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Date Added: 6/9/2023

The University of Rochester nominated four Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School candidates for scholarships during the 2022-2023 school year. Robert Gmelch, Rebecca Isbitiren, Ryan Jannotta and Layla Warsaw are candidates for various scholarships should they choose to apply and be accepted into the University of Rochester.

Robert has been nominated for the Xerox Award for Innovation and Technology for having demonstrated tremendous potential in the computer field, as well as achievement in the pursuit of innovative approaches and appreciation in the possibilities of technology.

Rebecca was nominated for the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, who like these leaders possesses a tremendous amount of character and demonstrates compassion to others.Layla was nominated for the George Eastman Young Leaders Award, which seeks to recognize future leaders who will have a great impact on the world in years to come.

Ryan Jannotta was nominated for the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award, presented each year to a high school junior who demonstrates exceptional promise in the sciences.

The district congratulates the students on this outstanding accomplishment.

Date Added: 6/9/2023

Team Red was the winner of the 10th annual Battle of the Books for Eastport Elementary School sixth grade students. The winners include John Berkowitz, James Perna, Mariah Maekhyla Ryder, Kayleigh Tedesco and Victoria Tillman.

Much like a game show, Team Red and Team Blue quickly tapped a buzzer to give the name of a book and its author after hearing clues provided by library media specialist Alyssa Sorenson. The clues were derived from 12 books introduced to the students since January and were chosen with regard to reading levels and topics. In the past month, the sixth graders were questioned about the books and finalist teams (five per team) and five alternates were chosen.

Congratulations to Team Blue participants Mason Burke, Olivia Dabrowski, Julianne Mauceri, Ella Montelione and Ava Reehil and alternates Isla D’Amico, Ashlynn Bivona, Ava Fitzgibbon, Kaylee Jacobellis, Kendall Litchhult and Ella Roberts.

Date Added: 6/7/2023

Eighth grade students had a rare opportunity to attend an assembly with guest speaker, author and Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan. The students are currently reading her book “Four Perfect Pebbles” about Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan’s experience in a concentration camp when she was only nine years old.

Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan was greeted by hundreds of crafted and decorative butterflies placed on boards to send the reminder that there are heroes among villians, upstanders among bystanders, and that both survivors and victims should be remembered and recognized. The Butterfly Project also represents what is right and urges individuals to choose kindness and acceptance.

Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan spoke about the Nuremberg Laws, Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass) and her trip to the infamous Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the height World War II. She also explained the true story behind her book: If she collected four perfect pebbles, all of her family members would survive.

Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan told the students she has separated herself from what happened but realizes the importance of sharing her experiences. She also appealed to the students to share her story with others.

“Please share the stories of the Holocaust,” she said. “It is you who will have to bear witness.”

The assembly commenced with Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan asking students to have love, respect and tolerance toward one another, to look for similarities and respect differences, and to never generalize a group by the actions of others.

Date Added: 6/5/2023

Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School’s gymnasium was the location of this year’s annual Code Conquest Hackathon, which hosted 18 school district teams from Suffolk and Nassau counties on May 19. The Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School Shark Bytes defended their two-time championship title but placed fourth this year in the overall competition.

The Hackathon platform was kidOYO in which contenders were presented a map with programmatic challenges of air, water, earth and fire. Participants had three hours to conquer as much of the map as possible, which each component resulting in point values. Executive Director and Founder Melora Loffreto described the event as a combination of strategy and programming skills.

Date Added: 6/2/2023