Students at Forest Road Elementary School in Valley Stream District 30 recently showed their generosity by sending supplies, toys and letters to those in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Throughout the month of Sept., the school conducted a drive where they collected items such as backpacks, books, puzzles, toys and school supplies to send over to Texas. As part of a school-wide initiative called “Words of Hope,” each Forest Road student also wrote a letter or created a drawing to send to the students of St. Catherine’s Montessori School in Houston, TX.

In the letters, the students expressed their sympathy and well wishes for the people of Texas. They showed high levels of empathy, with many writing about when they lost something important to them and how they could relate due the aftermath that Hurricane Sandy left back in 2012.

With the box of letters and drawings, Forest Road included prepaid postcards in the hopes that the students in Texas would send a note back. They also sent the supplies and toys that were collected to the school.

“My hope was that as the students were starting the new school year fully prepared with their new items, they could step outside of that and be cognizant of how lucky they are,” said Principal Erin Malone. “It is a big deal to think of others and they did a great job.”

Photo Caption: Forest Road Elementary School students collected school supplies and toys for Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas.

 

Photo courtesy of Valley Stream District 30

Students and staff throughout the North Bellmore School District’s five elementary schools donned various shades of yellow for Go Gold Day on Sept. 29, an annual effort to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

At John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School, children signed gold paper ribbons, which were then hung up on a bulletin board outside the main office. The PTA used yellow cups to create two ribbons and two hearts in the fence adjacent to the bus loop.

Principal Faith Skelos noted that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that holds significance at the school because past and current Dinkelmeyer students have overcome the disease.

“We want our students to know that people face different challenges,” she said. “Go Gold Day is about creating a sense of community and sending positive energy toward people who are facing those challenges.”

Park Avenue Elementary School raised more than $1,000 for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This year’s theme for Go Gold Day was “Whip Pediatric Cancer.” Students lined the hallway that morning to dance to “Whip Nae Nae” and they all received pencils that read “Park Whips Childhood Cancer.”

“We want to show support for everybody battling this dreadful disease,” said Principal Eileen Speidel, who added that past, current and incoming Park Avenue students have fought cancer.

Families could make a donation and purchase a paper heart in honor of someone who has battled cancer. The hearts, which were outlined in gold and had an image of gold ribbon in the middle, were hung on the bulletin board in the main lobby to prominently display the messages of support from the Park Avenue community.

 

Photo Captions:

1: John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School Principal Faith Skelos, standing right, was joined by students and teachers who wore gold to school on Sept. 29 in support of childhood cancer awareness.

2: Park Avenue Elementary School students from kindergarten through sixth grade supported the cause.

 

Photos courtesy of North Bellmore Public Schools

 

For the 2017-2018 school year, the W20 Foundation’s Project Team Up 4 Community is challenging Youth Athletes to give back throughout our Long Island Communities in the Nassau Vs. Suffolk Challenge. #NassauVsSuffolk

From September 1st 2017 to May 15th 2018, every month an athlete, team, or organization that involves athletes, ages 6-24 YO, can participate in the Nassau Vs. Suffolk Challenge with a chance to receive an exciting prize simply by sharing the community service work they are apart of! To date this school year, 83 projects have been completed by over 2,482 L.I. Athletes in 6,617 community service hours! http://tu4c_team.gotti.co/li-sports-impact-challenge-2017-2018

During the month of September, Adelphi Softball took part in numerous community service activities that truly demonstrates their desire and commitment to making a difference.

Their volunteer efforts started early in the month volunteering with the No Limits Foundation obstacle course at Lido Beach. The No Limits Foundation hosts Camp No Limits for young people with limb loss & their families, creating a network of support for all the campers.

The Team then continued on with hosting the East Meadow Challengers on September 24th – The East Meadow Challengers  League is a special part of the East Meadow Baseball/Softball Association.  It is a league that provides a baseball environment to children with special needs.

Adelphi Softball concluded the month with their preparation for the October Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser. The Breast Cancer Awareness game versus LIU Post raised over $1,500 for Unite 4 Her.  Unite for HER is committed to helping women diagnosed with breast cancer navigate their way through treatment by providing complementary therapies designed to promote physical and emotional wellness.

Adelphi Softball was selected by Team Up 4 Community as the Winner of the September Giveaway in honor of their multiple volunteer efforts. $100 Donation was made to Unite4Her on behalf of Adelphi Softball.

To learn more about Adelphi Softball follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adelphisb/ or visit: http://www.aupanthers.com/

 

 

 

The Shoreham-Wading River High School boys soccer team recently helped to raise funds and awareness of an important cause when they joined in on an ALS fundraising game at Miller Place High School.

Amid the competition against the two schools was a spirit of community and giving, with the SWR team’s families, friends and other supporters taking part in halftime festivities, refreshments and raffle sales that helped raise $2,100 for ALS.

To share in the fundraising efforts, SWR’s soccer team members, as well as other sports teams, purchased “Team up for Terry” shirts, to honor Terry Hobbes, a father of three students in the SWR School District who suffered a blood clot in his brain which has left him hospitalized with paralysis. They wear the shirts before every game to warm up and to let the family know that they are thinking about them and wishing him well during his recovery. 

“I cannot express enough how proud I am to coach this amazing group of young men,” said Russell Mitchinson, boys varsity soccer head coach and a social studies teacher at the high school. “Their understanding of the bigger picture and their responsibility to the school and the community never ceases to amaze me. I am proud that I get to work with them and each day sees them mature a little bit more.” 

 

Photo Caption: The Shoreham-Wading River boys soccer team sport their Team up for Terry T-shirts as part of a collaborative fundraising effort for ALS at Miller Place High School.

 

Photo courtesy of the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District

 

 

Valley Stream Memorial Junior High School students and staff members have been putting their hearts into helping others that were in the paths of this season’s destructive hurricanes. In addition to raising funds to support a fourth-grade class in Texas that was affected by Hurricane Harvey, Memorial is collecting donations for those in Puerto Rico that endured losses from Hurricane Maria.

Special Education Department Chair Tracy Alesia reached out to Mauriceville Elementary School teacher Tanya Farewell and explored ways to lend helping hands to Texas. Much like parts of Long Island following Superstorm Sandy, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent District experienced flooding from Hurricane Harvey and has had to make due in continuing its education program while recovering from extensive damage.

Memorial students have embraced a philanthropic homeroom competition with enthusiasm, and proceeds for Ms. Farewell’s class are rising each day. Additionally, one class is preparing letters for those in Texas. While the activity involves lessons in empathy and compassion, it is also teaching valuable skills about the writing and editing process.

In an unrelated effort that is equally as impactful, Memorial has coordinated a donation drive to benefit Puerto Rico following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The front lobby of the building is already lined with boxes of canned food, cases of water, crates of personal hygiene items and many other products.

Students in Spanish classes have been collaborating to create posters that publicize the initiatives for Puerto Rico. They are currently raising awareness and planning future fundraisers in the form of bake sales, food and drink sales at a school dance, supply drives and a competition.

 

Photos courtesy of Valley Stream Central High School District