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HS Students Experience TV Production on NBC Tour
Students from the high school’s English 11, creative writing and broadcast television classes recently toured the famed NBC Studios in New York City, enjoying behind-the-scenes access to the studio’s sets, broadcast centers and writing rooms.
The tour included the broadcast sets of shows such as “NBC Nightly News,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” as well as NBC’s new 4K theater, production gallery, studio rooms and broadcast operations center. Students also experienced a description of the entire television production process from the writing of the sketches and monologues to the steps for production and means of viewer access to shows.
Additionally, the students on the tour had the opportunity to create their own unique productions, utilizing their personal scripts and performances. The production was recorded for students to later download.
As a follow-up activity in creative writing and broadcast television, the high schoolers wrote their own sketches, working cooperatively to create characters, scenario and dialogue and taking part in a group editing process they learned on the tour. Meanwhile, the junior English class, focused on speech, discussed the skills of performance and poise demonstrated by various actors and television show hosts, and put into practice such speech techniques as enunciation and holding for laughter.
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ENL Students Show Their ‘Command’ of English
East Islip hosted its very first “Commanding” ceremony on Jan. 8 for 29 English as a new language students in the district who had scored “commanding” on the NYSESLAT exam. These students exhibited sufficient knowledge in reading, writing, listening and speaking the English language. “Here at East Islip, we have over 100 ENL students that represent 15 different languages of our world,” said Robert J. Wottawa II, the district’s director of art, ENL, music and world language. “This evening was a celebration of excellence and culture, bringing together our ENL students and families with East Islip’s teachers and administrators. We hope to make this wonderful evening a tradition here at East Islip.”
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Murphy to Play for Queens College
Senior Jenny Murphy signed a national letter of intent on Jan. 23 to play softball for Queens College this fall. She plans to major in special education while attending the college.
A centerfielder and four-year starter on East Islip’s varsity team, Murphy was named All-Division in 2018 and earned Golden Glove and Minds in Motion honors. She also earned All-County recognition as a bowler for the Lady Redmen.
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Anatomy Students Get Certified in CPR
Juniors and seniors in high school science teacher Genesis Dawson’s human anatomy and physiology classes recently stayed after school to complete a CPR AED advanced first aid certification course. East Islip’s human anatomy and physiology class, accredited for college credit through SUNY Farmingdale, emphasizes becoming familiar with each major body system and the anatomical structures as well as various types of equipment and techniques involved in diagnosing and treating immediate injury and disease. The students are now officially certified following American Heart Association guidelines “This course helped the students gain the skills to help adults and children during medical, breathing, and cardiac emergencies,” said Dawson. “Between both the lecture and hands-on skills sessions, this class gave students time to become accustomed to the simple techniques and ask questions.” “I feel that in taking the course, I was able to actually apply what I have been learning in class to a real-life scenario,” said senior Isabella Pasha. “It is important to us, especially in the field of medicine, to learn the fundamentals at an early stage. Ms. Dawson and our course instructor really helped us understand the processes and get a good hands-on experience.”
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RCK's Scholl Attends Day of Horn
Peyton Scholl, a fifth-grader at RCK, recently attended the 14th annual Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association Day of Horn, held at Northport High School. Scholl participated in clinics and rehearsals with acclaimed guest artists and performed in an evening concert with horn players from all over the county.
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Annual Embers Serves Up Entertainment and Coffee
Continuing a winter tradition at the high school, technology education teacher James Connell’s video production and broadcast television classes recently presented the annual Embers Coffee House variety show in front of live student audiences throughout the day in the high school’s broadcast room. Among the students who worked hard to ensure an entertaining event were hosts Lauren DeCanio, Nick Conzo and Andrew Johnson; music and comedy performers Chris Alessi, Mal Brewster-Holland and Ben Chovnick; co-producers John Lennon and Stephanie Milito; technical director Jenna Donnelly; audio technician Sam Lichter; stage crew manager Jake Kenny; and coffee and hot chocolate barista Chris Cerrito. This year’s Embers was a little smaller than previous events, due to the fact that the studio is still under construction and in the process of getting a full make-over, including new studio equipment donated by the For the Kids Foundation and former video production alumni Cameron and Matt Philie. “Our plan is to have a much larger version of this show in the spring, and use it as a showcase of the new studio and all its upgrades and capabilities,” said Connell. “The students are super excited about being able to design, create and perform in this upcoming show.”
