Oceanside High School celebrates 37th Human Relations Day

Dozens of speakers convened at Oceanside High School on March 20 for the 37th Human Relations Day. This year’s organizer was High School teacher, Guiseppina Prestigiacomo. The keynote speaker was Amberley Snyder, an award-winning rodeo star whose Netflix special focuses on her life after a paralyzing car accident.

Students heard from David Marshall, a World War II veteran, Bernie Furshpan of the Holocaust Museum, Brian Held from the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, fellow students and alumni, current and former teachers, athletes, and many community and non-profit organizations. Alumni Kevin Nicholas talked about his entertainment career as a magician and mentalist and showed off some of his tricks.

Frank Cona, who works on Amazon’s Project Kuiper to increase global broadband access with an emphasis on underserved areas, spoke to the students about the aerospace industry, space technology and careers in STEM.

“Human Relations Day gives students perspectives about what other people are experiencing and shows them connections to what they themselves might be experiencing, and that they’re not alone,” Prestigiacomo said. “It also lets them learn about the past and shows them possibilities for the future.”