The annual Spring Dance Concert at Walt Whitman High School featured one of Long Island's top high school dance programs, directed and choreographed by Susan Turner Radin. “I am especially proud of this concert because I feel it reveals the power of dance to communicate ideas to an audience and for the depth and diversity of themes,” said Ms. Turner. “This year the students and I tackled subjects from the Chimney Sweeps of Mary Poppins to families struggling with Cancer, from the stereotypes and strengths of young women, and to the various identity issues with which teens struggle.”“The dancers in the Whitman Dance Program this year were by far one of the most eclectic groups of students I've had to work with in my twelve years at Whitman in terms of ability, experience, interest, commitment, and performance,” said Ms. Radin. “Thursday night’s dance concert was a perfect example of the magic of performance and creative process because in spite of the challenges, differences, and obstacles we encountered throughout the year, they came together in perfect harmony and gave a fabulous show.” The evening also showcased the incredibly talented Jazz Band and the award winning Wind Ensemble, directed by Allan Deitz.
Another highlight of the evening was the addition of the Walt Whitman High School Studio Artists under the direction of Art Educator Gina Tinucci. The group created beautiful masks that dancers used in their performance of ‘Masquerade.’
The Jazz Band got things off to a great start performing ten numbers from their 2014-2015 repertoire. Whitman’s Dance director, Ms. Susan Turner Radin then introduced several 2015 Dance Awards. Congratulations to eight students who are to be inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts in New York State on June 3, 2015. Inductees: Jessica Barahona, Rachel Kilkenny, Jenna Kilkenny, Marina Kilkenny, Corina Lambraia, Elizabeth Mercurio, Melanie Olinsky, and Sabrina Odette.
PTA Award for Dance was presented to: Victoria Rosa
Art Development Fund Award for Dance: Sabrina Odette
WWHS PTA Achievement Award in Dance: Morgan McNulty
WWHS Art Recognition Award for Dance: Sabrina Philippe
Photo Gallery
The Dance portion of the evening featured six performances. Dance performances In order of appearance:
#like a girl
Performed by Studio in Dance
Music by DVBBS
Video edited by Anthony Padinha and Keith Nieves
Alchemy
Choreographed by Turner
Performed by Modern Dance II/III
Music by Enigma
Alter Ego
Performed by Studio in Dance
Music by Lindsey Sterling
Here
Performed Modern Dance II/III
Music: Whatsoever Things by Camphouse
Music Performed by The WWHS Wind Ensemble
Midnight Masquerade
Performed by Modern Dance I
Music by Midnight on Main Street by Balmages
Music Performed by The WWHS Wind Ensemble
On the Rooftop
Performed by Modern Dance II/III
Music by Richard and Robert Sherman
Walt Whitman Dancers:
Studio in Dance: Filomena Abbatiello, Ariane Apostle, Mavia Ashraf, Arielle Bagley, Jessica Barahona, Marissa Barletta, Kiara Brown, Gabriella Corvera, Caitlin Dermody, Vincent Feola, Michelle Fisher, Lesley Garay, Nykwon Harrison, Cara Mangels, Jessica Menditto, Jennifer Orellana, Tori Pomeroy, Alexander Plaisir, Inpreet Rattu, Brittany Roche, Carla Tejada, Ingri Uceda, Angie Umanzor , Clarissa Villatoro Contreras, and Sohrab Wahab.
Modern Dance I: Cintia Amaya, Manzar Cheema, Catherine Costantine, Trevor Ewald, Shadae Graham, Brianna Hausman, Krystal Lloyd, Morgan McNulty, Hapi Morancie, Diliana Moreira, Adrianna Padinha, Saleena Pawa, Shaylyn Pineda, Amaya Taylor, Deja Tejada, and Carla Turcios.
Modern Dance II/III:Jessica Barahona, Sonia Bartolomeo, Gary Cisneros Campos, Franklin Clase, Taylor Greco, Sarah Haller, Marielle Hammond, Karizma Ingram, Marina Kilkenny, Jenna Kilkenny, Rachel Kilkenny, Corina Lambraia, Kelsey McDonald, Delaney Mena, Elizabeth Mercurio, Rebecca Nardelli, Sabrina Odette, Melanie Olinsky, Sabrina Philippe, Pam Pulvirenti, Will Roman, Victoria Rosa, Luke Smith, and Caroline Tomaselli. Guest appearance: Nykwon Harrison.
Ms.Tinucci'sart students studiedthe relationship between masks and different cultures. Student’s researched mask-making from various cultures, drew sketches of the masks, made connections between the masks and the cultural practices of the people who created them and the variousbeliefs of how and whya mask may beworn. Students then created apersonal maskto reflect their culture and themselves.The following students created original masks for the modern dance piece Masquerade:Thomas Blackall, Rebecca De Witt, Thomas DiLorenzo, Jiaxing Du Audreiana Lesty, Viviana Oliva, Jenna Scheiner, Elisabeth Auguste,April Carmine, Danielle D Amico, Genesis Hernandez, Christopher Marion, Matthew Mc Gowan,Brittany Roche, Claudia Roderiguez, Taylor Stewart,Justin Wallace,and Jack Wrobel.