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Photographing Beauty in Nature at Bayard
High school students in Joy Taylor’s and Heather Toomey’s photography classes recently enjoyed a working field trip to a local state park, Bayard Cutting Arboretum. Toomey's students were photographing a narrative in film photography, and also had a digital scavenger hunt to complete. “It was great to get to see all of the students interact and work together,” said Taylor. “Taking photos is something that the students have to do on their own time, and it was really nice to be able to help them as they worked to complete the assignments. For a lot of students, it was their first time visiting the Arboretum. What a beautiful day we had.” “It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to photograph beauty in nature at a place so close to home,” said independent study photography student Gia Piazza. “I hope we can continue the tradition of field trips in photography, it’s such a valuable experience for the students,” said Toomey.
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McHugh Signs with St. Joseph’s
Senior pitcher Matthew McHugh signed a national letter of intent on Jan. 11 to attend St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn. He plans to major in business. A Scholar-Athlete in soccer, McHugh is also a member of the school’s National Honor Society and Foreign Language Honor Society as well as the local Ancient Order of Hibernians organization.
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Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Learns to Protect Local Waters
Young scientists at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ are learning important lessons this year from representatives of the Cornell Cooperative Extension. During a recent CCE visit, fifth-graders enjoyed a “Stormwater Superheroes” presentation in which they learned about ways to help keep local bays and watersheds clean, how harmful pollution is to marine life in the area, and how a storm drain system can help. The students also participated in hands-on science activities and met a friendly horseshoe crab. “It was wonderful to see how eager our students were to learn about how critical it is to protect the water around us,” said Principal Deborah Smith. “They realized that it is vital to become responsible citizens who are aware of harmful pollutants and the negative impact they can have on our environments.”
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Mock Trial Team Trophies Honored by Board of Ed
The high school’s Mock Trial team and coach Patsy Lester were recognized by Superintendent John Dolan and the Board of Education at the district’s January board meeting, honoring outstanding recent accomplishments, including earning an Outstanding Attorney trophy at the Empire Mock Trial World Tournament in November, the team’s fourth consecutive award at that event, and Outstanding Witness and Outstanding Attorney awards at the Angela R. Matthew High School Seminar Program at Harvard University.
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June Calendar Changes
Please note the following changes to the high school's calendar for June 2019. NHS Investiture Ceremony – added on June 11, 2019, at 6 p.m. at the MS Senior Prom – moved from June 24 to Tuesday, June 25 HS Graduation – moved from June 25 to Wednesday, June 26 HS Graduation Rain Date – moved from June 26 to Thursday, June 27
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Czajka Signs with University of Hartford
Senior Christie Czajka signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Hartford on Jan. 9, where she will compete for the Division I Hawks in cross-country and track and field. She was congratulated at the ceremony by her family, coaches and Athletic Director Stephen Restivo. A member of the Lady Redmen’s varsity girls cross-country and track teams teams since eighth grade, and captain of both teams for the last three years, Czajka earned the Cary Award for Leadership as well as Scholar-Athlete recognition. She was named All-Division in the 800-meter, 4x400, 4x800; All-League in the 600-meter, 1,000-meter and 1,500-meter; and division champion and school record holder in the 4x800. She has earned high honor roll and is a member of the school’s Foreign Language Honor Society. While at UHart, she plans to major in business. “I chose the University of Hartford because of the Barney School of Business, which is ranked as one of the top business schools in the country,” said Czajka. “I am excited that I was accepted into the Business School along with the honors program. I was also impressed with Stacie Wentz, the head coach of Hartford’s women’s and men’s cross-country and track and field teams. She’s very knowledgeable, takes academics very seriously and is very organized. I am also looking forward to see the university’s new track and field facility that is being built.”
