• Senior Artists Chosen for “Go APE”

    East Islip High School seniors Kaitlyn Donnelly, Brianna Fairbrother, Thomas Henderson and Olivia McBride were recently selected for the Art League of Long Island’s 15th annual Go APE Advanced Placement Exhibition, which showcases exceptional work by art students from all over Long Island. Donnelly’s “A Wolf's Ballad,” Fairbrother’s “In Your Blood,” Henderson’s “Contract” and McBride’s “Stomping on the Fast Fashion Industry” appear in the Dix Hills gallery’s show, which runs from Jan. 29 through Feb. 13 and is open to the public. Out of 135 students chosen across Long Island for the Go APE show, Henderson’s work was selected for the show’s press flyer. “These four are exceptional,” said Dan Figliozzi, their AP Art and Design teacher. “They are extremely talented, hardworking and all-around wonderful people. I love hanging with them every day, talking to them about their artwork and helping them elevate their craft. They each have a unique style and I’m excited for their work to be shown at the Art League alongside some of Long Island’s best student artists.” “I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity,” Fairbrother said. “I am so happy that I finally have the ability to share my visions with everyone.” “I’m so incredibly stoked to be involved with Go APE and I can’t wait to see everyone else’s artwork,” Donnelly said. “I feel so grateful for this opportunity for my art to be presented in this show,” McBride said. “My piece is about how fast fashion isn’t reliable, and how you are only hurting yourself.” “It is truly such an honor to be featured among the top student artists on Long Island,” Henderson said. “Art has always been a huge part of my life and it fill me with so much joy to be able to share my hard work. Although I may not be continuing my career as an artist next year, the art department at East Islip High School will always hold a special place in my heart for teaching me to be myself and never settle for less than what I am capable of.” Date Added: 1/31/2022
go ape artists
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  • Redmen Wrestlers Go 4-0 at Kris McDonald Tournament

    East Islip High School’s varsity wrestling team went 4-0 at the Kris McDonald Wrestling Tournament, held on Jan. 15 at Islip High School. The Redmen defeated Central Islip by a score of 63-0 and Deer Park by 63-3 in the first two rounds. In the semifinals, East Islip won 43-21 over John Glynn, then went on to defeat Sachem North by 45-19 in the finals. The Redmen will host the League V championships on Feb. 5. The top four place-winners will be heading to the Section XI tournament the following weekend. Date Added: 1/27/2022

  • HS Boys Bowling Team Ranks High

    Once again, East Islip High School’s boys bowling team is dominating the league, placing several athletes in Suffolk County’s list of top bowlers. The record stands at 11-1, including 10 consecutive victories after a Nov. 30 opening game loss. The Redmen scored two amazing pin totals for a five-man, three-game match: 3,585 on Jan. 13 (ranking sixth highest in New York State and 10th nationally) and 3,514 on Jan 6 (12th in the state and 19th nationally), scores not reached by any other team in the county. East Islip’s score of 2,414 for a two-game series on Jan. 6 ranked fifth in the state and 14th nationally. The team is led by senior and co-captain Sebastian Gebhard, who stands fifth in the county with an average of 224. Eighth grader Matthew Sundberg is third in the county with an average of 228. Sundberg also shot an 821 series on Jan. 6 – a performance ranking in the top 21 all-time for high school boys bowling in New York State – and rolled a perfect 300. Rounding out the starting team are co-captain Jack Baranek (200 average), Andrew Jacobsen (197), Brenden Mueller (210), Niko Stavropoulos (191) and Shawn Watts (215). Solid performances by Gregg Stephens and Nick Walsh in several matches also helped the team this year. “These boys work hard and smart every day,” coach Judith Fischer said. “I’m so proud of them and we’re looking to finish the season strong as we work towards a sixth League 1 title in a row. We hope to take a sixth Suffolk County championship in a row as well." Date Added: 1/24/2022

  • Wind Ensemble Performs to Standing Ovations at NYSSMA

    The East Islip High School Wind Ensemble submitted an audition tape in 2021 to perform at this year’s New York State School Music Association All-State Conference in Rochester, and East Islip was the only concert band from the entire state selected by NYSSMA to perform. The wind ensemble’s Dec. 2 performance, which garnered two standing ovations, featured a diverse program including Gustav Holst’s Second Suite in F, Omar Thomas’ “Of Our New Day Begun” and Arturo Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego Nuevo.” Afterward, the East Islip students were able to attend the convention hall to visit with local colleges, instrument manufacturers, publishers and other music companies. “This is one of the highest honors a high school ensemble can achieve in New York State,” said Band Director Christopher Neske. “I am so proud of their hard work and dedication, both on their audition tape last year and in preparing a very challenging program this year. We would like to thank the district for their support in our trip to Rochester, and eiMAPs with help in funding the hotel rooms for the students.” Date Added: 1/24/2022

