CLOSE

Monthly Archives: June 2017

by -
0 1269

By Barbara Beltrami

As June winds down, parties rev up to celebrate graduations, weddings, showers, reunions and everything in between. While hors d’oeuvres from supermarket and warehouse freezers are wonderful and handy, on a hot day nobody really wants to be stuck sliding trays in and out of an oven while everybody else is playing Marco Polo in the pool. Chips with salsa or guacamole may be the default munchies, but, because they are just that, they’re not fare for special occasions. Here are two recipes for hors d’oeuvres that are special but easy to put together and sure to please your guests. Each has at least one popular ingredient and makes a festive presentation as well as a delicious nibble. Picture bruschette with fresh tomatoes and arugula, ham rolls with melon and radishes and endive leaves stuffed with herbed goat cheese.

Bruschette with Fresh Tomatoes and Arugula

Bruschette with Fresh Tomatoes and Arugula

This is the go-to hors d’oeuvre with or without the arugula in many parts of Italy. It is pronounced “broo-skeh-tay.”

YIELD: Makes 12 bruschette

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

12 basil leaves, chopped

Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

12 fresh arugula leaves

12 slices crusty Italian bread

3 garlic cloves, peeled

DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Place mixture in a strainer or colander and let stand at room temperature at least one hour to drain remaining juices. Place back in bowl, add olive oil and mix thoroughly. Preheat broiler, grill or oven. Toast bread until lightly browned and crisp on both sides, 5 to 10 minutes depending on heat temperature. Remove from heat and immediately rub each slice with garlic clove. Heap tomato mixture onto bread and place an arugula leaf on top. Serve warm or at room temperature with a chilled light and dry white wine, prosecco, iced tea, lemonade, beer, cocktails or sparkling water with lemon or lime.

Ham Rolls with Melon and Radishes

This is a takeoff on the ever popular melon and prosciutto. The saltiness of the ham, the sweetness of the melon and the crispness and heat of the radishes complement each other.

YIELD: Makes 18 rolls

INGREDIENTS:

18 very thin slices Virginia or Black Forest ham or prosciutto

18 half-inch-thick sticks cantaloupe or honeydew melon

2/3 cup shredded or finely chopped radishes

½ cup chopped basil

DIRECTIONS: On a tray, platter or board, lay out the ham slices, a few at a time. Place a melon stick at one edge of each slice, sprinkle with radishes and basil and roll tightly, starting at filled edge. If necessary insert one or two toothpicks to hold each roll together. Stack on plate or platter. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with beer, cocktails, rose or Beaujolais wine, sangria, iced tea, lemonade or flavored sparkling water.

Endive Leaves Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Herbs

Endive Leaves Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Herbs

This hors d’oeuvre is good in all seasons but especially in the summer when herbs are freshly picked and have intense flavors.

YIELD: Makes 18 to 24 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

Two endives

One 3- or 4-ounce log plain goat cheese, softened

3 to 4 ounces whipped cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons cream or milk

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Tear or cut the endive leaves from the head; wash and dry. Arrange on platter. In a medium bowl, beat together the goat cheese, cream cheese, cream, herbs and salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly among leaves. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with chilled dry white wine, cocktails, iced tea, lemonade, white sangria or chilled sparkling water with lemon or lime.

by -
0 298
The above photo, taken in the early 1900s, is of the Rogers Grain and Feed Mill (a.k.a. the Remz Feed and Grain Mill) in Port Jefferson Station which serviced local and far-reaching businesses, farms and families throughout Long Island including the Brookhaven National Laboratory. This photo, along with others of the era, is on view at the Terryville Union Hall. Photo courtesy of Cumsewogue Historical Society

The Cumsewogue Historical Society will host Summer Saturday Museum Days at the Terryville Union Hall, 358 Terryville Road, Terryville every Saturday from June 24 through Aug. 26 from 1 to 3 p.m. Come see artifacts, historic documents, poster-sized maps and photos of historic Echo, Terryville and Port Jefferson Station. Stop by and chat about the old days! Ample free parking next door at Kindercare. For more information, call 631-928-7622.

by -
0 883
Staff members of WUSB-FM Radio gather in the Media Suite in the Student Activity Center at Stony Brook University for a photo. Image courtesy of WUSB

By Norman Prusslin

Long Island radio listeners scanning the FM dial 40 years ago this coming Tuesday were surprised to hear musical stirrings on the 90.1 frequency that had previously offered static or sounds of distant stations. It was on Monday, June 27, 1977, at 5:30 p.m. that the Stony Brook University radio station joined the community of Long Island radio stations. I had the honor of coordinating the team that brought the station to the air that day and then went on to serve as the station’s general manager for 28 years.

