Students from Westhampton to Hampton Bays Honored for their Accomplishments

At Patch, we like to honor the great things local students do.  Here are some of the great feats students from Westhampton to Hampton Bays have accomplished over the last month.

Students Use their Voices to Benefit Circle of Care

Westhampton Beach High School vocal singers used their voices recently to help raise money for Circle of Care, a non-profit that helps families pay medical expenses for their children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

The students were asked by Jill Nesi, a three-time Emmy-nominated singer and songwriter to record a song that would be sold to benefit Circle of Care.

In addition, to recording their song, the students performed live at a concert in Madison Connecticut.

Among the singing students are Kyle Higgins (bass), Aidan Marsicovetere (baritone), Luke Nilsson (lead,) and Christian Thienel (tenor).

 Sixth Graders Take the D.A.R.E Challenge

Approximately 135 sixth-grade students participated in and completed the D.A.R.E. Challenge this year and were recognized during a D.A.R.E. culmination ceremony on Jan. 20, at the Hampton Bays Middle School.

Led by Southampton Town Policewoman and D.A.R.E. Officer Theresa Tedesco, and with special guest Darren the D.A.R.E. Lion, the ceremony was a celebration of the nine weeks of instruction that the students received about leading healthy, drug-free lives. The D.A.R.E. “graduates” each wore their own black D.A.R.E. t-shirt to the ceremony.

Essay winners from each class were also awarded a backpack, D.A.R.E. sticker and a medal. Honorable mention essay writers were given a book jacket. Essay winners included Ryan Ferguson from Joanne Abatangelo’s class; Raven Stephens from Lucy Dabrowski’s class; McCaila Grismer from Jamie Maas’s class; Christina Pasca from Erica Marcucci’s class; Armin Bandic from Rick Nydegger’s class; and Maria Campos from Kerri Ottati’s class. 

 Westhampton Elementary Students Create Art Wall

 Lions and tigers and giraffes? These wild creatures are part of a growing student-painted mural in the corridors of Westhampton Beach Elementary School. 

Throughout the month of January, students worked together, under the direction of Amy Hess, a local artist from Westhampton Beach to continue work on the school’s growing wall art.

The mural, which depicts images and colorful letters representing the alphabet, dances down the hallways of the school and is on display.

 Patriot Pen Honorees Announced in Hampton Bays

Five Hampton Bays Middle School students and one from the Hampton Bays High School were honored for their winning “Patriot Pen” and “Voice of Democracy” essays during the Hampton Bays School District Board of Education meeting in January.

At the school board meeting, high school senior Pawel Golyski, eighth graders Luke Himmelsbach, Taylor Dunn and Autumn Tlockowski, seventh grader Emily Veeck, and sixth grader Gary Tetrault were recognized for their efforts by Hampton Bays administrators Mike Carlson and Anthony DeBlasio and Quogue VFW Post #5350 member and contest chairman William Hughes.

The “Patriot Pen” essay contest is an annual national contest, open to students in the sixth through eighth grades, and is sponsored by the local VFW Post. The annual “Voice of Democracy” contest is for high school students and is also sponsored by the VFW. This year’s theme for the contests was “Does Patriotism Really Matter?”

 Hampton Bays Students of the Month

 Three students, one from the elementary school, one from the middle school and one from the high school, received January “Student of the Month” honors during the Hampton Bays School Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, February 8.

Kindergartener Brianna Quiros, eighth grader Sara Schabe and senior James Tran each received a plaque and words of praise from their respective principals.

Brianna is a “very special” and “outstanding” student, according to Elementary School Principal Marc Meyer. She likes to draw, but her favorite class, according to Meyer, is Foreign Language Elementary School. He added that Brianna wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Her teacher, Kathleen Palmieri, came to the ceremony to show her support.

Sara is a hard worker, an upbeat person and a born leader, according to Middle School Principal Dennis Schug. “She’s the kind of student that when she gets her homework assignments, she asks for more,” he said. Sara plans on becoming an engineer or going into the Coast Guard after college, Schug reported.

Student of the Month recognition is old hat for James, as he has previously earned the honor, according to High School Principal Chris Richardt.

“He’s been up here before,” he said.

James is a stellar student who was captain of the Hampton Bays High School Academic Team for the Long Island Challenge and has applications out to Dartmouth, Yale, Brown and UPenn. He plans on going into the medical field after college, Richardt said, adding, “I’m amazed by everything he does.” 

Westhampton Beach Students Particpate in Job Shadowing Day

As part of National Job Shadowing Day, Westhampton Beach High School students took it on the road. Working for the day with local business people, students saw firsthand what it is like after school’s out.

Throughout the month of February, students will shadow in a full gamut of professions. Among these are a pulmonologist’s office, Speonk Veterinary Hospital, Kelly and Hulme Attorneys, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Raynor Country Day School, Southampton Town, Southampton Hospital, Ocean Electric, and even their own schools.

“It’s what I’m studying at BOCES and what I want to do for a career, so it’s really been great,” said Matt Rooney, who spent a Friday in February learning the ins and outs of Ocean Electric.

Honored for Continued Excellence

Westhampton Beach High School’s Robert Byrd Scholarship nominees were recently named.  Among them were Matt Floyd, Cody Owen, Michael Sullivan, Nicholas Martin, Zachary Bass, and Carly Mendoza.

The scholarship program, which is federally funded and state-administered, is designed to recognize exceptionally able high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education. The Department awards funds to state education agencies, which make scholarship awards available to eligible applicants. Students receive scholarships for college expenses.

“These young men and women are among the best and brightest in Suffolk County,” remarked Director of Guidance Dr. Robert Finn. “Being part of the Byrd Scholarship competition is a great honor and highlights the hard work, dedication, and accomplishment of these seniors.”