Students at Riverhead School District’s Aquebogue Elementary School improved their jump shots and heart health as part of a fundraiser for the American Heart Association’s Hoops for Heart program.

As part of the community service project, students raised $5,024 in sponsorships to make as many jump shots as they could during a 30-minute Super Shooter contest on April 9.

Leading up to the culminating event, students in all grades, during the months of March and April, learned the fundamentals of basketball, about heart health and ways they could make a difference in the lives of those with heart conditions.

“We are so proud of TEAM Aquebogue, the school where together everyone achieves more,” said Principal Phil Kent.   

Photo caption: Riverhead School District students at Aquebogue Elementary School raised more than $5,000 through a Hoops for Heart fundraiser.    

 

Photo courtesy of the Riverhead Central School District

Students in the upper elementary grades in the North Bellmore School District don’t have to look very far for positive role models. Throughout the year, their older peers from Mepham High School have been visiting classrooms through the Athletes Helping Athletes program.

Mepham athletes recently paid their third and final visit of the year to fifth-grade classes at Park Avenue Elementary School. The program cultivated positive connections and showed elementary school students how to be successful when they reach high school. Topics included good sportsmanship and making positive life choices. 

The high school students presented the youngsters with various scenarios to determine they best way to react if they were faced with a challenging situation. The athletes talked about the good decisions they made so they could achieve success both on the field and in the classroom.

Sixth-graders at Gotham Avenue School recently participated in Hoops for Heart to support the American Heart Association during physical education class.

Led by physical education teachers John Hakanson and Kevin McKeown, the students worked in teams to shoot basketballs in a number of different basketball hoops located around the perimeter of the gymnasium. If they made the shot, they would take another team’s bowling pin. Each team was allotted four bowling pins at the start of the game.

In the weeks leading up to the activity, the physical education teachers spoke with students about the importance of proper nutrition and sleep, exercising to keep their hearts healthy, and discussed curable heart diseases. Students also learned the heart is a muscle, which will work more efficiently with exercise. They asked for pledges to support their fundraising efforts; the money they raised for the American Heart Association will be used for research.  

 

Photo Captions:

 

1. Gotham Avenue School physical education teachers Kevin McKeown (left) and John Hakanson discussed the Hoops for Heart activity to students.
2. Gotham Avenue School student Mahad Malik took a shot at the basket during Hoops for Heart.
3. Gotham Avenue School students (l-r): Aelyn Vargas, NickDarlencia Labaze, Kimberly Gonzalez, Maidelin Ramos-Molina and Dorah Naissant worked together as a team during Hoops for Heart.
4. Gotham Avenue School student Dorah Naissant participated in the Hoops for Heart event during physical education class.

 

Photos courtesy of the Elmont School District

 

Throughout the month of April, students and staff at General Douglas MacArthur High School have strived to raise awareness for autism, a spectrum disorder that impacts people around the world, including the Levittown community.

Under the guidance of teacher and coordinator Vincent Causeman, MacArthur High School has embraced Autism Awareness Month for the past eight years with special sporting events, colorful hallway decorations and a T-shirt drive, whose sale annually funds the Nassau Suffolk chapter of the Autism Society of America. The NSASA helps families on Long Island who have children on the spectrum by providing services and holding special events.

MacArthur High School’s goal to educate others has increased throughout the years as students and staff constantly seek new ways to show their support.

“We try to inform people about autism, what it is, some of the behaviors that go along with it and some things they might see,” said Causeman. “Hopefully that will make them feel a little more comfortable when they come in contact with someone that may be on the spectrum.”

On April 11, the MacArthur girls softball team competed in an autism awareness game against Division Avenue High School, followed by students and staff donning matching autism awareness T-shirts on April 13. Dressed in their light blue shirts, students watched a special morning announcement that was produced by teacher Bill Farney. The video featured the school’s challenger team, a basketball league consisting of secondary-level students from the Levittown Public School’s Applied Behavior Analysis program and others with physical disabilities. MacArthur High School buddies spoke in the video about how working with students on the challenger team has inspired them. Students, staff and administrators at MacArthur also produce a Public Service Announcement each year about autism awareness which will be premiered towards the end of the month.

In addition, the school hosted their sixth LAX for Autism game against Plainview-Old Bethpage School District on April 14, which will be followed by their first Generals Walk for Autism on April 18 and third annual Strike Out Autism baseball game against Plainview-Old Bethpage School District on April 21.

 

Photo Captions:

1. MacArthur High School’s Autism Awareness Month committee with coordinator Vince Causeman (middle).
2. MacArthur High School students, staff and administrators created a sea of light blue in their 2018 Autism Awareness shirts.
3. Staff members at MacArthur High School including Assistant Principal Anthony Allison (back right), light it up blue for Autism Awareness Month.
4. MacArthur High School custodians showed their support for Autism Awareness Month.
5. MacArthur High School students proudly wear blue for Autism Awareness Month.
6. Students Samantha Mercaldo (left) and Steven Villanueva (right) from MacArthur High School with a student-made banner for Autism Awareness Month.

 

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Fourth- and fifth-graders in the Cares Club at Mills Pond Elementary School in the Smithtown Central School District worked up quite a sweat for a charitable cause on April 12.

The students, along with club advisers and teacher volunteers, participated in a boot camp fundraiser to benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. In total, approximately 30 students were involved in the event, which required a donation of at least $5 to participate. In addition to raising awareness about the disease, the students garnered close to $700 in pledges.

The gymnasium was set up in different stations, and students rotated throughout, doing sit-ups, planks, push-ups, relay races and jumping jacks in small groups.

 

Photo caption: The Cares Club at Mills Pond Elementary School in the Smithtown Central School District participated in a boot camp fundraiser to benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation on April 12.

 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown Central School District