learn about our class of 2018 and see more photos from our...

Winter 2017

Learn about our Class of 2018 and see more photos from our moving up ceremonies, Pre-K through 12, inside.

Graduation 2018

oceansideschools.org

Introducing Our Graduates Class of 2018 - Oceanside High School

Mikayla Aarons Zoe Abrahamer Richard Acosta *Natalie Agruso Bryan Aguilar Jenna Albertario *Destinee Alden *Molly Allain Willmington Alonzo Reyes Tyler Alvarez Brian Amato Priscilla Ambrosecchia *Justin Ambrosecchia Francesco Ancona Gianluca Ancona Abigail Anderson Ashley Antelo Michael Antonacci Jessica Anzalone

Brianna Argento Filip Aronshtein *Aaron Aronshtein Joseph Auriemma Nicole Ayvas *Christina Azzinaro Michael Baccari *Jillian Baehrle *Rebecca Baird Adam Barbiero Jacqualyn Bargfrede

Gillian Bartholomew *Angela Baselice Nicholas Batjiaka Katherine Batres Villatoro Danielle Bauer Mikaela Bauer Kristin Bedics *Shane Belkin Joshua Benjamin *Amanda Benson *Ashley Bentsen *Alison Berke Megan Bernowich *Britney Berrios Tyler Berry Gregory Bertagni Benjamin Blankoph Thomas Bloecker *Soli Bloom *

Justin Bloom Jake Boero John Bologna *Amanda Bonacasa *Jessica Bonacasa *Logan Bowers Julia Boyle *Thomas Boyle Samuel Breen *Heather Brody *James Brooks

Chelsea Buda *Timothy Buhse *Olivia Bumbolo Sarah Burch *Julia Burns *Christina Cacioppo *Gabriella Campanelli Patricia Campo *Michael Capitelli Matthew Carey Matthew Caronna Rianna Carriere Monica Carter Dylan Cassar Cassandra Cataldo Stephanie Cesarski Jonathan Cespedes Victoria Ciminera *Samantha Cinetti *

Paul Cirillo *Korhan Citlak *Patrick Clarke Matthew Clowe Katherine Coffey Daniel Cohen *Jane Cohen *Lucy Cohen *Kyle Cohen Lauren Colley Ryan Collins

Gabriela Colon Paige Connelly Haily Conroy Mary Conway Ana Corona Christina Costante *Michael Costello-Moscowitz Christiana Crawford-Matherson Derek Cruz Jasson Cruz-Reyes Alexandria Cuadros Anthony Cuba Annie Cunningham Martina D’Angelo Vincenzo D’Anna Kaitlyn Dagger Shona Daly Geraldine Louise Dapanas Jack Dauber *Justin DeDonna Sara Dejkameh *Justin DelaRosa John DeRosa Joseph DeSimone Bernie Diaz Megan DiDominica *Malayna Dilsner-Lopez Nickolas Dimitrakas *Alexandra Dinowitz Hanz Ditching Natalie Dixon Samantha Donnelly Joseph Dougherty Emily Doyle Laila Draouich Devin Dryden Emely Duran *Jillian Duryea Grace Edwards *Ryan Egan Mariya Eldho *Genesis Ellerbe Jacqueline Ellis Carmine Elvezio Brandon English Alexandra Engst Adrianna Enoch *Andrew Enoch Kelvin Espinal

* = Honor Graduate

Class of 2018 - Oceanside High School

Anthony Esposito Iralys Estevez McKayla Estevez Michael Falabella Kaitlin Fay Nicola Fecentese *Jason Feinberg Damien Fernandez Christian Festa Maximillian Fethlan Kevin Figat Camila Filpo Rachel Finkelstein *Sarah Marie Finkelstein Danielle Fischgrund *Kasey Flavin Michael Floril *Giovanna Fonte Tiffany Fonte Anthony Forche Christian Forte Michael Fredricks Leonard Fucile Anthony Funaro Julian Fuquene Nicole Galarza Vargas Madeline Garguilo *Nora Garrett Anthorn Garrett Jr. Elizabeth Gergel *Habib Ghani Naya Ghirdarry *Ananda Ghirdarry ToniAnn Gildersleeve *Elizabeth Gilmartin *Michael Giordano Alexandra Gise Christian Giugliano Robert Goehringer *Jason Goldman Natalie Goldstein Nicholas Graham Nicholas Grande Christina Grassi Hailey Greco *Malaya Green *Marcus Green Olivia Gross John Grzybowski Lizbeth Guaraca Guaira-

caja Andrew Gustaferri Elian Gutierrez Jack Gyves Benjamin Halem Dena Halem Samantha Halper *Alexandra Handy Caleigh Hardecker *Sean Harkins Jordan Harnisher Vanessa Harris Connor Hartman Michael Hawk *Benjamin Hayden Mitchell Hebert Sophie Heide Brooke Helfenbaum Brian Henn *Ariana Herbst

