East Islip Union Free School District

Two Timber Point Artists Recognized in Art Gallery Show

Two young artists from Timber Point Elementary School were recently recognized for their artistic achievements by the Suffolk County Art Leaders Association (SCALA). Savannah Healy and Savannah Piropato each had one work of art chosen for display in the annual Invitational Show, held this year at the Islip Arts Council Gallery in Bay Shore.

“We are all very proud of our students’ work and loved having the opportunity to celebrate them during the show and reception,” art teacher Amanda Lastella said.

https://tv.newsday.com/watch/sports/high-school/boys-lacrosse/boys-lacrosse-team-2024-movhi3ia

East Islip's Matt McIntee wins top lacrosse honor East Islip High School boys lacrosse player Matt McIntee received the Ray Enners award as Suffolk's top boys lacrosse player Wednesday.

East Islip HS Recognizes 48 New National Honor Society Members

On June 6, East Islip High School recognized 48 new members and their mentors in its National Honor Society investiture ceremony. Speakers included NHS adviser Nicole Ingram and Co-Presidents Mikayla Horton, Emma Johnson and Ryan Kelpie. The candle lighting ceremony was led by Historian Skylar Reilly, Secretary Jishnu Roy Chowdhuri, Historian Kathryn O’Rourke and Treasurer Julia Fink.

EIHS Tri-M Hosts Mock NYSSMA Practice for Younger Musicians

East Islip High School’s Tri-M Music Honor Society recently hosted its first Mock NYSSMA practice session for fourth-to-sixth-grade band, chorus and orchestra students preparing to attend the New York State School Music Association Festival. Tri-M members acted as judges and offered feedback and practice suggestions to the younger students.

NYSSMA holds approximately 145 solo and ensemble festivals in New York each spring. Students who attend the NYSSMA solo festival are evaluated on their performance of a solo from the NYSSMA manual, scales and sight reading.

“Our main mission was to get the students comfortable performing and to provide a positive musical experience,” music teacher Giovanna Sciandra said. “We hope to make Mock NYSSMA an annual event.”

Nineteen HS Students Inducted Into Math Honor Society

East Islip High School inducted 19 students into the Mathematics Honor Society on June 5 in a ceremony at the school’s Forum, organized by adviser Denise Seibert and student officers.

“Acceptance into the Math Honor Society signifies strong performance and love of the subject, as well as participation in several student community service projects,” Math and Science Director John Genova said. “One such project took place on Pi Day, to raise funds for a student scholarship, and another campaign resulted in a donation to the Taylor’s Hope Foundation. Additionally, students in the Math Honor Society provide tutoring services to their peers. Congratulations to all the inductees and their families.”

Congrats to all our EI varsity athletes honored at the high school's spring sports award night!

EIHS Hosts Local Scholarship Awards Night

East Islip High School held its annual Senior Local Scholarship Awards Night on June 5, hosted by Dr. Jason Stanton, the school’s director of careers and student services. Many dozens of deserved awards and scholarships were presented to East Islip’s proud seniors.

“This is my 10th year in the district,” Dr. Stanton said. “These students have been with us a long time, and it’s a great experience to see a full class come through. They're very special to me. Each student here is a representation of academic excellence, dedication to our community and a symbol of perseverance. They are the definition of EI Pride. Congratulations for all the students and to the teaching staff. Thank you for all your tireless efforts on behalf of East Islip and our students. To the parents of all these wonderful students here before me, know that we are as proud of your children who represent East Islip with honor and pride, as you will be when you see them walk at graduation.”

East Islip HS SADD Club Continues Annual SMASHED Advocacy

Partnering with Allstate Insurance, East Islip High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions club and adviser Bridget Lopiccolo hosted their annual SMASHED press conference on June 11, helping to spread the message of driving safety. The event coincides with what is known as the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of deadly accidents involving teen drivers is the highest. As in past years, Bang Towing and Gershow Recycling provided a frightening assemblage of destroyed vehicles on the school’s front lawn, which will remain on display until after graduation.