Jazz BandAllan Deitz, Director
Matt Cusumano, Mike DiMaulo, David Grey, Max Eidinoff, Derek Lap,* Emily Ferrante, Isaac Renderos, Will Flood, Dana Roach, Jefferson Hector, Jordan Roiland, Jack Schatten, Brittany White, Josh Devaraj, Nick Miata, Joonho Ko, Alijan Ozkiral, Alec Gonzalez, Colin Sherland, James Reilly, and Jack Zuckerberg. *SCMEA All County Instrumental Jazz Ensemble
Walt Whitman High School Wind Ensemble Allan Deitz, Conductor
Lila Amin, Keya Bartolomeo, Alexa Arthur, Neyda Diaz-Vilorio, Ariel Khatchatourian, Natalie Hayes, Christina McFelia, Jillian Leydon*, Linda Powell, Shayna Pehel, Samantha Ruotolo, Jessica Persaud, Umaimah Saleemi, Antionette Riehl, Paige Tortorice, Paige Gladstone, Ellen Tricomi, Gabrielle Vital, Lindsay Varolian, Kate Manson, David Grey, Katelyn Neuman, Melissa Shaiman*, Melanie Schwartz,Josh Devaraj, Jonathan Sparling, Alec Gonzalez, Nicole Grennan, Casey Leonick, Matt Cusumano, Isaac Renderos, James Reilly, Derek Lap, Omar Ramos, Austin Salas, Dana Roach, Margaret Nostrand, Zach Bruno, Margaret Nostrand, Steven Ciravolo, Katie Clark, Mary Rose Stone, Michael DiMaulo, Lauren Connolly, Emily Ferrante, Mara Keen, Will Flood, Megan Lo, Joonho Ko, Jefferson Hector, and Arianna Monterroso. Josh Kaplan, Jack Zuckerberg, Jack Schatten, David Hamilton III Colin Sherland, George Marr, Brittany White, Nicole Grennan, and Derek Ramos. * SCMEA All-County Division III
Of Special Interest:
Summer Arts
The 2014 Summer Music and Arts Program will be held at Walt Whitman High School June 30 – July 25, 2014. Registration and information can be found at: www.summermusicandarts.com
The Long Island Musical Theatre Institute, will present Merrily We Roll along with a full professional orchestra in the Whitman Performing Arts Centre on Friday July 31 at 8pm And Saturday August 1 at 3pm. Program information can be found on www.limtf.org.
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Highlights from the Spring Dance Concert
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'Miles For Michael' Sets a New Attendance Record
The place to be this past Saturday morning was Walt Whitman High School and the neighboring community along the 2nd Annual ‘Miles for Michael’ 5K Run-Walk. Mother Nature did not disappoint Ms. Sheila Buhse, who conceived, organized, and directed this incredible event, so she provided the over 595 registered runners and walkers with a picture-perfect morning.
Originally named the Art and Sole 5K, the now annual event was renamed for Walt Whitman 2012 graduate Michael Gallagher who passed away on June 18, 2014, after a valiant two-year battle with cancer. All proceeds from this annual event will benefit the arts, music, and dance programs for South Huntington students. This annual event also serves to galvanize the extended Gallagher family each year to gather and honor Michael’s tenacity, bravery, and spirit.
Officiated by Start to Finish Road Race Timers and Consultants, this sanctioned 5K run drew participants from the entire metro-new York area, and even as far away as Chicago and Virginia. New York road race expert commentator Mr. Terry Bisogno took to the microphone and gave runners and the South Huntington community a commentary that introduced each and every participant as they crossed the finish line. Terry and Sheila took to the podium at the conclusion where the top three runners in over 30 categories were presented medals.
The Whitman dancers performed at the end of the event, and their talent was on display for the whole community to enjoy. At the Kids Fun Run, parents cheered on their littlest runners as they circled the Whitman track and then made a grand exit through the official finish line. There were tents with baskets for raffle and nourishment for all of the participants and their fans.“Thank you all for helping make this past weekend’s celebration and remembrance of Michael Gallagher a huge success,” said Ms. Buhse. “We surpassed the goals that even I had in mind. The weather was perfect, and the participants were all extremely happy to be involved. Thanks again for all your team spirit!”
Committee members: Annie Michaelian, Maria Colon, Steven Toto, Vasken Kazandjian, Sue Radin, Helene Falcone, Rory Sherman, Angela Meringolo, and Eleanora Ferrante.
