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uard Elijah Olaniyi in action against Yale on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Olaniyi passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27 after a battle with brain cancer. Photo by Emma Harris/Statesman file

By George Caratzas 

Elijah Olaniyi, a former star for the Stony Brook University men’s basketball team died on Thursday, Feb. 27 after an on-and-off battle with brain cancer. He was 26.

More than 15 months ago, Olaniyi was diagnosed with a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain. After undergoing three different surgeries to remove it, it was revealed that the tumor had been cancerous. Olaniyi went through radiation therapy and declared himself cancer-free on Feb. 27, 2024. Late in 2024, Olaniyi was once again hospitalized, as the cancer returned.

Olaniyi was recruited out of Newark East Side High School in Newark, N.J., and lost his mother, Ruth Olaniyi, just two days after arriving at Stony Brook in 2017. Across four years with the Seawolves, Olaniyi distinguished himself as one of the best players in program history, averaging 12.2 points per game.

Nonetheless, he excelled on the court, serving as the sixth man for the Seawolves as a freshman. Appearing in every one of Stony Brook’s 32 games, Olaniyi averaged 7.8 points per game, on the way to being named the America East Conference’s Rookie of the Year.

He then took the next step forward as a sophomore, becoming a full-time starter and continuing his dominance. His production jumped, as he averaged 12.3 points per game and was named to the All-America East Third Team in the 2018-2019 season. His junior year proved to be his most fruitful, as he averaged 18.0 points per game. After his stellar 2019-2020 campaign, he was awarded with a selection to the All-America East First Team. 

The next year, Olaniyi took his talents south, transferring to the University of Miami for his senior year. After moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Olaniyi still found some success as he was good for 10.5 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA gave Olaniyi an additional year of eligibility, which he used to return to the north shore of Long Island for a graduate season as he pursued a degree in Business Management. 

In his final year of college basketball, Olaniyi dealt with a knee injury which sidelined him in the third game of the Seawolves’ season. Even upon returning to the court, Olaniyi took time off throughout the year to deal with mental health issues, something doctors later attributed to the tumor which they believe began to form during the 2021-2022 season.

After leaving Stony Brook, Olaniyi moved overseas, where he tried launching a professional career with the Basket-Ball Club Sparta Bertrange in Luxembourg. He played well in Europe during the 2022-2023 season, but was forced to medically retire on Dec. 6, 2023. 

In a statement to Stony Brook’s Statesman, Stony Brook Athletics said “We are completely shattered by the news of Elijah’s passing. Not only was Elijah a beloved member of our Seawolves family, he was a son, brother and friend who gave so much of himself to so many. Throughout his battle with cancer, he displayed the competitiveness and courage that he displayed on the basketball court. Although Elijah’s brave fight has peacefully come to an end, his legacy and the memories he left behind will endure forever.”

During their game against Hofstra the night of his passing, current members of the Seawolves wore a heart-shaped patch with the letter “E” in the center in Olaniyi’s honor. In emotional fashion, Stony Brook won that game over its cross-island rival by a final score of 59-56. 

“It’s hard because those of us that know Elijah and were part of his career and life, it’s difficult because he’s a kid, he’s a young man,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame press conference. “We knew it was coming because he had been battling this illness. He hung in there way longer than what was advertised, which was no shock because of the competitor and a warrior he was as a player.”

Olaniyi is survived by his father Festus, and five siblings: Samson, Gabriel, David, Esther and Hannah. 

George Caratzas 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.

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Image by Alexandra Koch from Pixabay

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

As more teens learn about artificial intelligence, more are using ChatGPT in doing their schoolwork. According to K-12 Dive, an industry newsletter, between 2023 and 2024, the number doubled. What has also increased is the way in which students can cheat on assignments.

Like every new invention, there are pluses and minuses. Using ChatGPT as an aid can be of help by providing new ways to view information. It can create a metaphor or write a synopsis and offer a different perspective. It could also complete the homework in a false manner that deprives the student of real understanding, much like copying someone else’s notes, even if he or she gets a good grade.

And with so much pressure for good grades, some students may find it easier to cheat, especially in this way that is harder to detect, than to actually learn the new material. Of course, the person they are really cheating is themselves. While AI cheating may offer an academic pathway for short term success, if misused it undermines intellectual growth and also challenges students’ moral and ethical development.

