Kimberly Christian. Courtesy Rocky Point Union Free School District
The Rocky Point School District welcomes Kimberly Christian, as its new director of math, science, technology, business education, career and technical education, and family and consumer sciences. Dr. Christian will continue to advance initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for the district.
Christian earned an undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University, a Master of Arts in Teaching Biology, a doctorate in science education, and certification in school district leadership from Stony Brook University.
In her new role,Christian aims to provide all students with a comprehensive, 21st-century education to develop information literacy, critical thinking, and analytical skills. She is known for her motivation, innovation, and problem-solving skills. She hopes to foster productive, collaborative relationships among colleagues, parents, students, and community members.
“I am pleased to join the Rocky Point community,” Christian said. “It is a privilege to work alongside our talented educators, supportive staff, and enthusiastic students and families. I look forward to advancing initiatives that will drive student success and inspire a passion for learning.”
Christian has been a science teacher at Smithtown High School East since 2004, where she taught AP Biology and Project Lead the Way: Medical Interventions, as well as Regents Living Environment and Oceans. She contributed to curriculum development and implementation and maintained innovative instructional practices, integrating technology and differentiation.
For the past decade, Christian has served as an instructional specialist at Smithtown High School East, where she facilitated dialogue between colleagues and district leadership. Her work included participating in the science curriculum committee, aligning K-12 science instruction with NYSSLS, and coordinating standardized testing administration, including local and state exams. She also collaborated with the district’s science director on master scheduling, managed materials acquisition, and provided professional development during conference days and department meetings.
She co-authored “NGSS-Based Teacher Professional Development to Implement Engineering Practices in STEM Instruction,” published in 2021 in the International Journal of STEM Education, and “NGSS Teacher Professional Development to Implement Engineering Practices in Science Instruction,” presented virtually at the 2020 International Conference of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching in Portland, Oregon.
Stony Brook University named physician-scientist Dr. Imoigele “Imo” Aisiku as chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine, starting Aug. 15.
A national leader who has dedicated his career to critical care and neurocritical care in emergency medicine, Aisiku worked for more than a decade at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Aisiku, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Brooklyn and Auburn, Massachusetts, found several factors appealing about the Stony Brook role.
“My immediate family is predominantly in the Northeast” stretching from New York to Richmond, Virginia,” he said. Additionally, he suggested that numerous aspects of the role were “right in my area of expertise.”
His experience at Brigham and Women’s Hospital involved integrating systems, and he recognizes the opportunity to deploy that skill set at Stony Brook, where he will help integrate the emergency department at different hospitals.
He also has considerable experience in critical care, which is a strength at SBU.
“There are some natural synergies that you couldn’t script” he added, including strong clinical interest in stroke, telehealth, critical care and a desire to develop a systems integration model
Indeed, before he came to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Aisiku worked at the University of Texas at Houston. UT Houston/Memorial Hermann was one of the earliest to be named a JCAHO Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Aisiku was the medical director of their neurosurgery intensive care unit, which had one of the first mobile stroke units in the country. The unit was a collaboration between EMS, neurology, the stroke division, EM and the ICU.
A mobile stroke unit can provide critical and timely diagnostics and care for people having a stroke, which can not only save lives but can also lead to a dramatic improvement in the outcome after a stroke event for patients.
Stony Brook currently has two mobile stroke units and is working on adding a third.
“I hope to leverage what is the strength of Stony Brook with my experiences” and strengthen any weaknesses in a bidirectional manner, said Aisiku, who will report to Peter Igarashi, dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine.
For his part, Igarashi was eager to welcome the new addition to the emergency department.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Aisiku will lead Stony Brook’s remarkable team of emergency physicians,” Igarashi said in a statement. “As a pioneering physician-scientist in neurocritical care, and as an emergency medicine scholar and researcher, Dr. Aisiku will help advance our capacity to save lives and care for critically ill patients in the years to come.”
Evolutionary change
The new emergency department chair is hoping to learn more about Stony Brook’s strengths and weaknesses before implementing any changes.
“I hope to make a change and a difference,” Aisiku explained in an email. “I believe it is prudent to aim for evolutionary change and, if there is an opportunity, for positive revolutionary change.”