Special thanks to the “fabulous four” Margaret Bayley, Joanne Padilla, Christine Rapp, and Kelly Twist.
Could not have happened without: Carlo Giordano and Kevin Kennedy- Big Thanks to both!
Morning Set Up and Break Down: John Burke, Lou Savarese, Bill Rathje, Phil Martelli, Don Prisco, Chuck Salerno and Phil Varisco.
See you all next year!
Photo Gallery
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2015 PTA Scholarship Awards
The South Huntington Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) held their annual scholarship awards ceremony on Monday morning at Walt Whitman’s Performing Arts Center. Council President Dominic LeClaire, assisted by First Vice President Melinda Long and Second Vice President Jayne O’Toole, were the first to hand out the Council of PTAs 2015 scholarships. Individual PTA unit awards followed, with Walt Whitman PTA President Shelley Sauer concluding the morning’s celebrations.
Congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients, their parents, and their educators for a job well done!
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The Council of PTAs would especially like to thank Walt Whitman High School Principal Kathie Acker and Guidance Director Ms. Leah Lugovina and her staff for their assistance in securing the scholarship applications and their patience throughout the selection process.
South Huntington Council of PTAs 2015 Scholarship Awards
Academic:
Jonathan Sparling, Isabel Sakarin, Russell Kielawa, Marissa Locastro, Connor Galvin, Zarmeen Mussa, Katelyn Neuman, Eliza Wong, Robert Senecal, Christina McFelia, Alexa Arthur, Elisabeth Silverman, Jenna Traina, and Jade Darrow.
Citizenship:
Abigail Daniels, Sean Delle, Thomas Ferrante, Matthew Goodman, Jonathan O’Toole, Linda Powell, Jennifer Sarnataro, Ryan Wendell, and Kabir Zafar.
Art:Victoria Rosa
Music: Kalif Jones
Athletic (Male):Chad Maier
Athletic (Female): Kathryn Marchesiello
ESL: Yoshitomo Kawasaki
Vocational (in honor of Robert J. Flathmann Jr.):Jasmine Slaughter
PTA Scholarship in honor of George Leitl: Mikal Oltedal
Jane Martin Scholarship: Julia Persaud
Oakwood Primary Center
(Presented by Solange Rich, President, Oakwood PTA)
PTA Athletic Scholarship in Honor of Paul Lyle: Sean McEntee
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Sheila Montague: Rachel Sundermier
Countrywood Primary Center
(Presented by Sharon DePalo, President, Countrywood PTA)
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Emily Rodgers: Gabrielle Vital
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Frank Zauner: Phoebe Levin
Birchwood Intermediate School
(Presented by Kim Phillips, President, Birchwood PTA)
PTA Scholarship in Honor of John Smith: Robert Herley
Fran Hyde-Career in Education Scholarship: Erin Diana
Maplewood Intermediate School
(Presented by Laura Morelli, President, Maplewood PTA)
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Howard B. Link: William Flood
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Hal Roemer: Bridget McHale
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Andrew Garafalo: Haley Gladitsch
SEPTA
(Presented by Christy Gudaitis, President, SEPTA)
Special Achievement Award: Evan Schneider and Leanne Haddock
Henry L. Stimson Middle School
(Presented by Laura Carey, President, Stimson PTA)
PTA Scholarship Award: Joseph Di Piero and Margaret Nostrand
PTA Scholarship in Honor of Paul O’Brien: Colleen Harrington
Walt Whitman High School
(Presented by Shelley Sauer, President, Walt Whitman PTA)
PTA Citizenship Scholarships: Ashley Seebach, Alexis Darrow, Rebecca Sansotta, Shayna Pehel, Nicole Rowe, Francine Sauer, Maureen Leiva, and Jacob Greene.
Outstanding Athlete Scholarships: Shamar Powell and Heather Kurash
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Offseason Wrestling Tournament Nets Medals
We hear from wrestling coach Chris Cardella that this past weekend the Walt Whitman wrestling team had 9 athletes represent them at the New York State Freestyle and Greco Roman Championships, held in Binghamton, New York. This was a very competitive tournament where athletes test their skills in the two styles of wrestling that are used in the Olympics.
This was the first time Whitman was represented in this tournament in over a decade. We are happy to report that our wrestlers earned some well-deserved medals at the tournament. Earning All-State honors in freestyle were Kevin Romano, Terron Robinson, and Peter Marion. Earning All-State honors in Greco Roman were Terron Robinson and Javier Dubon. “The coaching staff and I couldn't be more proud of our athletes and the hard work each of them put in to prepare themselves for this two day tournament,” said Coach Cardella.
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Valedictorians Honored
Congratulations Jonathan Sparling!
School superintendents, administrators and parents acknowledged and honored the highest achieving students of Suffolk County’s Class of 2015 during the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association’s 21st annual Valedictorian Luncheon, held at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch Hotel in Hauppauge.
