Huntington School Briefs
Huntington High School’s fall blood drive resulted in the collection of 74 pints of blood. The fall drive relied on the professional expertise of Long Island Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center. Another drive is planned for the spring.
According to the NYBC website, “Long Island Blood Services (LIBS) has been fulfilling its commitment to the people of Long Island and Queens for over 40 years by supplying life-saving blood products and services to approximately 50 hospitals throughout Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties. Headquartered in Westbury, LIBS is the largest region within New York Blood Center, partnering with over 1,400 business, education, government, religious and community organizations to conduct an estimated 300 mobile blood drives each month.”
BPA a Real Force
Huntington’s Band Parents Association is alive and well, as evidenced by the huge home show it organized earlier this month. The group “exists to support the band students and directors in all they do, from supplying the manpower to move the instruments and equipment to and from competitions to chaperones to ensure the safety of everyone and address student needs to fundraising when district funds fall short due to budget cutbacks,” BPA President Elaine May said.
Mrs. May said the BPA “experienced two recent unexpected challenges this year. The first was to purchase a new podium/scaffold when it was discovered that the existing one was unsafe to use because of age and damage. The new was purchased by the BPA for a sum of $1,990 and donated to our school district. The second was the failure of our two, critical, 22-year old golf carts. The BPA replaced them with two newly refurbished golf carts for a sum of $5,150 and donated them to the district.”
Volunteers use the golf carts to transport various pieces of equipment and musical equipment on-and-off the field during competitions. “Timing is part of the competitive score,” explained Mrs. May. “You get three minutes to get your equipment onto the field or your band gets a penalty. We also purchased new color guard uniforms to enhance the visual effect reflected in the show theme each year for a sum of $2,454. Several band parents volunteer to sew flags to keep costs down. Visual effects are part of the competitive score. There are countless other miscellaneous expenses.”
Mrs. May said that many competitive high school bands obtain corporate sponsorships but the BPA has been able to raise funds through such initiatives like the home show.
The BPA will be selling an assortment of items during the homecoming day celebration on Saturday, October 17, including 75th band anniversary pins, Blue Devil bobble head dolls and other goods.
Extra-Duty Music Assignments
Huntington School Board members have approved extra-duty assignments for music teachers Brian Stellato (instrumental director and wind ensemble), Veronica Escamilla (choral director and jazz choir), Lisa Leonardi (Tri-M music honor society advisor, chamber orchestra) and Jason Giachetti (jazz ensemble). Each of the positions carries a stipend.
General Organization Officers
This year’s Huntington High School G.O. organization is led by students Rebecca Silverman (president), Esther Kum (vice-president), Dan McGale (treasurer), Caitlin Etri (recording secretary), Molly Smith (corresponding secretary) and Casey Singer (historian). Teachers Anthony Troffa and Fred Bisogno are the faculty advisors.
College Center Hums
Huntington High School college counselor Bernadette Walsh is having a busy fall. Among her many activities is organizing visits by college representatives. Over the past week, juniors and seniors had an opportunity to meet with reps from Kent State University, Drew University, Loyola College, Ithaca College, Bryant University, Bennington College and Tulane University.
Alum Serving in Iraq
Currently a specialist with the U.S. Army, Omar Lima, a 2004 graduate of Huntington High School, is on his second tour of duty in Iraq. The alum has been in the armed forces since enlisting in February 2005. He is due to be separated from the service on or about March 10, 2010.
Mr. Lima completed basic and advanced individual training in September 2005. He was initially stationed at Ford Hood, New Jersey with the 2nd Sustainment Brigade. His first deployment to Iraq ran from October 2006 to December 24, 2007, when he returned to Fort Hood to work and participate in additional training. He left in January 2009 for his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Mr. Lima has applied for admission to the City University of New York for the fall 2010 semester. He recently sent a series of messages to the Huntington School District website asking for his high school academic record to be forwarded to CUNY.
Class of 1959 Loses One of its Own
Huntington High School’s Class of 1959 was the first one to graduate from the “new” building, which is now more than 50 years old. One of the first grads, Carol (Savarese) Morrell passed away last week. In the years following her high school graduation she married Matthew Morrell and the couple had three children; Dawn Marie, Martin and Matthew. She also had three grandchildren.
Mrs. Morrell, who was retired from Dayco, Inc., was interred at St. Philip Neri Cemetery in East Northport. Donations to the Long Island chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society were welcomed in her name.
In November 1958 the “old” high school building on Main Street (currently town hall) was closed and the students and teachers paraded through Huntington Village to the new building, which took several years to erect. Carol Savarese marched in this procession right alongside her classmates.
Under Carol Savarese’s photo in the 1959 edition of The Huntingtonian it states: “’Crazy’ . . . an inclination toward medicine . . . piazza.”
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