His goal is to see the department grow from a regional strength to a national and even an international strength.
He plans to develop partnerships with other chairs and departments and hopes to enhance programmatic and faculty development.
Aisiku also hopes to develop opportunities for faculty at Stony Brook, including in areas that involve research. He would like to see the department earn more National Institutes of Health and federal funding.
DEI experience
An accomplished physician, researcher and administrator, Aisiku also has considerable experience building and encouraging opportunities for underrepresented groups in medicine.
Aisiku was the founder and director of the Offices of IDEaS, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Social Justice, in Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he credits a team of faculty administrative staff and supportive chair for the success of that effort.
Aisiku “played a crucial role in the development of the office of IDEaS,” Jayelani Hall, administrative manager for Emergency Medicine and the Office of IDEaS at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explained in an email. Aisiku’s vision for creating an inclusive environment and commitment to equity and diversity were “instrumental in shaping the initiatives and programs that define IDEaS today.”
IDEaS has launched several initiatives, such as the Profile in Diversity Series and the SPAK Grant program, which provides funding to projects that advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
The office established scholarship programs to support underrepresented students pursuing careers in medicine and health care, Hall added.
The president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital named Aisiku endowed Distinguished Chair in Health Equity and Diversity.
The broader Stony Brook area extending to New York City “draws diverse and international people to the region,” Aisiku explained. “While I acknowledge that [DEI] is an area of controversy in our country, I believe continuing to strive for diversity has a significant role for the development of our youth all the way to impacting our patients.”
In speaking with the leadership of the hospital and medical school, Aisiku believes his diversity goals are “aligned in these efforts” as he looks forward to developing strategies that will lead to diverse students, residents and faculty.
In addition to providing opportunities to students in the health care field, a more diverse population of caregivers enhances the patient experience, Aisiku contends.
A diverse health care force provides greater opportunity for patient choice and advocacy, he added.
Aisiku, who has master’s degrees in business administration from Goizueta School of Business and a master’s in clinical research from Rollings School of Public Health at Emory University, would like to partner with the business school and the school of public health, among others, to build diversity, which may broaden and enhance his efforts in this area.
People who have worked with Aisiku appreciate his commitment and openness to those around him.
Aisiku is “known for his compassion and dedication both as a physician and as a leader,” Hall wrote. “He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that his patients receive the best care possible and his commitment to equity in health care is evident in all his endeavors.”
Hall suggested that the Stony Brook community is fortunate to have Aisiku in this role.
“Given his track record, I fully expect him to engage deeply with students, faculty and community members, fostering connections and driving positive change,” Hall explained.
From left to right, Robert Samuel Decosta Higgins, Jayelani Hall, Imoigele Aisiku, Ron Walls and Mike VanRooyen, at a ceremony for Aisiku. Photo courtesy Imoigele Aisiku
Telehealth experience
Over a decade ago, Aisiku started iDoc Telehealth Solutions, a telemedicine company dedicated to critical and neurocritical care and tele-stroke services, with the goal of providing this type of care to people in areas that didn’t have enough clinicians with that experience.
Since then, he has become co-CEO of a public company called VSEE Health.
He expects to pass the torch on to other executives. His commitment is to the university as his obligation to the company is for about four more months.
To be sure, he wants to ensure there are no conflicts of interest in his roles at Stony Brook and in the decision about how and in what ways the university can continue to build telehealth capacity.
“If there is an opportunity to enhance an area, with full disclosure, there can be pathways to achieve things that improve the patient experience while separating ‘church’ and ‘state’ so to speak,” he explained in an email.
Morana Lasic, interim chief diversity & inclusion officer at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, suggested that Aisiku has served as a personal and institutional resource for a wide range of people.
Aisiku “works with those who are yet to enter the medical field and need mentorship, just as he does with institution presidents,” Lasic explained in an email. “He empowers those on his team and pays special attention to those who are often forgotten in mentorship (such as young administrative staff.)”
Lasic added that Aisiku was generous with his time and has reached out to her with emails and new thoughts and ideas at any time of day.