Norman Prusslin

Looking back on that first day of broadcasting, it is fascinating to think about how much the media landscape has changed over the past 40 years.  In 1977, FM radio audience listening was just about ready to overtake the decades-old primacy of AM radio. Cable television on Long Island was in its formative years … CNN and MTV were still three and four years away, respectively. Music-oriented radio stations played vinyl on turntables while public service announcements aired on tape cartridges, and long-form public affairs programming was recorded on cassette and reel-to-reel audiotape.

How times have changed!

Through the compact disc and personal computer revolutions of the early 1980s to the web, streaming and digital download innovations of the 1990s to today’s multiple music distribution systems, WUSB has been at the forefront of marrying new technology with public service mission and responsibility.

The station was put to the test and earned its community service stripes eight months after sign on. Longtime North Shore residents will remember the crippling ice and snowstorms of February 1978. The Stony Brook campus was closed for a week. This was a time before wide cellphone use and way before the internet brought information to us, at a moment’s notice, anytime and anywhere.

WUSB was the main outlet in our area for getting critical safety information out to the community. Students and community volunteers slept in the studio to make sure the station provided a 24-hour service.

It was a crash course in local, person-to-person community radio programming. A lesson plan that has been used by the hundreds of student, staff, faculty, alumni and community volunteers who have sat in the on-air chair for 40 years.

Students covered the Shoreham nuclear power plant protests of the late 1970s live from the site. A radio play, “Shadow Over Long Island,” followed the template of “War of the Worlds” in focusing attention on the issue of nuclear power on Long Island while at the same time giving students a history lesson in producing “old time radio drama.”

WUSB received national attention (Time magazine and NBC News) when student staff produced and hosted the 1984 Alternative Presidential Convention on campus. While the two major party candidates, incumbent President Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale did not attend, over 30 “legally qualified candidates” did providing the campus and local community with a day-long “teach in” of debate, conversation and organizing.

In the music industry, the late 1970s have been recognized as the time when the influence of college radio stations to introduce new and developing genres to radio listeners took hold. In the years before music video, satellite radio, Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, Pandora and Spotify, college radio was THE broadcast outpost for new music.

WUSB was the Long Island radio home for artists of all musical stripes. The music of major label and independent artists from the worlds of rock, folk, blues, classical, hip-hop, dance, traditional and more was being heard, often for the first time, by Long Islanders over 90.1 FM.

I am perhaps most proud of the role WUSB has had in developing an active local music scene and community. From hosting the first Long Island Contemporary Music Conference in the early 1980s to developing collaborative partnerships with area nonprofit music and arts organizations and concert clubs and venues of all sizes, WUSB’s status as a key player in the Long Island music community has brought recognition and honors to the university. It is therefore no surprise that the first meetings that led to the creation of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2003 were held on campus.

This coming week, we celebrate 40 years of 24 hours/day noncommercial radio programming created by a volunteer staff of students, faculty, alumni and community members varied in background and political persuasion and perspective. It’s a time to recognize volunteers coming together for the common mission and purpose of presenting intelligent and thought-provoking dialogue, music from all corners of the globe and campus-focused programming via live sports coverage, academic colloquia and event announcements and coverage.

Now is no time to rest on past laurels. Earlier this year, the station moved into new studios in the West Side Dining Complex and added a second broadcast signal at 107.3 FM to better increase service coverage to North Shore communities.  On June 27, 1977, at 5:30 p.m., founding members of the WUSB station staff coined the expression “….the experiment continues.”

40 years on, it still does!

