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TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. In Smithtown Central School District, an honor speaker is chosen by the graduating class of each high school instead of prescribing to the valedictorian and salutatorian distincion. Rabia Chattha is the honor speaker for Smithtown High School East. At Hauppague High School, Sara Conquet was valedictorian and Ayaan Shah was salutatorian.

Rabia Chattha
 • GPA: 4.45
 • Activities: President of Science Olympiad, President of National Honor Society, member of multiple honor societies, Varsity Track and Cross Country Teams, Volunteer Ambulance Corps, co-founder of Game4AC
 • Attending Stony Brook University to study Biochemistry on the Pre-Med track

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
Try everything from class to clubs, even if it isn’t your first choice, because you never know what you’ll end up liking. I’ve learned that high school is the perfect time to explore new interests and step outside your comfort zone.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
Rather than only focusing on one long-term goal, I set many short-term ones as stepping stones. Whether it’s aiming to get a good grade on a test coming up in a week or working toward my dream of becoming a physician, these goals keep me focused.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
My biggest study habit that has helped me is time management. I use planners and to-do lists to stay organized. After each class, if there is an upcoming test, I rewrite all of my notes, and if I notice a flaw, I practice a lot to better my weaknesses in that subject.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
In the future, I aspire to become a physician. It has been my dream since I was young to help others through medicine and to truly make a difference in people’s lives.

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Sara Conquet: Valedictorian
 • GPA: 103.23
 • Activities: Chamber Orchestra, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, English Honor Society, History Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Quiz Bowl
 • Attending Vassar College to study Neuroscience

Ayaan Shah: Salutatorian
 • GPA: 102.92
 • Activities: Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, Coding Club, Chamber Orchestra (cello), Varsity Tennis, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, German Honor Society, English Honor Society
 • Attending Georgia Institute of Technology to study Electrical Engineering

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
 Conquet: Don’t just focus on grades, even when it seems like school encompasses every part of your life. Try to enjoy your classes, especially classes with content that you enjoy learning about — this may even help you figure out what you want to do after high school. Also remember that school isn’t just about schoolwork, even if most of the time it seems like it’s just about classes and grades. Remember the people — the friends, the teachers, the coaches — that motivate you to get through the day and give you reasons to smile. Thank them, spend time with them, and remind them how important they are to you.
 Shah: My best advice for freshmen would be to take in everything. It is easy to say that a certain subject or class is useless, but you never know what you are interested in if you do not stay open to learning. The second part to this is to try everything. You are at the optimal part of your life where you can learn new hobbies and build lifelong interests, and now is the time to start. Join new clubs, participate in sports, explore new subjects, and do not let any opportunity pass you by.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
 Conquet: I always reminded myself of my goals and of how maintaining good grades would allow me to get into a better college and have a more successful future. I also often engaged in friendly competition with some of my peers, and trying to get grades as high as or higher than theirs helped motivate me.
 Shah: One of the most important aspects of my life that allowed me to focus on my future goals has been my parents. They always supported my academics, pushed me toward perfection, and aided me when I was unsure exactly what I wanted to do as a career.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
 Conquet: Actively taking notes while the teacher is instructing (in lecture-type classes), taking practice tests in a quiet environment and treating them as if they were the actual test (then grading the tests and assessing my weaknesses and strengths), prioritizing subjects based on difficulty and the dates of the exams.
 Shah: One of the best study habits has been to really focus during class and take detailed notes. Even just taking your own notes on blank paper is really helpful to memorize content. Another important point is to remember everything. A school year is not very long, so you should keep everything in mind and not let anything go.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
 Conquet: I would like to eventually conduct professional scientific research and pursue a professional degree. I would like to participate in or lead significant research which could possibly benefit the lives of others and contribute to advancements in medicine and science.
 Shah: I am going to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. I intend to particularly focus on computer hardware. As a part of this, I hope to participate in various scientific research projects to expand my knowledge and engineering skills.

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Yang with the black dress she recreated from the 1940s vintage original. Photo courtesy of Avery Yang

By Daniel Dunaief

For her in-depth research about the Prime Thimble Factory in Huntington, Smithtown High School East senior Avery Yang has won the Honorable Peter Fox Cohalan Scholarship in American Studies from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

In its 10th year, the scholarship provides $10,000 per year for four years to a student who plans to study history in college and who demonstrates a commitment and interest in the subject by focusing on an element of local history on Long Island that reflects New York state and American history.