“Just like the rest of his life, his sleeping schedule is unique and his own, and he wears an Oura ring (which tracks sleep patterns) just to confuse it,” Lasic said.
In his research, Aisiku has focused on three areas: traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhages and acute respiratory distress syndrome/sepsis.
Aisiku is living with his wife Diana, who is a nurse, and their 4 1/2-year-old son Myles in Westbury. They are in the process of searching for a home.
Outside of work, Aisiku has a black belt in the martial art of Jeet Kune Do, enjoys working out and played Division 3 tennis and basketball, at Worcester State University. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast.
As for his likely contribution to the Stony Brook community, Lasic, who has been at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for 25 years, suggested that she anticipated he would continue on an impressive journey.
Aisiku is “one of the most innovative leaders in academic medicine I have seen in a long time,” she wrote. “He is a true role model in his ability to connect with those around him.”
Keria Hammer shoots for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
1 of 9
Tessa Cooke powers past a defender for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Madeline Kavanaugh settles the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero pushes up-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Ava Gengler clears the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Olivia Pesso maneuvers mid-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Keria Hammer shoots for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero heads the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Olivia Pesso settles the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero pushes up-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River girls varsity soccer team looked to build on the success of their 2023 campaign when the Wildcats won another Suffolk County Class A title and Long Island championship. The team advanced to the state championships last November at Cortland High School before losing the Class A final to Rye.
The Wildcats faced off against Bay Shore in Islip High School summer league action Thursday, Aug. 8. It was Ava Gengler’s foot that stretched the net to take the early lead. On a corner kick, Olivia Pesso floated the ball up high in front of the net where Abigail Cooke headed the ball in for the insurance goal. Shoreham-Wading River inked the 2-0 victory in the fourth game of the tournament with two games remaining.
The Wildcats launch their 2024 season with a home opener Sept. 11 when they will host Mount Sinai. Game time is slated for 4:30 p.m.
In June, waste-incinerator Covanta agreed to pay the Town of Brookhaven $1 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company trucked hazardous ash to the town’s Yaphank landfill. While the settlement is pending in the Nassau County Supreme Court, town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said he has “no reason to believe that it wouldn’t be approved.”
The lawsuit was filed in 2013 by whistleblower Patrick Fahey, a former Covanta Hempstead employee, on behalf of local governments that sent municipal waste to the Covanta plant in Westbury. Brookhaven accepted the resulting ash at its Yaphank landfill.
Covanta, which announced in April a name rebranding to Reworld Waste, has denied any wrongdoing.
Fahey’s attorney, David Kovel, has said that his client “doesn’t think the town is acting in the best interests of its citizens” in agreeing to settle for $1 million, and opposed the settlement with a court filing. Kovel added that only the state Attorney General’s Office has standing to settle, and that “it is astonishing that the Town of Brookhaven would sell out its citizens” by accepting such a “sweetheart” settlement.
Members of the Brookhaven Landfill Action and Remediation Group shared similar sentiments in a June 6 statement at a Brookhaven Town Board meeting. Group co-founder Monique Fitzgerald said, “It is despicable that this settlement would give Covanta a pass, while continuing to force community members to carry the burden,” adding, “This agreement comes without any input from the community.” She noted that Covanta would be absolved of any future financial responsibility for pollution cleanups in the area.
BLAR group has also called for the immediate closure of the landfill, which was previously slated to be closed in 2027 or 2028, and for there to be an immediate cleanup of the North Bellport community’s air, land and water. Town officials have yet to provide a firm timeline for closing the Yaphank facility.
Panico, when asked whether the town will earmark the settlement money for the benefit of the North Bellport community or for remediation at the landfill, said, “We’re doing work far in excess of that $1 million figure. Our commitment to the people of North Bellport is long-standing and strong.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R), New York State Sen. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) and county Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. (D) released public safety announcements to remind the public of the dangers of drunk and drugged driving. They further discussed the importance of staying at the scene of a crash, as well as the legal and financial ramifications of a criminal arrest.
“We are more than half-way through this year’s ‘100 deadliest days of driving.’ In Suffolk County alone, there have been at least 20 fatalities since Memorial Day weekend, many of which were caused by drunk or drugged drivers. That is almost three lives lost per week, many of which were completely preventable, and despite the prevalence and convenience of ride-shares,” Tierney said.
