Yearly Archives: 2021

Sam Woronick

Thirteen Suffolk County Community College students have been awarded prestigious and highly competitive internships at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and are collaborating with renowned scientists and engineers on some of the labs most advanced and emerging research and projects. They include Stefan Baggan, Isaiah Brown-Rodriguez, James Bush, Michael Chin, William Daniels, Benjamin Herr, Danielius Krivickas, Matthew McCarthy, Patricia Moore, Kwaku Ntori, Matthew Warner, Samuel Woronick and Robert Zinser.

“Our College typically places three or four students into this highly competitive paid internship program,” explained Academic Chair and Professor of Engineering/Industrial Technology Peter Maritato, who explained that the students are provided the opportunity to intern under the guidance of scientific and engineering staff on projects that are relevant to the Department of Energy’s mission through transformative science and technology solutions. The 10-week program engages the students in cutting-edge scientific research programs, the chance to present research results verbally and/or in writing and collaborations with leaders that may result in a contribution to a scientific journal. Each intern is provided a weekly stipend of $600. Maritato said the internships and training could also lead to possible employment at the lab.

“Securing a BNL internship is a highly competitive process and our success here proves that a Suffolk County Community College education allows our students to compete and succeed against anyone,” said Suffolk County Community College Interim President Louis Petrizzo.

Suffolk County Community College’s Brookhaven National Lab interns are as unique as the national lab itself and the research they are performing. Here’s more about a few of the students who are now collaborating side-by-side with some of the nation’s premier researchers, scientists and engineers.

Patricia Moore, South Setauket, Suffolk graduation: May 2022

Patricia Moore

Twenty-eight-year-old Patricia Moore of South Setauket graduated from Ward Melville High School in 2010, passed on her admission to Rochester Institute of Technology because she was put off by the cost, and came to Suffolk for a semester before leaving because she was not sure what path to pursue. Fast forward four years.

Moore reentered Suffolk part time, worked in retail, started her own business and discovered that her time outside the classroom helped her develop. “The soft skills you develop as a good adult and employee are helpful in the academic environment,” Moore said. Now attending Suffolk full time, Moore is majoring in engineering and collaborating on the development and fabrication of Low-Gain Avalanche Detectors with her mentor at BNL.

 “I’m excited about being educated on Long Island,” Moore said.  “I didn’t know a lot of these resources and great opportunities were available to Long Islanders, and it’s interesting to see how many different people are involved in the many and varied projects and the scope of the work at the lab.” Moore is expected to graduate from Suffolk County Community College in May 2022.

Matt McCarthy, Smithtown, Suffolk graduation: May 2021

Matt McCarthy

McCarthy, 25, graduated from Commack High School in 2013 and entered Suffolk County Community College. McCarthy left Suffolk to join the Marine Corps where he served for five years, earned sergeant’s stripes and was a Fire Team and Squad leader during two overseas tours to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Back home, McCarthy re-entered Suffolk in spring 2019 and is now majoring in IT Network Design and Administration.

At BNL, McCarthy will be interning at the National Synchrotron Light Source II facility in IT networking. “IT is a structured environment I really enjoy,” McCarthy said.  “I’m trying to pick up work experience and reinforce my resume. I hope to eventually land a job with Brookhaven, it would be fantastic to work in an environment like that.” McCarthy said he has been accepted to New York Institute of Technology and looks forward to earning a master’s degree.

“Suffolk prepared me very well,” McCarthy said, “I was shocked at the rigor and difficulty of my classes. I compare myself to my peers studying at different colleges and universities, and I am one or two steps ahead.”

