In a collective effort, the East Meadow High School community collected monetary donations and school supplies to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Over the course of a month, students, staff and administrators purchased $1 “Hurricane Relief” wristbands or made monetary donations to the school’s American Red Cross Hurricane Relief fundraiser. A total of $1,250 was raised to help provide medical assistance to those affected by the hurricane.

Additionally, students in Lisa Guerriero’s Advanced Fitness class hosted a school supplies collection drive for Burnett Elementary School in Houston, Texas. Through the generous efforts of students and faculty, five boxes of binders, folders, notebooks, backpacks, pens, pencils, crayons and markers were collected.     

 

Photo captions:

1) Students and staff at East Meadow High School raised $1,250 through their American Red Cross Hurricane Relief fundraiser to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.

2) East Meadow High School students in Lisa Guerriero’s Advanced Fitness class hosted a school supplies collection drive for Burnett Elementary School in Houston, Texas.

3) East Meadow High School students donated binders, folders, notebooks and backpacks to students of Burnett Elementary School in Houston, Texas.

Photos courtesy of the East Meadow Union Free School District

Frank Carey High School seniors Gabriella Fiumaro and Frank Porcasi took on former WWE Wrestler and movie superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Guinness World Record of toppling 3,006 cereal boxes in domino fashion on Dec. 3.

The students beat the 2016 Guinness World record of knocking down 2,686 boxes by toppling 2,859 cereal boxes on Nov. 27. They were bested by Johnson only hours later, but that didn’t deter them from trying to reclaim their title. With the help of Principal Christopher Fiore, the students were able to retrieve the donated cereal from the first attempt, which was on its way to Florida and Puerto Rico hurricane victims. They then secured additional boxes to assist them in their mission. Surrounded by their teachers, classmates and community members, the pair ultimately toppled 3,416 boxes of cereal, regaining the world record.

After celebrating their success, the students at Carey packed up the cereal for the last time and it will be delivered to Florida and Puerto Rico as planned.       

 

Photo Captions:

 

1. The H. Frank Carey High School gymnasium fell silent as H. Frank Carey seniors Frank Porcasi and Gabriella Fiumaro knocked over the first cereal box.
2. Garden City South resident Craig Dunne was one of three independent counters at the event. Also pictured is Carey student Annalise Andrade.
3. H. Frank Carey seniors Frank Porcasi and Gabriella Fiumaro are pictured with Principal Christopher Fiore.
4. H. Frank Carey seniors Gabrielle Fiumaro and Frank Porcasi celebrated their victory after the last cereal box fell.  

Photos courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Dec. 5, 2017) – The Mercy College women’s soccer team volunteered with Genesis Elementary last Wednesday afternoon while competing in the 2017 Division II National Soccer Championships.

During the event, the women’s soccer team played with the students in the third, fourth, and fifth grade during their gym class. The student-athletes participated in multiple sports throughout their time there, including knock out, football, and dancing.

After the games were completed, the members of the women’s soccer team signed autographs for the children and spoke to them about being a college athlete.

 

Source: http://mercyathletics.com/news/2017/12/5/womens-soccer-volunteers-at-elementary-school-during-final-four.aspx

Students from Long Beach’s West School spent time in November collecting disaster relief funds in an initiative dubbed, “Change for Puerto Rico.” A joint effort of the entire student body, PTA and staff, this project supported the Surf for All organization’s mission to bring aid to those affected by Hurricane Maria.

On Nov. 17, Woody Skudin of Surf for All visited West and accepted a check in the amount of $1,070 from representatives of each class. Mr. Skudin explained to the students that the funds would help with the purchase of several chainsaws to cut and clear downed trees, shrubbery and other storm debris that blocked roads from the distribution of vital supplies. Mr. Skudin departed for his journey to Puerto Rico on Nov. 19.

“This was a school wide effort and children were delighted to share and help in this mission,” said teacher in charge Donna Fee. “As we have learned through difficult times, there are lessons to be learned.”

 

Photo Caption: Woody Skudin of Surf for All visited West, where he explained how the students’ donations will be used to help those in Puerto Rico.

 

Photos courtesy of Long Beach Public Schools

 

Pat Baldwin, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s first-year men’s head basketball coach, knows how much fans mean to the Panthers. But he wants his Panthers to mean even more to those fans, as well as all of Milwaukee, and to do so far beyond the basketball court.

“I think we need to be an integral part of what the city of Milwaukee does,” Baldwin said, “and I would love for that connection to happen.”

Baldwin insists his team be a visible presence in the community, and the team certainly made noise with an early-season 74-56 win at Big 12 team Iowa State. It was another game, however, that had a wider impact.

The Oct. 22 exhibition game against crosstown rival Marquette University benefited survivors of devastating hurricanes in the American South and Puerto Rico. The game raised nearly $35,000 in support of hurricane relief efforts.

But most of the time, the team’s community service will take place nowhere near a bouncing ball. In early October, the entire team and staff volunteered at the Panther Prowl, a 5-kilometer race to raise money for UWM student scholarships. Other connections will happen on a more personal level.

Like the girl in the Chicago-area hospital with whom Baldwin became pen pals. They met when he visited her during his previous role as assistant coach at Northwestern University. Or the children in foreign countries whom he’ll never meet, but who receive food shipments Baldwin and his family helped pack through the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children.

Baldwin’s family – wife Shawn, son Patrick Jr., and daughters Tatum, Brooke and Claire – have often been involved in outreach efforts. A quick scroll of his smartphone photos shows the family donning hairnets after helping fill food bags or dressed in running gear for the Race Against Hate, a Chicago-area event that raised money for YMCA racial justice and violence prevention programs.

“It touches our hearts,” the coach said, “to really see that we can, for a fleeting moment, be an inspiration for people, or make them smile, or forget about their pain.”

Baldwin said the Panthers program will work closely with the Boys & Girls Clubs, a favorite cause throughout UWM’s athletics department, via a number of events and partnerships. He’ll also help grow Pounce’s Pals, the Panthers fan club for kids in school through eighth grade.

Many of the overriding messages will be geared toward preparing children for success, helping kids “think about school and how student-athletes perform, and what it takes to get to this level,” Baldwin said.

He’s seen the impact even small gestures by his players and staff can have on kids. Children may start out a bit awestruck of college athletes, but they come away motivated after seeing how players and staff care about them and reach out in a more personal way.

“I think we need to take a leadership role,” Baldwin said. “Anything we can do, whether it’s boosting spirits or motivating young people to succeed in school, I just think it’s an added bonus to the community.”

UWM’s next home games are against Montana State on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. against Loyola at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. For tickets or more information about getting involved with UWM athletics, visit mkepanthers.com.

 

Source: http://milwaukeecourieronline.com/index.php/2017/12/02/uwm-basketball-coach-pat-baldwin-emphasizes-community-service/