“During the 100 Deadliest Days, we see a 20% spike in teen fatalities on the roads and highways nationwide,” said SADD President Florence Gonzalez. “Our SADD Club wants to make sure our community and my peers do not fall into that statistic.”

“We don’t want to lose another student or community member to the destructive decisions that drivers make like drinking and driving, texting and driving, driving while impaired or distracted driving,” Lopiccolo said. “We want our students and our community members to stay alive, so please make great decisions. Stop and think before getting behind the wheel and stay focused while behind the wheel.”

National Art Honor Society Inducts New Members

East Islip High School inducted proud new members into the school’s National Art Honor Society in a June 3 ceremony in the school’s auditorium hosted by NAHS advisers Daniel Figliozzi and Heather Toomey.

The society’s five officers – President Sophie Jensen, Vice President Meeghan Mahon, Secretary McKayla Mahon, Treasurer Florence Gonzalez and Historian Annelyse Marra – presided over the candle ceremony. Jensen and the advisers presented each inductee with a NAHS flower, certificate and senior cord before leading the new members in the induction ceremony pledge.

East Islip Senior Matt McIntee Wins Dellecave Award

East Islip High School senior Matt McIntee was named as the male winner of the 2024 Butch Dellecave Award, recognizing excellence in the three categories of academics, athletics and community service. The top male and female student-athlete in each school in Suffolk County are nominated for the prestigious Dellecave Award, with six of those nominees selected as finalists, and one male and one female student in the county named as winners.

McIntee was honored at the annual Dellecave Award brunch ceremony, held June 9 at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.

A three-sport athlete, McIntee was a three-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back for East Islip’s varsity football team, helping the Redmen win the Long Island championship in 2023 and earning a first-team All-State designation as a senior. As a captain and key member of the boys varsity track team, he helped East Islip claim the first Suffolk County championship in school history. He also won the 2024 Suffolk Zone Award for leadership in physical education.

Board Honors Lax Champs, CORE Interns and Unified Basketball Team

At the June 10 Board of Education meeting, the district honored East Islip High School’s boys county lacrosse champions, CORE student interns and the inaugural Unified basketball team.

Congratulations to:

Suffolk County Boys Lacrosse Champions:
Allen, Aidan
Allen, Liam
Amato, Michael Jr.
Amin, Michael
Baldino, Matthew
Bast, William
Berlin, Jake
Bernardos, Ethan
Black, Brayden
Bloom, Camden
Canfora, Chase
Charles, Brendan
Cooper, Andrew
Ferraro, Matthew
Ferrin, Keegan
Hannigan, Sean
Heffernan, Charles
Hilbert, Ryan
Kalinowski, Charles
Kalinowski, Jack
Kazarian, Christopher
Keane, Kilian
Kinnear, Glendon
Leonard, Keith
Manfredi, Justin
Mariani, Anthony
Martinez, Justin
McCaffrey, Brendan
McCarthy, Drew
McIntee, Matthew
Meehan, Connor
Miller, Matthew
Parker, Ryan
Patel, Dev
Paulus, Dylan
Regis, Sebastian
Rizzuto, Brandon
Ventuzelo, Christian
Walendowski, Drew


CORE Student Interns:
Anthony Agresta & Nicholas Leone – Winters Center for Autism
Christopher Urraro – Allstate
Riley Carrillo & Cody Solomon – South Shore Children’s Center
Anthony Agresta – Applebee’s East Islip
Cody Solomon & Christopher Urraro – Lee’s Autobody
Riley Carillo & Nicholas Leone – Party City, Islip