Matthew Warner, Shirley, Suffolk graduation: December 2020

Matt Warner

Warner, 30, married with a young daughter, attended Suffolk straight out of William Floyd High School (2009), but said he left after recognizing he was not focused and unsure of what he wanted to do. Warner returned to Suffolk and majored in Construction and Architectural Technology, and earned a certificate in drafting. Warner’s goal is to continue his education at Farmingdale State College and earn a master’s degree in architecture. Warner is collaborating on technical engineering at BNL. “I’m hoping there will be a career opportunity available at the conclusion of my internship,” Warner said,

James Bush, Shirley, Suffolk graduation: May 2021

Bush, 20, is a 2018 William Floyd High School graduate majoring in Electrical Technology. At BNL Bush interns in the Superconducting Magnet Division where he is studying high power current sources and techniques to disperse energy from magnets if they begin to overheat. “The internship is a great experience,” Bush said. “I never realized how competitive it was until I met everyone and the BNL staff. I’m excited about this opportunity, and perhaps working for BNL in the future.

Sam Woronick, Center Moriches, Suffolk graduation: May 2022

Sam Woronick

Woronick is a 2019 Center Moriches High School graduate now majoring in Cybersecurity and Computer Science at Suffolk County Community College. Woronick is doing IT at BNL that supports Quantum Free-Space Link.  Woronick is analyzing data from two software programs written for the Windows Operating System with a goal of providing researchers with better control by working to get the software to run in Linux.

“After earning my cybersecurity and computer science degree, I want to attend Stony Brook for my bachelor’s degree,” Woronick said, adding, “I’ll decide about a doctorate when I’m more knowledgeable about the field.”

Dan Krivickas, Hampton Bays, Suffolk graduation: May 2022

Krivickas, 20, a 2018 Hampton Bays High School graduate is an Engineering Science major at Suffolk County Community College. “I’ve always been interested in science,” Krivickas said. At BNL he is collaborating on Coherent Electron Cooling and creating three-dimensional computer models from two-dimensional drawings. Krivickas would like to go on to Stony Brook University, New York University or Stevens Institute of Technology in the future. 

“If I could get a position at BNL, it would be the best that I could accomplish,” Krivickas said. “The environment and people are phenomenal and I am excited to be working at the lab. It’s like a dream come true.”

“The programs at Suffolk have been a tremendous help,” he said,  “everything that I learned at Suffolk, translated over to my internship at Brookhaven National Lab.”

Will Daniels, Center Moriches, Suffolk graduation: May 2021

William Daniels

Daniels, 19, a 2019 Center Moriches High School graduate wants to become a professional researcher. At Suffolk, he’s majoring in physics and says “There’s no better way to do that than to work with researchers. I encourage my peers to apply for this internship. It can get you places. I’ve only heard success stories about past interns.” At BNL Daniels is collaborating on High Pressure Rinse Systems for Super Conducting Radio Frequency Cavities

Daniels says that after graduation from Suffolk County Community College he wants to earn a bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook University, majoring in physics.

Photo from LIM
Come in from the cold during this week’s school break and let the Long Island Museum’s Educators entertain the family with a free fun, interactive and informative program on Thursday, February 18 at 2 p.m.

Join them virtually as they explore sleighs in the Carriage Museum, read a story perfect for the season, and make some yummy treats together.

Tune in to this special family fun program on LIM’s YouTube channel here.

Image courtesy of the National Weather Service

A winter storm watch has been issued for Long Island in effect from early Thursday morning through late Thursday night with total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

“Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute,” said the announcement. It also warned of heavy snow which will also impact portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and New York City.

For hourly updates, visit the National Weather Service Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NWSNewYorkNY

 

Trailing the Bulls of Smithtown East, 15-2, late in the opening quarter the Cougars of Centereach clawed their way back to draw within 6 at the halftime break Feb. 14. The Cougars found their rhythm in the third quarter and closed the gap to a single point in the last three minutes of play, but the Bulls were able to hold off the late game surge and win the non-league matchup, 35-28.

Ava Mueller topped the scoring charts for Smithtown East with two field goals, a triple and 4 from the charity stripe for 11 points. Teammate Paige Doherty netted 8 and Josie Lent banked 6.

Two sophomores led the way for Centereach with Juliana Speziale netting 9 for the Cougars, and Ashlynne Gangji tacked on 7.