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Food for Thought: Reading
Dear EI Community: Growing up in a house of book readers can be intimidating. It hurts to say this, but I often felt like an alien who could not master the reading skills of the natives. It was with great envy that I watched my brothers, mother and father pick up books, begin on page 1, go to page 2, finish chapter 1 and systematically read the book to completion. No matter how hard I tried, my eyes would begin to read, but I was distracted by every passing butterfly and change of the wind. Just when I thought I would never be a reader, my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kramer, recognized that I was struggling and asked me a question I will never forget. She said, "John, what do you like to read?" I told her I liked to read newspapers and magazines that were delivered to my home. She said, with a big smile on her face, "John, reading is reading, but as long as you promise to read the newspaper and magazines every day, your future will be bright." Looking back on my experience and applying all the research that tells us reading is the key to success, I have come to realize what saved me was newspapers and magazines. We often equate reading with books, but not all children’s minds are wired the same. It is with great joy that I would pick up the newspapers or magazines which did not have to be read in linear sequential order. The beauty of newspapers and magazines is they contain a rainbow of stories as opposed to the structure of the novel. It is with great pride that over the years, I have been able to retrain myself so that I can now enjoy newspapers, magazines and books. Ladies and gentlemen, the research doesn’t tell us what we must read, but shows us why it is so important to read. The more words, thoughts and ideas that go into our brain through our eyes and ears, the better solutions that come out of our mouth or through our writing. Please take a moment to look at the chart attached and do all you can to encourage our children to be better readers. Reading is the exercise our minds needs to make healthy decisions. Isn’t it great that we work in a profession where we could all become a Mrs. Kramer? Please join our movement and find positive, proactive ways to encourage our children to read. A little encouragement is the start of a a lot of big things. Sincerely, John V. Dolan Superintendent of Schools
Attachments: Click to view chart
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Teamwork Leads to Robotics Tournament Victory
High school students from James Connell’s Robotics I and II classes recently put on a demonstration in the school library, showcasing their newly designed robots, which consisted of team-designed “manipulators.” In robotics, a manipulator is a device used to manipulate materials without direct human contact. These manipulators were designed to play the VEX EDR “Swept Away” game, with students competing in a two-day tournament to determine which group’s design was most effective. The team of Jairo Alvarado, Sophia Bates, Jonatan Caravantes, Franklin George, Tristan Herr and Selvin Yanes – all first-year robotics students – won the overall competition with their robot Stardust. Alvarado, Caravantes, George and Yanes are all members of East Islip’s Cleary School for the Deaf program, while Bates and Herr are veterans of the school’s video production and CAD technology classes. “I was extremely proud of this group, as they worked very diligently to create their design,” said Connell. “Through positive teamwork and collaboration, there was no doubt as to why their design won the competition.” For the remainder of the school year, Robotics I students will continue to learn the basics of robotics technology and move into robotic programming as well as the creation of bigger and more complex robots that will play in the VEX EDR “Turning Point” game.
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Three Wrestling Redmen Recognized as Finalists at Rocky Gilmore
The high school’s varsity wrestlers scored big on Jan. 5 as they hosted the 32nd annual Rocky Gilmore Classic wrestling tournament, including three finalists: junior Nick Agresta (195 pounds), senior John Guadagno (195 pounds) and senior Kevin Mesa (220 pounds). Other Redmen showing skills on the mat were a fourth-place finisher, eighth-grader Mark Shayew (99 pounds); two fifth-place finishers, juniors Mark Shayew (160 pounds) and Arjay Wilko (170 pounds); and two sixth-place finishers, sophomores Michael Colon (152 pounds) and Nick Vetrano (132 pounds).
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Hilbert Wins Again at Spelling Bee
The middle school held another exciting spelling bee on Jan. 4, welcoming a jam-packed audience of students, parents, teachers and administrators. This year’s bee went seven rounds, with eighth-grader Robert Hilbert, the winner of the 2018 bee, again proving victorious, correctly spelling the championship word “treacle.” Sixth-grader Lee Daubaras was the runner-up, with eighth-grader Daniella Chillemi finishing in third place. “All of our classroom participants did an excellent job representing their school,” said teacher Mingione, who served as co-coordinator and judge alongside Brian Deedy. Barbara Huether was the official word announcer. “The only thing better than the bee was the enthusiasm of the audience and the tremendous support they showed the contestants,” said Principal Bill Brennen.