Unified Basketball Inaugural 2024 Season:
Amabile, Joseph
Ashley, Alexis
Buchan, Thomas
Cardillo, Joseph
Cirillo, Dominic
Cruz, Valeska
Diemer, Nicolette
Hilbert, Lucas
Lyons, Sage
McNamee, Madison
Narvaez, Yanet
Nolasco, Allison
Sinkevich, Reese
Sorbi, Kirsten
Talt, Cailyn
Tucker, Master
Viviano, Gabriella

Timber Point’s Field Day Soars With Summer Olympics Theme

On a perfect sunny Friday, East Islip’s Timber Point Elementary School held its Summer Olympics Field Day. The May 31 event was attended by families and administrators, with retired Timber Point teaching alumni Patricia Bush and Lisa Ruland on hand to help out.

This year’s Olympic theme began in the school’s physical education classes with lessons on the origins of the Olympics in Greece, the torch lighting ceremony and how the flame is passed all over the world. This theme was also integrated into the classrooms, with each teacher choosing a country to represent their class and learn about with librarian Jamie Lyn Celeste. Art teacher Amanda Lastella created amazing flags for each country. The flags were carried onto the field to traditional Olympic fanfare as the students arrived for their stations, which represented different sports included in the summer games. Students opened the games with their own torch lighting ceremony as well.

“All of our students received a gold medal for their hard work in preparing and learning about the Summer Olympics, as they gave it their all on the field,” physical education teacher Diane Wahrenburg said.

Timber Point’s Field Day Soars With Summer Olympics Theme

On a perfect sunny Friday, East Islip’s Timber Point Elementary School held its Summer Olympics Field Day. The May 31 event was attended by families and administrators, with retired Timber Point teaching alumni Patricia Bush and Lisa Ruland on hand to help out.

This year’s Olympic theme began in the school’s physical education classes with lessons on the origins of the Olympics in Greece, the torch lighting ceremony and how the flame is passed all over the world. This theme was also integrated into the classrooms, with each teacher choosing a country to represent their class and learn about with librarian Jamie Lyn Celeste. Art teacher Amanda Lastella created amazing flags for each country. The flags were carried onto the field to traditional Olympic fanfare as the students arrived for their stations, which represented different sports included in the summer games. Students opened the games with their own torch lighting ceremony as well.

“All of our students received a gold medal for their hard work in preparing and learning about the Summer Olympics, as they gave it their all on the field,” physical education teacher Diane Wahrenburg said.

Connetquot Classes Donate “Birthday-in-a-Box”

Ten classes at Connetquot Elementary School participated in a Birthday Wishes fundraiser this year by donating a Birthday-in-a-Box for a homeless child. Each birthday box contains everything necessary for a great birthday celebration. Able to reach homeless children in almost any living situation, this program empowers and bonds families, helping them maintain this important tradition while in a shelter.

“Connetquot has donated to this organization for many years,” second grade teacher Melissa Love said. “We talk with our students about ways to help others, and the students feel happy about donating to children in need.”

East Islip HS Unveils Wall of Honor Display

East Islip High School unveiled its new Wall of Honor video display on May 23, honoring local veterans, current military service members and those killed in action. The friends and family of two veterans and East Islip alumni – Sgt. Craig B. Gariepy (died 1967 in the Vietnam War) and Robert Pope (died 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom) – were invited to cut the ribbon on the Wall of Honor, and Gariepy’s daughter began the display’s slide show.

The flag for the Wall was provided by U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who had it flown over the capital for the school, and was presented by the congressman’s assistant, Lindsey Ekizian. The installation was facilitated by Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo. Guests attending the ceremony included Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter and Suffolk County Legislator Trish Bergin, and members of Amvets Post 18 were on hand to present the colors. Principal Mark Bernard also introduced three current East Islip seniors who are joining the military after graduation: Valerie Nolasco (Air Force), Ryan Penafiel (Marine Corps) and Christian Yela (Marine Reserves).

