At the September 2nd Board of Education meeting, the Board, administrators and members of the community congratulated our Project Excel students on their fine summer work. Project Excel provides mentoring, counseling, homework help, parent training, paid work experiences, and youth employment opportunities. Our Project Excel program continues to be a source of tremendous pride for students, parents, and teachers alike and is a proud cornerstone of South Huntington’s education program.
Coordinator of Student Services Mr. David Perkins, who supervises the Project Excel Program, brings his passion for student success, networking, and counseling to his tireless work with our students. “We were very happy this year to have South Huntington students working in our facilities, special education, athletics, and central offices, as well as our extended school year program,” said Perkins. Each student worker was paid approximately $1,400 by the Suffolk County Department of Labor.“It was inspiring to hear our students speak of their proud summer employment experiences,” said Deputy Superintendent Jacci Harris. “And it was particularly heartwarming to learn that the work had encouraged several of our students to consider careers in special education.”
We congratulate all of our Project Excel students and offer special thanks to Sonata Weingarten and Julio Taku for sharing eloquent essays with the Board meeting audience. “I learned that I am much smarter than I though I was,” read Sonata in her thoughtful essay. “The workshops helped us get ready to work. They taught us about making a good impression, dressing nice, being polite, and managing money.”
For Julio Taku, working as a counselor in the Extended Summer Youth Program, the experience gave him a new appreciation for our Special Education students. “I could go on for days about what the Excel Program means to me,” wrote Julio in his essay. “But this summer, working with Ms. DeNoble, Mr. Rentz and Mr. Metzak, I learned just how amazing our Special Ed Kids are,” said Julio. “They are smart, artistic, kind, funny, and overall awesome. This was the highlight of my whole summer and definitely a worthwhile use of my time.”
Congratulations to the following students who got the opportunity to learn and earn this summer. Thank you Project Excel, and thank you parents for your commitment to your children’s success. Jose Acevedo Santos, Germany Ariste, Jevon Burke, Jalynn Cooke, Brianna Flythe, Thalia Forney, Shadae Graham, Kayla Hampton, Colin Hayes, Wendley Jean Baptiste, Carol Lopez Garcia, Monique Malcolm, John Monteforte, Jason Moreno Quintanilla, Paul Naclerio, Deyling Raudales, Daniel Reyes, Cindy Richard, Jared Rosenthal, Jason Seidl, Evan Schneider, Justin Smith, Julio Taku, Cedrick Victor, and Ona S. Weingarten.
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