“Drunk and drugged drivers threaten the lives of random and innocent roadway users of every age, gender, ethnicity and economic status, every single day throughout [our state],” he added.
In 2022 Long Island saw 245 people die in crashes, with 164 in Suffolk County alone — a third of which involved DWIs. According to a member of the SCPD, “Suffolk County holds the trophy for [these accidents], and it’s not a good trophy to hold.”
Murray, Toulon and Tierney doubled-down on their pledge to fight for the safety of all New Yorkers.
“Drunk and drugged drivers threaten the lives of random and innocent roadway users of every age, gender, ethnicity and economic status, every single day throughout [our state],” Tierney said.
They further urged all Long Islanders not to drive under the influence of any alcohol/drugs, regardless of the amount, since the officials want everyone to remember that any amount of alcohol or drugs in a person’s system is too much when it comes to driving.
Furthermore, these officials stressed the desire to have the Deadly Driving Bill passed in Albany, “to save countless lives, and make our roadways safer across New York State.”
This bill would call on lawmakers to close a great many of the loopholes in drugged driving laws. More specifically, the Deadly Driving Bill would end the allowance of an individual to avoid arrest and prosecution for operating a vehicle while drugged, unless the officer can pinpoint the drug by which the driver is impaired — while said drug must be listed in Section 3306 of the Public Health Law, as well.
Murray voiced concern over the specifics of legalized marijuana, as he feels that many have been left wondering whether it is appropriate to ingest any amount of it before taking the wheel.
“When New York State rushed through legislation to legalize marijuana, it was done so in a way that left many questions unanswered. Who can legally sell it? Who can legally buy it, use it or consume it?” Murray said. “There is definitely a need to educate the public [on this], and I’m thrilled to team with Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. to put these PSAs out to the public, to help facilitate that process.”
All public safety announcements can be found on the Suffolk County District Attorney’swebsite at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/da.
Student falling asleep at his desk. Courtesy MetroCreative Connection
By Daniel Dunaief
Imagine a typical school classroom filled with adults, listening as intently as they can to a detailed lecture about the finer points of tax law or multivariable calculus.
The adults in the room who weren’t particularly interested in the topic might struggle to concentrate, and several of them might try — perhaps unsuccessfully — to stay awake.
Now, bring a group of 8-year-olds into the same room, with the same instructor, and the same material. The likelihood that any of those younger students would fall asleep in their chair is far lower.
One reason for that difference is that the younger set, consistently, gets more sleep, while the older generation, from high school students on up the chain, typically, are not as well-rested.
“We think it’s normal, if you’re bored, to fall asleep, but it’s not,” said Dr. Steven Feinsilver, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. “Falling asleep in a lecture that doesn’t interest you means that you either have a sleep [problem] or, more likely, are sleep deprived.”
Indeed, the percentage of the population that is sleep deprived is estimated at around 50% or more, a staggering number, which means that at least half the population needs more restorative sleep.
With the start of another academic year just under a month away, sleep experts are urging students to start shifting back to their respective school sleep schedule in the coming weeks.
These sleep experts suggest that students who may sleep until 9 a.m. or later during the summer, but will soon get up for school at, say, 6 a.m., are experiencing a type of jet lag people often feel when they travel across the Atlantic.
Sleep experts say that changing an adolescent’s schedule to an earlier waking routine, a week or more before school starts, can ease that school-year transition, while others recommend shifting up wake-up time, by an hour earlier per day during the September lead-up.
“If you know you’re going to have to be waking up at 6 a.m. for the first day of high school, you should be starting to wake up within that hour, within three days or so, before that so your body gets used to it,” said Lauren Hale, professor of preventive medicine and sleep behavior expert at Stony Brook Medicine.
Routines, including getting enough sleep, are important in preparing for the mental effort required to meet daily learning challenges.
“Our brains like a consistent schedule,” said Brendan Duffy, director of Sleep Services at Catholic Health, which includes Port Jefferson-based St. Charles Hospital and Smithtown-based St. Catherine of Siena. “It’s important to get up at the same time,” even on weekends.