  • Four HS Photographers Chosen for Suffolk Art Competition

    High school photography students Naomy Mukai, Luciana Ponciolo, Kelly Waldron and Kaylee Wilko were chosen to participate in the annual High School Art Competition at Suffolk County Community College. Their work was displayed in the Sagtikos Art Gallery in the college’s Sagtikos Arts and Sciences Center, beginning with an opening reception on Dec. 9 attended by students, their family members and teachers Amarilis Singh and Heather Toomey. More than 100 students from 16 different schools submitted works for this competition. “Being at my first showcase, seeing all the artwork and touring Suffolk’s new art center was a great overall experience for me,” Waldron said. “I am so thankful that Suffolk gave me the opportunity to display my art for the first time,” Mukai said. “It was an honor to be chosen for this opportunity by my art teachers. Being able to see the new facilities in person, especially the darkroom with Mrs. Singh and Mrs. Toomey, was an amazing experience.” “We are very thankful to Suffolk County Community College for offering our students the opportunity to display their talents,” Singh said. “Naomy is an incredibly talented photo student, and I am so proud of her work.” “I am so proud of all of the students and am so excited we are finally able to celebrate and hang physical artworks in a professional gallery space,” Toomey said. “Being able to see artwork in person is an experience we have all missed.” Date Added: 1/18/2022

  • Tech Students Learn About Long Island’s Aerospace History

    High school technology students in robotics, computer-aided drafting and video production classes recently visited the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, which serves to honor the area’s aerospace heritage by preserving and displaying Long Island’s contribution to air and space travel. During the field trip, the students viewed an IMAX film on Mars and space travel, and took self-guided tours of the museum’s exhibits. The museum docents – including retired engineers, pilots and former military members – provided the students with a wealth of information about every exhibit as well as personal knowledge about the field of engineering. “This trip is always a great experience for me and my students,” teacher William Lackner said. “Many of them don't know about the deep history of engineering and aviation that came from Long Island. It's a great way to expose them to this." East Islip senior David Smith, using his knowledge from video production class, later created a video about his experiences at the museum. “I enjoyed designing the video and interviewing the docents, as they had a lot of important information to share,” Smith said. Date Added: 1/18/2022

     

  • Celebrating Writing at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½

    Third graders at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ recently celebrated all the hard work they have done in writing so far, sharing their achievements with their peers. The students went through the eight stages of the writing process to complete their realistic fiction stories, each creating a character that faced a realistic problem and resolution. Date Added: 1/18/2022

  • HS Teacher Patsy Lester Competes on “Jeopardy!”

    High school social studies teacher and mock trial team coach Patsy Lester appeared as a contestant on the “Jeopardy!” game show on Jan. 7, finishing in second place and winning $2,000. Lester lost to the super-champion Amy Schneider, who at that time had won 28 times and earned over $1 million dollars. “I first tried out by taking the online contestant test back in March 2020 when we were on lockdown,” Lester said. “I took the test for fun. I’ve always been a ‘Jeopardy!’ fan but never expected to actually get on the show.” After she took the test, Lester was told she had a qualifying score. Over the next year, she was contacted multiple times to take more tests, be interviewed and play a practice game, all via Zoom. The show finally called Lester in August 2021 and asked her to fly out to Los Angeles to appear on the show. “I thought it was a prank call at first,” Lester said. “Jeopardy!” films multiple shows per day, well in advance of the air dates, and on Lester’s filming day, hers was the last show. “I had watched the champion Amy plow through eight other contestants in four shows before mine filmed, so I was definitely feeling nervous,” she said. “The show itself goes so fast. I felt like I blinked my eyes and it was over. The hardest thing about ‘Jeopardy!’ is the buzzer timing. When the host reads the clue, a person on set enables the signaling devices and big lights flash to let the contestants know they can ring in. If you hit the buzzer too soon, you get locked out and can’t ring in. Lester’s “Jeopardy!” experience definitely impacted her work as an educator. “It taught me something about teaching and coaching,” Lester said. “I now have firsthand experience of what it’s like to be under pressure and have my mind go blank on a fact I know. I’ve always been sympathetic to test anxiety, but now I really know what it’s like.” Date Added: 1/18/2022

