Community

Riverhead: Talent shows, an awards dinner and NJROTC orientation

Laniece Hutley steps up to the smart board to help answer the question 'How long does it take for these items to decompose?' during a presentation by Riverhead High School Key Club members D'Aja Mitchner (left) and Kailyn Gill to Kelly Cregan's third-grade class at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School Friday afternoon. D'Aja and Kailyn were teaching a 'Go Green Lesson to Save the Planet.'
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Laniece Hutley steps up to the smart board to help answer the question 'How long does it take for these items to decompose?' during a presentation by Riverhead High School Key Club members D'Aja Mitchner (left) and Kailyn Gill to Kelly Cregan's third-grade class at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School Friday afternoon. D'Aja and Kailyn were teaching a 'Go Green Lesson to Save the Planet.'

The students at Bishop McGann-Mercy High School produced, directed and starred in the second annual Mercy for Haiti talent show in February. More than 30 acts performed for over 300 spectators. More than $2,500 has been raised for the relief effort in Haiti, where people still struggle to recover from last year’s devastating earthquake and recent hurricane. The organizers of the show still hope to raise even more money through DVD sales. For more information, contact Robin Bay at 727-5900, ext. 32, or email [email protected].

SCOPE’s 10th annual school district awards dinner was held March 28 at Villa Lombardi’s. Recipients from numerous school districts throughout Long Island were honored for school board service, administrator service, teacher service, support staff service and community service. “Shining Above the Rest” were six recipients from the Riverhead School District! They include: Ann Cotton-DeGrasse (current school board president) for school board service; Harry and Louise Wilkinson, community service; Barbara Quick (who has served the district for 25 years and has been the assistant transportation supervisor since 2003), support staff service; Gina Kudrzycki (a special education teacher who’s been at the high school for 10 years), teacher service award; and David Densieski (current principal of Pulaski Street Elementary School), who has been with the district for 25 years), administrator service award.

Thirty-four Riverhead NJROTC cadets took the ferry to New London on March 24 to begin their annual military orientation. They spent four days experiencing a variety of activities at different locations and enjoying a tour of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. They then journeyed to the Naval base at Newport, R.I., where they visited the Navy Surface Warfare Officer School. They also toured the Naval War College Museum, shopped in downtown Newport, visited Battleship Cove in Fall River, Mass., enjoyed lunch aboard the Battleship Massachusetts, and toured a World War II submarine and a destroyer, among others. They also had a unique opportunity to visit two famous Newport mansions built by the Vanderbilts in the late 1800s. On their last day they visited the Submarine Museum in New London, Conn., where they toured the first nuclear submarine, Nautilus.

Riverhead’s Got Talent was presented by the Riverhead High School Key Club last weekend at Pulaski Street Elementary School. The first-place winners are: Justin Harris and Shauna Huizing, who danced to “Pop” by ’N Sync; second place, Brandon Boardman, who played keyboard; and third place, Steven Peppaceno, who sang and played the piano. All the participants received certificates of recognition and helped raise funds for a worthy cause. The gracious emcee, who did a fine job, was Frank Trentacoste and the judges were Amanda Commins, Thelma Booker and Yours Truly.

Happy birthday wishes to Ellyne Flammia, Stephanie Hayes and James Sparrow (who turns 1), on April 7; Warren Fischer, April 8; Cathy Griffin, John Dunleavy, Jillian Ball, Thomas Schwarz, Wayne Boyd, John Berezny and Alar Corwin, April 11; Andy Krajewski, Ginny Binkis, Suzanne Smith, Nicole Gablenz, Cayden Campbell, Kaleigh Seal (who turns 7) and Erin Hubbard (who turns 4), April 12; and Milt Tyte, Joe Baker, Mikey Curtis, Reese Walters and Ray Soto, April 13. Be sure to celebrate.

Get well wishes to Richie Ligon and Carol Carey.