10/18/12
- Three secondary students
have been named Long Island Young Scholars of Mathematics by the
Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented
Students at SUNY College at Old Westbury Campus Center. They are:
North High School tenth-grader Zi Yi, and South Middle School
eighth-grader Lynn and seventh-grader Daniel (Daniel was also
named a Young Scholar last year). They join 72 other Long Island
Scholars selected from among 700 top-ranking math students who
competed for this honor.
10/18/12
- Nine secondary students
were selected for the 2012-13 Long Island String Festival
Association (LISFA) Orchestra. This musical experience, held Nov.
16-18, brings together Long Island's highly talented, young string
musicians.
10/18/12
- Three additional music
students at North and South High Schools have been named
Alternates for the seventh annual New York State School Music
Association (NYSSMA) Piano Showcase, in Rochester, on Nov. 30.
10/11/12
- North High School senior
Sylvie and South High School senior Samuel were named winners of
the 2012 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Achievement Awards in Writing. They are among 274 winners
nationwide, from 1,107 high school students nominated by their
English departments, when they were juniors.
10/11/12
- Twenty-eight seniors in
the Great Neck Public Schools have been named Commended Students
in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP). To achieve
this honor, they placed among the top 5 percent of the more than
1.5 million juniors who took the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
9/27/12
- Three highly motivated
North Middle School students, with unbridled encouragement from
their computer teacher, won First Place in the national
Enviro-Solutions "Going Enviral Greener School Video Challenge."
Joseph, Claudia, and Zachary won for their video, "Period 4 Lights
Out." They completed the project during the last school year, when
they were eighth-graders. Their documentary video showed a way to
make their school greener and more sustainable by calculating how
much electricity can be saved by turning off the lights in the
classrooms for just one period. Their video can be viewed at:
http://facebook.com/goenvirosolutions.
9/27/12
- This past summer, seven
students from North and South High Schools participated in the
Students & Scientists United for Breast Cancer Prevention
Research Program. The Program was founded and developed in 2005 by
the Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition (GNBCC).
9/20/12
- Fourteen seniors in the
Great Neck Public Schools have been named Semifinalists in the
prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP) or in the
National Achievement Scholarship Program.
9/20/12
- North High School junior
Paula has been selected as an Alternate for the seventh annual New
York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Piano Showcase, in
Rochester, on Nov. 30. Paula is a pianist in the school's Chamber
Society, but her musical gifts extend beyond her prodigious talent
as a piano soloist and accompanist. She has played the oboe in the
school Band and Orchestra, has sung the lead in school musicals,
and sings with the Select Singers (where she is the secretary) and
the Jazz Choir (where she is a soloist). She is also a member of
North's Tri-M Music Honor Society. Paula performs at North under
the guidance of Roger Ames, vocal music teacher, and Joseph
Rutkowski, instrumental music teacher.
9/20/12
- Over the summer, Lauren
McIntyre, a new fourth-grade teacher at Saddle Rock School, was
selected to participate in the LearnZillion Dream Team TeachFest,
a project to create online teaching lessons for teachers,
students, and parents.
9/13/12
- Kudos to the Great Neck
Public Schools, one of 56 school districts and community
organizations nationwide to receive a grant through the Carol M.
White Physical Education Program (PEP). The grant is awarded based
on a demonstrated plan to implement comprehensive physical fitness
and nutrition programs.
9/13/12
- South High School senior
Marc has been selected to perform at the seventh annual New York
State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Piano Showcase, in
Rochester, on Nov. 30. This marks the second year in a row that
Marc has earned this outstanding honor. He is among the 13
talented young pianists chosen from 87 applicants statewide.
9/13/12
- Samuel, now a senior at
South High School, proudly holds the 2011&endash;12 Dartmouth
College Book Award, presented to him last spring. The Award,
sponsored by Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth Club of Long
Island, is "designed to encourage intellectual excellence and to
recognize the achievement of a third-year secondary school
student." The recipient should "be in approximately the top 5
percent of his/her class, have demonstrated intellectual
leadership, and made a positive contribution to the
extracurricular life of the school."
9/6/12
- Eight highly talented
South High School music students, plus four alternates, have been
selected for the competitive All-State Music Conference, to be
held in Rochester, Nov. 29-Dec. 2.
6/28/12
- North High School
student Daniel was ranked twenty-first in the nation in the 2012
Spring Cyber Foundations Online Competition, competing against
over 600 high school students nationwide. The Competition included
an online tutorial and video on networking, operating systems, and
system administration, and corresponding quizzes that allowed
students to demonstrate mastery of these three areas. Alan Paller,
director of the SANN Institute, the nation's largest cyber
security graduate school and training organization, said, "We have
found that students who do well in the Cyber Foundations
Competitions have rare and valuable skills." Daniel had previously
taken First Place in the US Cyber Challenge in New York State.
6/21/12
- In April, the Great Neck
Public School District was again named among the "Best Communities
for Music Education" by the NAMM (National Association of Music
Merchants) Foundation, a coalition of music and educational
organizations. This marked the fifth consecutive year (and six
times overall) that the district has received this prestigious
award. Of greater significance, as the district was later to
learn, was that Great Neck was among the top three districts of
the 176 winning districts nationwide. In recognition of this
outstanding achievement, NAMM asked JW Pepper, a member of NAMM
and the world's largest retailer of sheet music, to present a
framed award certificate to each of the top three districts.
Denise Collins, from JW Pepper, presented Great Neck with its Best
Communities award during the Board of Education meeting on June 4.
As part of the recognition ceremony, most of the district's vocal
and instrumental faculty joined together in a choir/chamber
orchestra to perform a stirring rendition of Samuel Barber's "Sure
on this Shining Night" (words by James Agee). Performing were:
Roger Ames (North High), Mark Boschen (South High; South Middle),
Denise Eisner (North Middle), Anne Fogarty (Baker), Cynthia Gorney
(Baker), Jennifer Hood (all elementary), Amy Kempton (Kennedy),
Chad Lasky (Saddle Rock), Dr. Pamela Levy (South High), Dr. Janine
Robinson (Kennedy), Joseph Rutkowski (North High; North Middle
department head), Alan Schwartz (South Middle department head),
Michael Schwartz (South High department head), Alexander Swerdlin
(South Middle), Jacquelyn Tomlet (North Middle), Matthew Trinkwald
(North Middle), Anthony Virgilio (South High; South Middle), and
Shelley Willcox (South Middle).
6/7/12
- Newsweek magazine has
published its rankings of top US high schools, and North and South
High Schools rank among the top 150 schools in the Northeast
region. South High is ranked 56th and North High is 137th.
Other Long Island high schools that
made the top list: Jericho, Locust Valley, Old Westbury
(Wheatley), Manhasset, Syosset, Cold Spring Harbor, New Hyde Park
(Herricks), Garden City, and Port Jefferson (EL Vandermeulen).
Newsweek explained that their "ranking highlights the best 1,000
public high schools in the nation--the ones that have proven to be
the most effective in turning out college-ready grads." Six
criteria, supplied directly by the high schools, were used to
generate the overall rankings. Seventy-five percent of the score
includes the four-year graduation rate, college-acceptance rate,
and number of AP and other high-level exams given per student.
Average SAT/ACT scores and AP/college-level test scores each
account for another 10 percent. The number of AP courses offered
per student counts for the final 5 percent.
5/31/12
- Eleven high school
students are winners in the Long Island Language Teachers (LILT)
Student Language Competition. Students competed in the Interpreted
Song and Poetry Recitation categories either using American Sign
Language (ASL) or in French. Video submissions were limited to
three minutes for poetry, and six minutes for songs. Briana (Level
1) earned a Second Place Award, and Benjamin (Level 3) and
Brittany (Level 1) took Honorable Mentions for ASL Interpreted
Song. Their teacher is Kathy McAleer.South High award-winners for
ASL Interpreted Song were: Julia (Level 1-2), First Place; Sara
(Level 1-2), Third Place; Rebecca (Level 3-4), Honorable Mention;
and Emily (Level 1-2), Honorable Mention. Their teacher is Kathy
McAleer. Awards were also earned for Interpreted Song and Poetry
in French. Justin and Anna (both Level 3) took Third Place in
Interpreted Song. In Poetry Recitation, Alison (Level 3) won Third
Place, and May took an Honorable Mention. Their French teacher is
Chani Ivry.
5/31/12
- South High School's
PhysicsBowl Team placed South as the Highest Scoring School in
Region 3 in both Divisions 1 and 2 in the 2012 American
Association of Physics Teachers Physics Bowl. Region 3 consists of
New York, Maritime Provinces, Ontario, and Quebec. Division 1
encompasses first-year physics students; Division 2, second-year
students. The team earned top individual awards. David Hyun placed
Ninth in the Top Ten Overall (all 15 Regions), Division 1.
Nicholas achieved the Highest Score in Division 2, Region 3. Cyrus
earned the Second Highest Score in Division 1, Region 3.
5/24/12
- Thirty-five young
scientists from North and South High Schools took awards at the
WAC Lighting Foundation Invitational Science Fair. Thirteen
schools were invited to compete, displaying research projects in
such categories as computer science, molecular biology, behavioral
science, chemistry, and physics. Projects were judged by over 120
academicians and professionals from the NY Metro area. Students
competed individually, or in teams, in one of two grade
categories: seniors (grade 12) or underclassmen (grades 9-11).
Science Fair faculty advisors/science research teachers were Alan
Schorn and Dr. Marie van Nieuwenhuizen for North High students,
and Dr. Carol Hersh, Michelle Sorise and Dr. Daniel Pilloff for
South High students. Underclassmen
won the Second Place Awards. South High teams, Lelina and
Cristina, and Timothy and Alan, won in General Biology. Yung Wei
(Jessie), from North High, took Second Place in Chemistry.