Keynote speaker Roger Tilles, a member of the New York State Board of Regents, encouraged the valedictorians to always put things in perspective, develop a backbone, become proactive and involved, use imagination and creativity to propel forward, and find a job that matters. “Love what you do and feel that it matters,” Tilles said. “There is no greater fun than that.”
Each valedictorian was called to the stage to receive a certificate and gift of recognition. During their acknowledgment, the universities they plan on attending were announced, along with their intended majors. Walt Whitman Valedictorian Jonathan Sparling will be attending SUNY Geneseo in the fall. This was the only event in which the Class of 2015 valedictorians were honored together, and it was a truly memorable occasion for all in attendance.
Look for an in-depth article on Jonathan Sparling and well as Whitman's Salutatorian Isabel Sakarin later in June.
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World Language Honor Society Induction
While we are always remarkably proud of our students' success in co-curricular endeavors, it is the commitment to balanced, well-rounded accomplishments that truly make our young people special. With this in mind, we were thrilled to see 107 members of our distinguished student body inducted into the prestigious World Language Honor Society. These fine academicians, under the leadership of Aileen D’Addario, managed to navigate the rigors of increased scholastic standards and emerge as successful candidates for the 2015 induction. Our parents and teachers should be very proud to have students so able to manage their time and juggle the demands of modern high school life.
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French Honor Society: Stacey Auguste, Olivia Biederman, Desiree Chouinard, Neyda Diaz-Vilorio, Nadia Lubrano, Tyler Malone, Brenda Mendez, Aamash Mussa, Correy Pearlman, and Antoinette Riehl.
Italian Honor Society: Jack Anest, Krista Apostle, Alexa Betancourth, Marguerite Bonhomme, David Caliendo, April Carmine, Jordan Chen, Kelly Collins, Christian Corbett, Alexa Del Colle, Cayleigh Delgado, Holly Fontanetta, Jacob Goldstein, Samson Grimm, Danielle Harris, Julia Iovino, Hailey Khatchatourian, Daniela Pasquarello, Lilianna Pelliccia, Brooke Pagano, Kaitlyn Riha, Jenna Ruf, Clifford Sweezey, Carla Tejada, Joseph Van Gostein, Brittany White, and Natalie Zakrzewski.
Spanish Honor Society: Ife Adebola, Muaz Azhar, Arielle Bagley, Katie Batkin, Josh Berger, Chloe Blumberg, Timothy Brady, Nicole Brigante, Michael Bronson, Lauren Brown, Margarita Canales, Serah Carbon, Steven Ciravolo, Kristen Coletti, Kristen Conroy, Christina Corry, Cesia Deras, Rebecca DeWitt, Allison DiStasi, Christopher Dybus, Hunter Eichner, Julia Fisch, Alexa Follo, Joshua Friedman, Emily Fung, Alex Greenberg, Matt Haddock, Abdul Halimi, Trevor Hardy, Jefferson Hector, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Matthew Jacobsen, Britany Khatchatourian, Rachel Kilkenny, Sarah Kim, Melissa Konakli, Maelyn Latko, Katie Latko, Graham Lunt, Timothy Mahadeo, James Mattutat, Sydney McCrea, Scott Mc Entee, Luke Mc Evoy, Avery Mc Kenzie, Ryan Mc Quade, Payal Multani, Ben Nace, Michael Naughton, Joanne Nguyen, Grace Noonan, Kelly O’Neill, Julianna Richter, Bradley Rummell, Charles Ruotolo, Robby Seebach, Michael Seitz, Aiden Smyth, Kayla Soulias, Matt Stampfel, Craig Stockfeder, Zanaira Tariq, Mathew Torres, Melissa Triolo, Kiran Usmani, Andrew Varisco, Rachel Vaughan, Camilo Vazquez, Joseph Weindlng, and Shelbi Wuss.
Senior Awards are as follows:
The Kris DiMaira French Scholaship Award: Jonathan Mozoon
Spanish: Julia Persaud
Italian: Amy Chen
French: Jonathan Mozoon
Service Award: Mindy Lin
Service Award: Zarmeen Mussa
PTA World Language Award: Mahum Siddiqui
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Stimson 8th Grade Orchestra Impress Judges
On Friday, May 29th, the Stimson 8th Grade Orchestra, and their teacher, Ms. Sharon Smith, took their talents to the Long Island Music Festival at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood. Using some of their favorite pieces from the past two years, the students came away with a Superior Rating; scoring 98 out of 100 points! The judges used words like "Wow, I'm impressed," "you show extreme musicality" and "it's obvious you work well as a group" to describe their performance. The kids were thrilled with their performance and came away knowing they had done their very best. As a reward for their teamwork and musical successes, they spent the rest of the beautiful afternoon at Adventure Park in Wheatley Heights. Congratulations to this spectacular group! We look forward to great things in the years ahead.