  • Dodenhoff Signs with SUNY Oneonta

    High school senior Chelsea Dodenhoff signed a national letter of intent on Jan. 10 to play lacrosse for SUNY Oneonta, where she plans to major in psychology. Dodenhoff, a four-year Scholar-Athlete who plays attack, is a starter for the Long Island Empire travel lacrosse team. As a goalie for three years on East Islip’s varsity field hockey team, she serves as co-captain, earned All-County and All-County Honorable Mention accolades, and was named to Newsday's Top 50 Field Hockey Players to Watch. Dodenhoff also is a three-year member of East Islip’s varsity winter track team. In academics, she is a member of the school’s Art Honor Society and Foreign Language Honor Society. Date Added: 1/18/2022

  • Senior Skater Ella Micalizzi Featured on News 12

    East Islip High School senior skater Ella Micalizzi, who recently signed to join the synchronized skating team at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, was featured last night on News 12 Long Island! Date Added: 1/14/2022

  • Amazing Winter Concert Series Returns

    East Islip’s band, chorus and orchestra musicians took the stage last month for the first time since December 2019, as the high school, middle school, Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ and RCK all presented spectacular in-person winter concerts in front of the proud school community. “What an amazing winter concert series this was,” said Dr. Robert Wottawa II, East Islip’s director of art, ENL, music and world languages. “Our teachers challenged our students with authentic repertoire and made this season of giving filled with beautiful music. Our community and parents were very supportive and gave standing ovations to our hard-working musicians.” View videos of the performances here. Date Added: 1/12/2022

  • East Islip’s French Students Experience “Van Gogh” in NYC

    On Dec. 10, students studying French at East Islip High School took a field trip to experience “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” a digital art exhibition on the famed Dutch painter held at Pier 36 NYC. The students meandered through large rooms where Van Gogh’s works were projected on expansive wall and floors, offering a true 360-degree experience. The show was set to music that mimicked Van Gogh’s emotions throughout his life. “It was a fantastic day and this was a truly impressive exhibit,” teacher Lauren Pinka said.

  • East Islip Science Club Designs “Lunar Landers”

    Science Club members at East Islip High School recently worked in teams to complete STEM challenges with adviser Lauren Ferlin. One of the most exciting challenges was to design and build a “Lunar Lander” – a shock-absorbing device that could safely transport two astronauts (represented by two pieces of bubblegum). Just as engineers had to develop solutions for landing different kinds of vehicles on the Moon and Mars, students had to follow the engineering design process to design and build a shock-absorbing system. Students worked in teams to build their Lunar Landers using simple materials such as index cards, cotton balls and plastic cups, then improved these designs based on the results of their test landings.

  • Girls Basketball Program Showcased

    The East Islip High School varsity girls basketball team game on Dec. 16 proved a multifaceted event showcasing the program’s past and present glories as well as the team’s admirable efforts to give back to the community. Captain Kamilah Pasha helped spearhead a fundraising effort by the team on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Foundation, which helped spread awareness and netted $600 for this worthy cause. The day also served to commemorate the 20th anniversary of East Islip’s Long Island championship girls basketball team, and many of the players were in attendance to celebrate their accomplishments, including Katie Burke, Patti Cronin, Christine Dorney, Kristen Jackson, Jen McLoughlin, Rebecca Primm, Regina Primm and Steffi Propper. “Many of the players hadn’t seen each other in years, and it was truly a special time to celebrate and reconnect,” said current coach Mike Petre. Finally, Petre inducted five new members from that 2001 team to the Lady Redmen Legends Club: Katie Burke, Patti Cronin, Christine Dorney, Jen McLoughlin and Rebecca Primm. All five players were highly decorated in their playing days and were the starters for the Long Island champions and 2001 state finalist team.

  • Sophomore Liam Godbout Named HOBY Winner

    High school sophomore Liam Godbout has been named the winner of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award, honoring exceptional leadership and community service. He will represent East Islip at this year’s HOBY New York Metro Leadership Seminar conference, to be held in June. HOBY is an annual leadership seminar open to sophomore students across America, providing more than 12,000 students the opportunity to engage in leadership development activities and seminars around the country. As in previous years, the cost for East Islip’s winning student to attend the seminar will be covered by a donation from the Lions Club of the Islips, whose representatives Randy Nissan and Eugene Petraitis visited the school to present Godbout with a check and their congratulations. “We thank the Lions Club for their generosity, and congratulate Liam on a job well done,” counselor Jennifer Salvaggio said.