Cheating, of one sort or another, has always existed in academic circles. One way I can recall, when I was in college, was to use Cliff Notes to summarize a plot. These were intended to enable a term paper on Tolstoy’s “War & Peace” or Dickens’ “Bleak House,” for example, without the student having to read the actual thick book. The student may have made it through the class but at what price?

Other forms of cheating included hiring someone to write that term paper for the student, or even hiring another student to take a final. We all knew in school that cheating, in various ways, existed.

So how can cheating be prevented?

The answer is, it probably can’t. But according to the K-12 Dive Newsletter, it can be minimized by creating “a culture of integrity” within which to dissuade cheating.

I can tell you how my college did so in the early 1960s. There was an Honor Board made up of students elected to that position for one year. Anyone accused of cheating or any other improper act could be brought before this jury of peers and either found innocent or, if deemed guilty, appropriately sentenced. Trials, which were few, were held in private, as were verdicts. Innocent until proven guilty was the mindset, and integrity was valued.

That said, I am sure people still cheated without getting caught.

As for catching those misusing ChatGPT, teachers are urged by the Newsletter to read assignments and consider them in light of what they know about each student’s abilities. Testing with pencil and paper in class is revealing. AI use for homework won’t help on a class test.

“Noting the absence of expected concepts or references used in class or the presence of concepts and references not taught in class,” is a giveaway, according to K-12 Dive.

And further advocated in the Newsletter is the idea that students will be less likely to cheat if they understand the moral principles at play, as discussed in the school.

Let’s applaud ChatGPT for what it can do. It can prove to be a helpful tool if used transparently. Students should be taught how.

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Photo from Emma Clark Library

Recycle and Help the Library Earn a Free Bench

Photo from Emma Clark Library

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket is participating in the NexTrex® Community Recycling Challenge, in collaboration with the Suffolk Library System. Library visitors are encouraged to deposit their plastic film (e.g. plastic bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, cereal bags, etc.) in the bin located in the Library’s vestibule.

If the community collects & recycles 1,000+ pounds in a year, Emma Clark Library will receive a free bench made from these materials. The Library started this challenge on March 1, 2025. All plastic must be clean, dry, and free of food residue. For more information on what is accepted, please visit emmaclark.org/nextrexchallenge.

For more information, call 631-941-4080

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We have a special episode of our podcast series: The Pressroom Afterhour,  
 
TBR Reporter Lynn Hallarman brings us to the front lines of the fight to protect the 9/11 health program against recent attempts to slash the program’s funding.

Note to listeners, this episode contains graphic depictions of events on September 11th, 2001, and one offensive word.

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Rhythm India heads to the Staller Center on March 21.

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook will present three exhilarating dance performances this season, showcasing diverse styles and cultural expressions. From the powerful sisterhood of Syncopated Ladies to the vibrant celebration of South Asian dance in Rhythm India: Bollywood and Beyond to the innovative artistry of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, this season offers an exceptional opportunity to experience some of the world’s most innovative dance performances yet.

On March 14, the groundbreaking Syncopated Ladies take the Main Stage. Led by Emmy Award-nominated choreographer Chloé Arnold, Syncopated Ladies is the most viewed female tap group in history, having amassed over 100 million views online. With a background of notable collaborations—including Beyoncé, who shared their work with her fans and invited them to perform internationally—the Syncopated Ladies have quickly become a global sensation. In this upcoming performance, Syncopated Ladies combine bold choreography with personal stories, empowering audience members of all ages to pursue their dreams with courage. From their viral success to their acclaimed performances on Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more, this dynamic group continues to inspire the next generation of artists.

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Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies: Live!

On March 21, get ready for “A feast for the eyes, ears, and heart!” (Cultural Explorer) with Rhythm India: Bollywood & Beyond. Under the direction of Joya Kazi, a World Choreography Award nominee and Telly Award-winning choreographer, this performance celebrates the spirited traditions of South Asian dance, from classical forms to Bollywood hits. Dazzling costumes, dynamic music, and energetic rhythms resonate from the palaces of ancient India to the bustling streets of its modern cities. Rhythm India invites audiences to step into the rich cultural tapestry of India with the talented dancers from Joya Kazi Unlimited.