Ashley Hernandez Thomas Heuer Christopher Hochuli Jessica Huplosky *Anthony Iaquinta Adriana Ioco Brandon Iovino *Emily Jackson Jessica Jacoby Jude Javillo *Emma Jimenez *

Faith Johnson Rylie Jones Josena Joseph *Dylan Judd *Kira Justin Lauren Justin Marissa Kanter *Marc Kaplan Harrison Katzman Kristie Keller William Keller Caitlin Kelly *Jonathan Kielb Christopher Klein Michael Klein Cynthia Knott Hannah Kornbluth Nicole Kraemer *Alyssa Krell *Jesse Kretkowski *

Melanie Krieger Michael Kronenberg *Marissa Kufeld *Jason Kupfer Stephen Kurtis *Douglas LaChance Thomas Lanning Matthew Lark Eric Lee Sara Levine Jason Lin

Sam Lippi Charlee Lopez Yisel Lopez Diana LoPiccolo Madison Lorenzo Lianna LoSardo *Jacob Lutzker Daniel Madden Michael Maffettone Salvatore Maffettone Jaclyn Malloy *Jessica Mallozzi *Dillon Mammoliti Karianne Mangan Brandon Mangual Savanna Manion Skye Margies Victoria Marsicano Mohammed-Amaan Masalawala *

Mohammed-Ayaan Masalawala Hannah Mascuch *Thomas Mayberry Angela Mayo Teddi McCabe Joanna McDonald Brendan McFall *Matthew McGuinness *Liam McGuinness Ryan McKee

* = Honor Graduate

Samantha McKee Dylan McLarney Kieran McLaughlin Payton McMahon *Marco Medugno *Randy Mejia Nehemie Mengouchi Nicole Mercadante Cristina Meyer Alexander Meyerowitz *Daniel Michael Alexa Mihale Anna Mikhaylova *Katlyn Miller Michael Miranda Daniel Mirlas *Angelina Moccia Caitlin Montuoro Paulinna Morales Christina Moran *Madison Morea Austin Morelli Kayla Morhart Megan Morillo Torres *Toni-Ann Mugnai *Alexis Muniz Adam Murasso Andrew Murasso Ashley Murch Christopher Murphy *Joshua Myrick Ibrahim Naseer Michael Nelson Cory Nichols *Gabriele Nicolo Grace O’Rourke *Megan O’Rourke *John O’Sullivan Tyler Ocasio Hiezer Taryn Odayan Jason Ogbue Karla Olazabal *Diandra Oliver Diara Oliver Lucas Oliver Freddy Ormeno Alexander Ortiz Brian Ozfuruncu Nina Pagona Victoria Palmieri *

Gabrielle Palmigiano Thomas Palotta Jordynn Palumbo Hailey Panagakos Brian Pang Dominic Parkin Harsh Patel *Jui Patel *Arianna Pecci *Francis Pepe *Joseph Pepe Jr. Jason Perez Dylan Persaud *Jessica Pfeifer Joseph Pfeil Adriela Phelps Dylan Piazza *Brianna Pico Laura Plasencia Caraballo Tara Podias *Andrew Polimeni Rachel Pomerantz *Madison Portnoy Victoria Potter Ryan Powers Breanna Primiano *Christofer Pullini Sebastian Quiles Eugene Raczka *Arkadij Raiz *Jennifer Ramirez Reyes Tatiana Rampersaud *Noah Recchia Declan Reddy Sanel Redzematovic Ronnie Reilly Michael Reimer Hannah Resnick *Arnold Reyes Benny Reyes Rebecca Richter *Julianna Risi *Selina Rivers Adrian Rodriguez Lanice Rodriguez Benjamin Roemer Kate Romano *Anthony Romeo Eliseo Rosario *Samantha Roth

James Rubino Lauren Rullo *Thomas Ryan Justin Salazar Zachary Salem *Joseph Sammartano *Emily Sanchez Zachary Santamaria *Nelson Santelises Checo Rebekah Santos *Marvin Santos Veronica Santos Jillian Sarro Ryan Scardigno Vincent Schell *Frank Schimmenti Christopher Schmid Jr. Lilliana Schmidt Nicholas Schmidt Sydney Schmitt *David Schneider Jack Schnell Jason Schorr *Erin Schowerer Brandon Schulman Kaitlyn Schwarz *Michael Scibelli *Tiana Seaman *Danielle Sebold Jessica Seepersaud *Zachary Senzon Dean Serrano Justin Sguera Mithushan Shanthan Dennis Smith Ryan Smith Tori Snider Cassandra Snow *Tyler Snyder Tyler Soda Vincent Sodano Sloane Somerstein *Jack Southard Demetra Spirou *Neoma Srey Brianna Stanco *Kayla Steininger Jordan Sterenberg Stephanie Sterman Camryn Stiansen *