Seniors who took Third Place Awards
in Behavioral/Social Science include individual winners Casey from
South High, and Rona and Matthew from North High. Third Place team
winners from South High were Jordan and Margo, and Alanna and
Kara. Underclass Third Place winners in General Biology included
North High individuals Sara and Raquel, and South High teammates
Sharon and Neil. A North High underclass team of Terry and Luhong
(Larry) took Third Place in Physics & Astronomy.
An Award of Merit went to North High
senior Xiaonan, in Computer Science. Underclass South High team
Radhika and Christine took a Merit Award in General Biology; and
North High teams Sage and Monica, and Daniel and Philip won Merit
Awards in Behavioral/Social Science. Individual underclass Merit
Awards were won by Meher, from South High, in Behavioral/Social
Science, and by Meng Lu (Matilda), from North High, in Physics
& Astronomy. Honorable
Mention Awards were earned by North High seniors Tyler, in
Molecular Biology, and Kristine, in Chemistry. Underclass North
High individuals Julia in Chemistry, and Deriam in Physics &
Astronomy won Honorable Mention Awards. Underclass team Honorable
Mention winners were Philip and Ryan, from South High, in General
Biology, and Laura and Gabriella, from North High, in
Behavioral/Social Science.
5/24/12
- Twenty-seven high school
students are winners in the National French Exam (Le Grand
Concours), Nassau County Level. Their teachers are Angela Cozzi
and Miriam Hollander at North High, and Chani Ivry and Mary Ann
Schwartz at South High.
5/24/12
- One-hundred sixty-five
students from North and South High Schools are winners in the
National Spanish Exam, sponsored by the American Association of
Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Their teachers at North High
are Department Head Madalyn DeLuccia, Caitlin Gorta, Israel
Henriquez, Bessie Karanikolas, and Lilian Krowne. The South High
teachers of Spanish are Department Head David Balsamo, Fatima
Colman, Geraldine Finazzo, Christine Montllor-Gil, Gabriel
Pastrana, and Ana Tavares.
5/17/12
- Alex, from North High
School, is the winner of a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship. It
is offered for his use at Williams College, where he will be a
freshman in the fall. He is one of 2,500 winners nationwide to
receive this award. A National Merit spokesperson said, "We hope
that being named a National Merit Scholar will be a source of
pride and encouragement to you as you begin the challenges of
higher education." South High
senior Sabrina is the recipient of a $2,500 National Achievement
Scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation,
awarded to black students. She will be attending New York
University, Tisch School of the Arts, in September.
High school students enter the Merit
Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), usually in their junior year. NMSP
awards are based on students' academic excellence, teacher
recommendations, and PSAT/SAT scores.
Zak, from South High, was selected to
receive a $1,000 NASSP/Herff Jones Principal's Leadership Award
Scholarship, in the state award category, from the National
Association of Secondary School Principals and Herff Jones, Inc.
He is one of 100 state winners to receive this college scholarship
from among some 3,000 applicants. Zak was selected based on a
personal essay and his leadership skills, participation in service
organizations and clubs, achievements in the arts and sciences,
employment experience, and academic record.
5/17/12
- Fifty-six students were
award winners in the 2012 National Latin Exam. These students were
guided by Latin teachers Johanne Lynch at North High and South
Middle Schools, Robert Vigus at North Middle, and Anthony Pontone
at South High. Latin I. Gold
Summa Cum Laude: Juliet, Lawrence, and Stephanie. Silver Maxima
Cum Laude: Kamla, Lauren, and Justine. Magna Cum Laude: Corinne.
Cum Laude: James. Prose III. Gold Summa Cum Laude: Arabelle.
Silver Maxima Cum Laude: Conor and Terry. Magna Cum Laude:
Zachary. Cum Laude: Tyler and Michael. Poetry IV. Gold Summa Cum
Laude: Julia. Latin V. Gold Summa Cum Laude: Alex. Magna Cum
Laude: Julia. Latin II. Gold
Summa Cum Laude: Su Yeon (Rachel), Emily, Justin, Rachel, Jin Hyup
(Joseph), William (earned a perfect score), Russell, and Jacob.
Prose II. Gold Summa Cum Laude: Lelina, Da Young (Clara), and
Avir. Silver Maxima Cum Laude: Sharon, Alexander, and Chae Rin.
Magna Cum Laude: Evangeline and Rachael. Poetry IV. Gold Summa Cum
Laude: Marc and Dominick. Latin V. Gold Summa Cum Laude: Daniel,
Jonathan, and Daniel Sieh Wing (earned a perfect score). Silver
Maxima Cum Laude: Casey and Kevin. North Middle's Latin I students
"brought home the gold" in a big way--all six winners earned Gold
Summa Cum Laude awards and three earned perfect scores. They are:
August (perfect score), Jack, Yael (perfect score), Graelin
(perfect score), Dean, and Perry. Latin
I. Gold Summa Cum Laude: Brooke, Jack, and Victoria. Silver Maxima
Cum Laude: Winston and Robin. Magna Cum Laude: Amanda and Eric.
Cum Laude: Benjamin, Daniel, and Hye Rin.
5/10/12
- Twenty-one students from
North Middle and North High Schools won top awards at the recent
Long Island Math Fair, held at Hofstra University. Contestants
were required to do extensive research and write papers on an
advanced mathematical topic, and then persuasively defend and
explain their research before a panel of judges.
Eighth-grader August and
seventh-grader Scott won Gold Medals at the Math Fair. August's
topic was Fractals; Scott's was Mathematical Paradoxes. Their
faculty sponsor was science teacher Paul Roach.
North High's winners were all
ninth-graders. Gold Medal individual winners and their topics:
Monica, Do the triangles in spidrons decrease at a steady rate?;
Daniel, Kaprekar's Constant; Nathaniel, The 4th spatial dimension;
and Sage, Variations of the Knight's Tour. Gold Medal Team
winners: Sharon and Brittany, Knot Theory; and Jessy and Anna,
Mass Point Geometry and Barycentric Coordinates. Silver Medal
individual winners: Philip, Birthday Theory; and Matthew, Modular
Arithmetic and Group Theory. Silver Medal Team winners: Molly and
Alec, The Simpson's Paradox. Bronze Medal individual winners:
Sheng Xiang, Card Counting by Probability; Deborah, Fibonacci
Sequence; and Justin, Cryptography. Bronze Medal Team winners:
Michael and Gavriel, Math in the Folds; and Cuilee and Sammy,
Magic Squares. North High Math Fair faculty sponsors were science
teachers Alan Schorn and Marie van Nieuwenhuizen.
5/10/12
-North High School's Math
Team--Meng Lu (Matilda), Jayant, Xiaonan, Susan, and Julia--won a
$1,000 scholarship and received Honorable Mention in Moody's Mega
Math (M3) Challenge. Over 5,000 students from 29 Eastern states
participated in the Challenge. Of the 1,000 papers submitted, only
55 were awarded prizes. The Team's faculty advisor/coach was math
teaching assistant Linda Litvack. The Internet-based Challenge is
only open to teams of juniors and/or seniors. Participants meet,
usually at someone's house, on a weekend day in which they have 14
hours (7 a.m.-9 p.m.) to solve an open-ended, realistic, applied
math-modeling problem focused on a real-world issue. The Team may
use any publicly available research sources such as books or the
Internet, but they may not discuss any aspect of the problem with,
or seek help from, their coach or anyone other than fellow Team
members. Written solutions were judged by panels of PhD-level
applied mathematicians in three rounds of judging. This year's
problem posed by Moody's was: "All Aboard: Can High Speed Rail Get
Back on Track?" Guidelines required Teams "to created a
mathematical model to determine the best regions in the country
for establishing rail lines as part of a revived High-Speed
Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program. The regions were ranked
based on estimates of ridership numbers over the next 20 years,
and costs of building and maintenance, in addition to the effects
such rail networks would have on American dependence on foreign
energy." Teams were required to answer such questions as: "If we
build it, will they ride?" "How much will it cost to build and
maintain each high-speed rail line" and "Will high-speed rail
lessen dependence on foreign energy? If so, by how much?"
5/3/12
-Great Neck high school
students won First and Second Place at the recent 31st annual
Congressional Art Competition for the Fifth Congressional
District, held at the Nassau County Museum of Art. The event was
named "An Artistic Discovery." Four Honorable Mention Awards were
also given. Claudia, from
South High School, took First Place for her oil painting, Stare.
The piece is a trompe l'oeil ("deceives the eye"), a still-life
made to look three-dimensional. The painting is of an easel with a
drawing on the easel. Stare will be on display in the US Capitol
(Canon Tunnel) for one year, along with winners from other
Congressional districts nationwide. First Runner Up (Second Place)
was awarded to North High School student Rebecca for her photo,
Pile of Keys. Honorable
Mention Awards were won by Marina, Alexandra, and Situ, from North
High, and Jung Min (Erin) from South High.
Special Congressional Recognitions
for having been selected by their art teachers to show in the
Competition were awarded to 14 students. From North High: Emily,
Erica, Jamie, Neda, Julia, and Xiaonan. From South High: Amanda,
Deren, Alison, Hyo In (Irene), Adin, Jacqueline, Houng Woo
(Chris), and Bo Kyung (Sharon).
4/26/12
-For the fifth consecutive
year (and six times overall), the Great Neck Public School
District has been named among the "Best Communities for Music
Education" by the NAMM Foundation, a coalition of music and
educational organizations. The 176 winning districts in this
thirteenth-annual nationwide survey "provide access to music
education as an essential part of a complete education and
exemplify commitment and support for music education," a NAMM
spokesperson said.
4/26/12
-Mathcounts teams from
North Middle School and South Middle School took several awards at
the Regional and State levels. Competing against 12 other schools
at the Regional Mathcounts held at Hofstra University, South
Middle's team earned Second Place and North Middle's team placed
Third. Among the 100 individual competitors at the event, Jaysen,
from South Middle, placed Third, and North Middle students August
and Nicholas placed Seventh and Ninth, respectively. The two teams
went on to the State Competition, held at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, where they made a very respectable showing. Out of 48
teams, South Middle placed 23rd and North Middle placed 25th.