In this COVID shortened season, Centereach has three games left as Smithtown East has four before post season play begins on Feb. 26.

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By Steven Zaitz

The Power Triangle may be gone, but success roars on for the Lady Tigers.

The Northport girls basketball team picked up right where they left off pre-pandemic, as they opened the short season last Friday with an 80-32 dismantling of the Lindenhurst Bulldogs.

Daniella Pavinelli, Kelly McLaughlin and Kerry Dennin, highly decorated players that led the Lady Tigers to the Suffolk County championship in 2020, are now freshmen
in college.

However, Coach Richard Castellano has seen this movie. He has been putting together championship caliber teams for four decades and is fully aware that each player’s tenure with the team, no matter how talented they are, is so very finite.

“Yeah, we lost a few players,” said the affable Castellano in a fit of understatement. “But every team does. We try to put five girls on the floor who can score and five girls who can play defense. If we share the wealth and share the basketball, we are successful. And today we were.”

The players have obviously bought in to this style of ball as ten different Tigers registered points in this opening day rout that took place at Lindenhurst.

Juniors Sophia Bica and Sophia Yearwood led the way, combining for 40 points and 15 rebounds. As the first half lead ballooned to 20, it was Sophia and Sophia slicing and dicing through Lindenhurst’s defense, which seemed to be in no mood to guard anyone. Bica had 21 points to lead Northport with Yearwood booking 19. They both rested the entire 4th quarter.

Junior forward Allison Soule was a terror around the rim with 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, and team captain Emma Blanco had 10 points. Natalia Donofrio and Rachel Mincone added a thick layer of icing on the cake combining for 12 points in the 4th quarter, with Donofrio canning two 3-pointers, and Mincone injecting her signature brand of energy despite the lopsided score.

Lindenhurst forward Kelly Griffin, who led all scorers with 23, scored 18 of those in the first half, as the Tiger defense clamped down on her as the game wore on. The rest of Griffin’s teammates combined for only 9 points for the entire game and the Bulldogs failed to score even a single point in the 4th quarter.

“She (Griffin) was second in Suffolk County in 3-point goals last year, and we knew we had to key on her,” Castellano said. “We didn’t defend as well as I know we can in the first half.”

That might seem a little bit of a harsh critique for a team that pitched a shutout for an entire quarter of basketball, but Castellano has built both a reputation and a program that constantly strives for excellence. He and his Lady Tigers are never satisfied.

“I’m blessed to have girls who buy into the design of sharing the ball and finding the open person,” he said. “It’s something that we as a program always take pride in.”

To punctuate this resounding victory, the next day, Bica and Yearwood were listed in Newsday’s Top 100 girls basketball players on Long Island for 2021. Lindenhurst’s Griffin is also on the list.

“It is an honor to be mentioned along with these talented female athletes,” Bica said. “It is very encouraging to see that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. I have been fortunate enough to work with great coaches and trainers who helped me develop into the player I am today.”

As has been the protocol, there were no fans in the stands as Section XI is doing everything in its power to allow high school athletics to continue uninterrupted. They have provided livestreams to many high school events that can be found on the Section XI website, www.sectionxi.org.

The Lady Tigers have a grueling schedule in the next 10 days, playing seven games.

“It doesn’t make for a lot of practice time,” Castellano said. “But these are crazy times for everyone, and we have to make the best of it.”

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Photo from library

Amongst the Middle Country Public Library’s many historical artifacts are a few that explain just how far the area has come from its pastoral routes.

The pictures and story below comes courtesy of a collaborative effort among the librarian staff.

Maybelle Still (Walcott) sits at the wheel of this automobile along with three of her colleagues who are out promoting the Work Projects Administration in Selden. 

The WPA was an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 during the Great Depression with the goal to put Americans back to work. 

In Brookhaven Town, sidewalk projects were approved at the cost of $63,531 for Lake Ronkonkoma, Mastic Beach and Selden. 