“As the proud superintendent of schools and a member of the Army Reserves, I am honored to serve this incredible community we are a part of,” Superintendent Paul Manzo said. “The unveiling of the Wall of Honor is not just a collection of names; it symbolizes our commitment to the spirit of service and the lasting legacy of sacrifice that defines our nation. The outpouring of support from our local leaders and the East Islip community truly reflects the appreciation and respect we hold for all our service members.”

“Today we gather to pay tribute to those who have served, those who are serving and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” Bernard said. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Assemblyman Gandolfo for championing this initiative, and to all the individuals who contributed their time, resources and passion to bring this memorial to fruition. It stands as a testament to our collective appreciation for the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families. As we unveil this memorial, let us take a moment to reflect on the profound sacrifices made by those who have served. Their courage, valor and selflessness have safeguarded the freedoms we hold dear. We honor their dedication to duty and their enduring commitment to protecting our nation and its ideals. Today, as we stand before this memorial, let us pledge to never forget the sacrifices of our veterans. May this Wall of Honor serve as a symbol of gratitude, remembrance and inspiration for generations to come. Thank you to all who have made this possible, and may we always uphold the values for which our veterans have fought so bravely. We will continue to add East Islip graduates to this display as we recognize these men and women who have served this great nation.”

RCK Holds Student Art Show

Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School held an art show last month, displaying work from all the school’s students. The event also featured face painting and crafts in the cafeteria. Students from the high school’s Art Honor Society and the middle school’s Art Club were in attendance to run stations.

East Islip HS Honors Top 10 Seniors with Breakfast Celebration

East Islip High School honored its 10 highest ranking academic seniors of the Class of 2024 with a breakfast celebration with Superintendent Paul Manzo, Principal Mark Bernard, school administrators and counselors in the school’s Forum on May 31. The valedictorian and salutatorian were given their sashes for graduation, and the remaining students their top 10 tassels.

Those recognized as the top 10 members of the Class of 2024 are valedictorian Kathryn O’Hara, who will attend Tufts University (majoring in engineering); salutatorian Kevin Huang, who will attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology (majoring in computer science); Logan Beaumont, who will attend SUNY Stony Brook (majoring in chemistry/pre-med); Kailyn Bloch, who will attend Monmouth University (majoring in nursing); Mairead Cardillo, who will attend University of Delaware (majoring in actuarial sciences); Julia Fink, who will attend Smith College (majoring in government/psychology); Jack Milligan, who will attend Le Moyne College (majoring in business analysis); Lorelai Mucciolo, who will attend Buffalo State University (majoring in speech pathology); Patrick Vasquez, who will attend Denison University (major undeclared); and Jack Wodicka, who will attend SUNY Geneseo (majoring in adolescent education/English).

Six Young Artists from Timber Point Featured at SCALA Show

Six young artists from East Islip’s Timber Point Elementary School – Aubrey Dennis, Jace Dorfman, Amy Menendez, Abigail Parthey, Lana Tonyes and Oliver Toro – were recently featured in the annual Suffolk County Art Leaders Association Children’s Show at Babylon Old Town Hall.

“Our students worked very hard on their artwork and showed amazing skill in their respective mediums, and we are all incredibly proud of them,” art teacher Amanda Lastella said.

EIHS CORE Class Completes Bluetooth Speaker Design Project

East Islip High School’s CORE technology skills class recently completed a multiweek Bluetooth speaker design project consisting of constructing, wiring and testing their Bluetooth speaker kits, laser engraving the top covers of the speaker boxes, 3D printing cellphone holders and using a series of woodworking tools to construct wooden bases. The students spent much of their time in the woodshop learning about all of the machining processes involved. Additionally, they applied finish, stain and wax to the bases prior to completing them. CORE technology skills special education teacher aides William Dodenhoff, Angela Kenny, Ana Sanchez and Rosemarie Waterbury helped guide the students in the various steps towards completion.

“I enjoyed working in the woodshop because using the power tools was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot of skills that I can use in the future,” student Christopher Urraro said.