4/26/12
-Seventeen students took
Key (individual) and Portfolio awards in this year's Scholastic
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers competition.
Student winners, in alphabetical
order, and their awards: Emily, Silver Key and two Honorable
Mentions; Katherine, Gold Key; Alexa, Honorable Mention; Emilie,
Silver Portfolio; Allison, Silver Key; Alexandra, Honorable
Mention; Paige, Silver Key; Jung Min (Erin), Honorable Mention;
Laura, two Silver Keys and Honorable Mention; Jenny, Gold Key and
two Honorable Mentions; Jacqueline, Silver Key; Kana, two Silver
Keys; Hyo In (Irene), Gold Key Portfolio; Jin Kyung (Grace),
Silver Key; Benjamin, Silver Key; Jung Ah, Honorable Mention
Portfolio; and Jennifer, Silver Key.
3/15/12
-A North Middle School
eighth-grader is the winner of the school-level National
Geographic Bee and will compete on the State level later this
month. One winner from the State competition will advance to the
national competition to be held in May in Washington, DC. To
qualify for the State exam, August won the school's oral exam and
achieved a qualifying score on the written exam component. The Bee
involves all grades. Preliminary rounds are held in every social
studies class, with the student who received the highest score in
his/her class competing in the school-wide Bee. That winner then
takes a written exam to qualify for the State-level Bee.
Commenting on his love of geography, August said: "Geography shows
me the beautiful nature on Earth, man-made or natural. I also like
to find information on diversity and different cultures. It
motivates me to become more cultural and open-minded. The
knowledge of geography is the best thing to have." Ellen Bronheim,
social studies chairperson, has been North Middle's Geographic Bee
coordinator for over 20 years. The Bee is organized by the
National Geographic Society. The 2012 National Geographic Bee is
sponsored by Google Inc.; at the state level, the Bee is also
sponsored by Plum Creek.
3/15/12
-Brian Mannix, a South
Middle School social studies teacher and technology staff
developer, has been named one of 11 recipients of the sixth annual
Nassau BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) Education
Partner Award for 2012. The Award recognizes those whose impact on
public education in Nassau County can be measured in a tangible
way. The Award is open to everyone who is involved with, or is a
supporter of, education, preschool through adult education.
Nominees were judged by a committee of educators and community
leaders based on the information provided in the nomination form.
Education Partner recipients will be honored by Nassau BOCES at a
gala ceremony in May.
3/8/12
-South High School's
Science Olympiad A Team medaled in 13 of the 20 events, coming in
second overall, at the Western Long Island Regional Science
Olympiad, competing against 72 other teams. The Team now goes on
to compete in the C Division State Championships to be held in
Buffalo later this month. Olympiad events included identifying
rocks, minerals, fossils, and trees; sending homemade vehicles
down ramps, with the hope that they would stop at an exact mark;
and having handcrafted balsa wood towers withstand specified
weights.
3/8/12
-In another recent science
competition, a team of South High students took Third Place out of
16 teams in the 11th annual Bay Scallop Bowl, one of the regional
National Ocean Sciences Bowl competitions. The Bay Scallop Bowl
was a round-robin, double-elimination, academic tournament. Team
members were: Lindsay, Brian, Joseph, Eve, and Lauren. Dr.
Truglio, faculty advisor, proudly explained that "this was South's
rookie year for this competitionand it was only the second time in
regional history that a rookie team place among the top
three!"
2/23/12
-Twenty-two seniors from
North and South High Schools have advanced to Finalists (from
Semifinalists) in the prestigious 2012 National Merit Scholarship
Competition. These students are now among more than 15,000 who
will be considered for some 8,400 Merit Scholarship awards that
will be announced in the spring and summer.
2/23/12
-South High students Shelby
and Lakshmi were named winners in the 2011-12 Long Island High
School Psychology Fair. Shelby won Best in Category in Educational
Psychology, and Lakshmi took an Honorable Mention in Cross
Cultural Studies. Participation in the Psychology Fair is open to
students who have completed a research project in psychology.
Students are selected for participation based on an evaluation of
the abstracts they have submitted. At the Fair, entrants were
required to support their project with a 10-minute PowerPoint
presentation, followed by a 5-minute questioning period by the
judges.
1/26/12
-Nineteen student musicians
in the Great Neck Public Schools excelled at this year's
All-County Music Festival held at the Tilles Center, in early
January. Students earned positions of recognition after being
tested for proficiency at rehearsals just prior to the All-County
concerts. A comprehensive article about All-County appeared
earlier listing the 140 choral and instrumental All-County
participants, grades 5-12. Students were grouped in divisions by
grades: Division V--grades 11 and 12, Division IV--grades 9 and
10, Division III--grades 7 and 8, Division II--grade 6, and
Division I--grade 5.
1/19/12
-A South High School senior
has been named a co-recipient of the "Best Basic Research Poster"
award for cancer research by the National Cancer Institute and the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at their
annual convention. This was the first time this recognition was
presented to high school students; previously it has only gone to
professional researchers. Sharing the award was a student at
Commack High School, whose father is a social studies teacher at
South High.
1/12/12
-Six students, three from
North High School and three from South High School, have just been
named Semifinalists in the 2012 Intel Science Talent Search. Intel
is often considered the nation's most prestigious pre-college
science competition. A comprehensive article on the Semifinalists
and their award-winning projects will follow shortly.
1/5/12
-Six students from South
Middle School and two students from South High School have been
accepted to perform in the New York State Band Directors
Association (NYSBDA) Honor Concert Bands in Syracuse, in early
March. These students were selected by a statewide panel of NYSBDA
music educators after evaluating recordings of their performances.
More than 350 applications were submitted for High School Honor
Band consideration; Great Neck's musicians are among the 96
selected. Some 220 students applied for the Middle School Honor
Band, with about 93 students selected to participate.
1/5/12
-Seven young musicians were
selected for the 2011-12 Long Island String Festival Association
(LISFA) Orchestra, Elementary Division (grades 5-7). The concert
will be held in early March. The middle school performers are
sixth-graders; elementary school performers are all fifth-grade
violinists. Performing from North Middle School will be a
sixth-grade violinist. A six-grade cellist will represent South
Middle School. Elementary performers, all fifth-grade violinists,
include: two students from Baker School; two students from
Lakeville School; and one student from Saddle Rock School.
Participation in LISFA is an outstanding accomplishment. This
musical experience brings together Long Island's highly talented,
young string musicians. These students help to set an example of
excellence for their classmates in the instrumental music programs
throughout the district. They are taught by Jacquelyn Tomlet,
North Middle; Alan Schwartz, department head, South Middle; Anne
Fogarty, Baker; and Juan Garcia, Lakeville and Saddle Rock.
1/5/12
-Kudos to a ninth-grade
violinist from North High who was selected Associate Concertmaster
(first violin, second seat) in the LISFA Orchestra, Junior High
Division (grades 8-9). That concert was held in November. Her
instrumental music teacher at North is Joseph Rutkowski.
2011
12/22/11
-Saddle Rock School's
talented young artists were winners in the third annual Town of
North Hempstead Recycled Artwork Contest. A fifth-grader was a
winner in the "Use of Recycled Materials, Grade K-5" category. Her
piece, "Window of Seasons," depicts the four seasons--winter,
spring, summer, and fall--each in windowpane. The entire fourth
grade, nearly 100 students, worked on the "Flower Screen (in the
style of Jim Hodges)," taking "Outstanding in Creativity" in the
Group Projects category. Contest faculty sponsor was Rosemary
Sloggatt, art teacher. These projects will be on display through
Jan. 6, 2012, along with other Contest winners, at the Great Neck
Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Rd.
12/15/11
-Three North High School
students took First, Second, and Third Places in New York State in
the US Cyber Challenge (USCC). This online competition, sponsored
by Cyber Foundations and conducted in collaboration with the SANS
Institute, consisted of a series of tests in three fields of cyber
security: networking, operating systems, and system
administration. Participants were provided with online tutorials
and video education materials to expand their knowledge about each
field, followed by an exam on each topic. Exams were administered
during October and November. Nationally, over 2,000 students
participated in USCC.
12/8/11
-A total of 418 students
from Great Neck North and South High Schools have been named
Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars by the College Board for their
exceptional scores on college-level AP examinations. Scoring for
AP exams is done on a five-point system, with 5 being the
highest score and 1 the lowest. Of the award recipients, 265 were
graduated in June 2011, and 153 are seniors. The AP Scholars
who have not yet graduated are eligible to receive additional AP
Scholar awards next year. The College Board designates students as
National AP Scholars, AP Scholars with Distinction, AP
Scholars with Honor, or AP Scholars. The College Board's AP
Program provides academically prepared students with the
opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in
high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or
both for successful performance on the AP Exams. Over 47 percent
of Great Neck students who take AP exams perform well enough to
merit one of these awards, compared with about 18 percent of
students worldwide.
12/1/11
-Student members of the
North High School music department participated in the annual
Balanced Mind Curriculum Conference, held in early November, at
the Long Island Mariott Conference Center in Uniondale.
Twenty-eight chamber music students performed during the "Chamber
Music in the Schools: Play for Your Life" workshop presented by
Joseph Rutkowski, North High instrumental music director, and Alan
Schwartz, South Middle music department chair. This was the
twelfth time North students have participated at the Conference
with Mr. Rutkowski.
