Thursday, October 1, 2026
Can a cup of coffee change the world? A group of Oceanside sixth graders believe they can.
Jay Jackson, Jonathan Sepe, Julia Candiotti and Theresa Brophy teamed up with the Dunkin’ Donuts on Lawson Boulevard to promote the use of recyclable and reusable cups. Impressed by the students’ passion for their cause, owner Rocky Sheikh agreed that they could use his store to promote their green agenda. Students shared information with patrons on the afternoon of Feb. 20 and the mornings of Feb. 14 and 15, while Sheikh’s staff served coffee orders in reusable cups. The group also collected used Styrofoam cups in order to recycle them.
Jackson, Sepe, Candiotti and Brophy are just one of 25 teams of Oceanside sixth graders involved in the Project Extra program. This year, Project Extra students are participating in the Siemens “We Can Change the World” challenge, which asks students to find local environmental solutions that can be replicated on a broader scale. The students hope that their project can ultimately reduce the amount of Styrofoam that ends up in landfills.
Project Extra teachers Donna Migdol and Angela Abend are managing the 25 teams of students who hope to change the world by starting at home.
“It’s pretty much unheard of for two teachers to have this many teams, but we didn’t know that when we started,” said Mrs. Migdol. “We just wanted to channel our students’ curiosity and passion.”
Students have talked to experts on their topics, created websites, given presentations, written articles for publication and met with local officials. Topics include post-Sandy revitalization of the Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area, reducing the impact of household cleaning products on waterways, how xeriscaping can eliminate the need for fertilizer and minimizing the carbon emissions footprint.
In addition to Dunkin’ Donuts, students in Migdol’s and Abend’s classes have sought assistance from OSI Comfort Specialists, the Nassau County Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District and New York American Water to research their projects.
