Hometown Hero: Alexa Frontino of Farmingdale

Alexa Frontino is helping younger students grow through the creation of a sensory garden.

The Farmingdale High School senior, 17, recently established the garden, which will be used as an alternative learning area within a courtyard at Saltzman East Memorial elementary school in Farmingdale. It is available to be used by all students at Saltzman, but is especially geared to those with special needs.

There are three parts to the garden: a flower bed, a sound board and a tactile board. The sound board is intended to demonstrate how different-sized pipes can produce different sounds using drumsticks, while the tactile board features a variety of textures as well as spinning wheels, rock-wall holds and an assortment of locks.

Frontino pursued the project as part of her Gold Award, which is the highest achievement attainable with the Girl Scouts of the USA. She is a member of Troop 3230 and the Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s leadership committee.

She said she was inspired by a recent diagnosis of attention deficit disorder, as well as her work with Farmingdale Public Library’s Peer Pal program, which connects volunteers with children who have special needs.

“I realized that I struggle in school when I am forced to sit for long periods of time without breaks,” said Frontino. “When I thought about my own struggles, and the struggles of the special needs students who I work with, I realized that I wanted to help create an environment where students could learn outside of the traditional classroom.”

In addition to the sensory garden, Frontino said she helped design a curriculum for students who use the sensory garden — including lessons in math, science and social studies, and suggestions for art, music and occupational therapy lessons. To build the garden, Frontino said she received material donations from a local Home Depot, Custom Construction in Islip and Joe the Mason in Farmingdale.

Frontino is salutatorian of her class, president of the high school’s History Club, captain of the Ethics Bowl team and a member of the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Club and the National Honor, French Honor and Science Honor societies.

“We are so thankful that Alexa chose Saltzman for her project to create a sensory garden,” said the school’s principal, Patricia O’Regan. “She worked hard to put sensory pieces in place that have met a need that many of our students have. We are so proud of Alexa and appreciate so much the work she has done.”