Yang wearing a period dress she designed and created based on Theodore Gericault’s “Portrait of Lauren Bro” painted in 1818. That project, which involved using silk and cotton, took two months to create. Photo courtesy of Avery Yang

An accomplished student at Smithtown High School East, Yang focused on the factory that produced the small metal pieces that protected the fingers of those who were sewing from 1836 until the 1880’s.

“She did a great job on her research,” said Judge Cohalan, for whom the scholarship is named and who is one of the four trustees of the foundation. “Her English was perfect, there were no mistakes. I’m a nitpicker.”

Yang, who plans to attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall, is especially passionate about the history of fashion and its connection to the cultural history of an era.

In her paper, which included 30 references and 47 endnotes, including a photo from her own collection of thimbles, Yang described not only the history of the factory but also the symbolism associated with the thimble.

To continue to receive the scholarship, whose previous winners have attended schools including William & Mary, Dartmouth, the University of Michigan and Marist, Yang must earn a 3.25 grade point average during each semester and contribute to a local historical society through a host of possible eligible activities, including website design and maintenance general research.

Over the course of its operation, the factory, which was owned and operated by Ezra Prime, “reflected changes and conflicts within American society. It echoed the broader shift across industries from artisans to factories, and shaped social debates surrounding women’s rights through its product’s symbolic meaning,” wrote in her winning essay.

Gibson girls

Shaun Minton, who taught Yang last year in an Advanced Placement US History class, was delighted that she won this scholarship.

He described Yang as the “top of the top” among students. 

During class last year, Minton was discussing the flapper style of the 1920’s. He usually compares the flappers to the Gibson Girl.

While some students may have heard of, read about or seen films with flappers, few have any working knowledge of the Gibson Girl, whose archetypal fashion preceded the flappers.

That, however, wasn’t the case for Yang, who was able to “explain the fashion of the Gibson Girls better than I could.”

In an email, Yang described the Gibson Girl, who was described in illustrations by Charles Gibson, as fashionable women who were modern and active and yet conformed to a patriarchal view of femininity.

Minton, who provided a college recommendation for his former student, recalled how she wrote a targeted and accurate response to a document based question.

“She was able to get right to the point and analyze the material in such a concise manner that I photocopied her paper and showed it to the rest of the class,” he said.

Fashion and history

Yang became fascinated with understanding history through fashion in middle school, when she started watching videos on the Internet of people who made historical clothing.

“The tactile aspect drew me into it,” she said. 

To live the connection to history, Yang sews her own clothing that reflects the styles and fashions of the time. She recreated a vintage original dress that took about three weeks to make from the 1930’s and early 1940’s with rayon crepe that she bought from an online fabric store. 

For another ensemble from around 1818, she worked for about two months to recreate a gown from Théodore Géricault’s “Portrait of Laure Bro.” She researched primary sources such as historical sewing guides and garments in digital museum collections.

She enjoys the connection to the people, history and culture when she designs and sews these outfits.

It is a “magical experience to feel like you are participating in the same sorts of practices and rituals as someone from the past,” she said. “When I finally get to put it on, it’s a completely surreal experience.”

Yang has her own Youtube channel and her videos, which include descriptions of old antique machines and the dresses she’s made with them as well as a description of sock plushies.

Yang’s parents Alan and Cherry Yang are happy and proud of the work her daughter, who has also been a Gardiner scholar, did for this scholarship, which is an ongoing part of her passion for history.

Yang surrounds herself with history, as her room has various antiques including a collection of working children’s sewing machines, old irons, advertising pieces and spools of thread, said her mother.

Yang loves antique shops, where “each object there has a story. We bring items home” and her daughter delves into its history, her mother said.

Minton appreciates how Yang, who is successful in math and science classes as well, has chosen to study history in college.

“Kids of her caliber nowadays tend to do STEM,” he said.

Yang’s parents would like their daughter and her older siblings to find their own way. After college, Yang, who also plays alto saxophone in several groups including the pit orchestra and jazz band, would like to go into museum conservation where she can work with historical pieces and help preserve them, giving her the opportunity to paint a picture of cultural and social trends that are often missing from the written record. She would also consider becoming a history teacher.