11/23/11
-Great Neck North and South
High Schools have been named 2012 GRAMMY Signature School
Semifinalists by the GRAMMY Foundation. They are among 126 music
programs in the nation (and only six in Nassau County) to receive
this honor. The GRAMMY Foundation recognizes and honors public
high school music programs that promote and support music
education as an integral part of their curriculum. From the
schools selected as Semifinalists, up to 40 will be named GRAMMY
Signature Schools. Selection will be based on submitted printed
and audio materials highlighting the school's choral, string, and
wind/percussion programs. Performances by other ensembles, e.g.,
jazz, guitar, and piano, may also be included. A distinguished
panel of music industry and educational professionals determines
the winning Signature Schools. Signature Schools receive monetary
grants. Winners will be announced in March 2012.
North High's music teachers are
Joseph Rutkowski, instrumental, and Roger Ames, vocal. (Neil
Saggerson is fine & performing arts department head.) Music
teachers at South High are Michael Schwartz (performing arts
department head), Mark Boschen, and Anthony Virgilio,
instrumental; and Pamela Levy, vocal.
Both North and South High have been
named GRAMMY Signature School Semifinalists numerous times and
have gone on to receive the distinction of being named GRAMMY
Signature Schools--North in 2000 and South in 2003, 2005, and
2007.
11/10/11
-The Great Neck Public
Schools has three Semifinalists in the 2011 Siemens Competition in
Math, Science & Technology, one of the most prestigious
student competitions in the science community. They are South High
students. These talented young scientists were supported in their
work by science research teachers Dr. Carol Hersh, Dr. James
Truglio, and Dr. Daniel Pilloff. The winning-project descriptions
that follow are excerpted from the written abstracts or summaries
that were a required part of each student's research project.
11/10/11
-One hundred forty students
from the Great Neck Public Schools have been invited to
participate in the 2012 All-County Music Festival to be held in
early January at the Tilles Center, located at CW Post Campus-LI
University. They were chosen from thousands of music students to
perform with the finest young musicians in Nassau County. They
serve as a standard of excellence for their musical peers and an
inspiration to their schools. This annual Festival embraces
student musicians from grades 5-12.
10/27/11
-Three South High School
students have just been named Semifinalists in the 2011 Siemens
Competition in Math, Science, and Technology. Jennifer
Harper-Taylor, president of the Siemens Foundation, said, "The
Siemens Competition give students the opportunity to conduct
original research and discover the many ways science impacts their
world." The Competition reveals the brightest high school minds in
contention for this coveted teen-science prize.
10/27/11
-Five secondary
students--two from South High and one each from North High, North
Middle, and South Middle--were selected for the 2011-12 Long
Island String Festival Association (LISFA) Orchestra. This musical
experience, held in November, brings together Long Island's highly
talented, young string musicians. Participation in LISFA is an
outstanding accomplishment. These students help to set an example
of excellence for their classmates in their instrumental music
programs. They are taught by Joseph Rutkowski, North High; Michael
Schwartz, South High; Matthew Trinkwald, North Middle; and Alan
Schwartz, South Middle.
10/27/11
-Four secondary
students--two from North High and two from South Middle--have been
named Long Island Young Scholars of Mathematics by the Institute
of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students at
SUNY College at Old Westbury. They join 68 Long Island Scholars
selected from among 700 top-ranking math students who competed for
this honor. Acceptance was based on: entrance exam, nomination by
school principal or math teacher, school transcript,
recommendation by math teacher, and a short essay. Jong P. Lee,
Ph.D., Institute founder and director, said, "Our students are
instilled with a lifelong love of mathematics. Many of our
graduates--over 10 percent--go on to win prestigious awards,
including national and international math, science, and
engineering contests." The Institute is supported by the Nassau
County Mathematics Teachers Association, the Suffolk County
Mathematics Teachers Association, the Nassau County
Interscholastic Mathematics League, the Nassau County Association
of Mathematics Supervisors, and the Mathematical Olympiads for
Elementary and Middle Schools.
10/20/11
-Two South High School
seniors were named winners of the 2011 National Council of
Teachers of English (NCTE) Achievement Awards in Writing. They are
among 520 winners nationwide, from 1,649 high school students
nominated by their English departments, when they were juniors.
Each nominee was required to create two writing samples for
submission. The first, in prose and/or verse, was drafted and
revised over time. The second was an impromptu essay, written
during a teacher-supervised session of no more than 2 hours, on a
topic provided by NCTE. A sampling of past topics have included:
"Elections--The World of Politics and Dirty Campaigning,"
"Students Who Don't Fit," and "Fictional Character as Teacher."
Entries were judged on the state level. NCTE contest guidelines
indicate that submitted writing should exhibit the "power to
inform and move an audience through the control of a wide range of
the English language." The Achievement Awards in Writing,
established in 1957, are designed to encourage high school
students in their writing and to publicly recognize some of the
best student writers in the country. Winners receive NCTE
certificates of commendation and recommendations for admission to
their selected colleges and universities.
10/13/11
-Three South High seniors
have been named Scholars in the 2011&endash;12 National Hispanic
Recognition Program (NHRP) sponsored by the College Board. They
are among some 5,000 students nationwide, from over 124,000 high
school juniors who took the qualifying 2010 Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test and designated
themselves as Hispanic, to be recognized by NHRP as either
Scholars or Honorable Mention Finalists. Winners are recognized
based on their test scores. In addition, Scholars must have a
grade point average of 3.5 or higher; Honorable Mentions, a GPA of
3.0&endash;3.49. NHRP, established in 1983, provides recognition
of the exceptional academic achievements of Hispanic/Latino high
school seniors and identifies them to subscribing four-year
postsecondary institutions.
10/13/11
-Two outstanding pianists
have been selected to perform at the sixth annual Piano Showcase
at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA)
Conference. One is a South High School junior, the other, a
fourth-grader at the Kennedy School. The Piano Showcase will take
place in Rochester, in early December. Only 12 students statewide,
from 52 applicants, were selected for this prestigious honor, and
two come from the Great Neck Public Schools. The South High
student will be performing Beethoven's "Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13,
No. 8, movement 1." He also plays the clarinet in South's Chamber
Orchestra. He is a student of Michael Schwartz, performing arts
department head. The Kennedy pianist is the youngest student
selected for the Piano Showcase. He received a perfect 100 score
at his evaluation. Maxim will play Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu"
at the Showcase. His music teacher at Kennedy is Amy Kempton.
9/28/11
-Twenty-two seniors in the
Great Neck Public Schools have been named Semifinalists in the
prestigious 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP), having
scored among the highest in New York State on the Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which
they took last year. Six are from North High School; 16 are from
South High School. The NMSP honors individual students who show
exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous
college studies. These Semifinalists, who represent less than one
percent of seniors in the State, will be identified to colleges
and universities in order to increase their educational
opportunities. Most Semifinalists will go on to achieve Finalist
status in early 2012. Merit Scholarship Winners will be chosen
from among the Finalists to receive one of three types of Merit
Scholarship Awards.
9/28/11
-A South High senior has
been named a 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Program
Semifinalist. The Program is conducted by the National Merit
Scholarship Program. It was created in 1964 to recognize
academically talented black American high school students.
Semifinalist selection is based on scores on the Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), the
student took last year. More than 160,000 black students took the
2010 PSAT/NMSQT. Some 1,600 were named Semifinalists based on
their cumulative reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores.
To ensure national representation, Semifinalists are designated on
a regional representation basis. Winners are the highest scorers
in the states within each region. Most Semifinalists go on to
achieve Finalist status after completing additional requirements.
Finalists are eligible for Achievement Scholarship Awards that are
announced in April.
9/28/11
-At the adjudicated Long
Island Science Congress Junior Division, one student received
Highest Honors for his research project, "The Mutagenic Effects of
Radio Waves on Drosophila Melanogaster." He also received two
special awards for his project: the Micro-Optics Award and the
Patricia Ford, MD Award. His research concluded that radio waves
from a Blue Tooth earpiece can adversely affect the larvae and
offspring of the drosophila melanogaster (the common fruit fly).
He also found that a MuMetal shield can be an effective barrier
against such radiation. Five students received Honorable Mentions
at the Science Congress. Two for their research project, "Effects
of Sugar on Pea Plants"; two for their project, "Effects of
Chewing Gum on Memory"; and one for her research project,
"Propagation of Spider Plants in Different Media."
9/28/11
-Honorable Mention Awards
were also won by three students at the eCybermission Competition,
a Web-based science, technology, engineering, and math event,
sponsored by the US Army, for their investigation on how to
minimize the frequency of birds flying into the glass windows of
buildings. South Middle
faculty advisors for the award-winning students were science
teachers Gail Keyes, Thomas Schwartz, and Dr. Doris Stanick.
9/22/11
-Three musicians from North
High School were selected to perform in the All-Star High School
Band of Long Island at the 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Memorial
Ceremony and Concert Honoring First-Responders and Veterans, held
at the US Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday, Sept. 18. Their music
teacher at North High is Joseph Rutkowski. (South High musicians
were unavailable to participate in the Concert.) Forty student
musicians played in the All-Star Band, representing some 16 Long
Island schools. The All-Star High School Band is newly formed
under the auspices of Michael Leavitt (North High Class of 1962),
president of the Band of Long Island. Both the All-Star Band and
the Band of Long Island performed at the Memorial Concert under
the direction of US Air Force Band Conductor Colonel Arnald D.
Gabriel (Ret.).
9/15/11
- A senior from North High
School, and a senior from South High were named Fellows by the
Simons Foundation and participated in a seven-week supervised
research program this summer. They were among 37 participants from
some 230 students, nationwide, who applied for Fellowships.
Students were engaged in mathematics, science, or engineering in
the program held at Stony Brook University.
9/15/11
-Twelve highly talented
music students, plus five alternates, from North and South High
Schools have been selected for the competitive All-State Music
Conference, to be held in Rochester, Dec. 1-4. Four students are
from North High; 13 students are from South High. At the
Conference, sponsored by the New York State School Music
Association (NYSSMA), the State's finest student musicians will
perform together in various ensembles. Thousands of students
auditioned for this competition last spring at solo and ensemble
festivals throughout the State. Mr. Rutkowski and Mr. Schwartz
sang the praises of "these exceptional young musicians who
inspire all of our musical groups and who contribute their
talents and efforts to the daily band, orchestra, or choir class."