“I enjoyed watching the students work hard towards completing their projects,” Waterbury said. “In the end, they all turned out great!”

Prior to the end of the school year, a specially designed version of this project will be raffled off in the school store that the CORE students operate.

Advanced Robotics Students Photograph EI With Drones

East Islip High School’s advanced robotics classes have been learning how to fly with drones during the fourth quarter. After getting certified to fly the drones, the class went out and took some nice photos of East Islip’s sports facilities and solar panels. Drone photographers included William Blaschuk, Quentin Kuhn, Adam Menendez and Adam Seibert. In addition to the photography assignment, the class will continue learning about drones and videography prior to the end of the school year.

East Islip HS Receives Record Number of Teeny Awards Nominations

East Islip High School’s students and theatrical directors were thrilled to receive a record number of Teeny Awards nominations this year for their two full-scale productions of “Game of Tiaras” (presented in November 2023) and “Mean Girls: High School Version” (presented in March 2024).

The Islip Arts Council introduced the tradition of the Teeny Awards over 15 years ago, to publicly recognize the hardworking and talented theater students in high schools across the Town of Islip. The Teeny Awards are modeled after the Broadway Tony Awards, recognizing students in the categories of Lead Actor/Actress, Supporting Actor/Actress, Featured Actor/Actress and Best Ensemble, for both musicals and non-musical plays. Special Recognition Awards are also given to students involved in the stage crew and pit orchestra, and every director is given the opportunity to recognize a special student from each production for the Director’s Choice Award. A panel of judges attends each local high school production and evaluates the actors’ performances based on a rubric, and a Teeny Awards Gala complete with red carpet and TV crew is held. This year’s Gala will be on June 9 at William Floyd High School.

East Islip’s 2024 nominees are:

“Game of Tiaras”
Lead Actress: Sophia LoMonaco (Snow Queen)
Supporting Actor: Tyler Hilms (French Prince)
Supporting Actress: Lorelai Mucciolo (Other Princess #3)
Supporting Actress: Alexandra Totillo (Snow White)
Featured Actor: Nicholas Lindstrom (Animated Talking Snowman)
Featured Actor: Anderson Ross (Smeagol)
Featured Actor: Aidan Sanders (Blood Packet Guy)
Featured Actress: Venti Ammenwerth (Narrator 1)
Featured Actress: Amanda Bolen (Narrator 2)
Featured Actress: Kaitlyn McCall (Dwarf 1)
Director’s Choice: Brendan Kroupa (The King)
Special Recognition: Jayda Brown (Director’s Assistant), Emily Farrell (Sound)

“Mean Girls: High School Version”
Lead Actor: Ryan Kelpie (Damian)
Supporting Actor: Tyler Hilms (Kevin G)
Supporting Actor: Brendan Kroupa (Aaron Samuels)
Supporting Actress: Julianna Azzizzo (Karen)
Supporting Actress: Brooke Lubin (Gretchen)
Featured Actor: Aidan Sanders (Mr. Duvall)
Featured Actress: Rosemary Connolly (Mrs. George)
Featured Actress: Hanna Ross (Ms. Norbury)
Director’s Choice: Sophia LoMonaco (Regina George)
Special Recognition: Lucas Antunes (Scenic Design), Alexander Firneno (Stagehand), Isabella LeRoux (Scenery Design), Brooke Lubin (Choreography), Ainé O’Boyle (Lighting), Ian Schneider (Stage Manager) and Jack Wodicka (Pit Orchestra)

“We could not be prouder of the many talented students of EIHS,” music teacher Bethany Affelt said. “Thank you for representing our music and theater department with EI Pride! While we are excited to hear how the awards turn out, we wholeheartedly agree that every nomination is an honor in and of itself. Congratulations to all on a wonderfully entertaining theatrical year.”

JFK and RCK Hold Annual Science Fair Competitions

East Islip’s young scientists from John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School recently worked to create the best and most innovative projects in the schools’ annual science and engineering design fairs.

