National Honor Society Induction
Family and friends gathered in the high school auditorium for a solemn ceremony marking the induction of 91 new members into the Long Beach High School Arista Chapter of the National Honor Society. These initiates, taken from the ranks of the sophomore and junior classes, were chosen based on their ability to meet the Society's standards with regard to scholarship, leadership, character and service. They will join their fellow members in upholding these principles by contributing their time and talents to better their school and local community through volunteer activities, civic involvement and adherence to the highest standards of academics, morality and ethics.
The festivities began with a musical performance by the Select Choir, conducted by Michael Capobianco. A candle lighting ceremony, officiated by Honor Society officers and NHS Coordinator Nora Bellsey, highlighted the four ideals of the society. Each new member was asked to come to the stage to light a candle as a symbol of his or her commitment to uphold those ideals. Social studies teacher Elizabeth Levin was chosen as this year's recipient of an honorary membership.
“Now the challenge begins,” said Ms. Bellsey in her opening remarks. “Ask yourself, ‘How can I go beyond my expectations and continue to make good choices?’ Please always act as if everything you do makes a difference, because it does.”
“You made a choice that brought you here tonight,” said Board of Education President Dr. Dennis Ryan. “You made a choice to study and to achieve, and we are gathered here tonight to salute the excellence that you represent.”
“It wasn’t long ago that I was in the audience when my own children were inducted into the National Honor Society,” recalled Superintendent David Weiss. “We want you to know how proud your parents are tonight. Thank you for honoring your parents and your community. Take the responsibility to continue to challenge yourselves. Think about what you are learning and how it will contribute to your personal growth. Make sure that your service activities are not just lines on your resume, but that they truly impact your community.”
Over the course of the year, under the leadership of Honor Society officers Andrew Hurst, Andrew Di Giorgio, Lila Martz, Arianne Papa and Alexa Salazar, Honor Society members have organized numerous community service projects, including Badminton for Breast Cancer, the Stick It to Cancer lacrosse game and Operation Medicine Cabinet. Members have also volunteered countless hours as tutors, coaches and ushers for school events.
At the close of the ceremony, Principal Gaurav Passi left the new inductees with these words of advice: “As you continue on this path of success, I caution you not to fear failure. I want you to know that struggle, adversity and even failure are the breeding grounds on which success is born.”
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Jazz Night Swings
Jazz in all its forms, from the Swing Era to more contemporary numbers, was interpreted in all its glory when the Long Beach High School Music Department hosted its annual Jazz Night. Student performers from the West School Recorder Club, Middle School Jazz Band, High School Lab Jazz Band, Select Choir and High School Jazz Ensemble were joined by special guests Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, filling the auditorium with the music of Herbie Hancock, Buster and Bennie Moten, and Joe Garland. As an added treat, junior Russell Goetz, who is an All-State Jazz Vocalist, performed a solo rendition of “Come Rain or Come Shine.”
For the opening reception, the high school commons area was transformed into a cozy lounge. Hors d'oeuvres prepared by students in Scott Brecher’s home and careers class were passed around to guests. Members of the newly formed Friends of the Arts were on hand to welcome guests, and National Honor Society members volunteered their time as ushers.
Director of Comprehensive Arts Dr. Dale Johanson served as the MC for the evening. Marino Bragino, III directed the High School Lab Jazz Band and the High School Jazz Ensemble. He was joined by fellow directors Vanessa Krywe (West School Recorder Band), Elizabeth Altbacker (Middle School Jazz Band), and Michael Capobianco (Select Choir). This is the first year that a professional jazz band has shared the stage with students on Jazz Night, giving the young performers, as well as the audience, an opportunity to further expand their appreciation of jazz in all its forms.
“It was an exciting experience to see all of our student musicians at all grade levels performing jazz alongside a professional group like the DIVAS,” said Dr. Johanson.
“Jazz Night was an amazing success,” echoed Mr. Bragino. “Seeing my students light up on stage when they perform is why I became a music educator. This evening was a legendary moment in our department. Thanks to all who helped make this event such a success."
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LBHS Students Register to Vote
As part of an annual tradition, members of the Long Beach League of Women Voters visited classes at Long Beach High School to lead discussions about the importance of voting and civic responsibility. While they were there, league members helped 134 seniors register to vote. Those students who turn 18 before the respective dates of the school board elections and budget vote, primary elections, and November elections are eligible to vote.
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Italian Poetry Contest Winners
High School senior Vincent Pasqua won a first-place award in the Level 2 division of the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI) Long Island Poetry Contest, held at SUNY Old Westbury on March 23. Vincent recited "Se Questo è un Uomo" by Primo Levi. Junior Ellen Blas won an honorable mention award in the Level 4 division. She recited “All'Italia” by Giacomo Leopardi. They competed against approximately 100 students from all over Nassau and Suffolk counties. Students prepared for the competition under the direction of Italian teachers Valeria Paz and Anna Carfagno.
The AATI is a national organization dedicated to excellence in teaching and research in all areas of Italian. The organization was founded in 1924 to promote the study of Italian language, literature and culture in schools, colleges and universities in North America.