Nicole Algierie, Benjamin Barton, Mabel Bassi, Kalina Bonilla, Olivia Bonomo, Andrew Borges, Thomas Braglia, Cosette Brazeau, Mariela Canales, Sarah Choudhary, Jack Cox, John Dugan, Marissa Echezuria, Maxwell Fisher, Zoey Guiliano, Hailey Hamilton, Jasmine Haug, Sarah Heath, Laurette Joyce, Marianna Kliampas, Meghan Kramer, George Link, Kyle Mattila, Jefferson Orellana, Skylar Pekarek, Andrew Ramsland, Mary Reciniello, Nina Rodriguez, Anne Rodriguez, Johana Rovira, Yamilex Salamanca, Justin Savage, Sara Solano, Wilmer Valle, Emma Weigele, Patrick Wuss, and Abbie Yaege.
Never Heard of Adventure Park?
The Adventure Park at Long Island is an “aerial forest ropes park” consisting of over 140 platforms installed in the trees and connected by various configurations of cable, wood, and rope to form bridges and zip lines.
Groups of these bridges or “elements” link together to form separate trails though the trees. Although every trail has zip lines on them, there is much more fun than just zip lining to be had! There are ten trails in total, for ages seven to adult, with challenge levels suitable for every age and skill level–from beginner to expert. Each person selects the trail(s) they want and climbs at their own pace.
http://longislandadventurepark.org/
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Cinderella at Countrywood Gets Standing Room Only
“It is with immense pride that I share some thoughts about this week's play,” said Countrywood Principal Ms. Barbara Kenney in this weeks Superintendents Newsletter. “Ms. Workman's students and our staff poured their hearts and souls into the work, and presented a wonderful version of Cinderella for the entire Countrywood family to enjoy.” We congratulate all who worked so hard to make this production a reality.
We also congratulate our students for being such a great audience and thank our parents for being so supportive of the show.
Cast of Characters:
Cinderella: Paige Knesich, Eva Castellanos and Alexandra Cannon Prince Charming:Jake App and Joshua Kwak Stepmother: Nikolette Ouzounis, Antonia Fiordalisi and Taylor Kasny Stepsister Henrietta:Diana Fogel, Noelle Dilbert and Shaina Fischer Stepsister Gertrude: Kate Sabellico, Jennovy Fuentes and Stephanie Ideyi Fairy Godmother:Ms. Adrienne WorkmanKing Darling III:Mr. Adam Slawitsky Zip:Mr. Chris ClinesBubbles:Mrs. Carol Davis Babs:Mrs. Kellie NjengaTrixie:Dr. Anne Lecci Coachman:Mr. Miguel Monterrosa Custus:Special Guest Pickles:Special Guest Gonzo:Special Guest Camilla:Special Guest Royal Guards and Helpers:Bongo:Tirth Patel Sparky:Emmanuel Lopez Jinx:Jake MesserschmittJunior:Steven Garcia Doc:Anthony Macchiarola Buddy:Brenden CampisePeanut:Thomas Carino Cooper:Logan Ruppert Noodles:Nicholas Misurella
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French Language Students Go National
Our high school students did an exceptional job representing Walt Whitman at the Annual Poetry Contest sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Eight original poems were electronically submitted: three level II, two level III, one level IV and 1 AP level (this student is enrolled in French IV but as a native speaker she had to submit a poem at a level above).“It was great to hear the other teachers who were serving as judges commenting on the quality of work that our students submitted,” said Whitman’s French teacher Dr. Geralde Eikenaar-Klang. “Needless to tell you how proud I am of them.”
The students will celebrate with a French breakfast where they will receive their certificates and gifts from AATF
Congratulations to:
Level II Original poem Rank
Melissa Portillo Qui je suis First Place
Brenda Mendez Nos langues Second Place
Tyler Malone La fleur Third Place
Level III
Esteban Lopez Que puis-je dire? First Place
Leanna Vergis La lune Second Place
Level IV
Rose Pedretti L'oeil du cyclone First Place
Level V (she is in level IV class but is a native speaker)
Ophelia Banatte-Schuster Qui suis-je First Place
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Powell Sets Track Record
Great news from Boys Track Coach Rob Conroy, Shamar Powell broke the meet record in the 800m state qualifier landing in first place in Suffolk County. Shamar’s time of 1:52.71 puts him in excellent position for the New York State Championships in Albany on June 13th. Newsday story on Shamar can be found at:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/track/whitman-s-shamar-powell-wins-suffolk-800-meters-1.10513291
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First Annual Joan Davidsohn Memorial Scholarship
This past year, the Walt Whitman High School family lost a dedicated educator. In order to honor her, the faculty came up with the idea that we would present a deserving young lady, a scholarship in Ms. Davidsohn's honor.