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SWAT Officer and EI Alumnus Colondona Visits Connetquot
Guardians of Our Dependents founder Daniel Colondona, a current SWAT officer for Suffolk County's Emergency Service Unit, recently visited with second-graders at Connetquot. The GOOD organization assists families of deceased police department members. Colondona, an East Islip High School alumnus and former Army paratrooper, discussed being a responsible and respectful student, calling 911 for emergencies, and the different tools and equipment used at his job.
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Safety Alert from Islip School District
Dear Parents/Guardians: The attached letter was received from the Islip School District this afternoon and disseminated to the surrounding districts. The situation lends itself to be a good opportunity for parents to review the importance of personal safety with their children and to remind children of all ages to always use a buddy system even if they are walking around neighborhood streets. Additionally: 1. Walk together to and from school if transportation is not available. 2. Never talk to or be lured by strangers, whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle or on foot. 3. Observe and take note of any suspicious or unknown vehicles or individuals seen in the community. 4. Encourage children to always inform trusted adults on any situations or incidents that make them feel uncomfortable. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Very truly yours, Mr. John V. Dolan Superintendent of Schools Attachments: Click to view alert
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All-District Concert Rescheduled to March 5
The all-district concert originally scheduled for March 6 has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 5. The event will still take place at 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. Rehearsals for the all-district concert have now been moved to Monday, March 4.
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Timber Point Second-Graders Collect 153 Pairs for Pajama Program
Erica Sherlock’s second-grade class at Timber Point recently organized a schoolwide drive, collecting 153 pairs of pajamas for the Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting a comforting bedtime routine for children affected by instability. Scholastic Book Clubs will also donate a new book for each pair of pajamas donated. The second-graders created posters to display around the building and used Timber Point’s morning announcements to make the entire school aware of their event.
“The families of Timber Point did an amazing job helping with this project,” said Principal Danielle Naccarato. “A big thank you to all who helped make this such a successful learning experience. These lessons of kindness and giving are truly priceless.”
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Drama Club Presents Terrific ‘Tenor’
Inducing raucous laughter from the audience each night, the high school Drama Club recently performed a hilarious full-length play, Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me a Tenor,” over two terrific evenings on the middle school stage.
This year’s production featured eight students. In the leading roles of Max and Maggie were sophomore Andrew Timmins and senior Karina Gallagher. The roles of Italian couple Tito and Maria Merelli were played by junior Luke Ferrari and senior Alex Bertolini, while sophomore Kieran Tohill played the comic role of Saunders. Rounding out the supporting cast were Jenni Profera as Diana and Katie Spina as Julia, while Connor Barnes brought down the house with his uniquely amusing interpretation of the Bellhop.
“I was extremely pleased with the turnout and proud of all of the students who were involved,” said Drama Club director Bethany Affelt. “The level of professionalism, comic timing and instincts, and overall talent of the actors was simply amazing. These students really raised the bar for future straight plays in East Islip. The fact that they were able to master such challenging dialogue, complete with Italian accents and an operatic duet, as well as blocking is truly a testament to their talent and love for the theater.”
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Chamber Honors December’s Students of the Month
The East Islip Chamber of Commerce recently recognized two East Islip High School students – senior Madison Lane and sophomore Kaitlyn Rice – as December’s Students of the Month, selected for their outstanding community service and participation in school activities.
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Swim Star Kreuscher Signs with URI
Senior swimming star Camryn Kreuscher signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Rhode Island. At the Dec. 19 ceremony, she was congratulated by her family and Athletic Director Stephen Restivo.
During her remarkable swim career at EI, Kreuscher has achieved All-State, All-Long Island and All-County honors, and won the county championship in the 50-yard freestyle on Nov. 3. A member of the school’s Foreign Language Honor Society, she plans to major in textile and fashion merchandising while at URI.
“The two main reasons I was interested in URI was that the school offered my major and that it has a Division I swim team which competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference,” said Kreuscher. “During my official visit, I was given the opportunity to spend time with the assistant coach and head coach as well as meet the girls on the team at a pasta party at their beach house. Once the visit ended, I knew URI was a great fit for me. Being a swimmer, the close proximity to the beaches was another reason for my decision.”