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IB Dance Concert
The high school auditorium became a stage for world dance as students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) dance class presented their spring dance concert. The concert consisted of dance numbers that reflected African and Irish folk dances, traditional ballet and modern dance movements that students have been learning throughout the course of the year. Many of the routines featured choreography, costume design and staging by IB dance students and their teacher, Christianne Donohue. Through their choreography, students were challenged to create movement that enhanced the rhythms, tempos and accents of the music.
“My goal for this performance was to introduce dance as a true performing art to the students, faculty and community members of Long Beach High School,” said Ms. Donohue. “My intention was to allow the students to explore movement from all angles and to learn that dance is more than fancy tricks. It is about moving from within the body in space using various rhythms and patterns.”
The IB dance course, which was offered for the first time this year, integrates the study of dance performance, compositions and analysis. During the course of the year, students explored dance styles from cultures throughout the world. In addition to gaining performance skills, they studied master choreographers from past centuries and learned to compose their own dances through a variety of improvisational techniques and creative projects. By exploring a wide variety of dance forms, from ballet to modern to folk dance, they acquired a well-rounded understanding of the significance of dance in every culture and the pattern of its development throughout the world.
IB Dance is offered through the Athletics, Physical Education and Health Department. “I am proud of the accomplishments of our first IB Dance class,” said Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Health Arnold Epstein. “I look forward to seeing many more students benefit from Ms. Donohue's talent and expertise.”
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Christy Fox Attends Inside Albany Program
Junior Christy Fox was selected to attend the Students Inside Albany Conference. This conference, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of New York, is an intensive four-day training experience designed to immerse students in the process by which public policy is proposed, enacted and changed in New York State, and to educate them as to how they can influence and affect this process. Christy heard from Albany insiders about how New York State government operates and how policy is shaped and enacted. She was also given the opportunity to attend Assembly and Senate sessions and to shadow both Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg and Senator Dean Skelos. Christy was selected for this honor through the joint efforts of Long Beach High School and the Long Beach League of Women Voters.
According to its official website, the League of Women Voters of New York believes that educating and empowering the youth of our country is vital to maintaining a strong democracy. Through the League’s Education Foundation, the State League and many local leagues operate programs that provide students with the information, motivation and skills needed to become informed voters and engaged citizens. The State League’s primary youth program is Students Inside Albany.
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District Career Fairs
Two of the main goals of Long Beach Public Schools are to provide students with college and career-readiness skills and to give them meaningful opportunities for community engagement. To help fulfill both of these goals, schools around the district hosted Career Day celebrations, giving students a chance to meet and speak with local professionals. The guest speakers shared their keys to success and their insights into dozens of traditional and nontraditional careers.
Leading off the celebration was the Long Beach Middle School Career Day. In the days leading up to the event, students filled out surveys to give them an idea of which careers might best suit their interests and abilities. The middle schoolers were paired with specific presenters based on their survey results. In small group settings, guest speakers talked about the skills and training they needed to be successful in their chosen careers, the tasks they perform on the job, and the challenges and rewards they experience on a daily basis. At the end of the day, students came away with a list of ideas for things they can start doing now to help them reach their future career goals.
The Long Beach High School Career Fair gave students an opportunity to network with local professionals representing a wide variety of careers, including law, medicine, public service, marketing, broadcasting, public relations, green technologies, school administration, business, finance, banking, accounting, hospitality, publishing, library services and the military. Students were also able to speak with representatives from local technical schools and explore summer job opportunities in the local community.
Lindell School hosted a two-day Career Awareness program for fifth graders. Parents and community members were invited to share their career experiences, focusing on the education and training needed to be successful in their careers. Brian Patton, who works for Global Security at NBC, explained the importance of working as a team, being responsible and demonstrating strong character. Long Beach Fire Chief Richard Corbett found math, science and history very helpful in his career. Andrew Miller, a criminal defense attorney, enlisted students to help him solve the "The Case of the Missing Lunch Box." Pediatrician Dr. Matthew Cohen shared his lifelong fascination with the human body. Although the 18 guest speakers represented a variety of professions, they all shared a love for their work and stressed the importance of being lifelong learners.
At Lido School’s Sixth Annual Career Fair, students went on a hands-on adventure in career exploration, led by alumni, parents and local professionals representing careers as varied as real estate, law enforcement, web design, retail merchandising, lifeguarding and communications. Lts. Anthony Fallon and Sam Pinto of the Long Beach Fire Department allowed students to don their fire gear to help them experience what it feels like to be a firefighter. Drago Karodzic, the pizza chef at Long Beach Middle School, invited students to make their own pizzas. Local radio celebrity Halftime Howie simulated a radio broadcast. Chuck Kupfer, a golf pro at the Lido Golf Club, demonstrated the basics of a good swing. Master Park of Park’s Martial Arts in Long Beach led students in a tae kwon do exercise. One of the most celebrated professionals of the day was Freeport police officer Dave Karp’s canine partner Gunnar, who delighted students with a demonstration of his unique law enforcement skills.
Proving that it is never too early to start planning for future careers, West School kindergartners celebrated Community Day, creating a mini city called Westland in which they served as the bankers, grocery clerks, postal carriers, police officers and firefighters who kept the city humming. To prepare for Community Day, they visited local merchants and public services to learn more about the people who work in their neighborhood. In June, the older children at West School will celebrate their own Career Day, welcoming local community members to share useful advice that will help them start preparing for a host of promising careers.
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