Norman Prusslin is director of the media arts minor at Stony Brook University. He is WUSB-FM’s founding general manager serving in that position until 2006 and continues his association with the station as its faculty adviser.

by -
0 4933

By Matthew Kearns, DVM

The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer. This can only mean one thing: kittens, kittens, kittens and more kittens! All these kittens need homes, but care should be taken in introducing them to your home if you have other cats. The two most common diseases that we worry about before introducing cats to our households are the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

Just to be clear: These viruses are no risk to humans — these viruses are species specific, cat to cat only (even dogs are safe). However, healthy looking kittens could be carrying (and potentially infecting other cats) with these viruses. Also, the prevalence of these viruses is low (both less than 10 percent in multiple studies) in kittens adopted from shelters and rescues.

FeLV and FIV are in a family of viruses called Retroviridae, or retroviruses. All retroviruses have the unique ability to incorporate themselves into the DNA of normal cells. This means once infected, always infected, and the diseases these viruses cause in cats are always fatal. FeLV causes leukemia and other forms of cancer (e.g., lymphoma) as well as suppresses the immune system.

FIV is similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in that the virus over time destroys the immune system and the most benign infections eventually become lethal. To compound the problem a kitten or cat may be positive for infection and negative for any symptoms for months or even years.

The nice thing about the tests that are available are that they are point of care tests, or tests that can be run at the shelter/rescue/animal hospital and have results within less than 15 minutes, as well as these tests also rely on antibodies against these viruses.

Kittens that are infected with FeLV or FIV will produce antibodies and test positive long before they start showing signs of disease. The flip side of this equation is there is a lag time between when the kitten was infected and when they produce enough antibodies to produce a positive on the test.

It takes about four weeks after infection to test positive on the test for FeLV and could take three to four months to test positive after infection for FIV. Most kittens are adopted between eight to 10 weeks of age so there is a window where a healthy-looking kitten could be carrying the virus.

Someday we will have effective medications to cure these diseases but, for now, we don’t. The best thing we have is testing and, if positive, isolating the kittens that are positive to reduce the risk of spreading infection.

Make sure that before introducing a new kitten to your household, there is proof that he has been tested. If testing was not done (even if the mother or littermates tested negative), I recommend testing each individual kitten through your own veterinarian before introducing the kitten to your other cats.

Dr. Kearns practices veterinary medicine from his Port Jefferson office and is pictured with his son Matthew and his dog Jasmine.

by -
0 1606
Gal Gadot tackles the role of Wonder Woman in Warner Brothers new superhero flick. Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

By Daniel Dunaief

Remember those Mad Libs games? You’d insert an adjective, a noun, a verb, adverb, a command, perhaps, into a premade sentence and then you’d read it back, laughing or pondering the combination of words thrown into the structure of a familiar narrative?

Superhero movies, particularly those about the origin of a character we all know, are like a game of Mad Libs. Few superheroes start out life with a cape, a star or a penchant for helping society and standing up against supervillains. Superheroes start out not knowing their fate, or some secret about themselves, and then have to learn the truth along the way.

“Wonder Woman,” the film version from Warner Brothers Studios based on the DC Comics, provides an enjoyable Mad Libs experience, sticking, for the most part, to a familiar structure. The movie, which has been flying high at the box office despite the lack of an invisible plane, executes on its premise well, while offering a few moments of levity scattered through its mix of high-action battle scenes.

Played by the easy-on-the-eyes Gal Gadot, to whom the movie’s other characters react with the kind of awe and attraction the audience might have if they met her, Wonder Woman tells the tale of Diana, the Amazonian princess of Themyscira. We meet her as a young girl, on a picturesque island full of woman who are forever training to fight a battle against man, who may discover their island some day despite remaining hidden from view.

Diana’s mother Hippolyta, played by Connie Nielsen, doesn’t want her daughter to be a warrior, which, of course, means that Diana’s primary focus is on developing her battle skills.

Enter Steve Trevor, an American spy played by Chris Pine, whose plane penetrates the fog that renders the island invisible. Now grown up, Diana races to save Trevor, who crash lands off shore. Trevor, unfortunately, brings an armada of Germans to the beach, where the first of many battles occurs. Diana is determined to end the War to End All Wars by returning to the outside world and fighting an enemy Trevor doesn’t see. While Pine’s Trevor doesn’t understand much about Diana and the island, Diana, in turn, finds the American warrior confounding and slightly amusing.

