Congratulations to the Central Islip Class of 2024!

Central Islip High School’s graduation was celebrated on Wednesday, June 26. Delivering messages of pride and encouragement to the Class of 2024 were School Board President Luis Alcantara, superintendent of schools Dr. Sharon A. Dungee, and Suffolk County sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon Jr. who was the special keynote speaker of the evening.

Valedictorian Gianluca Pillaga and salutatorian Leslie Bonilla acknowledged their families, then reflected on memories of their high school journey with their peers, and spoke about how to celebrate their future and seize opportunities as they look to achieve their goals.

The Central Islip Board of Education, administration, faculty, staff, senior class advisors Mr. Darren Ehrhardt and Mrs. Claris Villatoro, and the entire Central Islip community congratulate the alumni of the Class of 2024 as they pursue their goals and aspirations.

Michael Dorgan reelected as president of East Islip Board of Education

Michael Dorgan was reelected as president of the East Islip Board of Education for the 2024-2025 school year during the annual reorganization meeting on July 2. Dorgan was first elected to the board as a trustee in 2021 and served as vice president in 2022-2023 before his election as president last year.

Stephen Ruland, who also joined the board in 2021, was reelected as vice president. During the meeting, Dorgan, Ruland and superintendent Paul Manzo were all sworn in by district clerk Stephanie Parker.

Seniors use technology skills to create designs for Code Lavender

West Islip High School senior Cheyanne Rosario-Sendra was recently named the winner of Good Samaritan Hospital’s Code Lavender design contest. Code Lavender is a crisis intervention tool used to support any person in the hospital. Patients, family members, volunteers and health care staff can call a Code Lavender when a stressful event or series of stressful events occurs in the hospital. After the code is called, the Code Lavender team responds within 30 minutes.

Rosario-Sendra will be attending Fashion Institute of Technology in the fall. She will pursue her love of graphic design and will be majoring in communication design. She has been in the graphic design program at West Islip for three years. Rosario-Sendra’s design is focused on the relaxing quality of lavender, along with a heart, which is at the center of the Code Lavender program.

Senior Sophie Butler also worked on her own entry. She is heading to college to pursue a nursing career. Her design centered on the idea that Code Lavender is a program that provides support and care during a very difficult time at the hospital.

Both students utilized Adobe Illustrator in creating the design and gained valuable experience in working with the West Islip High School technology department and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Central Islip School District hosts Summer Enrichment School

The Summer Enrichment Program for Central Islip elementary students has begun. The program features constructive and categorical engagement, where the students are anticipated to experience academic, social, and emotional growth. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sharon A. Dungee endorses the program for bridging the learning gap between grade levels as students stay involved with academics and a host of enriching activities.

Awards and accolades for West Islip science students

Science students from Beach Street Middle School, Udall Road Middle School and West Islip High School recently were named award winners at the New York State Science and Engineering Fair.

Congratulations to the following students:

First place in engineering—Andromeda Fair: Michael Washington, Daniel Von Thaden and Matt Regina in the STEM Academy at West Islip High School for their project “Comparing the Efficiencies of the Aerospike Engine and the Bell-Shaped Engine;”

Second place in medicine and health—Andromeda Fair: Ryan Deegan and Isabella Tussie in the Research Institute Experience class at West Islip High School for their project “Analyzing C. elegans as a Cancer Model using Infrared Microspectroscopy;”

First place in chemistry – Thermo Fisher Fair: Jackson Olfano and Kellan Stapleton from Beach Street Middle School for their project “The Effect of Type of Sports Drink on the Amount of Electrolytes;”

Third place in biology – Thermo Fisher Fair: Amina Bajwa and Maha Aziz from Udall Road Middle School for their project “The Effects of Different Forms of Salicylic Acid on Plant Growth.”