Yang, who is hoping to participate in the graduate level program in public history at UMass Amherst, sees fashion as a reflection of cultural and social aspects of life.

“I find it really interesting to see changes in fashion and the ways in which things are sewn,” she said.

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The Centereach High School robotics team at the convention. Photo courtesy the Middle Country Central School District
A scene from the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship. Photo courtesy of Middle Country Central School District
The Centereach High School robotics team at the convention. Photo courtesy the Middle Country Central School District
A scene from the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship. Photo courtesy of Middle Country Central School District
The Centereach High School robotics team at the convention. Photo courtesy the Middle Country Central School District
A scene from the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship. Photo courtesy of Middle Country Central School District

The Centereach High School robotics team showcased their engineering prowess and technology skills at the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, held May 9–11 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.

The prestigious international event welcomed over 840 teams from more than 45 countries, uniting the world’s top young engineering minds in a celebration of creativity, collaboration and innovation.  

Centereach’s team, named the CouGears, a play on their district mascot the Cougar, participated in the highly competitive Engineering Division where they stood out for their technical acumen and collaborative spirit. Their outstanding sportsmanship and commitment to excellence earned them the coveted Worlds Sportsmanship Award, a distinction given to teams that exemplify kindness, respect and teamwork both on and off the competition field.

“This recognition is a testament to the dedication and character of our students,” said Centereach High School Principal Tom Bell. “Their passion for STEM and ability to work together under pressure was on full display. We couldn’t be prouder.”

The CouGears’ success at the world championship is the culmination of months of preparation and problem-solving, reinforcing Centereach High School’s commitment to STEM education and hands-on learning opportunities.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the District’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

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Photo courtesy Rich Acritelli

By Rich Acritelli

On June 13th, Rocky Point High School presented several graduating seniors with scholarships.  Helene Bowler watched the student athletes who were chosen for the Rocky Point High School Varsity Club and Lacrosse team where Michael and Sean Bowler Memorial Scholarships were presented to four students. Mrs. Bowler stood next to Teachers Rich Acritelli and Lacrosse Coach Tom Walsh and behind them are students Jack Negus (USMC), David Almeida (SUNY Maritime), Brianna “Breezy” Henke (UMASS), and Fiona Vu (Brown University).

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Dean Wrobel and graduating members of his Dean’s Student Leadership and Advisory Council at a recent celebration of CAS students, faculty and staff. Photo courtesy Conor Harrigan

By Daniel Dunaief

Stony Brook University’s Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences has his own summer homework.

In the next few months, David Wrobel plans to prepare for a meeting with Andrea Goldsmith, the incoming president of the university who will take over the reins on August 1st. 

“That’s my June and July job, to fully articulate everything we’re trying to accomplish in the college,” Wrobel said. That includes the college’s three core strategic goals.

These goals include fostering student success, supporting research and scholarly success and investing in infrastructure and facilities and expanding institutional resources.

Wrobel himself arrived at Stony Brook from the University of Oklahoma in August and has focused on several campus initiatives.

Within two weeks of his tenure, heavy August rains pummeled the Chemistry Building, causing extensive damage.

“Chemistry desperately needs a state of the art building to facilitate research and the massive number of introductory lab courses and lab instruction,” Wrobel said.

Wrobel has been working to pitch to SUNY the idea for a new building, which is a top priority for the university.

“There is good momentum for chemistry to get that support from the state,” he said.

The university could break ground on a new building that could be around 400,000 square feet within two to three years and the project could take another two to three years to construct.

The goal is to create a building that meets New York State building requirements in terms of energy efficiency.

“With a chemistry building of this kind, you have massive HVAC needs because of the nature of some of the labs,” Wrobel said. The building would have significant exhaust needs for fume hoods.

It could be challenging to make a chemistry building that is completely energy neutral, but the “goal is to get as close as possible,” he added.

Wrobel greatly appreciated the support of everyone involved in responding to the immediate needs of the department in the aftermath of the storm.

“The department, the faculty, the graduate students, the maintenance and facility staff have all been incredible” in reacting to the damage, Wrobel added. “We all know that that’s a massively important infrastructure need for the university on the science side.”