The interactions between Diana and Trevor throughout the film are amusing, filled with a blend of Trevor’s humorous awe and Diana’s unrelenting sincerity in her quest to end the war.

Complete with the Mad Libs collection of damaged heart-of-gold band of merry men, which fits conveniently into the superhero plot, Diana, Trevor and company seek out the evil General Ludendorff, played by Danny Huston, who seems bent on using a toxin Dr. Maru, Elena Analya, is creating.

The best parts of the film are when Diana, who is unaware of the broader conflict around her, drives the action. She races out of the trenches to try to save a town held by the Germans, followed by the reluctant heroes-despite-themselves band, including Trevor. Movie aficionados have focused on the glass ceiling shattered by director Patty Jenkins, who set a box office record for a movie directed by a woman. Jenkins has blended character development, high energy and an enjoyable script to create a worthwhile comic book movie. Her direction, with battle scenes alternating with the ongoing quest to end the war, kept the pace of the movie. The interaction among the main characters — friend and villain alike — made this Mad Libs origin story a success.

Now playing at local theaters, “Wonder Woman” is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action.

by -
0 283
Buddy

MEET BUDDY! Poor, poor Buddy. He once had a family to call his own … until they decided they did not want him anymore. Buddy was surrendered to a high kill shelter in Texas, where he had little chance at survival. Unfortunately, he suffers from a previous injury on his front right leg that healed wrong due to his first owners not getting him the medical attention he needed. With the amount of energy and happiness this guy has, you would never expect him to have had such a rough start to life. That’s all behind him now and he is currently at Kent Animal Shelter looking for his real forever home.

All this handsome boy wants is to just love and be loved. A 3-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix, Buddy gets along well with other dogs and would prefer to be in a home without children. Buddy comes neutered, microchipped and is up to date on all his vaccines.

Kent Animal Shelter is located at 2259 River Road in Calverton. For more information on Buddy and other adoptable pets at Kent, please call 631-727-5731 or visit www.kentanimalshelter.com.

Update: Buddy has been adopted!

by -
0 368
1 of 12
'Long Island Surfer' by Donna Crinnian
“Guggenheim Museum Ceiling” by Joe Constantino
“Sun Kissed” by Joseph Peragallo
“Colors of Nature” by Mike DiRenzo
“Big Eyes” by Janet Pieper
“Fort Royal” by Robert Oliva
“Morning Ride” by Karen Celella
“One Good Lick” by Barbara McCahill
“Riding with Dad” by Jo-Anne Bodkin
“Nuns in the Rain, Myanmar” by Richard Witkover
'Roxie's Kits' by Jay Gammill
“Corinth Sheep” by James Napoli

“Photography helps people see.” — Berenice Abbott

By Heidi Sutton

Last Thursday evening, Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Commack held a reception honoring the award recipients of its annual Photo Contest complete with a traditional slide show.

This year’s competition, which has grown exponentially from humble beginnings 24 years ago, drew over 700 entries from amateur photographers across the country. In all, 45 photos were selected to be enlarged and framed for permanent display for the enjoyment of those who live and work in the 460-bed nursing and rehabilitation center. According to Dennine Cook, director of public relations for Gurwin, the yearly event began as a way to decorate the walls of the newly opened facility.

“That first year, we had 100 entries and chose 10 winners, mounted them on foam board and hung them in the main hall,” she said. When some of the photos, especially those depicting babies and pets, started to wear out from being kissed so much, the staff started to frame the winners and “we decided that they should remain in our collection for many years.”

A contest with a purpose

Today, the photographs are moved from the Helen and Nat Tiffen Gallery, located in the main corridor at Gurwin, to the resident units as each year’s new group of winners is announced. “Each of the winning photos for the past 20 plus years is hanging on the wall somewhere in the facility, bringing joy to someone each and every day,” said Cook.

