Whiz Kid: Bob Chmiel Leads March For ALS

Name: Bob Chmiel - 12th Grade

School:

Accomplishment: When Chmiel was in sixth grade, Christopher Pendergast, a long-time survivor of ALS and founder of Ride for Life, came to the to do an assembly on ALS and the handicapped. He was so moved by his presentation that he wanted to help. Chmiel got his classmates to do a letter-writing campaign to the Port Jefferson Fire Department to get a spot in the Port Jefferson Fourth of July Parade. They got a spot in the parade, Pendergast joined and the "March 4 a Cure" parade group was created. In 2005 they had ten people march. Last year, they had as many as 70 people march. This year will be their seventh parade.

Key To Awesomeness: Chmiel begins recruiting student marchers in January, coordinates parade participants (people with ALS and their families) with Pendergast and the Ride for Life organization, coordinates student and teacher marchers with NCRMS Principal Matt Clark and distributes educational pamphlets, bracelets, pins and T-shirts, provided by Pendergast, to parade-goers. Chmiel has also had a hand in having the Ride for Life organization be the charity to receive proceeds for the Miller Place homecoming football game in the past.

On top of all that, Chmiel has been in the pit orchestra for the Drama Club for the past four years, plays percussion in the symphonic and jazz bands, participated in All County Band (SCMEA), and President of the French Chapter of the Foreign language Honor Society. He is a Miller Place Volunteer Firefighter and participates with the Miller Place Extinguishers, the old-fashioned fire department drill team and 2010 New York State Old-Fashioned Drill Team Champions. Chmiel will be attending SUNY Oswego in the fall to major in Broadcasting and Communications.