Both also extolled the work of the music educators in the
elementary and middle schools who give these students "their
initial and ongoing inspiration and training," and for the
"steadfast support of the arts" by the Board of Education and the
parents.
9/15/11
- The Great Neck Public
School District garnered an Award of Merit in the 32nd Annual New
York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) Communications
Awards competition. The Award, in Photography, will be presented
next month during the annual convention of the New York State
School Boards Association, held in Buffalo. The photo entry is of
students playing chess in an after-school class offered by the
district's Adult Program. It was taken last year by Jessica K.
Vega, district public information assistant. It appeared in Great
Neck's local newspapers in an article publicizing the K-12 chess
classes. (The fall semester of Chess Classes for K-12 students,
held at the Cumberland Adult Center, begins on Friday, Oct. 14.
Call 441-4949 for registration and more information.) The NYSPRA
contest continues to be one of the largest of its kind in the
nation. It showcases exemplary work by school communications
professionals that supports student and district achievements.
There were 13 categories in the 2011 contest, from annual
reports to Web sites. Over 300 entries were received; about
one-third received awards. Judging was by communications
professionals from around the country. Photographs were judged on
overall quality and composition, effectiveness, attractiveness,
creative choice of subject, and effectiveness in complementing
accompanying text.
9/8/11
- In June, a South High
School junior was a recipient of the 2010-11 Dartmouth College
Book Award. The Award, sponsored by Dartmouth College and the
Dartmouth Club of Long Island, is "designed to encourage
intellectual excellence and to recognize the achievement of a
third-year secondary school student." The recipient should "be in
approximately the top 5 percent of his/her class, have
demonstrated intellectual leadership, and made a positive
contribution to the extracurricular life of the school."
6/30/11
- A South High School
senior won First Place in the Congressional Art Competition for
the Fifth Congressional District. Her winning piece, The Devil Is
in the Details, will be on display in the US Capitol (Canon
Tunnel) for one year, along with winners from other Congressional
districts nationwide. The annual local component of the
Competition was held at the Nassau County Museum of Art. She
attended the Awards Ceremony and Opening Reception in Washington,
DC., at the invitation of Fifth District Congressman Gary
Ackerman. High schools in Congressional districts throughout the
country submitted visual art to their local Congressional district
competitions. In the Fifth District, schools could submit up to
eight entries. Pieces were juried by the school art teachers for
submission. In addition to the winning piece, Honorable Mentions
were won by three other studnets: one, for a watercolor sketch
titled Istanbul; another, for her photograph, Nest; and the third,
for her watercolor painting, Times Squared. There were four other
student entrants. Competition entrants were students of South High
art teachers Karen Cuchel, department chair; Katherine Heller, or
Lisa Stancati. This year's First Place winner is the fourth South
High student to have work displayed in Washington, DC,
representing Congressman Ackerman's district.
5/26/11
-The competitive annual
listing of "American's Best High Schools," a long-standing event
published by Newsweek magazine, has, this year, moved to the
Washington Post newspaper where it has been renamed "The High
School Challenge." North and South High Schools ranked among the
top 150 on the national list of 1,905 schools. North High is 99
and South High is 146 in the listing. Other Long Island high
schools that made the top 150 list: Jericho, South Side (Rockville
Centre), Wheatley (Old Westbury), Manhasset, Cold Spring Harbor,
Syosset, Locust Valley, and Herricks. The Washington Post's data
was based on a ratio of the number of Advanced Placement,
International Baccalaureate, and/or Cambridge tests taken by all
students each year, divided by the number of graduating
seniors.
5/26/11
-Twenty high school
students are winners in the National French Exam (Le Grand
Concours), Nassau County Level. Their teachers are Miriam
Hollander at North High, and Harriet Cinco and Mary Ann Schwartz
at South High. There were seven winners from North High, and 13
winners from South High.
5/26/11
-Two-hundred thirty-four
students from North and South High Schools are winners in the
National Spanish Exam, sponsored by the American Association of
Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Their teachers at North High
are Department Head Madalyn DeLuccia, Caitlin Gorta, Bessie
Karanikolas, Lilian Krowne, and Ivania Marinero. The South High
teachers of Spanish are Department Head Lissa Baily, Fatima
Colman, Laura Giunta, Christine Montllor-Gil, Gabriel Pastrana,
Paula Sanchez-Kucukozer, and Ana Tavares. North High had four
Gold, 23 Silver, 20 Bronze, and 59 Honorable Mention winners.
South High had 12 Gold, 37 Silver, 27 Bronze, and 53 Honorable
Mention winners.
5/19/11
-A South High School
student garnered two Third Place Awards at the recent Intel
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), for her
project, Strategies Utilized by People with Autism and
Neuro-typical Individuals to Determine Emotion in Faces. The
competition was held in Los Angeles. In the Grand Awards category,
she won in the area of Behavioral and Social Sciences. In the
Special Awards category, she earned an award from the American
Psychological Association. In her research project, she worked to
understand what strategies those with Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) use to determine the emotions of others based on their
facial expressions; this can eventually lead to better treatment
of ASD. She worked at South High and at the Genesis-Eden II School
for autistic children. She developed a 24-slide PowerPoint
presentation of happy and sad faces and showed them to autistic
and non-autistic subjects. Subjects were instructed to pick out
the happy or sad face from pairs of faces with varying happy and
sad facial expressions. Her results suggested that people with ASD
judge facial emotions based largely on the expression of the mouth
and are not sensitive to the degree of emotion in the mouth,
regardless of how exaggerated it may be. She has won four other
awards for her ASD research project. She was a Semifinalist in the
Intel Science Talent Search, took a First Place in Behavioral
Science at the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair, a
Second Place at the Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, and
Best in Category at the Long Island High School Psychology Fair.
Her faculty advisor is Carol Hersh, science research teacher.
5/19/11
-Sixty-two students were
award winners in the 2011 National Latin Exam. Students were
tested on four Levels, including prose, poetry, and advanced
placement. These students were guided by Latin Teachers Johanne
Lynch at North High and South Middle, and Anthony Pontone at South
High. North High winners:
three Gold Summa Cum Laude; two Silver Maxima Cum Laude, four
Magna Cum Laude; and nine Cum Laude. South
High winners: 22 Gold Summa Cum Laude; nine Silver Maxima Cum
Laude, and four Magna Cum Laude. South
Middle winners: six Gold Summa Cum Laude and four Silver Maxima
Cum Laude. Latin was not
offered at North Middle School.
5/12/11
-A South High student
garnered a Second Place in Medicine for his project, "Decreased
Density of Striatal NOS Interneurons in Individuals with Tourette
Syndrome" at the National Junior Science & Humanities
Symposium, held in San Diego. In his project abstract, he
explained that Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a disorder of the human
brain. Patients with TS perform involuntary movements and
vocalizations called "tics." A region of the brain called the
striatum is believed to be crucially involved in the generation of
these tics. Within this region, there are various types of
neurons, one of which is the NOS cell. The goal of his study was
to determine if there was a difference in NOS cell density between
individuals with TS and individuals without TS. As a result of his
work, he found that the density was significantly lower in
patients with TS than in patients without TS. This finding is
important when considering the nature of these NOS cells since
they make adjacent cells less likely to function. Fewer of them in
the striatum translates to less inhibition and regulation, which
may partly explain how involuntary tics can arise. In the future,
more samples should be used to strengthen this conclusion. Perhaps
new treatments can be devised to increase the potency of these
inhibitory cells in patients with TS. He also won a Best in
Category at the Long Island Psychology Fair and an Honorable
Mention at the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair for his
TS project. His faculty advisor was Carol Hersh, science research
teacher.
5/12/11
-Students from South and
North High Schools took first and second place awards and South
High School took top school awards at the 2011 American
Association of Physics Teachers Physics Bowl, Region 3.
(Region 3 consists of New York, Maritime Provinces, Ontario,
and Quebec.) South High students took First Place in Division 1
(first-year, eleventh-grade students), and First Place in Division
2 (second-year, twelfth-grade students). A North High student took
Second Place in Division 1. South High School placed First in the
Region in Division 1, and Second in the Region in Division 2. The
top five participant scores, taken collectively, determine school
ranking. Physics Bowl faculty sponsors are Matthew Sckalor at
South High, and Marie Van Nieuwenhuizen at North High. More than
4,000 students participated in this year's Physics Bowl from over
200 schools across the US and Canada, as well as schools in China,
Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
5/12/11
-A team of North Middle
School students recently took Third Place in the Town of North
Hempstead's "Refill&emdash;Not Landfill" Video Competition. The
three students created a public service announcement titled, "When
Bottles Go Bad." Their video educates the community on the
environmental effects of plastic waste associated with disposable
water bottles. The students made their video under the guidance of
technology teacher Daniel Ciccone. The students' winning video can
be seen at http://www.multimediaexperience.weebly.com. It will
also air on the Town's cable station and on YouTube. Students will
receive an award from Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilwoman
Maria Christina Poons.
5/12/11
-At the recent DECA
(Distributive Education Clubs of America) International Career
Development Conference (ICDC), 21 awards were copped by South High
School's 29 participants. ICDC was held in Orlando. This large
turnout represents one-third of the Club's members and a
participation record. The ICDC is the most prestigious DECA
competition, attracting over 15,000 students, teachers, and
business people. To compete at ICDC, students must first succeed
at the regional and state levels. Three students placed in the top
three in their events, two students were among the top ten in
their event, three students were finalists, six students won
awards for top role plays scores, and seven for top test exams.