Teenagers need more sleep
The academic age group that needs the most sleep is the one that is often getting the least.
High schools often start just after 7 a.m., in part because after-school activities such as athletic practices and events, as well as other extra-curricular activities, take up the hours between the end of school and the onset of darkness.
“Between 15 and 25, everybody’s clock tends to run slow,” Feinsilver said.
The school districts that have pushed high school start times back have seen their test scores go up, added Feinsilver.
He acknowledged that it’s challenging for parents who are managing their own work schedules to balance their children’s academic hours. Parents and schools can and should try to compromise, he urged.
Benefits on the athletic field
Boy chases a soccer ball. Pixabay photo
A return to school also means the restarting of athletic programs, some of which begin before the first day of the new academic calendar.
Student-athletes are pushing their minds and bodies, as they juggle demanding academic requirements with training and competition.
Sleeping the estimated optimum of seven to nine hours per night not only helps improve an athlete’s competitive skills but also helps prevent physical problems.
Sleeping enough is a “way to avoid injuries,” said Duffy, who has been talking to students in a range of ages all the way through college.
Duffy added that professional teams are also encouraging athletes to budget for the sleep their minds and bodies need.
Additionally, he suggests sleep is a form of prehab, as sufficient rest can prevent injuries that would require rehabilitation.
Duffy has spoken with several area teams about the importance of sleep, including the Stony Brook women’s soccer team.
“For 90% of the players, this is the first time” they hear about the importance of sleep athletically, said Tobias Bischof, the head coach of SBU women’s soccer team. “My players are 18-to-22 years old and it’s not on their radar yet how important sleep is.”
He describes sleep as “probably the greatest recovery tool we have” and believes it’s “super important for injury prevention.”
As a coach, Bischof has started journaling his sleep patterns and believes he and others can be better coaches with enough rest.
He suggested that coaches are under tremendous pressure and sleep helps him become more patient.
Numerous factors contribute to success on and off the field with these student athletes, including nutrition, hydration, self-care and relationships with their families, as well as sleep, Bischof added.
The soccer coach doesn’t ask about sleep when he’s speaking with high school players who might join the SBU team, but it comes up when athletes ask about ways the school works with athletes beyond training.
He describes mental health support as well as sleep education.
“You always want to make them a better version of themselves,” Bischof said.
Jim Taylor, who specializes in the psychology of sports and parenting and who has been a consultant to the U.S. and Japanese ski teams, met Duffy when they were on a podcast panel related to sport psychology in 2022. Taylor suggested that sleep is much more than a physical process, as it has psychological and emotional implications.
“One of the most powerful tools that athletes have is sleep, which impacts them in so many ways,” he explained in an email.
Taylor, who competes in triathlons, has seen his results improve from top 20 in his age group to two national championship titles and three world championship podiums.
“Of course, I’m sure other factors contributed to my improved results, but I know that improved sleep was a key contributor,” he explained.
Mental health
Sleep can also be a sign of, or a contributing factor to, mental health issues.
In a Sleep-to-Rise campaign, the Sun Belt Conference suggests that talking about sleep is a gateway to discussing mental health.
Not getting enough sleep or poor sleep quality can increase the risk for mental health issues, while poor sleep itself can reflect mental health challenges.
In its sleep-to-rise online effort, the conference urges athletes to consider sleep a “competitive advantage.”
“With student-athletes, we emphasized the importance of prioritizing your sleep,” Lauren Shear, assistant commissioner of Championships & Sports Administration at the Sun Belt Conference, explained in an email. “This meant highlighting how sleep affects both mental health and physical health.”
Shear added that the conference tries to provide educational resources on mental health, nutrition, sleep and other factors to equip the student-athletes with the information they need to succeed in and outside competition.
She tries to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night and has noticed that when she gets six or less, she’s more irritable and lethargic. She’s also more likely to get sick.
Stony Brook’s Hale added that sleep, unlike diet or other life changes, can provide a noticeable benefit.
“People can see immediate results quicker than other behaviors,” Hale said. “If you choose not to have dessert, you might feel like you lost something and you don’t see a benefit the next day. If you actually got a full night of sleep, you might feel the benefits that day.”