After graduation, Kreuscher will spend the summer working as an ocean lifeguard on Fire Island before heading off to URI in late August.
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Dangers of Vaping Presentation on Jan. 9
A presentation on the dangers of vaping will be held Jan. 9 in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m.
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High School Recognizes Fall Athletes
The high school’s fall sports awards ceremony, held in December, recognized the impressive accomplishments of the school’s athletes. Honored teams included varsity boys golf; varsity girls cross-country, including an All-County award to Olivia Simonetti and All-Division and All-League nods to Caroline Meehan, Joy Petersen and Simonetti; varsity boys cross-country; varsity girls field hockey, including a League I championship, All-County awards to Lindsay Guzzetta and Kendall Mittleman and All-County Honorable Mention to Marykate Carroll, Allison Chiarelli, Sarah DiPrima and Alyssa Levy; varsity football, including a Division III Big 4 championship, All-County awards to Nicholas Baldino, Thomas Higgins and Dylan Rigo, and All-Division nods to Joseph Fragala, Richard Lawrence, Brandon Miller and Steven Sassi; varsity girls gymnastics, including an League II undefeated championship, All-State and All-Long Island recognition for Cassie Bergin, All-County awards to Bergin, Nicole O’Connor, Evie Orlando and Isabella Procaccini, and All-League nods for Sofia Ferrezza, Allison Dell’Orto and Sarah Vasquez; varsity boys soccer, including All-County and Exceptional Senior All-Star recognition for Cole Zanni, Academic All-County honors for James Smalley, All-Conference awards to Zanni and Joseph Raso, and All-League nods for Cody Goldsmith and Nickolas Mazza; varsity girls soccer, including All-County and Exceptional Senior All-Star recognition for Ryan Conway and Isabella Pasha, All-Division awards for Alexa Fusco and Halle Trahey, and a Division II Player of the Year award for Conway; varsity girls volleyball, including League V Rookie of the Year recognition for Nicole Palmer, and All-League nods for Lindsay Clark, Andrianni Kalodimos, Caleigh Kilmurray and Palmer; varsity girls tennis, including All-County recognition for Alexandra Stewart and Elizabeth Stewart, All-Division awards for Hanna Benardos and Stephanie Milito; All-Division awards for Stephania Lowman, Olivia McBride, Haley Mierzejewski and Colleen Schmidt, and a Senior Sportsmanship Award for Alexandra Stewart; swimming, including league and county championships, All-County recognition for Camryn Kreuscher and All-Division awards to Faith Calabrese, Kreuscher and Kaila O’Hara; and varsity boys volleyball, including All-County and All-Division recognition for Christopher Palmer, All-Tournament awards for Brendan Cox, Palmer and Richard Squeglia, and Academic Excellence nods for Nicholas Finger and Timothy Meier.
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Winter Concert Series Impresses
The district’s student-musicians brought the joy of the season and the glow of accomplishment to a splendid seasonal series of winter concerts during December, all held at the high school’s auditorium. From the youngest students starting their school music careers, hailing from Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ and RCK, to the middle schoolers and high school musicians eager to demonstrate the fruits of their long hours of study and hard work, they pleased audiences with an array of holiday favorites and challenging classical compositions.
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Signing Seniors Bring ASL to Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½
For the past three years, seniors in Jovina Bratta’s American Sign Language class at the high school have visited Christine Cirillo’s fourth-grade students at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ in December for a special “sign-along.” “It is such a great experience for both the younger and older kids,” said Bratta. “This activity not only spreads some knowledge to the younger kids about the American Sign Language program that is offered at the high school, but it is also a wonderful experience for the seniors who are interested in working with children in their future careers.” For this year’s event, the ASL seniors signed popular holiday songs and taught the elementary schoolers “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” The fourth-graders returned the favor by signing “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” as well as the alphabet and fun vocabulary words. “Mrs. Cirillo teaches her students ASL throughout the year, so this is a special treat for them to be able to sign with the older kids and show us what they know,” said Bratta.
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Gingerbread Time at Connetquot
Joined by Principal Nicholas Bilotti, first-graders at Connetquot enjoyed decorating gingerbread houses just before the holiday break.
