Making the Grade: Long Island schools hold clothing drives to help the needy

The colder temperatures have inspired many students to spread some warmth.

Local schools have hosted dozens of winter clothing drives in recent weeks in an effort to keep less-fortunate families warm across Long Island.

In one such effort, the Long Beach school district collected more than 50 large bags of gently used winter clothing that was given away as part of a “boutique” in the gymnasium of Long Beach Middle School.

“We are creating opportunities for our community to help one another while also committing ourselves to recycling, reusing and limiting waste,” said the district’s assistant superintendent for personnel and administration, Michele Natali.

In Merrick, elementary students in Norman J. Levy Lakeside School’s student council collected enough gently used coats to fill 10 large bags, and enough winter boots to fill six boxes for local residents in need as part of a project called “Coats for Kids.”

In West Babylon, students at John F. Kennedy Elementary School collected 1,149 pairs of socks for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless through a competition to see which grade level could collect the most socks.

And in East Setauket, Nassakeag Elementary School’s student council collected hundreds of hats, gloves and socks as part of a “Warm Hands, Warm Feet” initiative to benefit the Lighthouse Mission in Bellport.

“We’re always so touched by the community’s generosity. They have such warm hearts,” Nassakeag’s student council advisers, Darlene Lange and Kathryn Comiskey, said in a statement.

MASTIC BEACH

Mentoring partnership

Students in the William Floyd school district are receiving mentorship opportunities courtesy of a new partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, Stony Brook University and Floyd Academy, which is the district’s alternative education program.

The partnership is matching volunteer mentors from the university with students enrolled at Floyd Academy, who will then meet during school hours for academic support as well as vocational and college readiness discussions. The relationships are professionally supported by a dedicated program team member from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

“Students are experiencing mentorship from highly compassionate professionals who offer invaluable guidance and support,” said the academy’s principal, John DeBenedetto. “These life lessons will prepare our students for their post-high school journey.”

PORT JEFFERSON STATION

Brew Crew Café

Comsewogue High School recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its Brew Crew Café.

The new coffee shop follows a partnership created last year between the Comsewogue School District and Chick-fil-A in Port Jefferson, in which the district’s life skill students volunteer to support the eatery’s daily operations. The new café will enable those students to learn service skills and socialization on a “more regular basis,” school officials said.

“The creation of our Brew Crew Café came from a culmination of efforts to give our life skills students an opportunity to gain real-world skills while they are still in high school,” said the district’s superintendent, Jennifer Quinn.

JERICHO

Next Generation Angels

Jay Patel of Jericho Middle School has placed second worldwide in the junior division (grades 6-8) of the Next Generation Angels Awards, coordinated by The Better Angels Society, a nonprofit organization that supports excellence in American history documentaries to advance education and civic engagement.

Jay’s winning documentary was about bacteriologist Pearl Kendrick, co-creator of the first successful whooping cough vaccine. His documentary was recently shown at the Fifth Annual Student History Film Festival in Philadelphia.

This year’s winning films were selected from 100 submissions and evaluated on criteria including historical significance, clarity and presentation.

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.