Earlier this year, at the State Career Conference (SCC), a student
won the DeVry Innovations and Entrepreneurship Challenge. She was
honored at the ICDC opening ceremony. At ICDC, most students
competed in the individual series events and team decision making
events, such as Business Law and Ethics, Travel and Tourism, and
Retail Merchandising. Similar to SCC, these students took a
100-question exam testing their knowledge of finance, marketing,
business management and administration, or hospitality and
tourism. They also performed a role play, in which they were shown
a problem or situation and were required to present and articulate
ideas and solutions. Other students participated in research and
entrepreneurship events on topics such as Fashion Merchandising
and Hospitality and Tourism Operations. These students presented
comprehensive research on and creative ideas for an existing
business or a business of their creation. After competing in
testing or role plays, the top 20 scoring teams or individuals
from the 150-200 competitors were named Finalists and advanced to
the next round. In the Finals, students performed another role
play or presentation. After this final round of competition, the
Top Ten and First, Second, and Third place winners were announced.
DECA advisors Sheryl Burger and Rick Vine contributed tirelessly
to the group effort and cannot be thanked enough for their endless
contributions and dedication. Their enthusiasm and expertise
continue to fuel South's DECA. From early September to early May,
they support members in their endeavors, encourage them to compete
and to persevere, enable them to hone their skills, help them to
expand their knowledge, and allow them to explore their interests.
They constantly encourage students to rebound, learn, and grow
from their failures, and cheer, celebrate, and rejoice over their
successes. South High Business/Technology Department Head John
Motchkavitz and student teacher Cara Burger also supported and
mentored the Club throughout the year. The Club also gratefully
acknowledges the encouragement and support of the Board of
Education and school and district administrators. Participation in
DECA gives Club members exposure to the business world, acquiring
networking and public speaking skills, along with smiles, laughs,
and memories. The Club continues to grow and stabilize with the
work of enticed freshmen, energetic sophomores, eager juniors,
experienced seniors, and expert advisors.
5/12/11
-Marc Epstein, the Great
Neck Public Schools district technology director, is this year's
recipient of the Administrator of the Year Award from the Nassau
BOCES School Library System. He was nominated for the Award by
South High School library media specialists Judith McClellan
(department head) and Damon Reader. In their nomination
application, Ms. McClellan and Mr. Reader described Mr. Epstein's
achievements and responsibilities that made him a worthy candidate
and ultimate Award winner. Excerpts follow: Mr. Epstein has worked
in his current capacity for 15 years, during which time he has
fostered a strong connection to library programs at the district's
nine schools. While the district does not have a "Director of
Libraries," he has unofficially assumed this role by championing
library issues. He represents the district as coordinator to BOCES
(Board of Cooperative Education Services), assigns the district
library liaisons, and handles all databases and technologies
purchased through BOCES. Mr. Epstein is a strong advocate for new
library technologies (networking, hardware, software, tech
support, eReaders, Follett Destiny library automation software,
etc.), and is responsible for most technology-related,
staff-development programs offered through the district. He is
also responsible for the district's Web site
(greatneck.k12.ny.us).
5/5/11
-For the fourth consecutive
year (and five times overall), the Great Neck Public School
District has been named among the "Best Communities for Music
Education in America" by the NAMM Foundation, a coalition of music
and educational organizations. The 172 winning districts in this
twelfth-annual nationwide survey demonstrate an unwavering
commitment to providing music education for their students.
"We are proud to acknowledge these
districts and are grateful for their commitment to a complete
education that includes music. Evidence shows a direct correlation
between music education and success in other areas of a student's
life," said Mary Luehrsen, executive director, NAMM
Foundation. Selection was
based on answers to a survey. Districts were measured across a
variety of programs and curricula. Entrants answered detailed
questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class
participation, instruction time facilities, support for the music
program, and other relevant factors in their music education
programs. Responses were verified with district officials, and
advisory organizations reviewed the data.
Great Neck's proud music faculty
include: Roger Ames and Joseph Rutkowski, North High; Mark
Boschen, Pamela Levy, Department Head Michael Schwartz, and
Anthony Virgilio, South High; Denise Eisner, Department Head
Joseph Rutkowski, Matthew Trinkwald, and Daniel Tomaselli, North
Middle; Mark Boschen, Department Head Alan Schwartz, Anthony
Virgilio, and Shelley Willcox, South Middle; Anne Fogarty and
Cynthia Koncick, Baker; Jennifer Hood, Amy Kempton, and Janine
Robinson, Kennedy; Robin Dreifus, Juan Garcia, Jennifer Hood,
Robert Pietromonaco, and Christopher Wilson, Lakeville; and Juan
Garcia, Jennifer Hood, Chad Lasky, and Christopher Wilson, Saddle
Rock. The Best Communities survey was conducted by the NAMM
Foundation with the support of these organizations: Americans for
the Arts, League of American Orchestras, Mr. Holland's Opus
Foundation, Music for All, Music Teachers National Association,
National Guild for Community Arts Education, National PTA, VH1
Save the Music Foundation, Yamaha Corporation of America, and
Young Audiences.
4/28/11
-A North High School senior
is one of 60 Regional Finalist in the 2010-11 Young Epidemiology
Scholars (YES) Competition. YES competitors were required to
develop a research project in which they identify a health
problem, gather data about that problem, and address the problem
based on the data. Her project was "Communication Underload:
Validating the Existence of Disconnect Anxiety." After noticing
that her friends more often texted each other than talked to each
other, she designed a project to research the anxiety that humans
might feel when unable to use their cell phones. She isolated 150
high school students (some were allowed to keep their cell phones
and the rest were not) and compared their levels of anxiety. She
found no significant differences between the groups. Those without
phones did not exhibit "withdrawal" anxiety, rather, they were
bored. She was previously named a Second Place Winner in the Intel
Science Talent Search for her Communication project. Science
research teacher Alan Schorn has been her faculty sponsor. The YES
Competition, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and
administered by the College Board, is designed to spur students'
interest in the field of public health, specifically epidemiology.
Epidemiology is the science of exploring patterns of disease,
illness, and injury within populations, with the goal of
developing methods for prevention, control, and treatment to
improve health.
4/28/11
-South High School took
team and individual awards at the Twelfth Annual Long Island FIRST
(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
Robotics Regional Competition, held at Hofstra University. The
Robotics Team won the Underwriters Laboratory Industrial Safety
Award for the third straight year. A junior was named a winner of
the Dean's List Finalist Award (named after FIRST founder Dean
Kamen, entrepreneur and inventor of the Segway two-wheeled
transport device). At the FIRST USA Championship held in St.
Louis, 10 Finalist Award winners will be selected from the 94
Finalists to attend a Leadership Conference at FIRST Headquarters
in New Hampshire. SBPLI (School to Business Partnership of Long
Island) was a major sponsor of the LI FIRST Regional Robotics
Competition. Over 1,200 students from 50 high schools from
throughout the tri-state area and Pennsylvania took part in the LI
FIRST Competition. "All teams demonstrated tremendous teamwork,
professionalism, and strategic thinking, but winning teams went
above and beyond to overcome the challenges of the competition,"
said Janet Anderson, acting SBPLI president. Teams spent six weeks
building their 120-pound robots using a kit of parts and a
standard set of rules. Robots were required to complete specific
tasks including placing inner-tube-size inflatable shapes on a
wall that varied in height, up to 10 feet. The robots also
performed tasks in an autonomous mode, without human involvement.
A mini robot (also built by each team) was deployed by the larger
robot, traveling up a 10-foot tall pipe. There are 75 students on
the South Robotics Team. Many are also enrolled in the school's
Robotics class. Team advisors are business/technology department
head John Motchkavitz and teacher Matthew Corrigan. For more
information about South's Robotics program, please contact Mr.
Motchkavitz at 441-4841.
4/21/11
-Three South High students
garnered top awards at the Junior Science & Humanities
Symposium (JSHS) and will now advance to the National JSHS in San
Diego. Of the 225 students who submitted papers to the JSHS, only
90 were chosen to present their work. Four North High students and
one from South High had the honor of presenting their work, but
were not among the top award winners. JSHS faculty advisors were
Alan Schorn for the North High students and Carol Hersh for
South's. The JSHS is sponsored by the US Army, Navy, and Air
Force, and administered by Academy of Applied Science.
4/21/11
-North and South High
School students took First, Second, and Third Place Awards, and
other top honors, at the Long Island Science & Engineering
Fair (LISEF). A South High student took a First Place in
Behavioral Science. She will now advance to compete at the Intel
International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), to be held in
May, in Los Angeles. Second Place Awards were won by two South
students. Third Place Awards were garnered by three North students
and one student from South. Honorable Mentions were won by two
South students. Special Awards included: Air Force Awards, Mu
Alpha Theta Award for Mathematics, and American Psychological
Association Award. Faculty advisors for LISEF are: Alan Schorn at
North High and Carol Hersh at South High.
4/21/11
-A North High School senior
has been chosen to be a presenter at Customer Connect 2011, a
forum sponsored by Mahindra Satyam. The event theme is "Generation
C" (content-centric, community-oriented, and connected). It will
be held in early May in Boston. She will be one of 22 speakers and
the only student. She will speak about her research project,
"Communication Underload: Validating the Existence of Disconnect
Anxiety," to an audience eager to know more about the generation
she represents. In her research, she studied the effects of
separating teens from their cell phones to see if they would
experience anxiety similar to withdrawal. She isolated 150 high
school students (half were allowed to keep their cell phones and
half not) and compared their levels of anxiety. She found no
significant differences between the groups. Those without phones
did not exhibit "withdrawal" anxiety, rather they were simply
bored. She was previously named an Intel Science Talent Search
Second Place Winner and a Young Epidemiology Scholar Finalist for
her project. Mahindra Satyam is a leading information,
communications, and technology company.
4/7/11
-An eighth-grader at North
Middle School is the 2011 New York State National Geographic Bee
Champion. He competed against some 100 fourth- through
eighth-graders from throughout NYS. He will now represent the
State at the national competition next month in Washington, DC. He
explained the format of the State competition. In the preliminary
sessions, students were required to correctly answer eight oral
questions presented by State Bee Coordinator Dr. Gale Sookdeo.
