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Rocky Point High School athletes dominate 2025 winter season

by Rich Acritelli - March 24, 2025

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The Rocky Point High School cheerleading squad. Photo courtesy of Samantha Ferrara

By Rich Acritelli

Rocky Point High School won the New York State championship in varsity cheerleading on March 8 in Binghamton. Led by the big smile and the can-do attitude of their second-year coach Samantha Ferrara, the girls completed a memorable season. Ferrara is a 23-year-old graduate from this school district. During her first season, they won the nationals in Florida and in the previous year as a junior varsity coach the squad went undefeated. Over the last three years, Ferrara has been a no-nonsense, motivated, drama-free and caring coach.

From 2014 to 2019, Ferrara was an extremely capable “flyer.” As a seventh grader on a national championship team, she was one of the finest cheerleaders in this state as she was recognized with all-division and county honors. In 2018, she was picked as Suffolk County Cheerleader of the Year for her excellence in this sport. Ferrara was recruited by the universities of South Florida and Rhode Island but chose to cheer at Hofstra. After an elbow injury and the pandemic, she decided to retire from cheerleading and transferred to St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue to major in teaching secondary mathematics. Ferrara has already gained a wealth of experience as a substitute teacher at Rocky Point High School and had leave replacements at Baldwin High School and Longwood Junior High School.

This year, Ferrara led a combination of an experienced group of varsity girls and newer faces to replace six key graduates from last year’s team. Ferrara identified the will of this team, as keeping matters light and absorbing what they were taught, and quickly implemented it during practice and against opposing teams. Ferrara is thankful to be coaching at Rocky Point and feels that this position has been a “dream job” utilizing the lessons that were taught to her years ago that “nothing would be handed to you” and “we were taught to be the best.” And next to Ferrara is her trusted assistant Jessica Fleischer, a talented cheerleader and graduate of Sachem North. Both were on the 2018 All Long Island team and they cheered together at Hofstra University. Ferrara enjoys working with Fleischer and views her as an experienced coach.

Ava Almeida. Photo courtest Jonathan Rufa

Another feat accomplished during this year’s winter sports season was through junior Ava Almeida’s pole vaulting. Recently, this outstanding athlete earned a 10-foot height score and, for a second time, represented this school at the winter track and field state championship. Impressively, she tied the school winter record and scored first in Suffolk County and on Long Island. Starting this sport in the ninth grade, Almeida has constantly pushed herself to learn about this event and to follow an upper and lower body weightlifting regimen. Almeida looks back on this season and believes that her hardest competition was against Half Hollow Hills High School West and East Islip High School.

Almeida has been training with Apex Vaulting, which she says has been a tremendous support system. She recognizes the important tutelage of Rocky Point varsity girls coach John Mattia, who ensured that Almeida participated in additional meets. Only in her third year of pole vaulting, Almeida started jumping 7 feet and quickly improved to 10 feet last season. Through her daily schedule of lifting weights for the upper and lower parts of the body and conditioning, there has been tremendous improvement over the last year.

One of the strongest student athletes at Rocky Point High School, she is an honor student and has been placed on the principal’s list. Currently, she takes advanced physics, honors algebra and human anatomy; she plans to pursue a college degree that focuses on becoming a physician’s assistant. As she enters the spring season, Almeida is determined to pole vault 10 feet 6 inches for this outdoor track and field event. Almeida will surely return next season as one of the best pole vaulters on Long Island and perhaps in New York State.

Trevor Green. Photo courtesy the Green family

Trevor Green, a two-sport athlete, will return this fall as one of the best runners in all of Suffolk County. An impressive junior student-athlete, Green has already committed to the University of Minnesota for swimming.

Before the state tournament, Green was recognized as the most outstanding swimmer in Suffolk County and is highly regarded among his peers. Last week for two days, the best swimmers from Buffalo to Montauk traveled to Ithaca. During the first day, the boys swam in the time trials to determine if they would be swimming in the finals and for their lane placement.

Hearing the massive support that Green received from his family, friends and fellow swimmers, for two days Green dominated the pool. It was an exciting event, where these swimmers completed many different events and distances in front of a highly charged crowd of fans. Green swam well, but he expected to do better in his final race event.

Since he was nine years old, Green has emerged as a dominant backstroke and individual medley competitor (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle). Green placed second in the state in the individual medley and third in the state for the backstroke. In ninth grade, Green placed 14th in the 200-yard individual medley and second in the 500 freestyles. As a sophomore, Green took second and 14th in these same events. Next week, Green will be racing against some capable competition in the sectionals that are being held again at Ithaca College.