Sleep tips from SBU’s Hale
•Prioritize your sleep health
• Try to have regular sleep times, even on
weekends
• Make sure you get morning light
• Avoid substance use, like caffeine late in
the afternoon
• Put screens away before bedtime
• Sleep in a cool, dark, quiet place
• Pay attention to your body. Figure out when you get restorative rest compared with when you don’t.
After the removal of former head coach Chuck Priore in Nov. 2023, the Stony Brook football team has found his replacement in hopes that brighter days are ahead.
Finishing the 2023 season with an 0-10 record — the worst in program history — was not the way the Seawolves hoped to bounce back from 2022 that ended with a 2-9 finish. Just under a month after removing Priore, Stony Brook hired former Western Michigan University offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Billy Cosh to fill the role.
Cosh, 32, a resident of Smithtown, started his coaching career at Concord University in 2015, soon getting the position as a graduate assistant and quarterbacks coach for Indiana from 2016 to 2017. Cosh made the move to the Virginia Military Institute in 2018, serving as the wide receivers coach in 2018 and 2019, then getting promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Cosh jumped to Richmond in 2022 where he led a top 20 offensive SP+ rating, advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs in his lone season. After serving as offensive coordinator at Western Michigan for the 2023 season, Cosh was named the third head football coach in Stony Brook history. At 31 years old, he became the second-youngest current head coach in NCAA Division I football.
Coaching at Richmond in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) — the same conference as the Seawolves — Cosh said he has “always admired Stony Brook from afar.” In his first head coaching position, Cosh will look to pull the Seawolves out of the cellar.
“I knew this place has a chance,” Cosh said. “I knew they had the capability, so that’s kind of what attracted me to the job.”
Football is in Cosh’s blood. Bouncing around from place to place during his upbringing, he is the son of Chris Cosh who played linebacker for Virginia Tech from 1977 to 1981. Chris coached for 40 years at multiple FCS schools such as UNLV, Maryland, Michigan State, South Carolina and many more. He currently serves as an analyst at Western Michigan.
Billy Cosh (right) set to coach Seawolves football for the 2024 season. Courtesy Stony Brook Athletics
“I thought my dad had the coolest job in the world,” Cosh said. “I was like a sponge; I was around the game all the time. I got to see different players that played in the NFL and watched how they work and watched how coaches coached, it was really unique.”
Cosh was raised with his brother, James, who went on to play football at the United States Naval Academy from 2007 to 2011. James is currently a scout for the Chicago Bears in the NFL.
Being brought up around football, Cosh was destined to be a star on the field. Attending Arundel High School in Gambrills, Md. from 2006 to 2009, Cosh won the job of starting quarterback his junior year. He went on to break seven state records that season including most passing yards (3,909) and touchdowns (56), but it paled in comparison to his senior season.
Cosh’s senior year was special, throwing for 3,913 yards and 56 touchdowns. He set Maryland state records for career completions (594), passing yards (7,433) and touchdowns (112), finishing his high school career with a 22-3 record and leaving college coaches clamoring to have him on their team.
Though Cosh’s achievements on the field spoke for themselves, he credits playing with future NFL wide receivers RJ Harris and Alec Lemon for much of his success at Arundel.
“That kind of made a big difference,” Cosh said. “I wasn’t a great player, but I was very appreciative of the guys around me.”
When the college recruitment process came around, the choice was rather simple for Cosh. At the time, his father was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State University. A chance to play at a Big 12 school and have his father guide the way was too good for Cosh to pass on, deciding to play college football as a Wildcat.
Unfortunately, when things seem too good to be true, they often are. Cosh’s coaches opted to give him a freshman redshirt his first season at Kansas State, meaning he would be sidelined and not see action the entire season.
Looking ahead to his sophomore season, Cosh realized there may not be an opportunity for him to play anytime soon. With three quarterbacks on the roster that were returning the following season, all of them were ahead of him on the depth chart. He was paid a visit by James Madison University’s head coach Mickey Matthews who told Cosh he would have a better opportunity playing for him, so Cosh made the move.
