The Hicksville Public School community is not just committed to delivering the highest quality academic programs to its students, but is also strongly rooted in the promotion of family values, generosity and community service. Never were these important characteristics more evident than during the most recent of many collaborative undertakings by district administrators, students, families and staff, who came together for a worthy cause with a twofold purpose. One goal was to brighten the days of sick children in local hospitals by sharing the joy of reading through donated books. The other was to memorialize one of Hicksville's own, Sarah Grace Weippert, who would have been a member of Hicksville High School's graduating Class of 2008. Sarah valiantly fought leukemia, but unfortunately lost her battle with the aggressive disease in 2002.

Just before Thanksgiving, Hicksville Superintendent of Schools Maureen Bright spearheaded a districtwide book and toy drive in Sarah's memory that netted more than 1,600 books and 500 toys in just three short weeks.

"I am so proud of the overwhelming response from our community and the students representing our nine schools," stated Bright. "Our community is one of strong family values, and these types of district initiatives, which are an integral part of our character education program, reinforce those values."

Added Sarah's father Matthew Weippert, "Sarah loved learning, and especially enjoyed reading. The idea to share the joys of a great book with children who are hospitalized is so fitting, and we thank the Hicksville Public School District from the bottom of our hearts for initiating the drive in Sarah's memory."

In addition to the books and toys collected by staff members and students and their families, the Hicksville Congress of Teachers (HCT), under the direction of President Thomas Stephens, generously donated three rolling book carts to hold the books, many of which were Sarah's favorites. The brightly painted carts featured a mounted plate with an inscribed quote about "the sweet serenity of books" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and also memorialized Sarah Grace Weippert with the words: "A Gift in Loving Memory of Sarah Grace Weippert, a student who loved learning and life..."

To mark the end of the book and toy drive, two student representatives from each school in the district, along with East Street teacher Scott Starkey, who was Sarah's fifth grade teacher, Hicksville High School's Student Activities Director Sue Koslowski, HCT President Thomas Stephens and HCT Representatives Janice Fitzgerald and Anthony Lamia met in the high school library with Sarah's parents, Matthew and Marissa Weippert, and her brother James, who is currently a sophomore at Hicksville High School. Superintendent Bright and East Street Elementary School Principal Jean Marie Serra were also on hand at the gathering to praise the student representatives for their efforts, and to help prepare the books and toys for delivery and distribution to three area hospitals: Winthrop-University Children's Cancer Center, Nassau University Medical Center and Schneider Children's Hospital.

"It's so important that we are able to share Sarah's love for reading with sick children," stated eighth grader Kim Immanuel, who looked up to Sarah when she was younger. "The books will allow them to escape to a different world away from the pain and negative experience they are going through."

In addition, 200 of the toys collected were donated to the Sarah Grace Foundation for Children with Cancer, Inc., which was established by the Weipperts after the death of their daughter (thesarahgracefoundation.org). "We started the foundation to help children and their families who have to deal with the many obstacles of childhood cancer," Matt Weippert stated, adding as he glanced around the library at the collection of books and toys, "Sarah would love this. She loved reading and learning, and was completing her school assignments up until the day she passed away."

At the conclusion of the meeting, with freezing rain and snow beginning to steadily fall, the high school's maintenance crew began the task of filling a large box truck with all of the donations, including the three rolling carts that were packed with a wide assortment of brand new books. Undeterred by the weather, Bright, Stephens, Koslowski, the Weipperts and high school student representatives James Weippert, Megan Neary and Caitlin Lapine ventured out and delivered the gifts to grateful recipients at each hospital over a period of two days. "We are proud to make these donations in Sarah's memory," commented Bright as the group made its rounds. "Our hope is that they will bring joy to the children who receive them."