Addressing the winners, the public relations director said, “Although competitive and a great achievement for you as a photographer, [the contest] is really about the people who get to see your work once it is chosen,” adding that for the nursing home residents, the beautiful photographs bring back fond memories and “stir up a whole host” of emotions. “And it’s at times like that when we remember why we hold this contest,” she added.

This year’s judges, Michael Cassera of The Tiffen Company (which has sponsored the event for the last 11 years), Alex Horvath of Newsday and Tony Lopez (Tony Lopez Photography) had the arduous task of choosing grand prize winners along with honorable mentions for 12 categories including Nature, Pets, Children, Action/Sports, and Long Island/New York as well as Best in Show and Best in Show Runner-Up. In addition, a panel of resident judges also chose six of their favorites.

What happens to the remaining 650 plus entries? According to Dawn Lettau, director of therapeutic recreation for Gurwin, nothing goes to waste. “We can’t wait for the [remaining] entries to be turned over to us each year. We use them as inspiration for original paintings, collages and other projects all year long, so even photos that aren’t selected as winners are winners to us,” she said.

“While you certainly will bring home a memento of your award tonight, I hope you will leave with the knowledge that the true ‘prize’ is that your photo will bring a smile to someone’s face and a lift to someone’s spirits,” said Cook. “All of the selections, will be judged, discussed and enjoyed by so many appreciative eyes for years to come and to me that is the real honor.”

Entries for the 2018 Gurwin Photo Contest will be accepted beginning in mid-February 2018. Past participants will receive an entry form in the mail. Entry forms will also be available online at https://www.gurwin.org/about/photo-contest/.

2017 WINNING SELECTIONS

Best in Show “Corinth Sheep” by James Napoli

Best in Show Runner-Up “Riding with Dad” by Jo-Anne Bodkin

Action/Sports Category

Grand Prize “Long Island Surfer” by Donna Crinnian

Honorable Mention “Bull Dogger” by Frank DiBenedetto

Honorable Mention “Rappelling in the Negev” by Dan Greenburg

Altered/Enhanced Category

Grand Prize “Guggenheim Museum Ceiling” by Joe Constantino

Honorable Mention “Near You” by Susan Kozodoy-Silkowitz

Honorable Mention “Existential Escalator” by Robert Oliva

Children’s Category

Grand Prize “Sun Kissed” by Joseph Peragallo

Honorable Mention “African School Children” by Carol Goldstein

Honorable Mention “Big Eyes” by Janet Pieper

Landscapes Category

Grand Prize “Mystical Canyon” by Andrew Ehrlich

Honorable Mention “Autumn Sun” by Michael Danielson

Honorable Mention “Portland Head Lighthouse” by Ellen Dunn

Long Island/ New York Category

Grand Prize “Morning Ride” by Karen Celella

Honorable Mention “Ball of Fire” by Joseph Deo

Honorable Mention “Tribute of Light” by Marzena Grabczynska

Nature Category

Grand Prize “A Hobbit’s View” by Alan Sloyer

Honorable Mention “Colors of Nature” by Mike DiRenzo

Honorable Mention “Northern Lights” by Lorraine Piskin

People Category

Grand Prize “Cuban Farmer” by Kathleen Hinkaty

Honorable Mention “Indian Man” by Jan Golden

Honorable Mention “Beyond Borders” by Belle Lin

Pets Category

Grand Prize “One Good Lick” by Barbara McCahill

Honorable Mention “Hi There!” by Jane Maresco

Honorable Mention “Oliver” by Mario Santiago

Still Life Category

Grand Prize “Fort Royal” by Robert Oliva

Honorable Mention “The Bouquet” by Winifred Boyd

Honorable Mention “Elgin No. 1” by Stan Mehlman

Travel Category

Grand Prize “Nuns in the Rain, Myanmar” by Richard Witkover

Honorable Mention “Field of Light” by Karen Celella

Honorable Mention “Bay of Fundy” by Carol Goldstein

Wildlife Category

Grand Prize “Watching the Sunset” by Donna Crinnian

Honorable Mention “Breeding Plumage” by Donna Crinnian

Honorable Mention “Roxie’s Kits” by Jay Gammill

Student Category

Grand Prize “Flying Free’ by Susan Krage

Honorable Mention “Sophia” by Eliana Davidoff

Honorable Mention “African Sunset” by Teddy Koutsoftas

by -
0 411
1 of 6
Ava Stampelos, age 8 of Setauket with her dad Gus. Photo by Heidi Sutton
'My Dad' by Ava Stampelos
Jacob Tropin, age 8 of Centereach with his dad Chris. Photo by Heidi Sutton
'My Dad' by Jacob Tropin
Holden Cone, age 8 of Setauket with his dad Chauncy. Photo by Heidi Sutton
'My Dad' by Holden Cone

