Rocky Point School Notebook: Awards, Donations & More

Investment Gains

Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School’s fourth-grade students from Ken Krapf’s class and fifth-grade students from David Falcone’s class realized hefty gains when they competed in this year’s Stock Market Game. Performing in the Long Island fourth-through sixth-grade division, the students were given the chance to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in an online portfolio. 

This year, not only did one Rocky Point team win the Long Island division, but they also had the best elementary portfolio in New York State. The Rocky Point School District congratulates students Madison LoPresti, Haleigh Manger, Morgan Moroney, Brook Pohl and Kathleen Seda, who reaped $11,000 in profits.

Students’ Projects Win County Awards

Each year, the Suffolk Reading Council hosts a variety of contests in the areas of reading, writing and the arts in an effort to promote literacy and artistic expression and JAE students took part. Third-grader Isadora Luce, was named a Creative Writing Contest third-place winner for her prose, fifth-grader Thomas Sandusky's poetry won third place in the Creative Writing Contest and third-grader Shaun Sander won third place in the K-6 art competition.

Students Help Build a Habitat for Humanity

As part of the AMP-1 basketball fundraiser held earlier this year, Rocky Point High School raised $3,000 to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy. To ensure their donation benefited local residents who were affected by the storm, the school elected to make the donation to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that has been restoring and building homes for local victims of the hurricane.

Winning Essays Earn Students Scholarships

Rocky Point High School junior Joseph Russo and senior Serafina Tiranno-Cimisi entered the FealGood organization’s essay competition and were announced as winners this June. The students, who penned essays about the significance of Sept. 11 and the important reasons why it should be remembered were each given a $1,000 scholarship from the foundation.

Monthlong Literacy Celebration

As an extension of their traditional literacy lessons, Rocky Point Middle School students participated in a series of unique literacy events this May, including meeting with professional authors and hosting a school-wide live poetry event. 

Showcasing Technology

JAE's fifth-grade Technology Club, advised by teacher Laurie Varriale, and students in the GATES program, taught by Donna Trapani, participated in the 13 the Model Schools Program in partnership with Dowling College. During the event, four projects completed by the students were on display for all attendees to view. More than 600 students and teachers from schools across eastern Suffolk County took part in this year’s program.

Teaming Up to Keep Kids Safe 

Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School fifth-grade students in Laurie Varriale’s technology class engaged in valuable lessons about computer and Internet safety when they took part in a “Kids Safe Online” poster contest. 

After speaking with their teacher about the importance of protecting one’s personal identity and the dangers of cyberbullying, the students used Smart Notebook technology to produce Internet safety posters for the New York State poster contest.