long last looks to end, and as they leave, they know that they are leaving their best friends. What they also know, is that the memories created, accomplishments achieved, and friends that were made will last forever, this is Kings Park, their home, where they will always be welcome with open arms.

“To Kings Park Class of 2015, With Love”

Congratulations Class of 2015…Be safe, be happy, be successful and you will always be our Kings Park Pride.

OP-ED - Local issues matter- don’t let others decide for you

I recently reread this post dated November 10, 2014:

“Just 36.4 percent of the voting-eligible population cast ballots as of last Tuesday, continuing a steady decline in midterm voter participation that has spanned several decades. The results are dismal, but not surprising — participation has been dropping since the 1964 election, when voter turnout was at nearly 49 percent.”

If the author found those numbers alarming, I wonder how he or she would feel about a typical Smithtown voter turnout of 23% to 24% of the voter eligible population.

We live in a town of vibrant, hard working individuals that take pride in their properties and businesses. My friends include entrepreneurs, professionals, middle and upper management and just plain old-fashioned hard workers. I can’t understand why people who care so much in all those avenues of life show such apathy when it comes to voting and who manages our local government services.

I understand that the sheer number of votes in a national election can make you feel like your vote is meaningless, however, when it comes to local elections, your vote is much more significant. Combined with the fact that local elections determine your immediate quality of life, it seems almost foolish to leave these decisions in the hands of so few.

I write this in part because I am running for Town Council this year; a good turnout ensures that whoever is elected receives a clear mandate from the people of Smithtown. I also hope that the voters will make the effort to learn where each candidate stands on the issues that are most important to them.

Please find a way to vote. Don’t let weather or a late night in the office deter you from what will ultimately affect the way you and future generations of our town live.

Local issues matter- don’t let others decide for you.

Larry Vetter

Larry Vetter is a Democratic candidate for Smithtown Town Council.

Book Review - "The Tangerine Cafeteria"

BOOK REVIEW

“The Tangerine Cafeteria”

166 pages – by Mary Elizabeth Furnald

Reviewed by Jeb Ladouceur 

There’s something totally disarming about this little gem of a book, and I don’t think we reviewers should be the least bit embarrassed when admitting that we find it hard to define or otherwise describe. After all, if I were to show readers of this critique the first book I ever read as a six-year-old in French Canada—the classroom reader, “Mary, John, and Peter,” (first published in 1933)—they would undoubtedly offer adjectives like ‘simple,’ ‘charming,’ ‘unspoiled’ or ‘memorable.’ And all would be appropriate.

Terms you will never see applied to Mary Elizabeth Furnald’s fictional memoir … based on reminiscences about her great-aunt Miss Susie Stowers, and the actual restaurant she founded … are ‘exciting,’ ‘complex,’ and ‘sophisticated.’

But that is not intended to detract from Furnald’s “The Tangerine Cafeteria” … because the first-grade reader that I’ll never forget, was also far from thrilling or convoluted, and neither are the paintings of Anna Mary Robertson breathtaking, intricate, or erudite … though the tiny woman from upstate New York was ultimately memorialized by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and President John F. Kennedy alike. Her plain, endearing works have sold for more than a million dollars each, and they even adorn the walls of The White House. You know her as ‘Grandma Moses.’

Mary Furnald’s love for her great-Aunt Susie permeates every page of this slender book, now available in soft cover and as a Kindle E-Book on Amazon, and it’s the kind of work that virtually cries out to be released as an Audio Book as well. I’ve never met (or even seen) Mary, but I do know that homespun tales like this one evidently lend themselves to direct narration by the author, unless some physical incapacity prohibits it.

It’s not surprising (at least, not to me) that, as was the case with Grandma Moses, Furnald is an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a passionate genealogist. Women with such ancestral credentials and interests frequently turn to literary pursuits, just as their organization itself sponsors hundreds of essay contests throughout the country annually. It would not be surprising to learn that this was the way the author’s attraction to the printed word was sparked.

The wonderful thing about nostalgic books like “The Tangerine Cafeteria” is that they have such broad appeal. Who, man or woman, will not be moved by the easy flow and heartfelt messages contained in the following excerpts clearly drawn from real events?

“Miss Susie, I’m taking them boys to Snowden to live with me. I’m gonna take care of them poor little babies with no mama.”

Or, in describing a perhaps little known aspect of Pearl Harbor’s long reach:

“In Montgomery…pilots from the U.S., England, France and Canada were trained to fly fighter planes… Anyone who had an extra room in their house was trying to accommodate young women who wanted to be near their husbands assigned overseas.”

The overriding impression that Mrs. Furnald’s book leaves us with is that the author has obviously been aching to introduce … in the simplest, universally understood terms she could muster … an industrious, compassionate, and above all loving woman who was the personification of Southern Hospitality. In finally doing so, the author has fulfilled a lifelong objective, and now she, like her Great-Aunt, has contributed significantly to the noble and gracious southern mystique that is at the heart of this lovely memoir.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of ten novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. Ladouceur’s newest thriller THE QUANTUM SYNDROME is patterned on the Atlanta child murders of the 80s and is set on Eastern Long Island. His next novel is titled “THE SEQUEL.” It will explore the odd relationship between Harper Lee and Truman Capote. The Website is www.Jebsbooks.com. 

Celebrity Chef Bal Arneson "Spice Goddess" At St. Johnland Nursing Center

St. Johnland Nursing Center hosted a cooking demonstration and book signing for the community featuring celebrity chef Bal Arneson, the star of the Cooking Channel’s and Food Network Canada’s show “Spice Goddess.” She came to St. Johnland as part of Morrison Community Living’s Celebrity Chef Series where she travels around the country and prepares delicious meals centered on flavors from India with a focus on fresh wholesome ingredients using herbs and exotic spices.

The program had an enthusiastic audience of staff and residents, some of whom participate in the demo along with St. Johnland’s own chefs.

Commack Students And Home Depot Transform Butterfly Garden

Community Outreach from Home Depot Transforms Butterfly Garden at Sawmill

The third grade students at Mandracchia-Sawmill Intermediate School in Commack have been studying the life cycle of insects. They “raised” Painted Lady butterflies, and as a culminating activity, the students released the butterflies into the school’s butterfly garden.

The garden had undergone an amazing transformation just the day before, thanks to Christopher Longstreet, a Sawmill dad who noticed the garden needed some loving care. Mr. Longstreet also is an Assistant Manager of the Freeport Home Depot. The garden was badly in need of “More Savings, More Doing,” so Mr. Longstreet paired up with Smithtown Home Depot Operations Manager, Miguel Pichardo, and associates, Kristine Lomardie and Gloria DeJesus, to transform the garden just in time for the third grade students to release butterflies.

After ripping out all the weeds that had taken over, beautiful plants and trees that attract these flying beauties were planted, also courtesy of Home Depot. The garden will provide a wonderful place for teachers to take their students out during the warm weather to read, write, and learn.

Sawmill was so appreciative of this donation. The student council created thank you care packages for the team filled with orange drinks and orange treats with a note that read, “Orange you glad you helped us out? We are!”

“Let’s do this!” was music to the ears of Mandracchia-Sawmill Intermediate School Student Council. The Student Council Advisors, Tara O’Grady, Kathi Woolley, and Laura Keen, would like to send a special thank you to all the students that came out to help the Home Depot team get the job done!