For those who didn't know Ms Davidsohn, she was a dedicated educator who touched the lives of many students throughout her years at Walt Whitman High School. Her love of the theatrical arts came across in her teaching. She never failed to create a scene or to bring a character to life to motivate her students. Her passion drove her to be creative in order to spark something within the learning disabled students she educated. She was an advocate for all, which led her to advise extra curricula groups like Habitat for Humanity and the Girls Leaders Organization. She inspired all students to be active and pay it forward.
As a colleague, Joan inspired those she worked with. She was giving and had a strong will to succeed. She always "told it like it is" and stood up for what was right for the teachers as she did for her students. Joan walked with her head held high and her shoulders back as she walked the halls. Joan always took the time to engage in meaningful banter and would delight her coworkers with her infectious laugh.
Joan's presence at Walt Whitman High School will be missed but her spirit resonates throughout the halls, in our hearts, and through this scholarship.
This award is presented to a young lady who is an active member of the school as well as the local community who mirrored the image that Joan worked so hard to help others work towards being.
It is with great honor and pleasure that I announce the winners of the first annual Joan Davidsohn Memorial Scholarship.
Leanne Haddock andChelsea Saccente
Congratulations! You both worked very hard and your efforts were noticed and paid off!
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Technology Enhancing The Way Our Students Learn
“It is truly amazing to watch education change as technology opens new learning experiences for eager students and staff,” said Dr. Jared Bloom in the Superintendents Weekly Newsletter. “In fact, recent innovation has provided us the opportunity to connect with young learners and teachers clear across the world as we share experiences and benefit from collective creativity and expertise.”
Fortunately, this phenomenon was on full display last week when our intermediate school students interfaced electronically, and conducted virtual learning experiences with science classes and teachers from Australia. Ms. Janine D'Elia, our Instructional Technology Specialist, set up the Cisco Tele-Presence video conferencing system, which brought our third-grade students and their teachers face to face with learners from a distant and mysterious part of the globe.
At Maplewood, Christine Columbano and Theresa Gillan’s class were inspired to share their experience. “During this one hour Q&A, Ben Newsome, an Australian scientist/teacher, spoke with the students and used pictures and maps to enhance his responses," said Ms. Columbano. “The students were excited about the chat and enjoyed speaking with a real Australian.”“It is nice to meet an Australian and have a real experience,” said Lauren, a student at Maplewood. Classmate Colton agreed saying: “the whole experience helped us learn a lot more about Australia.” “He was able to show us pictures in order to answer our questions,” said Tashou, who thought the Tasmanian Devil was pretty cool. “We will continue to 'push the envelope' of instructional experience as we look to motivate our students to success in the 21st-century,” added Dr. Bloom.
Photo Gallery(Birchwood)
Photo Gallery(Maplewood)
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History Repeats Itself
We hear great news from Stimson’s Softball coach Ms. Andrea Orlando: Congratulations to the Stimson Softball Team for completing their second consecutive Undefeated Season. Captains were Alexa Pedicini and Jacqueline Thomann. Home-run hitters Jacqueline Thomann, and Barbara Tripi led the team, with many extra-base hits from Stephanie Ross, Kasey Williams, Morgan Wagner, Brianna Hansen, and Madison Aucone. Fine fielding was done by Corinne DeRosa, and Tatiana Doddo. Pitcher Alexa Pedicini proved that she is the most dominant in the league with 6 shutout games! Coach Orlando wants us to know that each day, the team conducted themselves with maturity and a desire to win. Great season, girls!
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Ryan Wendell Awarded LIASEA Student of the Year
Each year the Long Island Association of Special Education Administrators (LIASEA) chooses a handful of students for recognition at their annual scholarship luncheon. It is a tremendous honor to receive one of these awards, which are reserved for students who have demonstrated extraordinary determination, courage, and accomplishments during their high school careers.
We were particularly excited to learn that our very own Ryan Wendell was one of only eight students selected for a ‘Student of the Year’ recognition at the June 5th LISEA ceremony. Ryan, who was nominated for this honor by his Special Education Teacher Ms. Della Langino, proudly accepted his award in front of a crowd of family and South Huntington School District supporters. It is inspiring to see the fine work of a dedicated student and a supportive team recognized in such grand fashion. We all look forward to following Ryan’s success as he continues his education at Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut in the fall.
Ms. Langino shared with the audience some of what makes Ryan such an extraordinary young man: “We are very proud of Ryan and all that he has accomplished. Despite some learning challenges, Ryan has persevered and achieved success. Ryan’s academic record speaks for itself. He began Walt Whitman HS with a combination of inclusion classes and special education self-contained classes. Now as a 12th grader, he has transitioned to a schedule that includes only mainstream classes with resource room support. As a testament to his academic success in grades 11 and 12, Ryan was welcomed as a member of the National Honor Society. Ryan will graduate in June with a Regents Diploma. Ryan earned a very impressive 97 on the US History Regents. This academic year, Ryan was in the top 2% of his Astronomy class. Ryan is methodical and persistent in his approach to his work. Simply put, Ryan does not give up. Ryan’s teachers speak well of him. He is described as: prepared, attentive, a cooperative learner, respectful, hardworking, dependable, and friendly. Ryan’s academic record is what we all hope for every student.