     

     
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  • Ella Micalizzi Signs with Liberty U.

    Senior Ella Micalizzi signed a national letter of intent on Dec. 14 to join the synchronized skating team at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She plans to major in exercise science. Micalizzi has been a synchronized skater with Team Rinx since she was 9 years old, the last eight seasons on their highest level team, the Hurricanes. She is a two-time silver medalist at the Empire State Games in Lake Placid, both synchronized and individual, earning her a bid to compete in the State Games of America in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Micalizzi performed as a cast member in “Holiday Spectacular on Ice” at the Patchogue Theatre and is a bronze-level United States Figure Skating Association award recipient. She is a member of East Islip’s Tri-M Music Honor Society and World Language Honor Society.

  • Seniors and Fifth-Graders Meet Again for “Sign-Along”

    In a returning annual “Sign-Along” tradition, East Islip High School seniors in Jovina Bratta’s American Sign Language class paid a visit to Christine Cirillo’s fifth-grade class John F. Kennedy Elementary School. The advanced ASL students met with the elementary school students in the Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Cafetorium to maintain social distancing, and rotated in stations that included learning how to finger-spell with the alphabet; learning new signs related to sports, food and daily activities; and even learning how to sign holiday songs like “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.” “Because of COVID, we weren’t able to do it last year, but luckily this year we found a way,” Bratta said. “It was a great experience for everyone involved and started off the week before break with a lot of holiday cheer.”

  • Learning to Fly Drones at EIHS

    For the past few months, East Islip High School students in James Connell’s Robotics Club and William Lackner’s Video-Vation Club have been learning how to fly the East Islip High School Technology Department’s drones. At the beginning of the year, the department purchased two DJI Mavic Mini 2 drones, which are perfectly designed for introductory-level drone operators who may be interested in learning how to operate drones. To infuse this new technology into courses such as video production and robotics, the two clubs have been experimenting with all of the drones’ functions and capabilities, and practicing with them, primarily after school. Facilitated by Director of Careers and Student Services Jason Stanton, the students have also been getting certified to fly the drones “recreationally” using a free online training course and certification exam online. Several students in both clubs have completed their certifications and are now taking the drones to new heights, both figuratively and literally, and David Smith, one of Lackner's top video students, edited and produced a video of their drone activities utilizing his video production skills. Both teachers have long-term plans to make drone flying an active part of their curriculum, as there is no shortage of applications for this new and ever-growing technology.

  • Gingerbread Day at Connetquot

    Continuing a beloved annual tradition, first graders at Connetquot enjoyed a December day of gingerbread activities. First, they engaged in reading different versions of gingerbread stories, including “The Gingerbread Man,” “The Gingerbread Boy,” “The Gingerbread Girl” and “The Gingerbread Baby.” Working with teacher Barbara Maieli, the young readers compared the stories’ characters, the phrases the characters use when they run away and how the stories ended. The first graders then created and decorated their own gingerbread houses with yummy candies and treats. “Although we couldn’t have parents in to assist this year, we were able to still enjoy this fun activity in the classroom,” Maieli said.

  • HS Provides Authentic “Christmas Carol” Production

    Theater students at the high school brought the season to the stage for their winter drama production of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” adapted for the stage by director Bethany Affelt and performed on Dec. 10 and 11. The cast included Dan Locke starring as Ebenezer Scrooge, along with Tristan Hearth as Fred, Brendan Kroupa as Bob Cratchit, Aiden Gomez as Jacob Marley, Dom Nickson as Fezziwig, Sophia LoMonaco as Mrs. Cratchit, Timothy Hogan as Old Joe, Beckett Affelt as Tiny Tim, Marisa Triolo as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Rosemary Connolly as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Hanna Harbison as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. “Our musical team overcame many challenges to provide our students and community with an authentic ‘Christmas Carol’ experience,” said Robert Wottawa II, East Islip’s director of art, ENL, music and world languages. “We are so fortunate to have a team of teachers that truly love our students and program, I am so very proud of each teacher and student who participated in our winter drama.”

  • Kelly to Play Lax at Frostburg State

    East Islip High School senior Isabelle Kelly signed a national letter of intent on Dec. 14 to play lacrosse for Frostburg State University in Maryland. She plans to major in business/finance. Kelly, a Scholar-Athlete and three-year varsity lacrosse starter on defense, earned 2021 All- Division honors. As a soccer player, she was the starting goalie for East Islip’s varsity girls soccer team in the 2021 season, leading the Lady Redmen to the Suffolk County championship, and won the Carey Award twice.