Heading toward his senior year, Green should be pleased with all his numerous achievements in both running and swimming. Looking at the state championships, Green believed, “I knew there was going to be good competition and would push me to good times. I wanted to rebound off my performance from last year and finish in the top three. I’ve been pushing myself hard in practice and it paid off.”

Congratulations to the mighty athletic results of coach Ferrara and the varsity cheer team, Almeida and Green on their abilities to shine against the rest of the state.

Hauppauge High School presents unforgettable ‘Mamma Mia!’

by Press Release - March 23, 2025

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Hauppauge High School’s Fine and Performing Arts Department presented their production of “Mamma Mia!” from March 14-15, bringing ABBA’s timeless classics to the stage.

“Mamma Mia!” follows Sophie, a young woman living on an idyllic Greek island who is about to marry her fiancé. She’s determined to have her father walk her down the aisle, but there’s one big problem: she doesn’t know who he is. Sophie embarks on a mission to uncover his identity, inviting three men from her mother’s past to her wedding, each of whom could potentially be her father. As the mystery unfolds, Sophie and her mother, Donna, learn valuable lessons about love, family and the journey to self-discovery.

“The cast, crew and creative team poured their hearts into this production, dedicating countless hours to perfecting every song, dance and scene,” said Theater Director Jordan Hue. “Their passion, commitment and teamwork truly brought ‘Mamma Mia!’ to life in a way that was both joyful and unforgettable.”

Comsewogue students join effort to reunite Japanese families with World War II ‘Good Luck Flags’

by Press Release - March 22, 2025

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Students at Comsewogue High School in the Comsewogue School District have joined a cross-cultural humanitarian effort to bring closure to Japanese families whose loved ones were killed during World War II.

Before going to battle, Japanese soldiers were given yosegaki hinomaru—good luck flags—to keep with them on the battlefield. There are currently an estimated 50,000 yosegaki hinomaru throughout America, brought back as souvenirs by World War II veterans who didn’t understand that the flags are considered by Japanese families to be the non-biological human remains of their family members.

Students with Good Luck Flags. Photo from Comsewogue School District

Roughly a dozen Comsewogue students have been working with their teachers and community partners to collect these flags and reunite them with grieving families who never had a proper burial for loved ones who didn’t return home from the war.

“It’s so important for our students to learn about history through the lens of different cultures, and to understand that there is more that unifies us than divides us,” said Comsewogue High School Principal Michael Mosca. “Our students volunteered to take part in this project and their dedication and passion is palpable.”

Comsewogue High School teacher David Hughes and Comsewogue parent and community partner William Donohue are avid historians who collected about 35 these meaningful flags and brought the initiative to the high school. Along with teachers Alex Wessel and Kyle Schauss, they will be assigning a flag to each student who will then study the flag and learn about the soldier to whom it belonged.

Students recently held a Zoom meeting with Rex and Keiko Ziak, the founders of the nonprofit the Obon Society, whose mission is to reunite families with the good luck flags of their loved ones. The Obon Society is the largest grassroots effort dedicated to the cause and has returned over 600 flags to families in Japan.

Rex and Keiko answered questions from students and shared powerful stories both about receiving and returning flags. They explained the process of tracking down these families and how the reunion is more of a funeral than a celebration. The couple started the Obon Society after Keiko and her family were reunited with her grandfather’s good luck flag. She described being a child when he went missing in action while serving in Burma.

Students will be learning the stories behind each good luck flag as they continue to work with the Obon Society to track down the families, a process that could take roughly two years.

Catching a leprechaun at Mt. Pleasant Elementary

by Press Release - March 22, 2025

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Sneaky leprechauns visited Mt. Pleasant Elementary School kindergartners in Smithtown on St. Patrick’s Day. Students found a trail of gold dust, a bit of a mess and shiny gold coins along with a special message. Unfortunately, students found their leprechaun traps empty as they were unable to catch one. Better luck next year.

Fighting cancer at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School

by TBR Staff - March 21, 2025

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By Benjamin William Stephens

Children and adults at the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School in Port Jefferson came together on March 17 to shave their heads as part of an annual St. Baldrick’s event to raise money to donate to cancer research.

Kyle Martin, 17, a student at the high school had been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7. While he was lucky enough that his cancer went into remission within a year of his diagnosis, the experience was very impactful for him. His mother, Melissa Martin, said that they didn’t really know how significant St. Baldrick’s was until one of his friends shaved their head in his honor while he had been sick with cancer. Eventually, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation reached out to Kyle Martin during his battle with cancer marking the start of their relationship.

