The Island Trees Board of Education's November meeting got off to a festive start as members of the Levittown Fire Department honored the Island Trees Marching Band and the school district honored veterans who served our country in times of war.

The Levittown Fire Department, represented by Chief Ron Kerwin, Deputy Chief John Rottkamp, and Fire Commissioner Tim Courtney, presented a trophy to High School Band Director Nick Tarantola and Island Trees Music Director Peter Gibbons, who accepted on behalf of the high school marching band, for the band's participation in the fire department's 50th Anniversary Parade. The fire department also thanked the school board for their support during the department's 50th anniversary.

Following that presentation, Island Trees Superintendent Richard Segerdahl then discussed how the school board decided to honor a group of veterans from the community. According to Segerdahl, there had been some concern that throughout the district there hadn't been enough recognition of Veterans Day. Segerdahl noted that School Board Vice President Kathy Safrey questioned what could be done on the board level to address that concern and recognize the men and women who served in the armed forces, representing our country.

Although the district does acknowledge the holiday every year, Segerdahl said that this year Island Trees decided to take the celebration a step further and insure that the students really understood the meaning of Veteran's Day. According to Segerdahl, this effort was made beginning in the preschool and going all the way through the high school. He then pointed out the many different projects on the walls of Stokes Cafeteria, which had been made by the elementary school students in recognition of Veterans Day.

Segerdahl then introduced two middle school students who wrote poems about veterans and wanted to share them. Anthony Benvenuto read his poem "In Honor of Veterans Day" and Stephanie Jimenez read her poem, entitled "Mommy, What is a Veteran?" Both poems received an enthusiastic response from those at the meeting.

Following the poems, Segerdahl noted that the board decided to honor one veteran from World War II, one veteran from the Korean War, and one veteran from the Vietnam War, from both the Levittown/Island Trees VFW Post 9592 and Levittown American Legion Post 1711. In addition to each of the individual recipients, the district also had a plaque made to hang in each of the posts. Post Commander George Doll accepted the award on behalf of the VFW band; Commander Bill Hynes accepted on behalf of the American Legion.

From the Levittown/Island Trees VFW Post 9592, the World War II veteran honored was Philip Delaney; the Korean War Veteran honored was Pete Rella; and the Vietnam War Veteran honored was Jack Stein.

Those honored from American Legion Post 1711 were Vietnam Veteran Tom Dilorio, Korean War Veteran Bill Shea, and World War II Veteran Stan Kosierowski.

In addition to the honorees from both of these posts, Henry To, from the American Legion accepted an award on behalf of Nassau County Legislator Dennis Dunne, a Vietnam veteran from Levittown, who has remained very active in the veteran community and helped the Island Trees School District put this presentation together.