Sarah Strasser Jordan Strobing Brianna Stuparich *Hannah Suesserman Morgan Thailer Sara Thorne *Timothy Thorne Anthony Tirado Albiart Tolaj Nico Tominaro Christina Totino Gabriella Tringali *Alexa Trippiedi *Ilana Trosterman Francesca Valenti Sara Valenti Kailee Vaseghi Brandon Velez Thomas Villella Serafina Vitale Joseph Vitta Elizabeth Vitulano *Allison Walsh *Charles Ward Ashley Waschitz *Taylor Waschitz *Michelle Waters Jared Weber *Peter Weber Olivia Weiss *Alexa Weissman *Alison Whitney *Gerard Wijesundera Gabriel Wilkens-Vega Sam Williamson *Zachary Woda Luke Wollweber Jordyn Worley Jacqueline Wright *Dennis Yanatos Ayelet Yonk Barry Zheng *Nancy Zheng *Kevin Zheng Jolie Zimmermann

Class of 2018 continued


* = Honor Graduate

Individually we are a drop. Together we are the ocean.

Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Harringtonchose these words as the school district’s2017-18 theme as well as the centerpiece of her speech to OHS graduates. Highlighting a par-ticularly proud moment, Dr. Harrington spoke of students’ mature and inclusive approach to a difficult topic. “I am speaking about your plan of action and subsequent implementation of the April 20th demonstration of solidarity in honor of those who lost their lives in such a tragic way. That one de-fining moment for me is a perfect example of how each of you participated as individual drops but clearly your presence as a unified group was visible and felt by all who were there.”

Dr. Harrington asked the students to be guided by the district’s motto, Anchored Together by Purpose, Passion and People, to continue to use their talents to help others as they have done throughout their time at OHS. In the past year alone, the Class of 2018 raised $17,000 from club-based fundraisers. This does not include students’ uncountable individual acts of charity and service. Among the organizations students supported were:

Lara Strong - Defrays expenses for the family of an OHS student injured in an accident

Sunrise Day Camp - Provides a summer camp for children with cancer and their siblings

Boomer Esiason Foundation - Funds research and resources for people with cystic fibrosis

The Makeshift Movement - A local organization seeking to erase stigma from mental illness and addiction

Long Island Crisis Center - 24-hour telephone/text/computer-chat based crisis and suicide support hotline

St. Judes Children’s Hospital - Provides free treatment for children with cancer and supports research into childhood cancers

All About Cats - Local rescue group that finds homes for abandoned, lost or abused cats

Ruff House Rescue - Also local, rescues dogs and cats, promotes fostering, adoption and spay-ing/neutering

The Memory Project - Inspires confidence and hope in youth around the world facing violence, disasters, neglect, extreme poverty, and loss of parents by enlisting student artists to create por-traits of these young people

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Dedicated to funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation - Founded by a child battling cancer, ALSF supports families and researches childhood cancers

The American Cancer Society - On a mission to free the world from cancer and, in the meantime, supporting patients, prevention and research

Oceanside Community Service - Providing help to local families for 65 years

Together, We Are The Ocean

It was a year to remember. It kicked off with a heart-racing football season and the first Nassau County championship since 1977.

OHS athletes were on fire all year. Several track athletes advanced to the state level of competition and Anthony Romeo won the NYS championship in High Hurdles (110 meters) for the second con-secutive year. The Girls Gymnastics team were the USHSGA All American Gymnastics Team, the Baseball team were Conference Champions, the Boys Swim Team, in only their second year of competition, won the Nassau County Conference 3 Championship, and the Cheerleading Team was once again invited to compete at the national level.

The Marching Band won a state championship, and members of the World Interest Club took Best Delegate awards in all of the prestigious Model United Nations competitions they attended. In theater, OHS had another Roger Rees Award nominee, Spencer Senzon. Only 50 students statewide are nominated for this honor. OHS students also took top awards at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, the New York State Science and Engineering Fair, and the Junior Sci-ence and Humanities Symposium, while a group of math whizzes walked away with gold, silver and bronze awards at the Long Island Math Fair. In World Languages, students won second and

third place in the National Italian, National Span-ish and National French exams.

