At their Dec. 7 meeting, the Manhasset Board of Education recognized Munsey Park Elementary School students for spreading kindness throughout their building and community.

Amid a sea of doting parents, 27 students in grades K-6 were honored by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vincent Butera, central administrators and members of the board of education for exhibiting good citizenship, compassion and kindness.

The first group of honorees consisted of students who were nominated by their teachers for demonstrating kindness and inclusiveness in their classrooms.

Next, members of the Kindness Club were acknowledged for their dedication and community service. The club has been actively promoting kindness in the school community and beyond since the start of the school year, from making Veterans Day cards to honor and thank military service members, to creating Thanksgiving centerpieces for local volunteer firefighters, to encouraging their peers by placing decorative rocks inscribed with positive messages such as “Be Your Own Cool,” “Believe in Yourself,” and “Do the Right Thing,” throughout the school’s property.

Concluding the recognitions, Munsey Park’s student council officers were honored for serving as leaders, demonstrating respect and providing community outreach. Among their contributions, the student council educated students about the purpose of the school’s buddy bench after it was installed, explaining that if a student is caught sitting on the bench, others should invite them to play. They also hosted numerous drives, including a food drive for the Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead and a paper supply drive to help victims of Hurricane Maria. Currently, they are assisting Sen. Elaine Phillips’ toy drive by encouraging students and staff to donate toys to families this holiday season.

“Thank you for the positive contributions you make not only to Munsey Park, but to the Manhasset school community,” Board of Education President Regina Rule said to the honorees. “We could not be more proud of you and the efforts you have made to make the world a better place.”

Photo Caption: During their Dec. 7 meeting, the Manhasset Board of Education recognized Munsey Park Elementary School students for spreading kindness throughout their school and community.

Photo courtesy of the Manhasset Union Free School District

Sewanhaka High School recently held its annual fall blood drive in collaboration with New York Blood Services.

The student body showed tremendous support by volunteering its time to help with recruitment, scheduling, registration and donations. Students who were 16 years of age or older were eligible to donate. There were many members of the faculty who helped with supervision, and donated as well. Sewanhaka collected 51 pints and helped make a difference by giving the “gift of life” to so many deserving people and their families.

 

Photo Caption: Sewanhaka High School junior Timmy Brendel is pictured after donating blood.

Photo courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District

Lee Road Elementary School students in the school’s community service committee recently collected coats to support the Coats for Kids Foundation and Operation Warm, an organization that provides coats to those in need.

The donated coats were given to the office of Assemblyman David McDonough who distributed them to needy individuals and the students received a citation for a job well done.

 

Photo Caption: Assemblyman David McDonough (left) with Lee Road Elementary School community service committee members and teacher Eileen Vogel (right).

 

Photo courtesy of the Levittown School District

Children helping children is the goal at East Lake Elementary School in the Massapequa School District, which is holding its annual holiday toy drive. The student council is collecting donations for a local organization that helps sick and underprivileged children, the John Theissen Children’s Foundation.

Fifth-grade members of the Student Council, under the direction of adviser Brett Hoehn, made posters that were hung throughout the school. They also handed out fliers, encouraging their classmates to donate new, unwrapped toys. Items have been pouring in since the toy drive began after Thanksgiving, and it runs through Dec. 18.

“We are helping kids who are sick or don’t have as much,” said student Owen Matassa. “If we weren’t helping out, they wouldn’t get as many toys.”

 

Photo caption: East Lake Elementary School Student Council members, with adviser Brett Hoehn, showed some of the donations that have been made to the annual holiday toy drive.

 

Photo courtesy of Massapequa School District

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. — NYIT Athletics is spreading holiday cheer.

Thanks to generous support from student-athletics and a collection drive at Wednesday’s basketball doubleheader, NYIT delivered three bins full of unwrapped gifts to Toys for Tots.

Women’s lacrosse players Angelina Cuevas and Daniella Avalos, as well as the Bears mascot, helped deliver the gifts to Toys for Tots on Thursday.

The charitable effort is the latest in which NYIT’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has either spearheaded or participated in this semester. Other projects have included gathering supplies for victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico as well as ensuring needy area families had proper Thanksgiving meals.

The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

“SAAC believes the holidays are a great time to give back to the community,” SAAC advisor Kerri Handras said. “They want to ensure all kids get to feel the magic of Christmas.”