Thursday, October 1, 2026
On Feb. 10, Oceanside Middle School students and staff wore purple to remind each other that they are all truly special, amazing and, most of all, loved.
P.S. I Love You Day was started by Long Island native Brooke DiPalma, a senior at West Islip High School. After experiencing the suicide of her father, Brooke was motivated to make something positive from the tragedy. She created not only a day to celebrate life in her community, she also created a YouTube video for P.S. I Love You Day which quickly became a viral sensation. Brooke not only received local and national press attention, she was also awarded the Friedlander Award from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Nassau County.
Oceanside Middle School students viewed the video and met Brooke at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County's Middle School Tolerance Day back in October of 2011. Eager to bring such a day of positivity to OMS, these students began by writing 1,000 notes of inspiration and positivity in secret. On Tuesday morning, all students at OMS viewed and discussed Brooke’s video in advisory and were encourage to wear purple to school on Friday. When students arrived to school on Friday morning, they opened their lockers and found purple handwritten notes containing such phrases as, “Remember you are awesome!”, “You’re Amazing!”, and “P.S. You are loved!” Students and staff were also treated to purple bagels from Lynbrook Bagel, sponsored by the school PTA.