Transferring to James Madison for his sophomore year hoping that he would have the chance to play, Cosh’s wishes were not answered. Again, Cosh was at the bottom of the depth chart and did not see action the entire season, later claiming that the move from Kansas State was one that he regretted.
“I really made a rash decision to leave, Coach [Bill] Snyder told me I would regret it, and he was right in some ways,” Cosh said. “I went [to James Madison] and was kind of told I wasn’t good enough, which was probably true, I wasn’t the greatest player, but I was never really given a shot.”
Cosh realized that he would have to step down a level if he wanted to get any real playing time, opting to transfer again, this time to Butler Community College in the NJCAA. Making the move in hopes to impress scouts and get back to the Division I level, Cosh did just that.
Stony Brook football is set to open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 at Marshall University in West Virginia. Courtesy Stony Brook Athletics
Stepping down a level gave Cosh the opportunity to see the field, but the talent pool in the NJCAA was very deep. He played with “12 to 15” future NFL players and against current All-Pro players such as Tyreek Hill, Alvin Kamara and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Cosh’s lone junior college season was described as a “rebirth” for him by Butler head coach Troy Morrell. He turned heads by throwing for 2,856 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2012, but he would soon face another obstacle. Cosh tore his ACL in the NJCAA junior college championship game and lost to Iowa Western, 27-7.
Despite the sour ending, Cosh reflects on his time at Butler fondly.
“I loved that time,” Cosh said. “I loved my teammates. I loved the coaching staff … so that was awesome.”
Despite the injury, Cosh had impressed college scouts enough to receive some offers. He committed to the University of Houston before the conclusion of the 2012 season, successfully making his way back to the NCAA Division I level.
However, Cosh soon faced another roadblock. His commitment to Houston came before the injury to his knee, something that he thought would lead the team to pulling his scholarship. To Cosh’s surprise, the Cougars chose to keep him around.
Still rehabbing his ACL tear, Cosh missed the entire 2013 season due to injury. He made his debut in 2014, and though he only saw the field three times at Houston, he was able to end his college career on his terms, not others’.
Though Cosh’s time at Houston was underwhelming on the field, it was where he met his wife, Kelsey.
Being around the game of football his entire life, Cosh has faced plenty of adversity throughout his career. Due to these challenges, it makes sense that Stony Brook Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron believes that Cosh is the man for the job to bring the Seawolves back to relevance.
Kenny Spurrell is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (right.) File photo
By Toni-Elena Gallo
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) held a Zoom press conference with local media publications Friday, July 26.
Romaine’s opening remarks emphasized the importance of local media, and his desire to give the press an opportunity to “write the stories you need to write.”
He then briefly discussed some of his seven-month tenure’s accomplishments, including the approval of the Water Quality Restoration Act that aims to rectify Suffolk’s sewer systems subject to a referendum on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Romaine is looking to put sewer infrastructure “on steroids,” as 70% of the county utilizes pollutant-rich cesspools.” His plan is to put “densely populated areas of Suffolk, whenever possible, on sewers,” and the less densely-populated areas on Innovative/Alternative septic systems that will denature the ground and surface water.
Romaine stated that the county will be purchasing new vehicles for the Suffolk County Police Department as well, and he intends to improve police and county government’s mental health services.
Additionally, the county executive expressed concern that Long Island is being “short changed” by the state and federal governments, in which the Island “does not get its fair share.”
“I want to know what happened to the infrastructure money that I supported that President Biden [D] put forward, or the environmental bond issue that the governor put forward, which I supported. … I just don’t see that money flowing to Long Island,” he said.
He gave a local example where Suffolk is deprived of comparative support: “For bus transportation and funding, we get $40 million. Nassau County, which is one-third the size of Suffolk, gets $103 million.”
Romaine went on to share that recently he submitted “one of the largest capital budgets in Suffolk’s history.”
This comes from his wish to fix many of the county’s dilapidated properties that have lacked maintenance. “It’s time that we maintain our roads, our bridges and our infrastructure,” he said.
Romaine went on to discuss his objective to lessen the Island’s high traffic congestion: “How about redoing the bridge over Nicholls Road? How about adding a third lane to the Sagtikos/Sunken Meadow Parkway?”