DINNER & A SHOW: Enhance your experience by bundling your ticket with an authentic three-course Indian dinner at the Curry Club at SaGhar. For just $95 (adult package), or $68.50 for kids 12 and under, you’ll enjoy a flavorful meal, soft drinks, and coffee, along with tax and gratuity included. This package combines the best of South Asian cuisine with an evening of exceptional dance.

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Dancers from Joya Kazi Unlimited in Rhythm India: Bollywood & Beyond

Closing out the Spring Season is an international leader in modern dance: Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to Staller on May 3rd. Since its founding in 1954, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has been at the forefront of contemporary dance, offering audiences new perspectives on the human experience through the joy, pain, humor, and tragedy that bind us all together. Under the artistic direction of Michael Novak, a longtime company member appointed by founder Paul Taylor himself, the company has evolved while maintaining the core values and that Taylor instilled. With a repertoire that spans over six decades, the company’s performances have touched audiences in over 600 cities across 66 countries, showcasing the transformative power of dance. This is a rare opportunity to experience some of the world’s finest dancers performing in one of the most prestigious dance companies. “One of the most exciting, innovative, and delightful dance companies in the entire world.” (The New York Times). 

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Paul Taylor Dance Company performs Esplanade.

For tickets, information, and to see all of the upcoming programs at Staller Center, visit stallercenter.com. 

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METRO photo

Upon waking up in the morning, the first thing most of us do is open the weather app, reservedly hopeful. It feels as if winter should be over as we enter March, but as the weather for the day appears on our screens or televisions, we are greeted with a little cloud icon. Again. 

Despite lengthening daylight hours and sporadic days of sunshine, Long Island enters March under cold and cloudy conditions. The low temperatures keep many inside clutching a hot beverage. In the summer, there would still be plenty of daylight hours to still take advantage of: a comparison that we can’t help but indulge in.

There are some days where our only outdoor time involves walking from the car to the front door; this lack of exposure to the sun as well the inability to pursue hobbies such as hiking, playing sports, swimming or gardening can cause seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD is characterized by oversleeping, overeating and social withdrawal in addition to decreased energy, loss of pleasure in hobbies and difficulty concentrating or making decisions, to name a few. 

While many don’t experience the impacts of the season drastically enough to have a SAD diagnosis, the lack of time outdoors and under the sun undoubtedly has an effect on our behavior and outlook. 

On a chemical level, researchers theorize that vitamin D, which we produce when we are exposed to sun, plays a role in the production of serotonin, otherwise known as the “happy chemical.” According to the National Institute of Mental Heath, the lower levels of vitamin D are common in people who suffer from SAD. 

Furthermore, fewer daylight hours can cause the body to begin producing melatonin earlier, leading to oversleeping. 

The uncomfortable weather understandably keeps us indoors, away from our hobbies, leaving us feeling unfulfilled. The days seem to pass faster without activities to break up the monotony of being indoors. 

Luckily, we can take vitamin D supplements to compensate for our lack of sunlight exposure. While this can abate the chemical impacts, it is important to pay attention to how the season changes our lifestyle choices and to try to mitigate that or supplement it with something else. 

Perhaps, instead of gardening outside, we decide to devote ourselves to a collection of houseplants. We can invest in some hand-warmers and warm weather clothing  to continue hiking and walking without becoming uncomfortably cold. Or, we can take up a new engaging hobby like painting, knitting, or rock-climbing. Moving our body in some capacity is also important to make sure we stay in shape and boost our endorphins, which can decrease symptoms of depression, stabilize our mood, and help us manage stress. 

As we enter the home-stretch of cold-weather, we should check in with our personal and physical needs.

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Emma Clark Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Emma Clark Library in Setauket recently announced the winners of the 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest:

First Prize (Grades seven – nine category):

“Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo 

(eight grader at Murphy Junior High School)

First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category):

“What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee 

(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)

Second Prize (Grades seven – nine category):

“Dinky” by Athie Kim 

(eighth grader at Murphy Junior High School)

Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): 

“Kittie and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright 

(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)

Each of the winning entries has their own unique artwork and storylines geared towards young children. “Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo includes sweet illustrations with expressive facial features to tell this story. When Benny loses his favorite toy, he realizes that friendship and connection with others is more important – and more fun – than material objects. In “What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee, a kitten is trying to figure out what a friend truly is and realizes that they do know in the end! The questions are emphasized with charming illustrations. With colorful, bold cartoons and simple but effective text for a child, “Dinky” by Athie Kim allows the young reader to follow Dinky the Duck through her day.”Kitty and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright uses whimsical drawings with a lot of motion to tell the story of a new friendship between a cat and fish, the fun they have together, and how they resolve a problem involving ice cream!

Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m.  Each first prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each second prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. The newly bound books – made into hardcover by the Library – will have the honor of being added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection, and winners will also receive copies of their books to cherish in their own home libraries. Desserts will be served at the reception, generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop. Past ceremonies have had Library Board members, teachers and top school district administrators from Three Village, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners.

The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book.  Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort of an author and an illustrator.  The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one first prize winner and one second prize winner selected from each group.

This award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family.  As a teacher, Mrs. Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them.  She was a frequent visitor to Emma Clark Library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books.  The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the cost of the prizes.

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

 

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Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine with Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Executive Romaine's office

By Daniel Dunaief

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. Photo courtesy the Suffolk County Police Department

 

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina is constantly looking for ways to ensure the safety of residents and improve upon a force he believes is the best in the nation.

After a recent visit to an intelligence center in Nassau County that tracks potential school threats, Catalina created a similar threat matrix in Suffolk.

Earlier this week, he described an incident at Brentwood High School Ross Center in which officials found bullets.

During an active investigation, the SCPD plans to determine who brought those bullets to school. Once they do, they will follow up with an ongoing assessment of the risk anyone might pose to students.

“Based on that matrix, we determine how often we’re going to visit that individual to determine whether that threat level has changed,” Catalina said. “If somebody was willing to bring bullets” to school, that person is “probably somebody that’s going to be high on the threat matrix,” said Catalina. 

As he continues in a role he took last month and that he has described as his “dream job,” Catalina plans to take several measures to improve the safety of county residents.

In a wide-ranging, exclusive interview, Catalina shared his thoughts on reducing traffic accidents and injuries, enhancing school safety, recruiting officers from a range of communities and developing and promoting his senior staff.

‘Too many’ car accidents

“Road safety is first and foremost,” said Catalina. “There are way too many accidents with injuries and fatalities on our roadways.”

Catalina, who is a native of Sayville and has 33 years of experience in various New York police forces, plans to bolster the highway enforcement division.

In addition to building on a street takeover task force, he’s starting a program where he’s bringing in precinct commanders on a biweekly basis to discuss accidents and accidents with injuries.

He’s looking for ways to improve on the deployment of personnel to use enforcements actions that make the roadways safer.

The Suffolk County Police Department is partnering with Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. and with the state police in this effort.

The department is also looking at changes in Driving While Intoxicated numbers over time.

“We’d always like to see improvement,” Catalina said.

The county has experienced an increase in drivers who are impaired from marijuana.

Detecting drivers affected by pot is challenging, Catalina said.

Under Catalina’s leadership, the department is planning to increase training that would help officers recognize the effects of people who are high while they are driving.

Current recruits will spend an additional few days in the police academy to “give them a base level training in that kind of skill,” Catalina added.

Cell phones have also become a hazard. Catalina would like to see increased enforcement of laws that prevent driving while texting.

Cars are swerving around the road as drivers stare at their phones while sending a message to someone else, who also might be driving.

The SCPD is also training officers on the use of body worn cameras, making sure the footage they collect is usable and available for prosecutions.

Chief of Detectives William Doherty. Photo from Suffolk County Police Department

Catalina is confident the academy prepares recruits for their work. He sees opportunities, however, to enhance field training.

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the 2020 killing of George Floyd, was a field training officer.

“I know we don’t have any Derek Chauvins in the Suffolk County Police Department,” said Catalina. “The lesson for everyone in law enforcement is that those training officers are incredibly impactful.”

He wants to ensure that the “right people are delivering the right messages,” he said.

Opioids

Even though the numbers are down, Catalina believes the county has “way too many opioids deaths. One is too many.”

He is working closely with District Attorney Ray Tierney and is in regular contact with him, which can include several phone calls each day.

“Not only are we going to target the horrible people that sell that poison and prosecute them in connection with the DA’s office,” but the department will also work with service providers to help people in need affected by addiction, Catalina said.

School safety

The SCPD offers a service to all the schools to provide active shooter training.