Fifteen students subsequently qualified for the final round. What
followed were two intense tiebreakers and he was part of both of
them. The first, to whittle the 15 students down to 10
finalists took over 45 minutes and included some
60 questions. The second tiebreaker was for the
Championship--which he won! He
is no stranger to the Geographic Bee, having been North Middle's
champion for the past three years and then gone on to place among
the top three at the State competition. He explained that he
prepared more intensely this year than in previous years and
studied countries in depth. He finds geography itself
"interesting" and enjoys the "world at large." He enjoys politics
and watches CNN daily. Social
studies department head Ellen Bronheim described him as "devoted
to geography with a keen interest in geographic facts. He keeps a
complete notebook of information on countries and world
geography." Ms. Bronheim said that North Middle has entered
the Geographic Bee for the past 19 years, but this is their first
State winner. Social studies teacher Jenny Helms has also coached
him and worked with him extensively since he was in her
sixth-grade class. Ms.
Bronheim said North Middle is "extremely proud" of his
accomplishment and everyone is rooting for his continued success
in May. The Geographic Bee is
sponsored by the National Geographic Society, Google, and Plum
Creek.
4/7/11
-Great Neck middle school
Mathcounts Mathlete teams swept First and Second Places at the
Regional Mathcounts Competition held at Hofstra University.
South Middle's team took First Place,
and North Middle's team took Second Place, competing against some
15 other Nassau County teams. The
two teams went on to the State Competition, held at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, last month, where they made a very
respectable showing. Out of 50 teams, North Middle placed 26, and
South Middle placed 30. North
Middle's team advisor is mathematics department chair Leslie
Blank. Math teacher William Giannone is South Middle's team
advisor. "Mathcounts" is not
just a clever expression--it is the name of a national middle
school mathematics enrichment, coaching, and competition program
that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through a
series of fun and engaging bee-style contests. The program is
supported by the National Society of Professional Engineers at the
state and local levels.
4/7/11
-North Middle's Science
Olympiad Team recently took home two medals at the Nassau County
Science Olympiad, competing against 42 other teams, and turned in
their highest scores, overall, in the past five years.
They took a Third Place in Disease
Dectective, and a Fifth Place in MagLev (magnetic levitation). In
13 of the 16 events, North Middle teams placed in the top half of
all teams. Team faculty advisors are technology teacher Dan
Ciccone and science teacher Zehava Vitberg.
3/31/11
-Two North High students
recently took awards at the DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of
America) State Career Conference (SCC) held in Rochester. Both are
now eligible to participate in the International Career
Development Conference to be held in Orlando, beginning in late
April. One earned a Third Place in Food Marketing Series. The
other won a Fifth Place in Principles of Marketing.
At the SCC, competitors were required
to take a written exam and role-play solutions to problems
presented. In all, 55 North
students competed at this year's SCC. DECA Club faculty sponsor is
Richard Marchese. DECA is an
international student organization that prepares its members for
careers in marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.
3/31/11
-South Middle's Science
Olympiad Team recently earned top medals in eight events at the
Nassau County Science Olympiad, competing against 42 other teams.
The top performers will advance to the State competition in April.
The Team is comprised of 27 South Middle (SM) students, grades
6-8, and five South High (SH) ninth-graders. The event is open to
students in grades 6-9. Top
winners by place and event: First Place&emdash;Ecology; Second
Place&emdash;A Is for Anatomy; Third Places&emdash;Dynamic Planet,
Microbe Mission, and Sumobots; Fourth Place&emdash;Solar System;
Sixth Places&emdash;Disease Detective and Ornithology.
Team faculty advisors are Tobias
Hatten and Gail Keyes. Ms.
Keyes, talking about the competition, said, "Teams prepare for the
various tournament events months in advance. In addition, they
study areas of anatomy, physiology, geology, astronomy, zoology,
chemistry, physics, and meteorology. Final competitive elements
are not introduced until the actual event, requiring students to
use their cooperative skills to meet the required tasks."
3/24/11
-A senior at South High
School is a recipient of the Scholar-Artist Award for the month of
March. The Award is a program of the Long Island Arts Alliance in
cooperation with Newsday, and is presented by the New York
Community Bank Foundation. A
committee of art leaders and school officials chose him for this
honor based on his theatrical, music, and academic achievements.
He was recently profiled in Newsday and on Newsday.com and will be
honored at an awards gala at the Tilles Center for the Performing
Arts. The students has held
numerous lead roles in Theatre South productions, including
Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, Orsino in Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night, Charlemagne in Pippin, Trotsky in The Death of Trotsky, and
Frederick Fellowes in Noises Off. He is also a member of the
Improv troupe, "Hot Lunch." He is an accomplished bass singer,
performing in the NYSSMA All-State Mixed Chorus and the All-County
Chorus. He sang the lead in three school operas: Danilo in The
Merry Widow, Gianni Schicchi in Gianni Schicchi, and, this year,
Hoffman in The Tales of Hoffman. He attends the Julliard
Pre-College Vocal Division, has been a soloist with the Julliard
orchestra, and, in April, will sing tenor as part of a chamber
ensemble in the competitive Lincoln Center Young Musicians
Concert. He is also president of South's Concert Choir.
He excels academically, earning the
designation of Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors.
Drama teacher Thomas Marr and vocal
teacher Pamela Levy helped him prepared his application materials.
The Scholar-Artist Awards, established in 2007, recognize
artistically accomplished Long Island high school seniors. Two
students are recognized each month from September to June, one
each from Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The Awards honor students
in dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts.
3/24/11
-North High School's
student newspaper, Guide Post, received five Adelphi University
Press Day 2011 Quill Awards for distinction in high school
journalism, including two first place awards.
Awards included: First Place Best
News Article for piece titled, "Student Outrage Over Utensil
Policy"; First Place Community Action Service Award given to a
student who has shown a significant connection to community
service and then reported on it. She has worked with the Operation
Smile organization; Third Place in Best Page One Layout; Honorable
Mention Opinion Article for "New Media"; Honorable Mention for
Most Outstanding Newspaper. Commenting
on the awards, Guide Post faculty sponsor English teacher Jodi
Kahn said, "It was nice to see that the students were recognized
for all their hard work and dedication and also to see the broad
smiles on their faces." Nineteen schools from throughout Nassau
and Suffolk Counties competed for Quill Awards this year.
3/24/11
-Five South High School
students won awards at recent art competitions.
Scholastic Young Artists
Three seniors won Gold Awards for
portfolios and individual pieces in this year's Scholastic Young
Artists Competition. One won a
Portfolio Gold Award at the regional level. The portfolio she
entered is a series of photographs of hands and feet. Another won
a Gold Key for a photo that she entered in the comic art category.
Her photos mix drawing and real objects in humorous ways. A third
won a Gold Key for mixed ink and watercolor paintings of outdoor
city scenes. Two are students in Lisa Stancati's Advanced
Placement Digital Photography class; one in Katherine Heller's
Advanced Placement Studio Class. The Scholastic organization
identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent
and brings their remarkable work to a national audience. These
three students will now move on to national adjudication.
Art League Winners
Two seniors took awards at the "Go
Ape" competition sponsored by the Art League of Long Island for
Advanced Placement Artists from Nassau and Suffolk Counties. One
won Top Honors for a fantasy ink drawing of a figure supporting a
gothic cathedral. Her prize was an ape trophy designed by local
artist Dan Christoffe. Another won an Honorable Mention for
a jacket made of broken mirrors. Both students are in Katherine
Heller's Advanced Placement art class.
3/24/11
-Great Neck South High's
DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) Club turned in
another record-breaking performance at the State Career Conference
(SCC) held in early March in Rochester. Twenty-nine of South's 65
SCC competitors scored high enough to now advance to the
International Career Development Conference (ICDC) to be held in
Orlando, beginning in late April. South won over 100 awards at the
SCC, with seven students being inducted into the DECA Honor
Society. The chapter also received awards for participating in
charity fundraising projects. Top Winners
South's top winners (first through
fifth places) who will compete at the ICDC, by place and
participating event follow. First Place in Automotive Services
Marketing Individual, Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research,
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making; and Hotel and Lodging
Management Individual. Second
Place in Automotive Services Marketing Individual, Hotel and
Lodging Management Individual, Marketing Communications Team
Decision Making, Principles of Marketing; and Sports &
Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making.
Third Place in Fashion Merchandising
Promotion Plan, Hospitality Services Team Decision Making, and
Restaurant and Food Service Management Individual.
Fourth Place in Financial Services
Team Decision Making, Food Marketing Individual, Sports &
Entertainment Marketing Individual, and Sports & Entertainment
Marketing Team Decision Making. Fifth
Place in Hospitality Services Team Decision Making and Sports
& Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making.
Students won the Stock Market Game
and the DeVry Innovations and Entrepreneurship Challenge.
Faculty sponsors for DECA are
business teachers Sheryl Burger and Rick Vine. Their enthusiasm
and expertise help DECA members hone their skills and expand their
knowledge and contributed significantly to South's extraordinary
performance at this year's SCC.
3/17/11
-A North High School
senior, has been named a Winner in the 2011 Intel Science Talent
Search. She won Second Place among the top 10 Winners chosen from
the 40 Finalists who had competed in a week of rigorous judging,
held in Washington, DC. "The creativity and leadership of these
Intel scientists and mathematicians hold tremendous potential to
move our country forward as they address real-world
problems," said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. The
award-winning project, "Communication Underload: Validating the
Existence of Disconnect Anxiety," grew out of a personal
observation made while sitting with friends. She realized that
just about everyone around her was texting. What would be their
reactions, she thought, if students were completely separated from
their cell phones? Would they experience disconnect anxiety or
withdrawal symptoms typically associated with addictions? She
decided to measure and analyze mobile phone dependence, a topic
not extensively discussed in scientific literature. After
analyzing the reactions of 150 participants, half separated from
their mobile phone for 45 minutes and half not, she found that the
term "disconnect anxiety" (coined by a professional research group
in 2008) did not apply. Rather than becoming anxious, the students
without their cell phones felt understimulated or bored. She
observed that they simply had lost the ability to "entertain"
themselves. The winning project was completed in-school under the
guidance of Alan Schorn, science research teacher. She was
also assisted by South High behavioral science teacher Michelle
Sorise, who contributed significant advice on the design of the
project.