To be sure, Wrobel recognized that other disciplines, such as physics, math and life sciences could also use upgraded facilities as well.

Staller Center upgrades

On the arts and humanities side, the celebrated Staller Center, which is home to numerous well-attended campus performances, high profile lectures and annual events such as the Stony Brook Film Festival, is aging and needs a major overhaul.

The university is planning to redo the roof, windows, HVAC, lighting and ceilings.

These needs “have to be addressed for the building to work for the needs of our students, faculty, staff, and for the community members who visit the Staller Center for performances,” Wrobel explained in an email. “The current building is very much on the small side given the growth of the university since it was built.”

Wrobel wishes there were a new building project.

“If anyone would like to help Stony Brook finance an Arts Center to house its excellent departments and programs we would be thrilled,” he wrote in an email.

In the meantime, the university is looking to leverage state funding and donor support for the renovation and beautification of the building.The two major wings of the Staller Center would each empty out for a two year period.

That presents “massive logistical challenges,” he said.

The university will work on how to find places for the departments of music and art as well as with the theater itself, with a lineup of productions.

“This is a really important initiative that speaks to how much of the identity the arts have become at Stony Brook,” Wrobel said. “The institution’s reputation has been made in STEM areas. We have incredibly strong arts and music departments as well as our humanities.”

Part of the philanthropic solicitations could include offering the rights to name individual spaces or rooms after donors.

Fundraising

With Goldsmith starting her tenure as president in August, the campus community is well aware of the potential for a new fundraising campaign initiative aligned with the university’s ongoing needs and priorities.

Even before she arrives, however, donations have been increasing, including from current and former faculty and alumni who have joined other universities or entered the private sector.

In the last year, the university has received about 36 gifts that are for $100,000 or more.

“I think this will be one of the most successful years in fundraising,” Wrobel said.

Stepping up

Amid challenging times with federal funding for research, Stony Brook has lost some training grants that impacted post doctoral students and graduate students in chemistry and a few other core science departments.

A combined effort from Provost Carl Lejuez, Wrobel, VP for Research and Innovation Kevin Gardner and others helped ensure that those students who would have lost their positions can continue to work and contribute to the university.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure they are kept whole, with those training grants,” Wrobel said.

Amid concerns about future federal funding, the university remains committed to its varied departments.

He said he supports the arts and humanities, “just as I support sciences and social and behavioral sciences,” he said.

With 27 departments, a dozen centers, 13,000 students, and 600 faculty, the university has numerous levers it could pull to make a quick gain somewhere.

“You have got to be thinking about these things long term,” Wrobel said. “Our goal is to move up the rankings of the AAU. We’re already part of the most prestigious organization of American Universities. Our goal is not to stay a member. Our goal is to move up the rankings.”

In responding to requests from the Dean Student Leadership and Advisory Committee, Wrobel has worked to enhance the six floors of common spaces at the Social and Behavioral Sciences building.

Students wanted more spaces where they were comfortable working and where they could meet their social and studying needs.

Wrobel is hoping that the university can turn some “drab common spaces” into much more “user friendly and study friendly spaces” this summer. This is a $250,000 to $300,000 project that also involves some new flooring and electrical upgrades.

Additionally, Wrobel is eager to forge connections with students throughout the university. He has made personal calls to students who have won awards.

Despite the hardships that campuses across the nation have been facing amid fiunding pressure and a cavalcade of questions from political leaders, the university is in a “strong place,” said Wrobel. “It’s been a wonderful year for recruiting.”

As for his life on Long Island, Wrobel feels that the community has been incredibly friendly and welcoming, on campus and across local towns.

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Kindergartner Athena Corso. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
First grader John Jantzen. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Second grader Christopher Calvanese. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Third grader Erios Pikramenos. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Fourth grader Lyla Drucker. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Fifth grader Taran Sathish Kumar
Sixth grader Luke Dinsman. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

The annual Elementary Science Fair Competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory on June 7 showcased a range of hypotheses students set out to test by following the scientific method.