The Federal government contributed $38,512 to those projects. 

The Selden project plans were drafted by Norton Brothers of Patchogue and called for the construction of sidewalks along a strip of land on the south side of Middle Country Road from Evergreen Avenue to Dare Road. 

The materials for these projects were purchased through the Brookhaven Town projects office by purchasing agent and Centereach resident, Arthur W. Murray.

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Photo from school district

By Kimberly Brown

For many students on Long Island, after-school activities have been canceled until further notice due to the pandemic. However, R. C. Murphy Junior High School is one of the very few schools that were able to overcome all obstacles and revive its drama department, making their performance of the musical “Pippin,” which tells the story of a young prince in early Middle Ages searching for meaning and significance, possible again. 

Together with the help of the Three Village Central School District Board of Education, director Anthony Pollera was able to allow himself to think outside the box and find a way to organize the show as well as adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. As a result, he came up with the idea to record the show and sell it as a DVD.

Despite the restrictions, Pollera made “Pippin” safe for the students. All singing parts were prerecorded and performed 12 feet apart, and dancing portions were performed 6 feet apart. Each actor wore masks that worked well with their costumes.

“Our board and superintendent are so supportive of music, theater and the arts.” Pollera said, “They are the reason why all these programs are still ongoing. This group of leaders in our district has rolled up their sleeves and found a way to make it work for us.”

“Pippin” was supposed to be showcased last March but was abruptly canceled once schools began to shut down. Many tickets had already been sold, and Pollera said the students made it all the way to dress rehearsal when two days before the first performance Murphy officially shut down.

“They were crushed, but we felt it was only fair to do the same musical [again],” Pollera said. “However, to be fair and honest, we still held auditions and cast the parts accordingly.”

The students and their parents were more than happy to be back in show business. Dylan Saavedra, who stars as Pippin, said he couldn’t wait to be back on stage, and his parents were equally as thrilled. 

“My parents wanted me back in theater because they knew I was going crazy without it,” Dylan said. “They were pumped that we could do this safely. With masks it is harder to do acting, but they were still super pumped and excited to see it.”

Rachel Rose, who is a leading character in the musical, said while face masks made it harder for the students to act, they took a positive spin on this obstacle and saw it as a personal challenge. In the end, it would improve their acting skills. 

“I think it’s so easy to get caught up in facial expressions that you don’t realize so much of acting is your movement and your voice,” Rachel said. “Wearing a mask has definitely forced me to focus on that, but I think it’s a challenge that is only going to make us better ultimately.”

Details about the “Pippin” DVD release date have not been announced yet.

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Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci was cleared of any wrongdoing in a recent investigation of sexual harassment rumors. File photo by Lina Weingarten

Last week the Town of Huntington released a report that cleared town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) of any wrongdoing after an investigation that looked into allegations of sexual harassment by Lupinacci directed toward an unidentified lower-level town employee.

The investigation was conducted by the New York City-based Jackson Lewis law firm and a memo to the Town Board members came from Diane Krebs. In the report, Krebs said she was unable to substantiate the sexual harassment allegations.

“However, I believe that individuals were untruthful during the investigation process or refused to respond to my questions, which impeded my ability to obtain the whole story,” she wrote.

According to the report, the law firm was first contacted by an unidentified person that said Lupinacci invited a lower-level employee for drinks at his house at 2 a.m. When the employee declined, the supervisor said the person was “ungrateful.” The same account came to the law firm from members of the Town Board.

There were other text messages in the investigation discussed where Lupinacci allegedly would text in the middle of night asking to come over, but there were no sexual advances in the texts, according to the report.

Various people were interviewed during the law firm’s process, and names were blacked out in the redacted report.

Huntington Republican Committee chairman, Tom McNally, in a press release, accused town Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D) of using “her position on the Town Board to instigate the investigation against a political adversary based on a fourth-hand rumor without a shred of evidence. Every person involved in the alleged behavior denied the events ever occurred, including the supposed ‘victim.’ No complaint was ever filed yet a year-long investigation into a rumor followed.”