Thanks to all the children who entered Times Beacon Record News Media’s annual Father’s Day contest. Congratulations to Ava Stampelos of Setauket, Jacob Tropin of Centereach and Holden Cone of Setauket for being this year’s winners and receiving a family-four pack of movie tickets to AMC Loews Stony Brook 17. All other entries will be printed in Kids Times over the next few weeks.

by -
0 2564
1 of 9
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo from Smithtown central school district.

It was an afternoon of pride and sentiment as 427 graduates from Smithtown High School West’s Class of 2017 celebrated an important academic milestone during the 102nd annual commencement exercises on the football field June 22.

After a salute to the flag, the jazz choir sang the national anthem, followed by Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Grossane’s welcome to the students and their guests. In giving advice to the graduates, Dr. Grossane called on the lessons learned in the readings of “Winnie the Pooh” stories as they related to individuality, unselfishness, comfort, wealth and trust. “Trust in your abilities to deal with anything,” he said.  

Honor speaker Cory Zhou, who was elected by his peers in lieu of a valedictorian and salutatorian, encouraged classmates to find passion in their lives and to use their natural talents. “Do not subjugate your gifts out of fear,” he said. “Instead, flaunt them and be proud of them.” Class president Courtney Grafstein spoke about the importance of reaching out to others. “Everything we do, no matter how small, can make a difference in the lives of others,” she noted.

Prior to the presentation of the class, Principal John Coady thanked the students for their assistance in making Smithtown High School West a school of excellence. “You have left a mark on this school,” he said. “I thank you for what you have done and what you will do.”

After each graduate was called to the stage to receive his or her diploma from administration and faculty, concert choir seniors and the jazz choir paid tribute to the parents and graduates with a performance of “The Sweetest Days.”

by -
0 484
1 of 11
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
File photo.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.
A scene from Smithtown High School West's graduation ceremony Thursday, June 22. Photo by Rita Egan.

Smithtown Central School District celebrated the accomplishments of Smithtown High School East’s Class of 2017 during its 102nd annual commencement exercise June 22.

The 427 graduates marched proudly onto the football field to “Pomp and Circumstance” and were welcomed by Smithtown School District Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Jennifer Bradshaw, who spoke to the Class of 2017 about smart goals and dream-driven goals. “You don’t have to pick one or the other for your goals,” she said. “Today, your graduation day, is a noteworthy accomplishment. But it is only one day that represents the culmination of 13 years of studying. You should be proud of the work that got you here. But as you embark on the next stage of life, consider not just your next goal, consider your next journey and how you want to spend that journey.”

Smithtown High School East Principal Dr. Kevin Simmons urged the graduates to dream big. “This is an unbelievably exciting time in your life,” he said. “All doors are open as you decide what your next chapter in life will be. Keep making informed choices and educated decisions. Continue to test yourself and stay committed to your beliefs because you know what’s best for you. We are so proud of your current accomplishments and we look forward to hearing all of your future successes as well.”

Student honor speaker Kyle DiPietrantonio, who is selected by the class instead of a valedictorian or salutatorian, took a moment to reflect on how far the class has come in the past four years at Smithtown High School East. “These past four years, we have been working to create our own identity,” he said. “You have the power to make a difference. You have the ability to impact and influence. Leave your legacy.”

Senior class president Juneve Porciello addressed her fellow classmates and spoke about how graduation wasn’t the end but a new beginning. “Today, we are not saying goodbye, we are saying hello to our future,” she said. “The days in front of us are what hold the greatest adventure. It’s time to take the next step in our journey.”

Prev1...456...17Next Page 5 of 17
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©