Lina Tornese, an eighth-grader at Oldfield Middle School in the Harborfields Central School District, was recently named a recipient of the Annual Friedlander Upstander Award. She was one of three Suffolk County recipients.

This award, sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center and the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, and in partnership with both the Suffolk and Nassau County Police Departments, awards students who have shown themselves to “Upstanders” against any type of intolerance. Each student selected is given a $2,500 educational scholarship. Educators nominate their students and are required to attest to the student’s character and how they stand up for others.

Lina’s guidance counselor, Mary Fagan, called into account the many kind things Lina has done for her classmates, and how she tries to be a voice for those who don’t know how to stand up for themselves.

“Lina always goes that extra mile to make a difference,” said Mrs. Fagan, “and she always encourages her classmates to do the same.”

Photo Caption: Oldfield Middle School student Lina Tornese was recently named one of three Suffolk county recipients of the Annual Friedlander Upstander Award.

 

Photo courtesy of the Harborfields Central Free School District  

Play4TheCure is the sport fundraising program for the National Foundation for Cancer Research which provides funding worldwide to the best scientists to enable cutting-edge research that other large cancer organizations can’t and won’t fund. Play4TheCure inspires young athletes and their teams to leverage their passion for sports to “Play4” loved ones affected by cancer and encourages them to actively participate in working to fund cancer research to make a difference.

This past year the following athletes and teams went above and beyond to help make a difference in  their community through Play 4 The Cure.

 

1. Ohio Wesleyan University Softball Team- held a StrikeOut Cancer game on 3/31/2018 in Delaware, OH. They made custom t-shirts bearing the names of people in their life who’ve faced cancer. They also wrote letters, sold cancer ribbons, and held raffles to raise money for cancer research. Their efforts are explained in more depth, here: https://www.nfcr.org/blog/strikeout-cancer-success-with-ohio-wesleyan-softball/

2.       Valley Christian HS Girls’ Soccer team in Cerritos, CA hosts a “Kick it to Cancer” game each year. They typically collect donations at the game and host a raffle with a plethora of prizes to entice people to give. The girls were a band around their ankle during the game with the name of the people they “Play4”. This year they raised $5,012.73. https://www.nfcr.org/blog/p4tc-kim-looney

3.       Colorado School of Mines Softball team in Golden, CO raised $2,350 for Breast Cancer Research on 4/18/18. They dedicated their doubleheader to Play4TheCure and raised most of their donations through an online fundraiser.

4.       University of Houston-Victoria’s Softball team held a StrikeOut Cancer game on 4/21/18. Each year they dedicate the game to a new member of their community. This year was in honor of a player’s mom currently battling cervical cancer. They predominantly raised money online as well. ($2,176.00)

5.       The Joel Barlow High School Girls’ Lacrosse team in Redding, CT held a Play4TheCure game to raise money for Pediatric Cancer Research. From online fundraising and gameday donations, they raised $2,024.00.

 

To learn more about Play 4 The CUre and how you can get involved please visit: https://www.nfcr.org/p4tc/

LATHAM, NY- The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is proud to announce Farmingdale High School (Section VIII) as the 2018 winner of the Community Service Challenge. Farmingdale was chosen as the winning school by the NYSPHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which is comprised of two current student-athletes from each of the 11 sections.

Established in the Fall of 2010, the program encourages students to get involved in their local community and beyond. Students and schools determined and executed a project, then submitted the project to their Section. The Sections then chose a representative for consideration to win the state award.

The Farmingdale High School Varsity Leaders Club and the Girls Varsity Lacrosse team, led by captain McKenzie Gaghan, started a project called Blessings for Bella. Isabella Inzerillo was diagnosed with Medullablastoma last winter, and at just three years old, had to undergo life changing brain surgery to remove a tumor. Bella went through radiation and chemotherapy treatments all while her parents, Justin and Michelle, were raising a newborn son Joseph John.

“Bella has taught us all the true meaning of strength, courage and willpower,” said Tracy Wiener-Provenz, Farmingdale Girls Lacrosse Coach. “She epitomizes all that it means to be a Daler. Her fight has become our fight and we are better people for it.”

Bella was made an honorary member of all Farmingdale High School athletic teams. The Varsity Leaders Club organized a sing-a-long for Bella’s fourth birthday. The Girls Varsity Lacrosse team raised money for the Blessings for Bella fund, ran clinics for youth players, organized a 5K run/walk at the high school and created an online clothing store that raised over $2,000 for Bella.

“Bella was not just an honorary member of our team, she became part of our lacrosse family,” said McKenzie Gaghan, Farmingdale Senior Captain. “Bella is a warrior princess who inspires us to live in the moment and persevere through any task set in front of her.  Even though our season has come to an end, our relationship with Bella will continue in her fight against pediatric brain cancer.  The Farmingdale community and the Long Island lacrosse community rallied behind Bella and her strength showing that no one fights alone.”

“It is an honor for Farmingdale High School to be recognized for this prestigious award,” said Jeanne Berkoski, Farmingdale Athletic Director. “We take great pride in all our student-athletes and the relationships we have with our community at large. Our coaching staff is proud of all the accolades our athletes and teams receive, however they are even more proud of how they pay it forward to a place they call home.”

In all, the Varsity Leaders Club and the Girls Lacrosse Team have raised over $5,000 for the Blessings for Bella fund during the 2017-18 school year. The team slogan for this past season was “No One Fights Alone-Bella 6” with the number six as a legacy number at Farmingdale, which will be retired at the end of the 2018 season in honor of Bella. One of the major goals of the campaign was to raise awareness of pediatric brain cancer.

Farmingdale High School will be presented an award and recognized for their accomplishments at the NYSPHSAA Recognition Luncheon during the Central Committee Meeting on July 24^th in Lake Placid, NY.

Previous Community Service Challenge State Champions-

2017 – Akron High School (Section VI)

2016 – Mahopac High School (Section I)

2015 – Kings Park High School (Section XI)

2014 – Arlington High school (Section I)

2013 – Columbia High School (Section 2)

2012 – Ossining High School (Section I)

2011 – Adirondack Central School (Section III)

About NYSPHSAA (Twitter: @NYSPHSAA | Facebook: NYSPHSAA | YouTube: NYSPHSAASports):
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. is a non-profit, voluntary, educational service organization composed of public, parochial, and private schools dedicated to providing equitable and safe competition for the students of its member schools. The organization conducts 32 championship events and governs the rules and regulations of high school athletics in New York State. Membership is open to secondary schools providing interschool athletic activities for boys and girls in grades 7-12.

Fifth-grade students in the Epic Club at St. James Elementary School in the Smithtown Central School District made bird feeders this spring. The feeders were donated to two local nursing and rehabilitation facilities to hang in their gardens. 

 

Photos courtesy of Smithtown Central School District

 

Fairfield Elementary School in the Massapequa School District recently donated $4,000 to the Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America.

The school raised $700 from the puzzle piece campaign in April, which is Autism Awareness Month. Families could make a donation and customize a paper puzzle piece to be hung in the school. The puzzle piece represents the mystery and complexity of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The donation was matched by second-grader teacher Jennifer Lidonnici’s family and also by a former Fairfield teacher. A staff fundraiser raised the rest. Executive Director Susan Reek visited the school on June 14 to accept the donation.

Money will support a day at Fink’s Country Farm for approximately 150 children with autism and their families. Activities will include pony rides, an animal farm, bounce houses, pumpkin giveaways and more.

 

Photo caption: Jennifer Lidonnici’s second-grade class at Fairfield Elementary School presented a donation to Susan Reek, right, executive director of the Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America.

 

Photo courtesy of Massapequa School District