The town was charged nearly $47,000 by the law firm who prepared the report for investigating the allegations.

“The best the lawyer can say is she thinks the people she interviewed are withholding information,” McNally wrote. “Perhaps that’s her perception but it’s also an old lawyers’ trick to keep an investigation open.”

McNally said the incident will have long-term effects, and he suggested Cergol reimburse the town for the $47,000 or resign.

Cergol said the Town Board initiated the investigation last year with a 5-0 vote, including two Republican councilmen.

Responding to the Huntington Republican Committee’s press release, Cergol said, “McNally has to be reading the Disney version of this investigative report because by anyone’s read and estimation of it, there is no fairytale ending.”

She added that the chair’s statement was “a paper-thin political ploy intended to distract from the investigator’s disturbing conclusion of being ‘stymied’ by uncooperative witnesses.”

Lupinacci is currently facing sexual harassment allegations in a separate civil case. Brian Finnegan, the supervisor’s former legislative aide and chief of staff, filed a lawsuit in 2018 with the Suffolk County Supreme Court.

‘Eel Spearing at Setauket,’ 1845, by William Sidney Mount

The Three Village Historical Society lecture series hosts prominent and emerging historians, authors, genealogists, archeologists and storytellers from around the nation and presents topics related to local history, heritage conservation, social justice, art history, and more. For decades, TVHS public programming has provided a stimulating environment for the exploration of history and ideas that permeate the culture and community of the Three Village area, and beyond.

In early 2020, when the world went on “lock-down”, TVHS shifted gears and began hosting this treasured event virtually via Zoom on a monthly basis and the Society will continue to do so for 2021. Unless otherwise noted, all lectures begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and will be held on Zoom and moderated by Mari Irizarry, TVHS Creative Services Director. The Virtual Lecture Series is open to public, with a $5 general admission suggested donation and is free for TVHS members. Registration is required at www.tvhs.org/lecture-series.

February 22nd

Guest Speaker: Louise Cella Caruso

William Sidney Mount: His Life and His Work

March 15th

Guest Speaker: Selene Castrovilla

Founding Mothers

April 19th

Guest Speaker: Kristen Nyitray

History of Stony Brook University

May 17th

Guest Speaker: Bill Bleyer

Culper Spy Ring and Long Island Revolutionary War Sites

Book: “George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide.”

June 21st

Guest Speaker: Steve Drielak

The Alice Parsons’ Kidnapping: Long Island’s History Unsolved Mystery

July 19th

Guest Speaker: Rhoda Miller

Exploring Long Island’s Jewish History

August 16th

Guest Speaker: Darren St. George, Preservation Long Island

Jupiter Hammon Project: Confronting Slavery at Preservation Long Island’s Joseph Lloyd Manor

September 20th

Guest Speaker: Chris Matthews

A Struggle For Heritage: Archaeology and Civil Rights in Long Island Community

October 18th

Guest Speaker: Tara Rider

The Devil in New York: The Withcraft Trial of Goody Garlick

November 15th

Guest Speaker: Jeff Richman

Green-Wood Cemetery’s Civil War Project

December 14th

Frank Turano

Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time

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The Three Village Historical Society (TVHS), a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1964 by community members, exists to educate the public about our rich cultural heritage as well as foster and preserve local history. TVHS offers museum exhibits, events, programs, archives, and other outreach initiatives to inform and enrich the public’s interest in and understanding of the vibrant past of the Three Village area along the north shore in Suffolk County, Long Island

Fifth and sixth graders learning about social justice at Pulaski Street Elementary in Riverhead.
The Long Island Museum, (LIM) a Smithsonian Affiliate dedicated to American history and art with a Long Island connection, is pleased to announce the virtual field trip program, Vehicles for Change, in which students learn how to utilize historic objects and documents to understand how transportation has been connected to social changes in United States history.
Long Island Museum’s Public Programs Coordinator Emma Backfish and Senior Educator Kristin Cuomo prepare a virtual learning experience for the students participating in the Museum’s new online program, “Vehicles for Change.”

