SHSW Senior Abigail Jung Wins VFW Voices Of Democracy

Smithtown High School West senior wins state VFW contest

Pictured left, Assistant Principal Annemarie Freund, social studies teacher Nancy Stewart, Abigail Jung, social studies teacher Daniela McKee and Social Studies Director Chuck Benvenuto.Abigail Jung, a senior at Smithtown High School West, has won the New York State VFW Voices of Democracy audio-essay contest. The theme was “What are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?” 

The VFW contest began in 1947 and provides students with a unique opportunity to express themselves in a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. 

Abigail will be traveling to Washington, D.C. in March to compete for the national prize, which is a $35,000 college scholarship.   

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Smithtown/Hauppauge Swim And Dive Team Wins SC Championship

Smithtown/Hauppauge swim and dive team does it again

Smithtown/Hauppauge swim and dive team won its second consecutive county championship.They’re champions once again. The Smithtown/Hauppauge swim and dive team won its second consecutive Section XI Suffolk County championship on Feb. 10 at Stony Brook University.

The team, which set a new county record for the 200 freestyle relay, now advances to the New York State Championship in March.

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Three Commack Students To Present Research At Junior Science And Humanities Symposium

Regional Science Winners Advance to NYS Competition

from left to right: Regional winners Jonathan Zhang, Mehek Sawhney, and Kevin Ma.(photo courtesy of Commack Schools)Three Commack students have been selected to present their research as Regional Semifinalists for the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium taking place on Sunday, February 11th.

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposia (JSHS) Program is a tri-service – U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force – sponsored competition which promotes original research and experimentation in STEM at the high school level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement.  Students must apply to present their completed original research at the first level of the fair, held at York College.  

The three projects moving forward to compete for scholarships, recognition and a place as a Regional Finalist are;

Jonathan Zhang: Efficient Differentiation of Sleep-Related Hypermotor Epilepsy and REM-Sleep Behavior Disorder via Neural Aperiodic Components

Jonathan used a mathematical formula to evaluate EEG brain activity to diagnose sleep disorders in two minutes vs. 8 hours of sleep studies.

Kevin Ma: Decreased Immune Activation Drives the Differential Therapeutic Responses to Chemoradiotherapy Between HPV+ Head and Neck Cancers and HPV+ Cervical Cancers 

Kevin investigated two forms of cancers to differentiate where the cancer originated and if it tied back to the HPV+ to provide individualized immunotherapy based on the type of cancer and the tumor environment. 

Mehek Sawhney: Secretion of Francisella tularensis Protein FTL_1123 from Escherichia coli Containing the HlyBD Operon.

Mehek studied the structure of a certain bacteria that can be used in biological Tier 1 warfare. She investigated how  the bacteria secretes these virulent factors, and a way to prevent it from being released as a threat.

Congratulations to these students for this well-deserved and hard-earned recognition, and also to the Research team of Jeanette Collette, Dr. Daniel Kramer, and Andrea Beatty.

SHSW Senior Sudarshan Padmanaban Named Finalist In National STEM Challenge

Smithtown High School West student among finalists in National STEM competition

Smithtown High School West 12th grader Sudarshan Padmanaban and High School West science research teacher, Dr. Joanne Figuieredo. Sudarshan Padmanaban, a senior at Smithtown High School West, has been named a finalist in the National STEM Challenge.

Of the 280 finalists in the national competition, Padmanaban is one of five who are from Long Island.

His work focused on the relationship between poor air quality and the transmission of Covid 19 viral particles. Padmanaban studied the number of people that tested positive for Covid 19 in America’s most polluted cities after periods of particularly bad air quality and found that more people tested positive under these conditions. 

Padmanaban’s work shows that air quality is another factor that is related to the transmission of viral particles. 

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

NYC Firefighter Brian Infanzon Visits Tackan Elementary

Firefighter story time at Tackan Elementary School 

NYC firefighter Brian Infanzon, his wife, Gretchen Infanzon, visited Tackan Elementary School to read to students and answer their questions.Tackan Elementary School students had a special guest reader.  NYC firefighter Brian Infanzon, along with his wife, Gretchen Infanzon, visited on Feb. 2 to read to students and answer their questions.

Mr. Infanzon read the book, “A day in the life of a firefighter” to the class, answered questions and handed out special firefighter “helmets” to the class.

The Infanzon’s daughter, Charlotte, was the class “star” of the week.

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Fox 5 Reporter Jodi Golberg To Feature SHSW Alumnus Kevin Camson

Fox 5 visits Smithtown to do feature on ‘Moov’ app in Smithtown

Fox 5 reporter Jodi Golberg visited the Smithtown Central School District on Jan. 22, to feature Smithtown High School West alumnus, Kevin Camson, and his new app, MOOV. 

