As a graduating senior of Manhasset High School, I would just like to express my gratitude to the schools for an amazing 13 years and I would also like to voice my support for the school budget vote. Throughout my years here in Manhasset I think I have taken my education for granted. Now that I am graduating, I realize how blessed I am to have lived in a community where the importance of education is emphasized to the point that it is. The Manhasset Public School system doesn't only prepare students to survive in the outside world, it teaches us to succeed.

In my earliest years I had a very difficult time learning to read and fell far behind others in my class. I attended special reading classes which helped me catch up with my peers. Not only did I catch up but also in high school I took several honors English courses. Those students with special educational needs at Manhasset are nurtured and their needs are met. In another school a student with the same needs might fall behind, but at Manhasset all students are expected to be equally successful despite disabilities.

The Student Union recently held a charity concert in honor of Paul Cascio, a '95 grad who died in the Sept. 11 tragedy. The concert united '95 students with present ones. In the week post-Sept.11, a student-organized prayer meeting was held at the flagpole and over 100 students, teachers and faculty attended. These are only two examples of how Manhasset is more than just a school, but a community or a family. We aren't just another academic institution where students learn facts and numbers; we are a community of people. The high school has really made many advances in the past couple of years to promote a healthy community for teens, faculty and staff to live in.

My school experience in Manhasset has been amazing and I can only hope that things will continue to improve for future students. Please show your support for the living community that exists in the Manhasset Public School System at the budget vote on May 21.

Garrett Spitz