The officers explain what to do, what not to do, and how to harden infrastructure to prevent the kinds of tragedies that have devastated communities around the country from happening in the county.

He recognizes the need to be judicious about deploying additional school resource officers, as the department needs to be careful about taking resources away from other programs.

Catalina provides information to schools about safety, leaving it up to each district to create their own plans.

Police recruitment

Chief of Operations Milagros Soto. Photo courtesy the Suffolk County Police Department

Catalina emphasized the importance of having police officers who can relate to people who live in the communities they serve.

“When somebody calls the police, it puts them at ease to see people that look like them or people that can speak their language,” said Catalina. “It’s also a tremendous recruitment tool for people to see people who look like them.”

The SCPD doesn’t want to compromise when it comes to the quality of the officers.

“We feel we can still get quality officers and do a better job of recruiting people who will come from the communities in Suffolk County that are underserved and underrepresented,” Catalina added.

Catalina believes the department has made progress with Latino, Asian and female officers, but feels the SCPD is “still struggling with recruitment of African Americans.

Catalina has been working with the Guardians Association, an organization comprised primarily of black law enforcement professionals. He also visited El Salvador with Sheriff Toulon, where he got some “good ideas on recruitment” that he hopes to institute next time around.

Staff promotions

Apryl Hargrove, commanding officer of the hate crimes unit. Photo courtesy the Suffolk County Police Department

Catalina has been reorganizing his executive staff, which he believes will enhance the department

The elevation in rank for these staff is merit based, driven by aptitude and performance.

Milagros “Millie” Soto has become Chief of Operations, a three star designation, and is the first woman in the department to hold that rank.

A 37-year veteran of the department, Soto has held a variety of roles.

“I’m thrilled” with this promotion, Catalina said.

Catalina also promoted William Doherty as Chief of Detectives.

Doherty “brings a tremendous amount of experience” and has run “quite a few places in the police department.”

Among other promotions, Apryl Hargrove has become the commanding officer of the hate crimes unit.

“Any time there’s a hate crime, it can devastate a community,” said Catalina. Hargrove is “an incredible person” who recently retired from the Army.

Hargrove, who is now a detective sergeant and is the highest ranking female African American officer in the department, is “going to do a phenomenal job,” Catalina said.

While Catalina is encouraged with the department, he believes these promotions help “build a really strong team.”

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'Eel Spearing at Setauket (Fishing Along Shore)' by William Sidney Mount, 1845. Courtesy of the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY
Glenda Dickerson introduced the members of the Christian Avenue community seated in pews on the theater stage and set the tone for the play. Courtesy of Three Village Historical Society.
Lynda Gravatt portraying Rachel Holland Hart. Courtesy of Three Village Historical Society.
Lucy Hart Keyes, (88) interviewed by oral historian Fai Walker. Mrs. Keyes said, “My mind is so clear - bout as clear about back then as it is about now.” Courtesy of Three Village Historical Society.
A scene from the play. Photo from Three Village Historical Society
A scene from the play. Courtesy of Three Village Historical Society.

By Beverly C. Tyler

In 1986, Glenda Dickerson, a theater arts professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, began an oral history project with her students, interviewing members of the African American Christian Avenue community. This resulted two years later in a four-day theater program which she described as a “living exhibit…a portrait of a community past and present.” 

“When William Sidney Mount painted ‘Eel Spearing at Setauket (Fishing along Shore)’ in 1845 on contract for George Washington Strong he made, as far as we can tell, an exact representation of the landscape, but the people – painted later in his studio- are the past. The boy is thought to be William Sidney Mount himself and the woman, by tradition and folklore, is Rachel Holland Hart. They are perhaps a look back at an even earlier time when the 19th century was only in its infancy.” according to the exhibit and play “Eel Catching in Setauket” by Glenda Dickerson. It was Mount’s painting that inspired Dickerson to title her project “Eel Catching in Setauket.”

Before the theater experience, theater-goers were treated to a bus ride from the university to the African American Christian Avenue community, with a tour of the Bethel AME Church, graveyards and Legion Hall and then a meal shared with members of the community. 