Students presented questions inspired by their everyday lives, their interests, and timely topics in science. This year’s project titles included, “Alexa, Do my Homework!” “Does Taylor Swift Help Make my Dog Less Anxious?” “How Does the Air Pressure of a Soccer Ball Affect how far it Travels When Kicked?” and “Words Matter: How Encouragement Affects Performance.”

Brookhaven Lab scientists and local teachers volunteered to judge 258 projects and award the top spots and honorable mentions for each grade level, from kindergarten to sixth grade. The competition also included a Judges’ Choice award for creative questions.

“Our Elementary Science Fair is all about celebrating students’ first steps in STEM and providing positive memories that will inspire them as they consider future career paths,” said Daniel Trieu, competition co-coordinator and educational programs representative with Brookhaven Lab’s Office of Workforce Development and Science Education (WDSE). WDSE provides educational opportunities that highlight the Lab’s research initiatives, preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

A number of projects pulled in family and friends, including four-legged ones. Kindergarten student Savanna Stidd of Riley Avenue Elementary School wondered, “Am I really my dog’s best friend?” and found that her pup named Penny ran to her the fastest when called over. Her favorite part of the process? “I got to play with my dog,” she said.

Some students combined science and art, exploring how different types of music play into plant growth, whether music affects the way we draw, and which conditions contribute to the perfect place to hang their paintings. Others asked questions about food, including a project that tested which substance best mummified apples — complete with a life-size display prop mummy — and another that investigated why a student’s favorite ice cream flavor, chocolate, melts quickly in the summer.

Overall, the Science Fair is a chance to highlight students’ curiosity about the scientific process.

“My favorite part about being at the Science Fair is looking at my Science Fair project and seeing how hard I worked for it,” said Elijah David, a third grader from Coram Elementary School who conducted an experiment to see which liquids dissolved different types of candy the fastest. 

Students who earned first place in their grade level received medals and ribbons, along with banners to hang at their school to recognize the achievement. All participants received a ribbon in recognition of having won their grade-level competition at their school. Brookhaven Lab and Teachers Federal Credit Union sponsored the competition.

Science Fair awards

The following students earned first place in their grade level: 

◆ Kindergartner Athena Corso, Lincoln  Avenue Elementary School in Sayville for  “Don’t Wake a Sleeping Baby.”

◆ First grader John Jantzen, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville for “Electromagnet Avenue.”

◆ Second grader Christopher Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Monkey Bars or Ouchy Scars: Which playground surface absorbs the most impact?” 

◆ Third grader Erios Pikramenos, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point for “Lami vs. Eddy.”

◆ Fourth grader Lyla Drucker, Tamarac Elementary in Holtsville for “Upcycled Seed Paper.” 

◆ Fifth grader Taran Sathish Kumar, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Waste to Blaze: Which Eco-Briquette Burns the Best.” 

◆ Sixth grader Luke Dinsman, Northport Middle School in Northport for “Defeating Drought: Can Hydrogels Help?” 

Judges’ choice

Kindergarten: Nate Doherty, Miller Avenue School in Shoreham

First Grade: Jack Gottesman, Tamarac Elementary School in Holtsville

Second Grade: Indie Crooke, Hampton Bays Elementary School in Hampton Bays

Third Grade: Colton Christian, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fourth Grade: Mabel Gross, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fifth Grade: Morgan Proscia, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville

Honorable mentions

Kindergarten: Arjun Yelika, Laurel Hill School in East Setauket; Savanna Stidd, Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton; and Peyton Lauten, Frank J. Carasiti Elementary in Rocky Point

First Grade: Grady McHugh, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; and Cecilia Singh, Edna Louise Spear Elementary in Port Jefferson

Second Grade: Maggie Ruddick, Ridge Elementary School in Ridge; Rudhvin Maheshkumar, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; and Nathan Kenny, Hiawatha Elementary in Lake Ronkonkoma

Third Grade: Emilia Rutigliano, Tamarac Elementary in Holtsville; Adalynn Bishop, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; George Miyagishi, Park View Elementary School in Kings Park; Christopher Powell, Fifth Avenue School in East Northport; and Siena Roseto, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue.

Fourth Grade: Kate Unterstein, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue; Myles Savage, RCK Elementary School in Islip Terrace; Lily Argyros, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; Vincent Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; and Ruby Tafflock, Ocean Avenue School in Northport. 