To pilot this new educational program, the LIM partnered with Riverhead’s Pulaski Street School which has benefitted in the past from the LIM’s Rides for Kids program, a specially funded endeavor that can provide underserved schools with partially-subsidized transportation costs and reduced program fees. The LIM offered the program to all 34 of the school’s 5th and 6th grade classes free of charge during the fall of 2020 as an extension of Rides for Kids, thanks to the generous support received from Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook.

“The museum typically welcomes over 10,000 school children a year for on-site field trips,” said Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the LIM. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it will not be possible for us to accommodate onsite field trips this fall and possibly beyond. We are especially mindful of what this loss means to the thousands of students who would have utilized funds from the Avalon-supported Rides for Kids program this year and so we have been working to find alternative ways to serve this important segment of our visiting population.” 
As part of the new Vehicles for Change program students delve into lessons surrounding social awareness, social justice and responsible decision making. The program is part of the school’s social and emotional curriculum.  Each session includes a remote 30-40 minute live museum educator-led presentation that will: 
  • Address content areas covering Social Studies, Citizenship, ELA and Communications curriculum, as well as social emotional learning (SEL), social justice standards, and culturally responsive educational (CRS) principles. 
  • Introduce students to Elizabeth Jennings and her fight for equal rights on public transportation in New York City.  Elizabeth Jennings (1827-1901) was an African-American teacher who fought for her right to ride on a New York City streetcar in 1854, leading to the eventual desegregation of the city’s transit systems. 
  • Examine the Museum‘s 1885 streetcar and other primary documents to understand how transportation has played a role in social justice movements. 
  • Explore the book Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights, by Beth Anderson, to learn the role Jennings played. The LIM will also provide each classroom a copy of the book. 
Four Long Island School Districts have since signed up to participate in this valuable educational tool, including the Three Village Central School District. Three Village students in grade 4 took the opportunity to participate in the LIM’s program and are scheduled to participate in the 30 minute virtual visit from author Beth Anderson in honor of Black History Month. The author generously offered to do several virtual Meet the Author visits, in order to allow for more meaningful conversations with small groups. The Museum helped facilitate an agreeable date/time between the school and the author. 
A fourth grade student and teacher from W.S. Mount Elementary School in the Three Village Central School District participate in a remote learning session program provided by the Long Island Museum.

“Our district feels extremely grateful for our partnership with LIM, as it provided countless resources and opportunities for our students throughout the pandemic. Their virtual programming helped to deepen our school community’s connection, while staying socially distanced, as well as provided enriching content with curricular connections, including a program for our fourth graders that tied into their studies on state and local history. We look forward to our continued partnership and the upcoming program LIM is helping to coordinate with our elementary librarians and author Beth Anderson” said Deidre Rubenstrunk, Director of Instructional Technology / Data Privacy Officer at the Three Village Central School District.

Included in the pilot program were curriculum support materials for the school’s librarian/media specialist, including images of artifacts and access to an educator guide that includes discussion prompts, activities and primary source documents created by author Beth Anderson. In exchange for this program, the LIM asked the Riverhead’s Pulaski Street school to have all students complete an evaluation and for the School Media Specialist, Amelia Estevez Creedon to participate in a virtual wrap-up meeting to provide feedback that will ensure the LIM adequately and effectively meets teachers’ and students’ needs. 
“We are so grateful to Avalon Nature Preserve for supporting this enriching learning experience during a difficult time and we believe that this program will be both successful and meaningful for the participants.” said Unander. 
For more information on the LIM’s Vehicle for Change Program or for information on other school program offerings visit longislandmuseum.org/learn-and-explore/school-programs-overview/ or email Lisa Unander at [email protected]. 
Photos courtesy of the Long Island Museum