The 2024-2025 school year will be marked as another successful year in the LHS books, with prestigious awards, student and club recognition, and talents that have been applauded throughout the year. As the warm weather that rolls in carries with it the signs of summer, this school year will officially come to a close, leaving many to reflect on the memories they made and the growth that they have experienced through their accomplishments.
September: Strongly easing back into the school year with student academic achievements, senior Charisse Cueto was named as a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSQT). Along with Cueto’s achievement, seven talented music students were accepted into the highly competitive NYSSMA All-State Music Ensemble in areas such as Mixed Chorus, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Treble Chorus. The hard work and dedication of these students granted them their distinguished scores. Finally, Key Club ended the month with its first successful DoubleGood Popcorn Fundraiser. From September 25-29, the club raised $45,218, all of which was donated to the following programs: the Joseph Cordes Scholarship Fund, the PGA Metropolitan Section Foundation, Mended Little Hearts, The Interfaith Nutrition Network, and The Kiwanis Children Fund.
October: A month full of fun events, October kicked off with senior Katy Gottlieb being named as a semi-finalist for the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a competition that judges students based on leadership roles, community service, and their academic achievements. NAHS completed yet another successful year of celebrating the fun and spooky tradition of Night of the Pumpkins. This year, proceeds were raised for a hunger-relief organization, Island Harvest, with the goal of ending hunger on Long Island. This year, between the donations and purchases, NAHS was successfully able to raise $3,800. On October 20, the club fair was held in the cafeteria, advertising both new and old clubs. This year, eight more clubs were added: the Yoga Club, Leo Club, E-sports Club, Book Club, Business Club, Military Club, Fiber Arts Club, and the Dungeons and Dragons Club. A few days later, the gym was buzzing with students to experience the beloved Pep Rally, which included performances from the Owls varsity cheer team and varsity kickline. The START Club’s fundraiser, Care4Cancer, captivated the attention of many with the pieing of two teachers, math teacher Michael Franklin and English teacher David Yaker. Finally, this year’s Homecoming king and queen were announced at the end of the event, with Cooper Schorr and Cate Jennings winning the honorable titles. The Homecoming Parade and game against Valley Stream North followed the next day. During the parades, students marched with their class banners that were scored for the first points that would be distributed towards this year’s Class Night.
November: The John F. Branciforte Auditorium was transformed into Rydell High School from the 1978 film Grease, where the drama club brought the film to life. Danny Zuko (senior Jack Ceglie) and Sandy Dumbrowski (junior Alexa Rutigliano), along with the rest of the cast, brought the fun rom-com musical to life, creating a lively atmosphere for the audience. In the midst of this 1950s throwback, the Grease cast had the opportunity to join actress Didi Conn, better known as Frenchy Facciano in the original films: Grease and Grease 2. Conn recalled memories from her experiences when on the production of the film and answered students’ questions with enthusiasm. Adding to the eventful month, the Business Law and Speech and Debate classes had the opportunity to venture to the Alfonse M. D’Amato United States Courthouse in Central Islip. Students were granted a tour of the courtrooms, witnessed individuals take the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony, and held their own mock trial. LHS was later granted the honor of being visited by the 2021 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Dr. David MacMillan. MacMillan spoke of his research, “the development of asymmetric organocatalysis” according to The Nobel Prize official website (nobelprize.org), and the May and Billy MacMillan Foundation that he founded. This foundation is meant to fund educational opportunities for students in Scotland who are struggling financially. The first of three Key Club blood drives was held on November 26; a total of 393 lives were saved from the 131 pints of blood donated by over 100 students, parents, alumni, and faculty members, all of which was given to local hospitals. Finally, the senior girls won against the junior girls in the traditional powderpuff flag football game to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
December: The Italian classes took a trip to Arthur Avenue to visit its landmarks and learn about Italian culture. Students experienced family-owned pastry shops, bakeries, and Belmont’s famous church: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The Lynbrook soccer program and its teams received recognition for their hard work in raising awareness for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Throughout the soccer season, a total of $2,800 was raised and donated to multiple organizations under the management of the RMHC.
January: The music department and Tri-M Music Honor Society successfully completed their annual Cabaret Night, consisting of 18 performances ranging from solo, group, and ensemble performances, both instrumentally and vocally. Broken into two acts, a wide variety of students and their instruments were able to showcase their musical talent to friends and family. The AP Spanish class embraced Spanish culture on January 16 by visiting La Nacional Restaurant in the West Village. Mixed with cuisine, performances, and the opportunity for students to dance flamenco themselves, students felt as if they were in the heart of Spain. Finally, the boys’ varsity basketball team won against the Wantagh Warriors in the annual benefit game to support the American Heart Association (AHA).
February: Members of the orchestra and band had the opportunity to experience the New York Philharmonic performance at the Lincoln Center in New York City. The entirety of the concert had the purpose of teaching students about stage presence and the arrangement of music. Key Club hosted its second successful blood drive out of three for the year; many students who had donated in the fall had returned to support the cause for a second time. The Robotics Club qualified for Regionals in the FIRST Championship event. The Robotics Club had been working on its preparation for Qualifiers since September; this was the first time the club had qualified for Regionals in the past four years. This Sports Night, seniors made history by winning three years in a row. The tension was high for all three days with every grade attempting to come out on top. Finally, Kate Santoli was named valedictorian and Erick Diaz was named salutatorian for the Class of 2025.
March: Art students experienced Chelsea’s Art Galleries in Manhattan, a trip meant to inspire and engage students for future projects. Students had the opportunity to split into groups and tour a few of the many art galleries throughout the day. Class Night season was in full swing and dominated the month with preparation for the 97th competition, the theme this year being “more than meets the eye.” Deco Day, dance practices, and skit rehearsals were the main focus of the month’s activities. Seniors took the win this year with their adaptation of Super Mario Brothers. The juniors took second with Pac-Man, sophomores received third place with WiiSports, and freshmen came in fourth place with their performance of Just Dance.
April: Virtual Enterprise’s Snooze, the first-year firm, advanced to the finalist round of the National Finance Competition and was ranked in the Top-9 of New York State. Revive, the second-year company, advanced to the final round of the National Business Plan Competition. The Business and Marketing Honor Society (BHS) inducted 52 students in its second induction ceremony. Students in one of the 10 business classes are qualified to be inducted, specifically students who represent the three pillars: academics, service, and character. The drama club performed Kimberly Belflower’s Lost Girl as this spring’s play; cast members captivated the audience with Wendy’s life after Neverland and the true challenge of finding herself. Concert Choir ventured to the city to witness Sunset Blvd., experienced a Broadway-led workshop on performing and acting, and dabbled in some improv practices. This all-day event granted students the opportunity to step away from the classroom and the hectic time of AP studying to witness amazing talent and learn unexpected lessons. Key Club hosted its third and final blood drive that collected a total of 315 pints of blood, with an equivalent of 945 lives being saved over the course of the year (this third blood drive collected a total of 104 pints). In response, the New York Blood Center awarded scholarships to senior Key Clubbers. LHS students who are a part of a foreign language class were offered the opportunity to travel abroad to Italy over spring break. In just 10 days, students experienced Rome, Palermo, Taormina, Pizzo, and Salerno. These students were able to immerse themselves in Italian culture; for many this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
May: A slow-moving time of AP studying and the stress from multiple tests descended on students as May was characterized by noses in books, after-school review sessions, and sleepless nights due to homework. With AP tests finally drawing to a close, students were able to look forward to the end of the school year and warmer weather.
~ Photos courtesy of LHS SGA, Evan Cao, and LHS Key Club
