Justin DeMaio’s class at West Islip’s Bayview Elementary School recently participated in the annual Trick or Treat for UNICEF drive to help raise funds for children across the globe.
As DeMaio’s students went door to door for candy this Halloween, they asked for change to support UNICEF’s many charitable endeavors around the world, from providing vaccinations for kids to clean and safe water.
“This is just one of the ways my class is choosing to help those around them and the world,” said DeMaio.

105633, 105634: Justin DeMaio’s class at West Islip’s Bayview Elementary School recently participated in the annual Trick or Treat for UNICEF drive to help raise funds for children across the globe.

Photos courtesy of the West Islip School District

Division Avenue High School in Levittown School District held its first Pink Out football game on Oct. 28 against Valley Stream North. Many groups and organizations came together to sell pink merchandise, treats and basket raffles to help raise $3,000 and additional awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The night was especially exciting because it was the final regular season football game played under the lights. The varsity cheerleaders were joined by the Dragon Cheerleaders in Training, which is comprised of children from the community who had participated in a clinic given by the team. Although the football team lost in a hard fought effort, there was plenty to celebrate including the hardworking and talented seniors, who were honored after the game. Each senior was given a flower and they, in turn, presented that flower to someone important in their lives.

The Levittown School District would like to recognize and thank seniors Jesse Brennan, Shawn Collins, Bryan Corporan, Behi Dessouky, James Giovanakis, George Hafner, Luke Hall, Zach Honig, Vincent Inciarrano, Felipe Isaacs, Joey Leoce, James Margaria, Hunter Nuzzi, Drew O’Mara, Sean O’Regan, Kevin Ojeda, Brandon Rohman, Joseph Romano, Chris Vecchio and Mike Zerella for a great football season.

Photo Caption: Division Avenue High School held a Pink Out football game to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Photo courtesy of the Levittown School District

The Connetquot High School girls volleyball team recently hosted a productive volleyball clinic to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research, all the while helping young Connetquot students improve their volleyball skills.

More than 50 students spanning first through eighth-grade took part in this event, which the team hopes to run again next year. During the event, the high school players acted as coaches to the younger students and helped them improve their bump, setting and spiking skills.
The program, which raised more than $700 for the cause, was developed by team mom Brooke Cole.

Photo Caption: Connetquot High School girls varsity and junior varsity volleyball players posed with younger students during a recent volleyball clinic to raise breast cancer awareness.

Photo Courtesy of Connetquot School District / Joseph Maniaci

For more than 10 years, the students of Village Elementary School in Syosset have been donating their leftover, unopened Halloween candy to numerous charitable organizations to benefit children who are less fortunate.

Village students and their parents brought in more than five large barrels of candy on Nov. 1 as part of the school’s annual Operation Sweet Tooth endeavor. Children at Ronald McDonald House, Mercy First and AHRC will receive candy donated by Village students. Candy is also given to Angela’s House for distribution to soldiers stationed overseas. As part of the event, students participate in mathematical sorting, counting, grouping and graphing activities and estimate the amounts of candy collected. This year, for the first time, the entire school worked together, with students in lower grades working with buddies from the upper grades in the Village gymnasium.

According to Principal Jeffrey Kasper, the gym was filled with excited children and hundreds of pounds of candy. Special thanks to teacher Wendy Tepper for organizing the activity and parent volunteers who delivered the candy to these organizations.

Photo Caption A: Once again, Village School students collected leftover, unopened Halloween candy to donate to charitable organizations.
Photo Caption B: As part of Operation Sweet Tooth at Village School, students counted, graphed and estimated the amounts of candy they collected.

Photos courtesy of the Syosset School District

Approximately 500 students and staff members at Rocky Point Middle School dropped and did as many push-ups as they could this fall to raise money for the RWB Veterans Organization, a group that enriches the lives of America’s veterans.

Students were dressed up in red (sixth-graders), white (seventh-graders) and blue (eighth-graders) as they showed their push-up skills on the high school turf field. All in all, more than $2,500 was raised for the cause.

Photo Captions:

Cheerleaders are pictured here with Push-Up Challenge Coordinator Grant Connelly.