Thursday, October 1, 2026
Fifty years after graduating from Lynbrook High School, members of the Class of 1976 reunited not only to celebrate old friendships, but also to leave a lasting gift for future Owls.
After organizing their 50th reunion this spring, classmates Nancy Chiaffitelli, Maryellen Occhipinti and Helen vonCzerniewicz Ranieri discovered they had more than $500 left over from the event. Rather than divide the remaining funds, the group decided to donate the money back to Lynbrook High School in the form of a scholarship recognizing school spirit and academic excellence.
The scholarship was presented to graduating senior Aidan Michaels during the school’s annual awards ceremony in May.
“It was really amazing,” Chiaffitelli said. “I felt so privileged, on behalf of my class, to go back to my alma mater and have the opportunity to present the scholarship to Aidan.”
The reunion itself was months in the making. After learning that organizers of previous reunions were unable to coordinate a 50th celebration, Chiaffitelli, Occhipinti and Ranieri stepped in.
Planning began in January, with Occhipinti helping organize the event while spending the winter in Florida. The trio tracked down classmates through social media, eventually welcoming 55 attendees — including classmates who traveled from Canada, Arizona, Delaware and Maryland.
“We would have hoped for more,” Chiaffitelli said, “but it was still such a charmed evening. Everybody really enjoyed it.”
Held at EGP Land & Sea in Island Park on May 2, the reunion featured live music from a 1970s band, an open bar and buffet, giving classmates an opportunity to reconnect after decades apart.
“It was truly an amazing experience to see people I hadn’t seen in 50 years,” Chiaffitelli said. “It’s emotional because you look into their eyes and you still see them as 17-year-olds.”
For Occhipinti, one of the evening’s greatest successes was its intimate atmosphere.
“Everyone said it was probably the best reunion we had because so many people were genuine in their stories,” she said. “It was intimate enough for everyone to get to speak to one another.”
Her husband, Gary Occhipinti, who graduated with the class and has been with Maryellen for more than five decades, agreed.
“Nobody had to impress anybody,” he said. “We were all just so happy to catch up again.”
Both women said their memories of Lynbrook High School extend far beyond graduation. They recalled spirited Class Night competitions, basketball games, lunchtime pizza runs to Gino’s and friendships that have lasted since childhood.
“We were a class of great school spirit,” Chiaffitelli said. “Lynbrook was a beautiful part of my life.”
Ranieri said many students in their class were involved in organizations that emphasized community service.
“I was part of Alpha Delta, and when I joined, we made a decision to become more community-oriented,” Ranieri said. “There was a stigma that sorority girls in high school were tougher kids, but we focused on projects like bake sales to help out wherever we could.”
Occhipinti said that sense of community is what inspired the scholarship.
“I was one of the ones who helped initiate that idea, and it was the best thing,” she said. “A little something of what we did 50 years ago was going back to them.”
For Chiaffitelli, the reunion was also a reminder of how quickly time passes.
“Life is a journey,” she said. “It brings tears to my eyes when I think back, and I’m hopeful the connections we renewed at this reunion will last forever.”