Ryan has a great sense of community and service. Currently Ryan is a member of the South Huntington Public Library Teen Advisory Board and is the Equipment manager of the St. Hugh’s/St Elizabeth Baseball Challenger Division. He has served as a member of the Youth Group at St. Francis and now at St. John’s Church. At WW, in grades 9 and 10, Ryan was a member of the Robotics Club.
Also, this year, Ryan interned at the South Huntington Public Library where he “shadowed” the librarians and assisted as needed. Ryan has a passion for reading and books. Ryan will earn either a certificate or an associate’s degree as a Library Technical Assistant. He will live with his family in Connecticut in a home that he and his father built. Apparently Ryan has some hidden talents– plumbing and masonry work.
We congratulate Ryan and his parents. We wish Ryan continued success as he moves forward in his educational career.”
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Beautiful Lengths at Birchwood
On Monday afternoon, Birchwood’s staff and community families joined in an important event when they decided to pony up and help women fighting cancer.'Beautiful Lengths' is a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society, the largest nonprofit health organization committed to saving lives from every cancer and improving the quality of life for people facing the disease. The role of Pantene is to help women grow long, strong, beautiful hair and provide the funds to turn this hair into free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer. So far, Pantene has donated 24,000 free real-hair wigs to the American Cancer Society’s wig banks, which distribute wigs to people with cancer across the country.“We wanted to be part of this wonderful cause sponsored by Pantene,” said Birchwood’s Assistant Principal Annie Michaelian. “Girls donated 8 inches of hair, and we invited the boys to ‘Buzz for a Cure,’ thanks to Anthony DeFranco Salon.”
Great job committee members of Birchwood’s SBM team who organized this successful event: Anthony Ciccarelli, Principal; Annie Michaelian, Assistant Principal; Birchwood teachers: Helma Adde, Ian Denson, Krista Legge, and Kristen Lopez; Paraprofessional Mary Palladino; Students: Joseph Gervasio and Elizabeth LaRegina; and Birchwood Parent: Rosanna Meberg.
Congratulations to the following students who participated: Ronan Rattazzi, Liza Tenner, Madeline Franz, Jewel Salvador, Jonh Hackett, Shaelyn Scharpf, Maeve Scharpf, Angelina Caporusso, Sophia Caporusso, Erin Torres, Dalia Ibrahim, Katie Mondry, Sawyer Diamond, Stephanie Moreno, Jennifer Velasquez, Alivia Barton, Cynthis Mandel, Noah D’Andrea, Juilet Boccia, Ingrid Alas, Marcia Gachinad, Courtney Magee, and Megan Rankel.
Congratulations to the Birchwood School community for coming together for this very worthy cause!
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The Arts Honor Societies Induction Ceremonies
Walt Whitman’s artists, musicians, dancers, and thespians enjoyed a moment of special tribute in the first week of June as they were recognized by their respective Honor Societies. We congratulate these new inductees and their advisors, Ms. Gina Tinucci, Mr. Frank Yolango, Mrs. Susan Turner Radin, and Ms. Cheryl Irizarry, and thank them for epitomizing the characteristics of leadership, scholarship, character, and service.
National Art Honor Society: Kristen Calderone, Amy Chan, Alyssa Denis, Abdjine Lemaitre, Grace Noonan, Melea Prepitit, Amanda Ruiz, Nicole Samba, Rachel Shapiro, Yukari Shiraishi, Taylor Taranto, and Joshua Joseph.
Photo Gallery
Tri-M Music Honor Society: Chloe Blumberg, Noelle Bryggman, Matthew Cusumano, Lauren Giglio, Jefferson Hector, Sam Hoffman, Jacob Klein, Sydney McCrea, Kentaro Matsushima, Brenda Mendez, Isaac Renderos, James Reilly, and Colin Sherland.
Photo Gallery
Dance Honor Society for Dance Arts: Jessica Barahona, Rachel Kilkenny, Jenna Kilkenny, Marina Kilkenny, Pamela Pulvirenti, Elizabeth Mercurio, Melanie Olinsky, and Sabrina Odette.
Photo Gallery
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International Thespian
Society: Leila Ozkiral, Ben
Morales, Odette Lazala, Haley Tract, and Marco Chiriboga.