From left, Kevin Camson, Fox 5 photographer Jimmy McLoughlin, Fox 5 reporter Jodi Goldberg, and Smithtown Central School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Secaur. “My passion is helping others discover theirs,” Camson told Goldberg. 

The MOOV app is being piloted by the SCSD and is currently in seven districts on Long Island, and one in Oregon. The app is aimed at “revolutionizing” how parents and students access school information.

“The district is very excited about our partnership with MOOV and Kevin Camson,” Superintendent Mark Secaur said. “We feel strongly that this tool will help further student engagement with our schools.”

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

SHSW Magazine Penumbra Wins Award Of Excellence

Smithtown High School West magazine, Penumbra, wins award of excellence

Smithtown High School West’s magazine, Penumbra, has been recognized as an EXCELLENT literary magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English.

From left, Smithtown High School West Assistant Principal Dr. Freiberg, Paula Araujo Parra, Anabelle Kreitzman, Joseph Davide, Abigail Jung, Alyssa Griesman, Hannah Ren, Penumbra magazine advisers, Mr. Kuletsky and Mr. Gunsel.The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing.   

This year, schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 375 student magazines. Magazines from middle school, high school and higher education were welcomed for the 2023 contest.

Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Smithtown Elementary Fifth Graders Receive High Musical Honors

Music to their ears

Pictured are honored music students Julia Kim, Juliana Mezzapesa, Kaspar Hsieh-Boehm, Lyssandra Nieves, Abigail Kleinman, Louis Shea,, Lyssandra Nieves, music teacher, Esther Yoon, Orchestra/Band Director, Lyndsay Payne and Smithtown Elementary School Principal Dr. Mary-Ellen Kakalos.Smithtown Elementary fifth graders received some great news, as 11 students were given some high musical honors.

Six students were accepted to the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association and one student was accepted to the Long Island String Festival Association.

The SCMEA All-County Festival is a series of concerts that include musicians in grades 5-10 throughout Suffolk County. 

The Long Island String Festival brings together exceptional string players from school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties to perform challenging orchestral pieces during a few days, culminating in a concert directed by esteemed conductors and educators. 

Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

SHSW Teacher Renee Chalmers Accepted Into Master Teacher Program

Smithtown High School West teacher accepted to Master Teacher Program

Smithtown High School West Principal John Coady, Director of Science Dr. Stephanie O’Brien, Ms. Chalmers and Smithtown High School West Assistant Principal Chris Elsesser. Smithtown High School West’s Renee Chalmers has been accepted to the Master Teacher Program, which recognizes outstanding K-12 public school STEM teachers and counselors who share a passion for their own STEM learning and for collaborating with colleagues to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.

For more than 20 years at HSW, Chalmers has taught AP Biology, Project Lead the Way: Principles of Biomedical Science and Human Body Systems and Regents Living Environment including English Language Learner and inclusion settings. 

“I am excited to be a participant in the NYS Master Teacher Program which will allow me to collaborate with fellow teachers and to learn with them and from them,” she said.

 Photo courtesy of Smithtown CSD

Smithtown HSE Senior Dylan Shen Named Regeneron Scholar

Smithtown High School East senior named Regeneron Scholar

Smithtown High School East Science Research Coordinator Maria Zeitlin, High School East senior Dylan Shen, and Smithtown Central School District Director of Science, Dr. Stephanie O’Brien.Smithtown High School East senior Dylan Shen was named a top 300 Scholar in the 83rd Regeneron Science Talent Search.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search, is the nation’s most prestigious pre-college science and mathematics competition, recognizing the best and brightest young scientists for demonstrating exceptional scientific leadership potential.

High School East senior Dylan ShenDylan’s project titled, “A Novel Algorithm for Measuring Forest Incursions Using Pixelated Remote Sensing Data,” involved creating an original computer program which exploits a rolling disc methodology that efficiently and swiftly analyzed deforestation areas.

 “I am so excited for Dylan to be recognized for his novel work,” East Research Coordinator, Ms. Maria Zeitlin said. “It highlights that science is not portioned into sections such as environmentalists or coders, but rather, it is a collaborative endeavor of discovery.” 

Dr. Stephanie O’Brien, Smithtown School District science director, added, “The dedication, passion, and unwavering perseverance demonstrated by Dylan and all students who submitted their work is truly commendable and deserves to be celebrated.”

Dylan will receive $2,000 and be eligible for the finalist selection on Jan. 24. Additionally, the sponsor school will receive $2,000 to be used for the program. Photos courtesy of Smithtown CSD