3/17/11
-The Great Neck Public
Schools has been named to the AP (Advanced Placement) Achievement
List by the College Board. Great Neck is one of 388 districts
nationwide, and six in Nassau County, to receive this newly
established award for "simultaneously expanding opportunity and
improving performance [by] opening AP classroom doors to a
significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or
improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or
higher." (AP exams are scored on a five-point system, with
5 being the highest grade and 1 the lowest. A score of 3 or
higher is typically needed to earn college credit for an AP
course.) According to the College Board, from 2008-2010, Great
Neck increased the number of students participating in AP courses
from 789 to 936 while improving the percentage of students earning
AP scores of 3 or higher, from 87 percent in 2008 to 89 percent in
2010. College Board President Gaston Caperton said, "The AP
Achievement List districts are defying expectations by expanding
access while enabling their students to maintain or improve their
AP exam scores." "These districts are living proof that when
access to AP is provided for the range and breadth of prepared and
motivated students, districts can achieve even higher learning
outcomes for their students," said Trevor Packer, vice president
of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Inclusion on
the Achievement List was based on the following criteria:
examination of three years of AP data, from 2008-10; increase in
participation in/access to AP by at least 4-11 percent (depending
on district size); steady or increasing percentage of exams taken
by African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska
Native students; and performance levels maintained or improved
when comparing the percentage of exams in 2010 scoring a 3 or
higher to those in 2008, or the district has already attained a
performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students
are scoring a 3 or higher. This year, 431 Great Neck North and
South High School students, a record number, were named AP
Scholars by the College Board for their exceptional scores on
college-level AP examinations.
3/17/11
-A North High School
sophomore has been selected to participate in the 2011 MENC
All-National Honor Ensembles Concert in late June, at the Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, DC. She will play
the flute in the All-National Honor Band, along with 82 other
outstanding student performers, under the direction of Dr. Thomas
Duffy. She was chosen for All-National based on her audio CD
audition, performing five pieces of required music. Earlier this
year, she was selected for the All-County Band. Her instrumental
music teacher at North High is Joseph Rutkowski. The All-National
Concert will be held in conjunction with MENC's Music Education
Week. MENC is the National Association for Music Education.
3/10/11
-The Tribute WTC (World
Trade Center) Visitor Center recently presented North Middle
School social studies teacher Michelle Mastrande with a 2011
September 11th Teacher Award for her work in establishing a
seven-week, multidisciplinary unit on the September 11 tragedy.
She was one of five teachers to receive this year's Awards. The
Teacher Awards, established in 2008, recognize schools and
teachers who have "created exemplary educational projects that
uniquely explore the impact of September 11, 2001." As the lead
teacher of a seventh-grade teaching team, Ms. Mastrande
coordinated and organized the projects, gathered materials, and
planned the day-to-day activities. She also brought in speakers,
acquired relevant films and documentaries, and arranged for a
field trip to the Tribute WTC Visitor Center.
Three other teachers made up the
teaching team that presented the curriculum on a daily basis. They
were: English teacher Marissa Dove, who guided the children in
writing their own poems after listening to those of survivors,
family victims, and authors; science teacher Hedda Blitz, who led
the students in discussions about respiratory disorders, sinus
problems, and different types of cancers experienced by rescue
workers and survivors; and mathematics teacher Frank LoPiccolo,
who engaged the students in math activities related to the
rebuilding and explored the economic impact of 9/11. Librarian
Marsha Witten was also helpful in obtaining teaching materials and
films. Ms. Mastrande explained
that this learning unit offered the 130 students in the program a
"unique opportunity to have history become especially meaningful
through readily available media footage and first-person talks
with survivors, family members, and rescue and recovery
workers." As a result of their
participation in this award-winning September 11 curriculum, many
of the students are involved in the planning of their school's
fall assembly program in recognition of the 10th anniversary of
9/11. They will also be working with the school's Community Action
Club designing and raising funds for a memorial garden in the
school's courtyard.
2/18/11
-Twenty-two seniors from
North and South High Schools and the Village School have advanced
to Finalists (from Semifinalists) in the prestigious 2011 National
Merit Scholarship Competition. These students are now among more
than 15,000 who will be considered for some 8,400 Merit
Scholarship awards that will be announced in the spring and
summer. Two Finalists from
North High School; 19 are from South High; one is from the Village
School. PSAT scores for these
students were among the highest in the state and their scores on a
second examination were as good or better. Having demonstrated
exemplary academic performance throughout high school, these
students were fully endorsed and recommended by their high school
principals. Each student also furnished biographical data and a
self-description of interests, activities, accomplishments, and
goals.
2/18/11
-The South High School
National Science Bowl Team recently won the Long Island Regional
event and advances to compete at the National Event in Washington,
DC, in April. The winning Team
has five members. Their faculty sponsor is science teacher James
Truglio. The National Science
Bowl (NSB) is sponsored by the US Department of Energy. (NSB is
the only science competition in the country sponsored by a federal
agency.) Begun in 1991, NSB is a national academic competition
among teams of high school and middle school students who compete
in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format similar to Jeopardy.
Teams must solve technical problems in all branches of science and
math. The NSB high school competition involves more than 13,000
students. The April National event will include several days of
science activities and competitions. There will be cutting-edge
science seminars and hands-on science activities. All participants
will receive certificates and have the opportunity to win small
prizes for activities. The
teams that advance to the elimination rounds will earn a monetary
prize for their school. Top teams also receive trophies and other
awards.
2/18/11
-North Middle School
science teacher Jonathan Zimmerman has been named one of 14
Education Partners by Nassau BOCES for improving the education of
others. Mr. Zimmerman is being recognized as the founder of
Comp4Kids, a computer recycling company.
Comp4Kids collects, refurbishes, and
donates computers to low-income families and the disabled in Great
Neck, on Long Island, and throughout the metro area. Computers are
distributed through such organizations as United Way, Haven House,
and the Family Service League. Mr.
Zimmerman began his company almost 10 years ago when, as a
teacher, he realized that not every child had a computer at home.
He wanted to do something to change that situation. He is often
assisted by Great Neck students, who help with this community
service project. Education
Partner recipients will be honored by Nassau BOCES at a ceremony
in May. BOCES considers the program, began in 2007, as their
answer to the Oscars--it recognizes "those whose impact on public
education in Nassau County can be measured in a very tangible
way." Mr. Zimmerman said he was "honored to be included
[as an Education Partner] in a group of such amazing
people." He was previously
recognized as a People magazine All-Star Finalist for his
Comp4Kids work.
2/3/11
-Four Great Neck high
school students were named winners at the 2010&endash;2011 Long
Island High School Psychology Fair. Two South High students were
named Best in Category; one for his project in Clinical
Psychology, the other for her project in Cognitive
Psychology. Three North High
students were named Honorable Mentions; one for her project in
Clinical Psychology, and the other two for their project in
Cognitive Psychology. Participation
in the Psychology Fair was by invitation, based on the judging of
an entrant's one-page project description evaluated by a team of
reviewers prior to the Fair. At the Fair, participants were
required to support their project with a 10-minute PowerPoint
presentation. No written material could accompany the
presentation. This was followed by a 5-minute questioning period
by the judges.
2/3/11
-Twenty-three student
musicians in the Great Neck Public Schools excelled at this year's
All-County Music Festival held at the Tilles Center, in
January. There were five North
High School honorees; they are taught by Joseph Rutkowski,
instrumental director. There
were 11 South High honorees; they are taught by Michael Schwartz,
performing arts department head/instrumental music teacher, and
Mark Boschen, instrumental music teacher.
North Middle had two honorees. Their
instrumental music teacher is Matthew Trinkwald.
South Middle had three honorees; they
are taught by Alan Schwartz, music department head.
Kennedy School had two honorees.
Their music teacher is Amy Kempton.
1/27/11
-The Great Neck Public
Schools congratulates its Finalist and four Semifinalists in the
2011 Intel Science Talent Search. The Finalist is from North High
School. She is one of seven Finalists in New York State; one of
four from Long Island. The 40
national Finalists, chosen from the 300 Semifinalists, will
compete in Washington, DC, in a weeklong event in March. They will
undergo a rigorous judging process, meet with national leaders,
interact with leading scientists, and display their research
projects at the National Geographic Society. Winners will receive
financial awards. Semifinalists
will each receive a $1,000 award. In addition, respective schools
receive $1,000 per Semifinalist to support their science, math,
and engineering programs. Semifinalists will also be honored with
certificates of accomplishment. Intel
(the former Westinghouse competition) is the country's oldest
pre-college science competition and is considered by many to be
the most prestigious.
1/20/11
-The South High School team
of four students took First Place in the recent Stony Brook
University Protein Challenge, from 34 schools entered. Last year,
the South team took a Second Place in the Challenge. South High
faculty sponsor/science teacher James Truglio said, "It just comes
naturally to our team. It means a lot to see them coming in as
ninth-graders knowing little about proteins, to see where they are
now as juniors and seniors." Prior
to the event, over a period of weeks, teams built models that
demonstrated the link between protein structure and function.
Projects focused on the epidermal growth factor receptor, a
protein that plays a key role in cell communication and growth.
Protein models were built using a Mini-Toober, which is "a piece
of wire with foam around it," Dr. Truglio explained.
At the contest event, teams were
required to build another model, this one of a related protein,
and to complete a short exam. Models were judged for accuracy.