Fifth Grade: Sofia Balcells, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; and Ashleigh Bruno, Northport Middle School in Northport.

Sixth Grade: William Zeiger, Peconic Community School in Cutchogue; and Colette Breig, William T. Rogers Middle School in Kings Park.

Science Fair Expo

While the project showcase was underway, science fair participants and their families also visited the Science Fair Expo, which featured information about Brookhaven Lab, science demonstrations, and hands-on activities related to physics, nanoscale science, and more.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. For more info, visit science.energy.gov.

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Best College TV Broadcast: (From Left) Prof. Holli Haerr, Jeff Kramer, Daniel Garcia, Fernando Gomez, and Prof. Brigette Boyle, Courtesy of Five Towns College

Five Towns College has announced its outstanding performance at the 2025 Press Club of Long Island (PCLI) Media Awards Dinner, held on June 5 at Fox Hollow in Woodbury, NY. Representing the college at this distinguished event were faculty members Professor and Department Chair Holli Haerr and Professor Brigette Boyle, and students Jeff Kramer, Fernando Gomez, and Daniel Garcia.

Daniel Garcia – Best College TV Reporter (1st Place) Courtesy of Five Towns College

Competing among peer colleges and universities across Long Island and alongside leading professional news outlets, Five Towns College students received top honors in two of the event’s most competitive categories:

  • Best College TV Broadcast (1st Place) was awarded to Promote the Vote 2024, produced in Prof. Haerr’s advanced broadcast classes. The program, which aired on The Record Online, featured a dynamic team of student journalists, including Daniel Garcia (producer), Jeff Kramer, Fernando Gomez, Stephen Cooney, Tyler McCready, Alexis Mack, Jena Chambers, Thomas DiSalvo, Madelyn Llanes, Sydney Mountain, Jose Rojas, Aaron Jones, Winter Petracca, and Anthony Deus.
  • Best College TV Reporter (1st Place) went to senior Daniel Garcia, who earned the top honor for the second consecutive year. His compelling storytelling and on-camera reporting, including pieces like NYC’s Bryant Park Winter Village boasts holiday fun for all, continue to set a high standard in student journalism.

“I am extremely proud of our students for their wins in these two categories. I think it really shows the quality of work our Five Towns College Mass Communication students can do,” said Prof. Holli Haerr, Chair of the Mass Communication Department at Five Towns College. “This is the first year we’ve done serious election coverage, including Promote the Vote and our first ever live coverage on election night. Students Daniel Garcia and Jeff Kramer were interested in informing students about the issues, and I think it was great experience for all the students who worked on those projects.  I’m thankful for them for their leadership on this. I’m also excited that Daniel has won best college TV reporter for a second year in a row. His hard work and dedication have really paid off and can hopefully inspire other students as well.”

The Press Club of Long Island, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists founded in 1974, is dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights, promoting ethical journalism, and fostering excellence in reporting across Long Island.

Five Towns College is honored to be recognized by such a respected organization and applauds its students and faculty for their creativity, commitment, and professional growth.

About Five Towns College: Located in Dix Hills on Long Island, Five Towns College has been educating creative students for over 50 years. Dedicated to musicians, artists, filmmakers, and performers, and scholars, the College offers hands-on programs led by industry professionals. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and other national organizations, Five Towns College prepares students for careers in music, business, multimedia, and the performing arts. Its graduates have gone on to succeed at top companies in the music, media, and film industries. For more information, visit www.ftc.edu

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Harborfields High School Day of Service 2025
Harborfields High School Day of Service 2025
Harborfields High School Day of Service 2025
Harborfields High School Day of Service 2025
Harborfields High School Day of Service 2025

Monday, June 9 looked a little different for the Harborfields High School Class of 2025. Instead of their regular schedules, seniors spread out across the greater Greenlawn community to participate in a Day of Service, an event created by Bridget Hickey as part of her Capstone Project for Civics Awareness and Community Action.

Hickey didn’t want the project to be a solo endeavor. She challenged her entire class of 258 students to join her in giving back and they responded in full force.