Inspired by his clash with cancer, Kyle approached John Ruggero, the principal, in 2022 with the idea of creating an annual St. Baldrick’s event at the school where students and teachers could volunteer to have their heads shaved to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

Since then, the school has held a St. Baldrick’s event every year. “Our first year was like $2,000, at this point today we’re at 21 grand so it’s pretty amazing. Every year we try and make it bigger and bigger” Melissa Martin said. Kyle said “it’s sad to see how many people have a relationship with cancer . . . I think it’s great that younger kids are being able to understand what cancer is because when I had cancer I had almost no clue what it was.”

Robert Farenga, a Spanish and computer science teacher who had his head shaved at the event said what he thinks it means for children with cancer. “I want them to know that we support them and that they’re not alone.”

Kathleen Starke, a second-grade elementary school teacher at Andrew Muller Primary School in Miller Place who had been Kyle’s teacher while he had cancer, was also present at the event. Starke spoke of how when Kyle had been too sick to go to school she would go to his house every day after school to teach him one on one. “He’d meet me at the front door with a smile.” she said. “It makes me so proud of him like it just shows the kind of character he has, just such strength to go through everything he’s gone through and to come out this smiling happy brave little boy,” she said.

Benjamin William Stephens is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Stony Brook University looks to ‘Be Unstoppable’ on Giving Day, March 26

by Press Release - March 20, 2025

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0-5 — Stony Brook University will hold its 7th annual Giving Day on March 26.

Day Dedicated to Philanthropic Giving from Inside and Outside the University Community

On Wednesday, March 26, Stony Brook University is hosting its seventh annual Giving Day. This 24-hour crowdfunding event brings together alumni, friends, patients, parents, faculty, staff and students to support causes close to their hearts in an effort to help Stony Brook “Be Unstoppable.”

More than 130 different academic units, clubs, athletic teams, clinical departments, student enrichment programs, and other initiatives across the Stony Brook community will be positively impacted on Giving Day. A series of special matching gifts and participation challenges will multiply the impact of individuals’ donations. To inspire participation, all gifts made will be tracked in real-time on givingday.stonybrook.edu.

The university looks to surpass previous years’ results, with a goal of 3,500 unique gifts. Last year, Giving Day generated $1.6 million from 3,800 gifts. Donations have totaled $3.8 million dollars since the inaugural Giving Day in 2019. Every year, about 20% of gifts come from first-time donors.

“Giving Day is an exciting opportunity for the Stony Brook community to step forward and support the university in a big way. Every year, I am inspired by our community’s engagement, not just by their generous philanthropic contributions but also by the motivation behind their philanthropy,” said Scott Barrett, interim vice president for advancement.

“It’s remarkable to see how many people are driven by the positive impact they can make for our current students and faculty — and, frankly, for generations to come. I look forward to celebrating that impact again this year,” he said.

For those seeking to make social media postings regarding Giving Day, the hashtags for this year’s Giving Day are #SBUGivingDay and #BeUnstoppable.

For more information, visit givingday.stonybrook.edu.

SCCC’s Flecker Gallery in Selden hosts high school art exhibition March 24 to April 4

by Press Release - March 19, 2025

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Suffolk County Community College’s Flecker Gallery, 533 College Road Selden will host a High School Art Exhibition featuring the young talent of Suffolk County high school students from March 24 through April 4, 2025. A reception and award ceremony will take place on March 27 from 5 to7 p.m. The awards will be announced at 5 p.m.for best of show, as well as additional awards for best 2D, 3D, and digital art.

The following high schools that will be Invited in the exhibition: Bayport Blue Point, Bell Port, Centereach, Comsewogue, Connetquot, East Islip, Earl L. Vandermeulen, Hauppauge, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Anthony’s, Longwood, Miller Place, Mt. Sinai, Newfield, Patchogue-Medford, Rocky Point, Sachem East, Sachem North, Sayville, Shoreham Wading River, Smithtown, and Ward Melville.

The art work will include submissions from students in the ninth through twelfth grade. All Mediums are accepted including painting, photography, collage, drawing, sculpture, digital art and time-based media. Department Chairs and art teachers from the high schools are asked to work with their students to selecting their strongest work and fill out submission forms.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (and by appointment). For more information, please contact the Flecker Gallery at 631-451-4093.

