Huntington PTA Honors
Smith and Rabinowitz
As their sons prepare to graduate this week, Donna Smith and Erika Rabinowitz can bask in the glow of a job well-done. The dynamic duo was honored for their exceptional spirit of volunteerism near the close of the Huntington PTA Council’s annual luncheon held earlier this month at The Harbor Club in Halesite.
The pair of volunteers earned the PTA’s Recognition and Achievement Award, which is presented annually to retiring members of the PTA’s leadership as their youngest child graduates from the district.
Huntington High School PTSA President Anne Connell announced that her organization had purchased two engraved bricks to be placed in the high school’s Pathway to Excellence to honor the distinguished duo.
“The Huntington School District PTA’s would not be the strong, respectful organizations they are today if not for moms like you that saw a need and stepped up to fill it with the utmost care in the multiple schools that all of your children attended,” Mrs. Connell said. “Thank you so very much. You will be greatly missed!”
Ms. Rabinowitz began her PTA experience 16 years ago. Over the years she has participated in the organization’s activities at most of the district’s schools as she followed two children through the various grade levels.
“She served several terms as council delegate, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, vice president, and president at different schools,” PTA officer Elaine May told the luncheon crowd about Ms. Rabinowitz. “She was also a vice president for our PTA Council multiple times. Her commitment and dedication was demonstrated as she participated and chaired several committees. She is known as the plant sale queen after chairing the plant sale in six schools.”
Ms. Rabinowitz did it all, from participating in every school’s parents-as-reading-partners program, staff appreciation day and shared decision making committee meetings. She played a key role with Jefferson School Principal Anthony Baressi in establishing that building’s annual school-wide field trip to the Bronx Zoo.
Founded Jaguar Journal
“She started the Jaguar Journal at Jefferson, which was no easy task when only floppy disks were available, all formats and typesetting had to be done manually,” Ms. May said. “There were always kind, motivating notes, parenting tips and letters from the PTA president and the principal. She always said it was a pleasure working with women who had the same goals and dedication; that it led to friendships for life! I couldn’t agree more.”
Mrs. May said she remembers seven years ago when she casually mentioned to Ms. Rabinowitz that she was very shorthanded during a Southdown School PTA holiday boutique and was desperate for help. “She didn’t have a child in the school but came to help out,” Ms. May said.
Even after Ms. Rabinowitz began working as an administrative assistant in a local doctor’s office, she still made time to serve as the high school PTSA corresponding secretary. As her son, Dan, prepares to graduate and head off to SUNY Binghamton, (Ms. Rabinowitz’s daughter graduated from Binghamton last month), the extraordinary volunteer leaves with the appreciation of PTA colleagues.
Smith’s Energy is Legendary
Ms. Smith has followed a similar odyssey through the district’s schools, retracing her steps many times as she sent three children through to graduation. At one time or another she served the PTA as a counsel delegate, treasurer, vice president and president, multiple times in multiple schools. She served on various committees, chairing several of the panels, and earned a reputation as the “picture day lady” while chairing school picture days on 15 separate occasions.
“I remember one year at Southdown, about 10 years ago, when the photographer arrived there was no backdrop for the student pictures; we almost had to cancel picture day, but Donna knew exactly what to do,” Ms. May recalled. “She said ‘I’ll be back in 20 minutes’ and came back with a borrowed backdrop from Woodhull. She saved the day and everyone was happy!”
Ms. Smith chaired staff appreciation days and pasta nights, served on the positive action committee and was an arts-in-education committee representative for 12 years.
“I’ll never forget when I first meet her,” Ms. May said. “She was on the PARP committee at Woodhull Kindergarten Center. The Magic School Bus books were the hottest books around. For weeks the kids could talk about nothing else but that Miss Frizzle and the Magic School Bus was coming to our school. That night I took the most adorable pictures of my children with Miss Frizzle; she had on a wild dress and a red curly wig. It was Donna Smith!”
Once when asked how she handled three children in school while at the same time doing extensive volunteer work, Ms. Smith replied that she didn’t think about it, she just did it. “That simple phrase became the words I lived by,” Ms. May said.
Ms. Smith’s son, Dan is head to the University of Maryland at College Park. One of her daughter’s graduated from Cornell University and a second daughter is currently attending Boston College.
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