With support and assistance from Mrs. Patricia Taylor, seniors were assigned one of 13 volunteer sites throughout the community. The Day of Service projects included cleaning up and painting lamp posts on Broadway, designing a mural at the Northport VA Hospital, donating items and crafting with residents of Paumanack Village, collecting food donations and stocking shelves at HACO’s food pantry, and much more. Some chose to serve within the school district itself, collaborating on a project with students at Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School and cooking and crafting alongside students in the Career Transition Class at the high school.

Remarkably, the number of students not participating was smaller than the size of an average class roster.

“I wanted seniors to participate in community service beyond the hours they need for different clubs,” shared  Hickey. “I hoped they would discover a  love for volunteering and feel inspired to stay involved in their communities long after high school.”

Bridget not only encouraged her peers to give back, but she did so in a way that directly reflects the values of the Harborfields Central School District. Harborfields is committed to developing life-long learners with the intellectual, social and emotional skills necessary to achieve success as active citizens within their local community and in an ever-changing diverse global society. Her project exemplifies how student leadership can bring the district’s Strategic Plan to life through meaningful action.

The Day of Service left a lasting impression on the seniors who participated, the staff and students who worked alongside them, and the community members who benefitted from their efforts.

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Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. Students delivered their projects to the elementary schools in early June. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. Students delivered their projects to the elementary schools in early June. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. Students delivered their projects to the elementary schools in early June. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. Students delivered their projects to the elementary schools in early June. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. Students delivered their projects to the elementary schools in early June. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Central School District

Cold Spring Harbor Junior High School eighth graders have dedicated the 2024-25 school year to a “Year of Service” through a series of impactful STEAM projects. These initiatives have focused on giving back to the community and honoring the legacy of teachers and local organizations.

The year kicked off with the Pizza Box Project, where students designed pizza box covers in art classes and shopping bags in technology classes for a fundraising event. The unveiling took place at D’Raimo’s Pizzeria in Huntington on Jan. 22, with all proceeds benefiting victims of the California wildfires.

Eighth grade students also created and painted Adirondack chairs for local businesses and organizations, including the CSH Deli, Anne Brower Nursery School, the Cold Spring Harbor Public Library and Holiday House. In another special partnership, art classes collaborated with Step Ahead Prosthetics to paint 3D prosthetic devices designed to fit American Girl dolls. This initiative promotes inclusivity and celebrates children who are amputees.

Seventh grade STEAM students extended the spirit of service by working with Goosehill, Lloyd Harbor, and West Side Schools to identify classroom needs and design creative projects for donation. Each student group paid tribute to their favorite elementary teachers by replicating favorite classroom activities and learning games. Notable projects included a custom Jenga game for Ms. Wetzyl featuring science facts, as well as puzzles, board games, pop-up books, tic-tac-toe sets, waste baskets, bookshelves, bookends, pencil holders and pillows. Additionally, every child at Goosehill received a personalized, initialed baseball cap.

On June 2, junior high students personally delivered these thoughtful creations during a field trip to the elementary schools. The experience was met with heartfelt gratitude and joy from teachers and students alike, demonstrating the power of collaboration and community spirit.

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Jillian Scully with Bill Hiney (left) and Miller Place head track coach Brian Manghan (right) at Comsewogue High School after she set a discus record with a throw of 184 feet and 2 inches. Photo courtesy Despina Scully

By Daniel Dunaief

At competitions in which she sets new marks for excellence, Jillian Scully surpasses everything but her own expectations.

In the last few weeks of her senior year of high school in Miller Place, Scully, 18, has bested the previous state record for throws in the discus, which held for 33 years, no fewer than three times, and hopes to do so again in her few remaining meets.

On June 5 at Comsewogue High School in the state qualifiers, Scully defied gravity and distance yet again, propelling the discus 10 feet further than her record-shattering throw from just a few weeks earlier. Scully now owns the top three longest throws in the state and has the current top rank in the country in high school discus.

Bill Hiney, who has been working with Scully for four years, recognized that her effort last week had the potential to set another record “as soon as I saw the height and as soon as I saw how fast it came out of her hand.”

Indeed, Hiney shot his arms up in the air while officials scampered to measure the distance.

Officials were “running backwards to put the mark down,” said Hiney, who is the Assistant Track and Field Coach during the winter and spring season at Southold High School.

“I’m thinking, ‘Oh, this is big,’” Hiney said. Hiney yelled to make sure they used steel rather than cloth tape to ensure that they captured the distance accurately. “Steel tape will give you a straighter line.”