In the play, the actors portraying the members of the Christian Avenue community, the members themselves who contributed their oral histories, and the theater-goers, described by Dickerson as “eel catchers,” were together on the stage as joint parts of the play. Dickerson wrote in the souvenir journal and theater program, “An eel catcher is a person who loves people and old pictures and history and characters and folklore and drama and textures and art and fun and laughter and doesn’t mind experiencing them all at one time.” 

Theodore Green, a descendant of Rachel Hart, was Glenda Dickerson’s guide and advisor, for the eel catching oral history project. In his story “The Hart-Sells Connection” in the Three Village Historical Society book “William Sidney Mount: Family, Friends, and Ideas”, Green wrote, “The woman is recognized to be Rachel Holland Hart, a housekeeper for Judge Selah Brewster Strong 3d…At the time the picture was painted, she was fifteen years of age…In planning the picture, Mount may have recalled scenes from his own childhood, when he was taught fish-spearing by an old Negro by the name of Hector.”

In the opening of the theater experience, Lynda Gravatt, portraying Rachel Holland Hart said the words Mount credits to Hector, “Slow now, we are coming on the ground. On sandy and gravelly bottoms are found the best fish. Look out for the eyes, there! Ha! Ha! He will grease my pan tonight.”

Seated behind Gravatt were the members of the Christian Avenue community. For the play, they took premier places on benches and pews in the Stony Brook University Art Center’s theatre as a dramatic feature of the presented living history.

As described by Dickerson, “The purpose of this living exhibit is to paint a portrait of a community, past and present. When you walk into the exhibit, it will be like walking into [the] souvenir journal. You will hear some of the same words. You will see the same photographs. You will see the stories leap to life as though from your own imagination.

“The photographs, the artifacts and the actors will tell stories that are sepia-toned, ebony, butterscotch and tea-rose, just like the women and men who shared their memories and their personal belongings with the project.

“The personal artifacts in the exhibit are not only displayed under glass to be contemplated in solitude and silence; they are living testaments to the warmth and generosity of Christian Avenuers. The prayer caps and church hats worn in the drama are not costumes, but actual items worn by the community. The pages of the souvenir journal, which document Bethel AME Church’s long and rich history will come to life as you read them. The eel spear Rachel Holland Hart carries is an authentic one.

“The magic circle of Christian Avenue – past and present – will stay with you. The trees have dappled the Avenue in the same way for a hundred years; the houses have held their secrets that long. Bethel’s bell has toiled seemingly forever. And the people have walked the Avenue from Setauket’s beginnings. Some of the folks lay in Laurel Hill, others in Bethel Cemetery; some have moved to far-flung places, others are still there. In my vision, they are one with the eelers and other workers who first came to Setauket, not voluntarily, and stayed to make history. In my vision, the autumnal elders will live forever, safe in the magic circle, shining like springtime. On Christian Avenue, it is forever Indian summer.” 

Beverly C. Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket, NY 11733. Tel: 631-751-3730. WWW.TVHS.org 

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Ward Melville High School Team 15041 demonstrated exceptional mathematical prowess in the prestigious High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling this year. Photo courtesy the Three Village Central School District

Two teams of students from Ward Melville High School demonstrated exceptional mathematical prowess in the prestigious High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM), earning top distinctions in an international field of competitors.

Ward Melville High School Team 15702 demonstrated exceptional mathematical prowess in the prestigious High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling this year. Photo courtesy the Three Village Central School District.

The HiMCM, an esteemed competition that challenges teams of up to four students to develop mathematical models addressing real-world problems, emphasizes critical problem solving, collaboration and clear communication. This year’s competition saw participation from 1,055 teams representing 474 schools across 20 countries and regions.

Ward Melville High School was proudly represented by Team 15041, consisting of Amanda Liang, Sarah Wu and Victoria Ye, and by Team 15702, including Tina Xing and Anna Xing. Both teams achieved remarkable success in the competition. Team 15702 earned the Finalist designation, placing them in the top 5% of all participating teams. Team 15041 attained the highest honor of Outstanding Winner, a distinction awarded to only eight teams worldwide and placing them in the top 1% of all competitors. Notably, among these eight Outstanding Winners, only three hailed from the United States, including Team 15041 from Ward Melville and a team from Stuyvesant High School in New York State.

The success of these teams highlights the strength of Ward Melville’s mathematics program and the commitment of its students and faculty to excellence in STEM education. Congratulations to Team 15041 and Team 15702 for their extraordinary accomplishments.

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