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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
“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.
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) honored two Ward Melville High School teams at the Legislature’s General Meeting on March 4.
On hand to receive proclamations from Englebright were the high school’s cheerleading and girls soccer team members. Both teams were recognized for their wins at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) championship games in November.
Cheerleading
The cheerleading team, coached by Head Coach Georgia Curtis and Assistant Coach Maggie Hurley, emerged as the 2024 Class A state Game Day Champions at a competition held at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy on November 10. The team earned the state title with a 90.6. In March 2024, they also were the state champions after winning the Competitive Class A title.
“To the Ward Melville cheerleaders thank you for cheering on the Ward Melville Patriots football and basketball teams and for providing moral support to your fellow athletes,” Englebright said. “Most important of all, congratulations to all of you on your hard work and athletic accomplishments that make your school district and our county and community proud of each and every one of you.”
A few days after their trip to the County Legislature, the team traveled to the state championship in Binghamton, where they walked away the Competitive Class A champions once again.
Girls soccer
The Ward Melville Patriots Girl’s Soccer Team won the 2024 state Class AAA final, 1-0, at SUNY Cortland on November 17. The win was their third consecutive victory at the state championships.
In addition to winning the three state finals in a row, the team – led by Captains Maddie Costello, Breena Harrigan, and Sarah Jablonsky and coached by Head Coach John Diehl and Assistant Coach Louise Williams – hasn’t lost a game in three seasons. They completed the 2024 season, 20-0-1. According to Newsday records, the Patriots’ 63 games without a loss is a Long Island girls soccer record.
“The skillful seniors on this team will have wonderful memories of being part of a stellar team and leave a legacy that, I am confident, their younger counterparts will take good care of in upcoming seasons,” Englebright said.
The Smithtown Central School District community came together on March 5 to honor the memory of beloved student, Valerie Kratochvil, who passed away in 2024.
Students and faculty faced off in a “Volley For Val” volleyball tournament at Smithtown High School East, featuring former field hockey and track teammates of Valerie, as well as athletes from Smithtown High School West.
Valerie was involved in field hockey, track, the club Athletes Helping Athletes and was an All-County musician.
The Smithtown High School East Chamber Choir started the event with a beautiful rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” East student Maggie Worontzoff addressed those in attendance. “Let’s play today with the same passion and spirit that Valerie had, and let’s carry her spirit with us always,” she said.
A raffle was held with all proceeds benefitting the Kratochvil family.
Centereach High School has announced that two of its standout students, Ahmed Malik and Cemal Tastan, have earned first place in the prestigious Financial Services Team Decision-Making event at a recent DECA competition. This impressive accomplishment has secured them a spot to represent Centereach High School at the New York State Career Conference in Rochester this March.
The New York State Career Conference will bring together over 3,000 talented students from across the state, where Ahmed and Cemal will have the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and decision-making skills in front of industry professionals. The event will feature role-playing scenarios where students engage with business leaders, demonstrating their ability to solve real-world challenges in a competitive setting.
DECA is a globally recognized organization that provides high school and college students with the opportunity to prepare for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. It plays an essential role in fostering emerging leaders and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need for future success in the business world.
“We are incredibly proud of Ahmed and Cemal’s hard work and dedication,” said Thomas Bell. Centereach High School principal. “Their achievement showcases their talents and highlights the strong foundation of leadership and business skills fostered at Centereach High School. We wish them the best of luck as they continue their journey at the New York State Career Conference!”
This recognition reflects the commitment of Centereach High School’s DECA program to preparing students for success in a variety of fields, and we look forward to seeing Amad and Cemal compete at the next level.
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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