So, what does someone who has set a new state record that had stood for over three decades and then reset it twice in the following few weeks do?

Goes back to practicing, as she spent the first weekend after throwing the eighth furthest American high school throw in history working with Hiney.

“I love throwing,” said Scully. “It’s something I excel at. Everyone is so nice. It’s helped me so much to become the person I am.”

An emotional hurdle

Indeed, track and field and, in particular, the discus and the shot put has helped her overcome a generalized anxiety disorder that she’s battled since she was five years old.

“I’ve had difficulty socializing,” said Scully, who recalled the early years when she “kept to myself and was nervous to speak to people or meet new people.”

Scully suggested that her struggles with anxiety peaked during Covid, which added to her desire to self isolate and remove herself from some of her friendships.

Competing in track helped her emerge from a self-imposed social shell.

While larger groups gathered to speak with each other before relays or other events, throwers like Scully were often on their own.

“I thought, ‘Alright, I’m not going to sit in a corner and get on my phone. I’m going to get to know people.’ Throwers are very welcoming and friendly,” she said.

In the past year, Scully has probably only had one moment when she felt her anxiety climb to a level that might affect her performance.

“Once you find peace in yourself and you’re comfortable with who you are, your anxiety practically disintegrates,” she said.

Scully, who plans to join the track team at LSU this fall, is open to new experiences, new food and new opportunities.

When she sees people who are anxious and struggling, she goes up to them to offer encouragement and support.

“With throwers, everyone is checking on each other,” said Scully.

Support system

In addition to her parents James and Despina “Debbie” Scully, Jillian receives ongoing support from her maternal grandparents Helen and Emerson Vidal, who live a few doors away.

Every time she runs over to her support system after she sets a new personal record, which these days is also a state record, Scully receives different types of positive responses from her family members.

Her father, mother, and grandmother are the hugger, kisser and cryer, respectively.

“Dad won’t stop smiling,” Scully said.

Scully has three more competitions in which she can continue to surpass her high school record-breaking throws.

This coming weekend, she is participating in the state finals, while she also has under-20s and nationals.

Scully has set her sights on the US high school record of over 198 feet.

In practice, she’s thrown in the 190s and believes she might be able to hit that target before ending her high school career.

“After she blows us away with a throw, it takes a while to sink in,” said Debbie Scully. “Then, by the next day, it’s, ‘Okay, what’s next?’”

While college awaits in a few months, Scully’s support system recognizes she could represent the country at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.

“We don’t put the pressure of the Olympics on her,” said James Scully. “We think about it and are excited about it, but we don’t want her to feel that we’re putting that on her. The next step is college and we’ll see where it goes.”

Everything Scully has done to this point has been amazing” and where she goes next is up to her, he added.

Andy Kokhanovsky, the throwing coach at LSU, has been tracking his future team member’s work and is pleased with her progress.

“She is doing a very, very good job,” said Kokhanovsky. “She’s very gifted. Her family did a great job raising her well. She works very hard and will achieve whatever she wants to achieve.”

Kokhanovsky is looking forward to working with Scully, who plans to major in engineering, on the throwing team. He suggested that she doesn’t have competition right now in the state, as she is outdistancing other competitors by as much as 50 feet or more.

“She’s very talented,” he added. “We want to have people like this.”

He believes her high level of organization will ensure a smooth transition to college. He’s encouraged to see this Long Island athlete sporting a cowboy hat in some of her social media posts, as she transitions to life in Louisiana.

Kokhanovsky, who competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, suggested that the athletes who participated in the sport do it for passion and pride, as the work opens doors to other opportunities

Jillian Scully, at a glance

• Number of times she’s broken the 

  state discus record: 3

• Number of remaining competitions: 3

• National High School Discus Rank: 1

• Rank for furthest high school discus

  throw: 8

• Age: 18

• Height: 6’1”

• Weight: 185

• College choice: LSU

• Favorite food: blackened chicken 

  with rice

• Favorite book: “Hidden Pictures” 

  by Jason Rekulak

• Favorite saying: Help yourself

• Favorite indulgence: Trolli gummy   

  worms

• Favorite color: Burgundy

 

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