JHS Graduate Helps Kids With Terp Thon

Student-run philanthropy organization at the University of Maryland raises money for Children’s National Medical Center

Jordana Zwerling, a 2009 graduate of Jericho High School, is a very busy college senior at the University of Maryland. In addition to double-majoring in psychology and biology (pre-med), she also spends a lot of time volunteering for a 100 percent student-run philanthropy organization called Terp Thon, which raises money for Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. When her friends ask her how she can take time out from her already-packed schedule to serve as hospital relations chair for the organization, Zwerling has a concise answer: FTK, or “for the kids.”

Zwerling is no stranger to philanthropy; at Jericho High School, she was a member of Jr. Scope, a group that raises money for disadvantaged children on Long Island. Now, in her capacity as hospital relations chair, she works with “miracle children”—children who have been treated successfully at the medical center. Many of the children are cancer survivors, but there are also children with genetic disorders and other critical health issues.

Hurricane Sandy Brings Devastation To Long Island

Destroyed homes, power outages, and long gas lines are left in the storm’s wake

The storm crippled Long Island and left thousands without power and some are still fighting to pick up the pieces that Hurricane Sandy littered throughout Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead. Just two months after being smashed by a storm on Aug. 15, which showcased similar events of downed trees, wires and heavy winds, the area was dealt another blow.

It is a scene that is devastatingly similar throughout Long Island, and particularly in waterfront areas on the north and south shores. Homeowners desperately tried to remove the water that had flooded homes by opening doors, windows, garage doors, and by using generator-powered vacuums, designed to capture water. Along curbsides, carpets, furniture, clothing, toys, and other treasured belongings were left for sanitation crews to take away. Literally, lifetimes of memories had been washed away.

Syosset’s Safe Haven After Sandy

After the record-breaking hurricane, residents flocked to Syosset Public Library

If anyone were to ask if public libraries are relevant now, ask the thousands of people who came to Syosset Public Library after Hurricane Sandy.

By Wednesday morning, Oct. 31, the library was open and people began streaming in, grateful for heat, light and electricity. Besides the need for power, the library brought together hundreds of people who were reeling from the destruction of the hurricane. By 10 a.m., most of the hundreds of outlets in the library were being used to charge electronic devices and even for emergency medical equipment such as nebulizers.

Election Results

(Unofficial Results)
* winner

U.S. President:
* Barack Obama (D)
Mitt Romney (R)

Four JHS Students Honored By Siemens

Jericho students Ken Aizawa, Kevin Huang, Brendan Liu, and Michael Shen were named semifinalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, the nation’s premier research competition for high school students.

The students were four of only 322 semifinalists nationally. “We are really proud of these students and all of the hard work that they have done,” said Brian Cummings, curriculum associate for science and technology. “This accomplishment is a result of support from the district as well as the research department and science research coordinator Serena McCalla.”

MercyFirst Unveils New Life Skills Classroom

New kitchen at Syosset service agency teaches young people important skills

On Friday, Oct. 5, MercyFirst celebrated the grand opening of the new Life Skills Classroom on its Syosset campus with a breakfast made by the students. This classroom has been recently expanded and renovated by a group of volunteers from the Interior Design Society, Long Island Chapter.

These individuals approached MercyFirst with this renovation back in the spring and spent the summer turning this room into a state-of-the-art kitchen facility and gathering place. This room is housed on the Syosset campus where 122 young men and woman reside.

Election Candidates Discuss Redistricting, Taxes

Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce hosts 3rd Annual Meet the Candidates Breakfast

A large group of local business owners and other professionals converged on the Plainview Residence Inn on Wednesday, Oct. 17 for the 3rd Annual Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce Meet the Candidates Breakfast. While the event featured many of the same candidates as the League of Women Voters candidates forum held at the POB Library on Oct. 2 and covered many of the same topics, candidate Stephen Labate (R), challenger for the third Congressional District against Democrat Steve Israel (not present), made sure to bring federal issues to the table.

Like Labate, Democratic challenger for the 6th State Senate District Ryan Cronin was also without his opponent; this is the second event in Plainview this month where Cronin has appeared in the absence of Republican incumbent Kemp Hannon. In fact, the only race where both candidates were present at the breakfast was that of 13th Assembly District, where Republican challenger Louis Imbroto and incumbent Charles Lavine (D) faced off.

Sparks Fly In The Debate Arena

Town hall format and Obama’s performance finds president rebounding in the polls

On Tuesday, Oct. 16, Hofstra University was the site for the second of three debates between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. Hofstra had also hosted a debate between then-Democratic nominee Obama and GOP nominee Sen. John McCain back in 2008, making the school just the second university to host consecutive presidential debates. (St. Louis’ Washington University was the other.)

With Romney scoring what many considered an upset victory over Obama’s decidedly lackluster performance in the first debate, this follow-up was going to be a “deal maker or breaker in this campaign,” according to political pundit Chris Matthews, who spoke at Hofstra the prior week. Shortly after moderator Candy Crowley took the stage at 9 p.m., it was clear both candidates were prepared to come out swinging, making for a lively hour and a half that found roughly 65 million viewers tuning in to the town hall-style debate, according to the Nielsen Ratings.

Student To Take Part In JDRF Walk

Boy with Type 1 diabetes walks with family to raise money for diabetes research this weekend

Each day, 40 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the United States. One of those children was Gabriel, a third-grade student at Berry Hill Elementary School. Almost two years ago, Gabe was diagnosed with T1D; a slender child with a healthy diet and no history of juvenile diabetes in his family, his illness came as a complete surprise to his parents.

“It was a huge shock to all of us, but, for our son’s sake, we put on a brave face and jumped head first into learning everything we could about the disease that had changed our lives forever,” said Julie Rubinsky, Gabe’s mother.

Donating Toothbrushes To People In Need

SHS Sophomore Alexis Shore has collected more than 1,500 toothbrushes to give to those who cannot afford them

Most teens aren’t very keen on having braces, but for Syosset High School’s Alexis Shore, it wasn’t a bad experience: not only are her teeth now nice and straight, but all that time spent in the orthodontist’s chair made her realize that she wanted to go into the dental profession herself.

“I think that it’s a really cool thing to make people’s teeth so straight and perfect; and I love my teeth today and what the orthodontists have done for me,” said Shore, noting that she was also inspired by her father, an endodontist.