Furthermore, Romaine spoke of some of his disappointments with the state’s relationship with Suffolk.
For example, when discussing the Long Island Rail Road, Romaine said, “I come from a county where electrification stops at Babylon, Huntington and Ronkonkoma, and everything east of that being diesel. Really? Why aren’t we subject to getting electric trains? Why do we have to put up with dirty diesel?”
Long Island prides itself on its beautiful weather — but, more specifically — on its gorgeous summers.
That is why this past weekend, Port Jeff locals and visitors were asked: “What do you like to do during the summertime on Long Island?
Photos by Ava Himmelsbach
Carolyn and Julie
Many Long Island residents thrive in the summer weather and enjoy spending time outdoors when the sun is out. Julie highlighted her relaxing visits to the local beaches: “We just got a parking permit for the beach, so we go on the beach, drive on the beach, that’s fun.” She, also, noted her enjoyment of going fishing and eating out.
“She’s from Florida,” Julie added with regard to Carolyn, who replied, “I used to live here!”
Amanda, Michelle, Kaitlyn and their children
“My favorite thing to do in the summer is go to the Shirley Beach splash pad with the toddlers,” Michelle said.
She loves that spot due to its free admission combined with the opportunity of play time outside for her children.
“Going to the ocean, [especially] Smith Point,” Kaitlyn added. She mentioned that she enjoys the beaches, closer to home, as well. “My favorite thing is to go to the parks around us,” Amanda stated.
Gallya (right,) and her friends, Sima and Sandra
Gallya, a Long Island resident, was joined by her visiting friends Sima and Sandra, who had just arrived on the Island that day.
“Walking through Port Jefferson, it’s such a great little village,” Gallya noted. “I like to go on the fishing boat, I like to go eat ice cream at the shack, I like to bring my closest friends that come from different parts of the world — presumably in reference to her friends Sima and Sandra — to share the beauty of this part of America.” Port Jefferson is undoubtedly a favorite for locals and visitors alike in the summertime. “I like to go to the restaurants in town, the meditation center and all the little boutique shops. I love to walk on the waterfront where they do sailing and rowing,” Gallya added.
As for the rest of Long Island, she enjoys visiting the wineries and farms out east, as well as hiking at Avalon Park.
Anne and Zoey
“The beach!” Zoey said when asked about summer activities. “Yes, the beach. We love to go to West Meadow Beach with the grandchildren while they’re here. Anything fun for kids to do, like Rocketship Park,” Anne added, in regard to the location of the interview.
Zoey and Anne agreed that Kilwins, in Port Jefferson, is a fun spot to grab ice cream. “There’s a wonderful park up near Ward Melville [High School], I think it’s Washington Avenue Park,” Anne continued. “We love going there.”
“Also, the library, Emma Clark Library [in Setauket,]” Zoey concluded.
“We spent a lot of time there yesterday. It’s amazing how much energy you can spend in a library with two kids.”
Portrait of Brandon Lloyd in marine uniform. Courtesy Middle Country Central School District
Brandon Lloyd, a graduate of Centereach High School’s class of 2021, has been recognized for his service and bravery.
Lloyd recently completed his deployment as a petty officer, 2nd class, with the United States Navy.
Naval Ship on the water. Courtesy Middle Country Central School District
In acknowledgment of his excellence, Lloyd has been promoted to the rank of E5 petty officer, 2nd class. Additionally, he was awarded the U.S. Navy Marine Corps Achievement Award, by Justin Smith, captain of the USS Mason.
“We are immensely proud of Brandon’s accomplishments, as well as the dedication he has shown to his country and his fellow service members,” said Thomas Bell, principal of Centereach High School. “His achievements are a testament to his character, and the values that were instilled in him, during his time here at Centereach.”
Lloyd finished his first deployment as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, where he served aboard the USS Mason, from October 2023 until this July. During this time, he served valiantly in defense of the USS Mason during multiple attacks, including intercontinental ballistic missile and drone assaults by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
He is currently stationed at Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida, where he will continue to serve his country with honor and pride.
Middle Country Central School District hopes to continue fostering the finest education for their students, and Brandon Lloyd is just one shining example of those efforts.
Prev