Island Federal to award $25,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors

by Press Release - March 19, 2025

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College-Graduates-125141559_5616x3744-1536x1024 — Photo courtesy of Island Federal

Island Federal Credit Union (Island Federal) will award $25,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors in May 2025. Long Island high school seniors who plan to continue their education at a university, college, community college, or vocational school are invited to apply.

The 2025 Island Federal Scholarship Program provides scholarships to five (5) local high school seniors, all selected by random drawing among qualified applicants. There are no essays or transcripts required to enter.

Island Federal’s mission is to enable Long Islanders to achieve their dreams for themselves and their families, which includes helping them afford a college education. Since the launch of the Island Federal Scholarship Program in 1992, Island has given out $910,000 in scholarships to a total of 375 recipients,” said Craig Booth, President/CEO, Island Federal. He continues, “I look forward to presenting the scholarships to the 2025 recipients this spring.”

For complete requirements and applications, go to islandfcu.com/scholarship or visit any Island branch. Applications are due no later than Friday, April 25. The five winners will be announced on May 2.

Stony Brook University’s Rowan Ricardo Phillips honored with Arts and Letters Award

by Press Release - March 18, 2025

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0-5 — SUNY Distinguished Professor Rowan Ricardo Phillips. Photo by Sue Kw0n

Stony Brook University Distinguished Professor Rowan Ricardo Phillips, from the College of Arts and Sciences Department of English, was recently recognized by the American Academy of Arts as a 2025 Arts and Letters Award winner.

“Art is its own reward,” said Professor Phillips. “But, even with that said, I feel honored to be in such fine company.”

The American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society of artists, architects, composers, and writers who foster and sustain interest in the arts. The Arts and Letters Award, established in 1941, was established to encourage creative work in the arts. The award is $10,000, granted annually to four architects, five artists, eight writers, and four composers.

“My sincere congratulations to Rowan Ricardo Phillips for yet another highly prestigious honor,” said David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This has been an exciting year of recognition for Rowan’s creative work. His book, Silver, recently made the longlist for both the National Book Award and for the Laurel Prize. Now, Rowan has been selected as one of eight writers across all genres to receive the Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. We are so proud that Rowan is part of our intellectual and creative community. He is a brilliant ambassador for the Humanities at Stony Brook.”

“This is a significant honor from a very prestigious arts organization,” said Benedict Robinson, professor and chair of the Department of English. “The membership of the American Academy of Arts and Letters reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of all the arts in the contemporary U.S., and the list of honorees being recognized this year includes some of the most significant contributors to contemporary art and culture. It’s a tremendous honor for the Department of English and for Stony Brook University as a whole. We’re extremely lucky to have Professor Phillips as a colleague and teacher.”

Phillips was recently longlisted for the National Book Award and the Laurel Prize for his book, Silver. Phillips’ poem “The First and Final Poem Is the Sun” also was included in Best American Poetry 2024.

Phillips earned his doctorate in English Literature from Brown University in 2003. He is recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Nicolás Guillén Outstanding Book Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports writing, a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry, a Whiting Award, and the GLCA New Writers Award. He has also been a finalist for the National Book Award for his poetry collection, Heaven, the Griffin International Poetry Prize, the NAACP Award for Outstanding Work in Poetry, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Commack High School Regeneron finalist, Ishana Chadha, honored by Suffolk County Leg. Trotta

by Press Release - March 17, 2025

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0-15 — Pictured from left, Commack Superintendent Jordan Cox, Research Coordinator Jeanette Collette, Legislator Rob Trotta, Regeneron finalist Ishana Chandha, Principal Carrie Lipenholz, Science Director Laura Longo and Ishana’s mother. Photo from Leg. Trotta's office

“As a graduate of Commack High School North, I am always proud to recognize the achievements of Commack’s students,” said Legislator Rob Trotta at the March 4 General Meeting of the Legislature as he introduced Ishana Chadha who was selected as one of the 40 finalists in the annual Regeneron science competition. The contest had 2,471 entrants from 795 high schools.

For her project, she researched a protein gene that affects cognitive disabilities. It is entitled, “Understanding Neuronal Migration in Brain Development: The Role of Oligophrenin1 in Modulating Radial Migration of Pyramidal Neurons by Interaction with Pacsin2.” Ishana is particularly interested in this field as her great grandfather had Alzheimer’s disease and she recalls the impact it had on her great grandmother, parents and herself. In addition, she aspires to be a neurosurgeon.

Legislator Trotta noted that Commack has a tradition of students excelling in this competition as they have had 13 other Regeneron scholars over the years. He congratulated Ishana and thanked the school officials for their support, as well as her parents.

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