School News

Heads shaved, money raised at South

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The students and faculty at Valley Stream South High School had a busy end to the month of March, and it all happened after school hours. South held its annual Service Week, and student groups donated their time, talent and in some cases, their hair, to benefit those in need.

About 100 South students had their heads shaved on March 21 to raise money for children’s cancer research as part the school’s annual St. Baldrick’s event. According to Jeff Hsi, a teacher a South who coordinated the event with Patricia Franco, the school raised $26,000.

Two female students, Maria Fredericks and Allison McClout, and teacher Laura Pokorny also shed their locks for the cause, and the Andrew James Salon in Franklin Square did all the head shaving.

“St. Baldrick’s is about giving the students an opportunity to see how much of a difference that they can each make,” Hsi said. “I was deeply moved by how many students signed up and how much money they raised together. Everyone was especially emotional when watching Allison and Maria having their heads shaved.”

Students fight hunger

South held its first Empty Bowls event on March 24, where art students donated bowls they made out of clay and paper maché. The bowls were then given to people in attendance in exchange for a donation to benefit the Holy Name of Mary Church food pantry.

Paulette Lowe, an art teacher, said there were 45 bowls made for the event, which was sponsored by the Art Honor Society. Students created the bowls after school, and 14 people or businesses donated soup for the event. Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort to fight hunger where guests, after making a donation, are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

There were performances by the Cultural Society, step team and the cast of “Annie” at the event. Lowe, who coordinated Empty Bowls with Karen Grant and Colleen Byrne, said she hopes to make it even bigger next year.

The Science Honor Society hosted a roller skating event at the hockey rink near the Valley Stream train station on March 22 to benefit the Holy Name’s food pantry.

Science teacher Elaina Garces said the village allowed the group to use the rink for free. The event raised nearly $350 and counting.

Kevin Li, a senior and president of the honor society, said he was happy with the turnout and had a few people coming off the train ask if they could come skate. He added that raising money for the food pantry at Holy Name made it all the more special. “It’s a food pantry for our entire community,” he said, “so we wanted to keep things local and help our community.”

The sun will come out tomorrow

Students in grades 7-12 put on multiple performances of the musical “Annie” last weekend, after performing select songs at Empty Bowls.

All sixth-grade students in Valley Stream were invited to attend a performance in order to connect the elementary schools with the Central High School District, noted Rita Vella, a music teacher out South. Students also held a special performance for senior citizens on March 29.

A worldly brunch

Fifteen juniors and seniors in the Language Honor Society made a trip to the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park on March 23 to prepare a meal for 75 people currently staying there.

Italian and Spanish teacher Filomena Riviezzo and Spanish teacher Jennifer Schultz are co-advisors to the honor society. Foreign language students donated all of the breakfast food items, in addition to other necessities like paper towels and tin foil.

According to Schultz, she and Riviezzo didn’t have to the guide their students too much once they got in the kitchen. “The kids did everything,” she said. “It’s amazing to see how kids can step up when they want to do something.”

Practice makes perfect,

and raises money

Music students took part in the Harry Chapin Practice-A-Thon in March to benefit the Harry Chapin Food Bank. South musicians got sponsors for each minute they practiced during the month, which ended Monday. The Tri-M Music Society sponsored the event.

Music teachers will now tally up the amount of minutes their students practiced and wait for the donations to come in. This is the second year South has held the event, band director Dan Creegan said, as more than $1,000 was raised last year.

Seventh graders

spruce up garden

South’s youngest students hit the outdoors in late March to clean up the school’s courtyard. Co-advisors for the Class of 2019, Josephine Evola and Stephanie Farkash said about 20 seventh-graders participated and the project will be ongoing until the end of the year. When the weather gets nicer, Evola said, the group will begin planting flowers and greenery outside South.