Photo Gallery
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Otto Kahn Scholarship Goes To Whitman Artist
The Friends of OHEKA held their annual Garden Party on Wednesday evening celebrating 32 years of growth since owner Gary Melius discovered the dilapidated castle and began restoring it to the splendor of the Great Gatsby era. Congratulations to Walt Whitman’s Jazz Band, led by Mr. Allan Deitz, and our Chamber Orchestra led by Mr. Frank Yolango who set the tone for the evening with their incredibly talented musicians.
A large part of the evening was dedicated to the Otto Kahn Scholarship Awards and we are proud to announce that Walt Whitman student Dana Roach was one of this year’s recipients.
These awards honor Otto Kahn’s love and contribution to the arts. Congratulations to Dana Roach who will be attending the Alfred University School of Art & Design in the fall. “In art school I hope to acquire a strong foundation, balancing knowledge with new skills,” said Dana. “I want to inspire change and create happiness with my art.” Dana’s art teacher at Whitman, Ms. Verna Amakawa had nothing but praise for her talented student. “Dana’s commitment to her art is so deeply imbedded in her very being," said Ms. Amakawa. “This is not just a student furthering her art studies but someone whose very heart and soul is that of an artist who lives and breathes it through sincere dedication.”
Congratulations Dana Roach!
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Michael S. Curtin Citizenship Awards
Michael S. Curtin was a Sergeant in the NYPD and on September 11, 2001 tragically perished during the World Trade Center rescue efforts. In Sergeant Curtin's honor, the Michael S. Curtin Awards are presented to students who were nominated by their teachers for demonstrating exemplary citizenship. Rather than emphasizing academics or athletics, these awards focus on character and compassion. They are about how students live their daily lives and how much they do for others without asking for anything in return. They are about what makes Whitman such a special place, and what makes South Huntington such a special community.
Congratulations to: Jordan Aiken, Alexander Alachan, Daniel Alcantara, Erika Algierie, Meghann Alphonse, Emily Alvarado, Elisabeth Auguste, Nicholas Booher, Claude Cajuste, Patrick Cammer, Gary Cisneros Campos, Sally Cohen, Wendy Del Rosario Cordova Cuadra, Briyana Cortes, Alexandra Costa, Samantha DeGaray, Cesia Yesenia Deras, Erin Diana, Chase Dowdle, Kilian Duclay, Natalie Dunn, Tara Edouard, Eder Estrada, Trevor Ewald, Vincent Feola, Cristobal Gamonal, Sheyla Franco, Gabriella Fuentes, Vanessa Trujillo, Paige Gladstone, Carlos Granados, Elizabeth Greaves, Jacob Greene, Leanne Haddock, Marielle Hammond, Gary Harris, Matthew Henderson, Karizma Ingram, Melissa Jean-Pierre, Kalif Jones, Hannah Karkari, Marina Kopf, Phoebe Levin, Nicholas Magnus, Chad Maier, Keiry Manzanares, Albert Martinez, Jack Marx, Hafsah Marzouk, Laura Mc Auley, Morgan Mc Nulty, William Mejia, Aleysha Midgett, Travis Muller, Jose Ulloa, Pooja Navlani, Rabiya Nazir, Sabrina O’Dette, Dakota Obenauer, Sandy Pacheco, Megha Patel, Sabine Philippe, Sabrina Philippe, Dillon Platt, Tori Pomeroy, Heydi Ponce, Shamar Powell, Dana Roach, Chelsea Saccente, Emmanuella Saint Charles, Francine Sauer, Evan Schneider, Luke Smith, MaryRose Stone, Evan Thode, Charles Thurer, Alyssa Torchon, Katrina Truglia, Aheesha Watkis, Ryan Wendell, Yu Weng, Megan Windt, and Kabir Zafar.
Photo Gallery
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Shamar Powell… All-State in 800m
At this year’s New York State Track and Field Championships (6/12/15) something quite unexpected happened in the 800meter race. We all know Whitman’s Shamar Powell is super fast, and yes he did turn in his fastest time in the outdoor 800meter with a blistering 1:52:55. But what’s astonishing is that in any other year that would have earned Shamar the top spot on the podium, but this year the field ran the fastest 800meter in New York State history. Shamar earned the number 5 spot in the New York State Federation and the #3 spot in all Division 1 public schools.
Congratulations Shamar Powell- Our Newest All-State Athlete!
Thank you coaches Rob Conroy, Karl Ulrich, and Rob Morris for the timely details and great photo.
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Kilian Duclay: An Extraordinary Senior
Walt Whitman senior Kilian Duclay has just been featured in Newsday as one of Long Islands Extraordinary Seniors. Anyone who knows Kilian shouldn’t be surprised, but it sure is nice when a young man of this caliber gets acknowledged.
Use the link below for the Newsday story about Kilian:
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/graduations/extraordinary-senior-kilian-duclay-walt-whitman-high-school-1.10511888
And for some additional information use this link below for our story about Kilian that was done last year:
http://www.shufsd.org/News/Story.aspx?id=21553
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