Timber Point Raises $22K for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

East Islip’s Timber Point Elementary School students worked hard and used their math skills while participating recently in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon, coordinated by Michelle Kilkelly and Carolyn McGee. The event raised $22,314 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital this year, bringing the school’s grand total over the past 20 years to $283,079.

East Islip High School students gain advanced trial skills

Before the close of the school year, East Islip High School teacher Patsy Lester’s trial and debate class visited District Court at the Cohalan Court Complex. The students went on a guided tour of the facility, including a courtroom, a holding cell and sheriff’s lockup. At each stage, students learned about the court personnel and the vital jobs they play in our criminal justice system. The tour concluded with a visit to arraignments, where they observed several criminal defendants have their charges read.

The following week, the students got the chance to put their new knowledge to the test, when the class enacted a mock trial. The case involved a defendant accused of murder and retaliation against a witness. The class divided in two, one side acting as prosecution and the other as defense. The students performed opening and closing statements as well as direct and cross examinations of witnesses. The high school’s mock trial team acted as a jury, and alumna Alexa Dante, a 2024 graduate of Touro Law School, presided as the judge.

The final score was a split decision; the prosecution prevailed on skills points, but the defense earned the “not guilty” verdict.

“It’s great that students are learning these skills in high school,” Dante said. “Most students entering law school don’t even learn trial advocacy until much later, so these students will be well ahead of their peers if they choose to study law.”

“I was so happy when the jury foreman read the verdict,” said Teagan Long-Capriola, a junior who acted as a defense lawyer. “I was nervous up there, but it felt great to win in the end!”

Central Islip Advanced Science Research

Central Islip superintendent of schools Dr. Sharon A. Dungee visited the district’s Summer Advanced Science Research Program. Students are working with teachers Mrs. Roderick and Mr. Soldano on advanced science experiments that they will continue working on going into September, when classes for the 2024-2025 academic year begin. Once completed, their projects will be entered into prestigious competitions. Central Islip Science students have in the past placed in Siemens and Regeneron Science competitions.

The Olympics come to the O’Neill Summer Enrichment Program

Students and their teachers participated in an exciting Olympic Torch Ceremony at the Elementary Enrichment Summer School Program at O’Neill Elementary School on July 12.

Program principal Mrs. Tracy Rentz explained this year’s Olympics is keeping in theme with the global Olympics. Each day, students are learning about reading, writing and ELA while celebrating this year’s Olympics theme, focusing on a different nation as they perform their Torch Ceremony.