JFK’s winner was Mackenzie Galea for her project “Howling Treats for Your Puppy!” Luke Halverson won second place for “Which Container Best Preserves Strawberries,” while Henry McCafferty earned third for “Where do Microplastics Come From?”

RCK’s winner was Adriana Perez for her project “Hydraulics,” with Olivia Sedlock and Annabella Toala taking second and third.

Galea and Perez will move on to compete and showcase their projects at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Elementary School Science Fair on June 8.

RCK STEAM Club Builds Chairs Strong Enough for a Principal

RCK’s fifth grade STEAM Club put their engineering skills to the test to make chairs that would hold Principal Janet Jones.

“The students could only use cardboard-type items to make a chair strong enough to hold me, and most of the chairs did just that,” Jones said. “Some even included arm and foot rests!”

EIHS Students Discover History and Culture in Spain

East Islip High School students studying college Spanish were introduced to the world beyond the classroom this April, visiting Spain with their world language teachers. They experienced life through the eyes of those who live and work there and applied the conversational skills they’ve learned in the classroom.

The students quickly immersed themselves in the Spanish culture: visiting historic sites in Madrid, tracing the route of Pamplona’s famed “Running of the Bulls,” investigating modern art at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and enjoying the beach in the coastal city of San Sebastian. Barcelona was the final stop, with an interactive exploration of Camp Nou Stadium, home of Barcelona’s famed football club, and a whimsical tour of Gaudi’s modern architecture, culminating with a visit to the still unfinished Sagrada Familia Cathedral. In the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, the students were treated to a pro demonstration match of pelota, the world’s fastest ball game, learned about the Basque sporting culture and participated in an interactive lesson with professional ball players.

“Travel changes lives,” teacher Lisa Rapiejko said. “We were fortunate to travel with such a phenomenal group of students, who were enthusiastic learners inspired by the opportunity to discover history and culture. These young men and women are our next generation of global citizens, and they returned home with a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around them, thanks to the support of their families and the East Islip school community.”

EIHS Girls Golfers Finish Outstanding Season

East Islip High School’s girls varsity golf team had an outstanding season, finishing with an impressive record of 8-4. The athletes demonstrated remarkable skill and determination throughout the season, showcasing the true spirit of competition and teamwork.

Three members of the team – Sara Pepp and senior team captains Sophie Jensen and Grace Zanni – represented East Islip in the County Championship Tournament, held on May 20 at Middle Island Country Club. Pepp’s exceptional performance earned her a spot in the second day of the tournament, where she competed for a top 20 finish in the county.

“Sarah’s dedication and talent were evident as she played against some of the best golfers in the county,” coach Bill Lackner said. “Grace and Sophie also displayed excellent leadership and skill, guiding the team through a challenging and rewarding season. Their commitment to the sport and to their teammates was instrumental in achieving such a successful record. All of our girls played their hearts out and concluded the season on a high note. We are incredibly proud of all the team members who competed and showcased their talent and sportsmanship. Their hard work, perseverance and camaraderie were key factors in making this season one to remember. Great job, girls! You have made East Islip proud. We look forward to seeing what you will accomplish in the future. Keep up the fantastic work and continue to strive for excellence both on and off the course.”

An Impressive Start for EI’s Boys Bowling Team

East Islip High School’s varsity boys bowling team has kicked off the new season with a terrific 4-0 start in League 3. On Dec. 6, the team shot an impressive 3,446 against Central Islip. In addition to leading the league, both Brenden Muller and Matthew Sundberg are among the top 15 in Suffolk County for average, high series and high game. Additionally, Andrew Jacobsen sits in third place for his 775 series and Greggory Stephens is tied for fourth in match points. East Islip’s squad is rounded out by Lucas Brelsford, Niko Stravopoulos and Matthew Wodicka, each making substantial contributions to the team’s strong start.