Islanders bring teamwork message to Clear Stream Avenue

Two members of the greater Islanders team visited Clear Stream Avenue School last week to talk about the importance of teamwork and doing well in school. Dina Tsiorvas, a.k.a. Dina the Arena Hostess, and mascot Sparky the Dragon held two assemblies on Jan. 14.

Although no Islanders players were able to attend, as they were practicing for their game that night against the Ottawa Senators, students did hear a message about teamwork from them in a video. Players talked about how there is more to the Islanders team then just them. There is also the equipment staff, trainers, coaches, front office staff and, of course, the fans.

To demonstrate teamwork, Sparky called up three students to the front of the room. One student had to put on full goalie gear with help from his two classmates. Meanwhile, a teacher was also brought up to put on another set of goalie gear, but didn’t have any helpers. Inevitably, it took the students far less time to complete the task because they were working together.

Dina, a familiar face in the stands and on the video board at Nassau Coliseum, also spoke of how a school is like a hockey team. A hockey team has coaches to teach the players how to get better. “You have something like coaches here every day at your school,” she said. “Your teachers are your coaches.” And, the Valley Stream native added, the principal is like the general manager who oversees everything and everyone.

The assembly is part of the team’s “We’re All Islanders” school assembly program. Fourth-grade teacher Gina Lombardo won the assembly for the school last year, after several students attended a game and even sung the National Anthem at the Coliseum.

Now, teachers in the school will be on the lookout for six students who exemplify hard-working, respectful and responsible behavior. Those children will be rewarded with three free tickets each to an Islanders home game.

All students got to take home and Islanders folder with stickers and a comic book, plus a pencil. There was also a form for students to fill out, guaranteeing them two free tickets to a game for good grades. That prompted a reminder from Dina: “Make sure you are working your hardest.”