Sider Press, OHS’ school newspaper turned digital publication, won Best Online Publication (First Place tie) and Sider Press student journalist Stephen Sklar won an award for Best Sports Story for his Coach’s Corner podcasts with Mr. Blount. In other journalism news, Isabella Picillo was one of 50 winners whose essay was selected from among 1,200 entries in the New York Times’ Mak-ing Connections Contest. Her entire essay was published in the newspaper. Runner-up Sera Eviner had an excerpt of her essay published and three students, Elizabeth Buerkle, Colin Mangan and Rita Bogdanova-Shapkina, received Honor-able Mention. Olivia Hagan was also featured in the NYT’ “Teens Views on The News.”

Space limits how many awards we can list here and while these honors and awards highlight students’ talent and hard work, their community service demonstrates the impact the Class of 2018 has already begun to make. This past year, student participation in the Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot and other food drives provideda holiday that 200+ families won’t soon forget. The article on page 5 lists charities that OHS sup-ported during 2017-18.

An Unforgettable Year

Members of Sider Press with advisor Joseph Perri (far left) and journalism teacher Michael Howley, back row

Adam AbbeyNicole AndrewsElizabeth BuerkleSophia CacioppoAllison ChristelAnthony CinettiSamantha CivilAlexandria DatoConnor DelaneyCameron DenmanJack DolgerAlex EcksteinDaniela EspinalMichael EspositoHalle EvinerMeral EvinerMadeline FeldmanMatthew FriedmanPrissilla GonzalezMadison GraffImee Michelle GuilleroDanielle HuploskyAndrew IsaacsonJohn JustinSteven KatzMargaret KellerIsabella KlemmElizabeth LaudicinaCharles LeventhalMadeline LevineOlivia LosurdoRobert MastropieriArianna MerejoGabrielle ModzelewskiNicole MoralesJenna MorganSheridan MorganCourtney MurphyAspen O’BrienAllison OlazabalPrince PatelMichael A. PesceDiego PiedrahitaAlexa PoplawskiGabriella PrendergastMichael PrendergastBenjamin ProvlerLara RhatiganGiuseppe RizziEmma RomanoMegan RugoloBenjamin SanchezLeona SatlerJustine Sciremammano

Drisana ShanthanJulia ShapiroKara SmithPaige D. SmithAnthony SoriaEvin SpanierEmma StancoShannon StantonLuke StrianeseMichael StuparichCatherine TsarouhtsisKaitlin VillalbaBrandon WalshRachel WeissmanScott YanoverChristian ZambranaArik ZhengDerek ZhengRyan AizerChristopher AlamiaEmma AmthorNoah BassJamie BeharJoshua BergerJenna BermanJack BierKatelyn BlankophLeslye BlauMargarita Bogdanova- ShapkinaCatherine BuhseJoseph CallananDario CamachoJulia CandiottiMary CecilEthan ChetkofVince ChiRyan ChristelGianna CicittaAlexa CutroneKirstin DeaconGabriella DeBellisSofia DianellosJalen FleurimondAndrew FlorilNicola FordKulsum GhaniKatie GiordanoJaclyn GuttillaJay JacksonMaia JerchowerDaniel KhaykinCaroline KraemerLucy Lebowitz

Phoebe LewisGregory MaischConnor ManganJordyn MarroAnnelisa MilanoMatthew MinelliEmma NastroJustin NudelmanPaige OlewnickiMadison PaganoChristina PalmieriJessica PaninBreanna ParraSasha PhillipsJaclyn PizzutoElana PocressAlessandro RisiDylan SchneiderJulia SchwasnickEmily SeaverRyan SilverStephen SklarAbigail SniderDaniel StrianeseBryan StrierErin SullivanEthan WileMelissa WilmerBridget WrightHalima YosofiAlison AbbeyKristen BabelJillian BloomJustin BrooksJack CandiottiAlexandria CasellaMatthew ChampagneJustin CiocoiRebecca DeBellisOlivia DegenMadeline DiDominicaKatie DonaldsonSera EvinerTara FarrellAngelina FazioEmily FeinbergMark FriedmanAngelina FucileJanyce Gomez-CobbAmanda GonzalezSamantha GrecoKaitlyn HennigNatalie HissongGrace Ju

Madison KallmanMadison KastenChristina KorotkiSamantha KovalKelly MaddenColin ManganAlexa MarkoulliNicholas MauroJohn MayorsMaggie McGarryEmily Myer

Paula Naranjo VelasteguiDevang PatelGabriella PiacentinoIsabella PicilloVictoria PrendergastRebecca ProvlerTimothy RadtkeJake RamalhoIsabella RanieriErin RoughanAndria ScaglioneGiulia ScaglioneRebecca SchragerEric ShapiroFaith SheinbergGrace SnyderToniRaquel SpotaMaeghan StockEmanuel TramaAlexander UtrechtDevorah YonkDia ZhengJenna AlbertarioNicole AyvasMichael BaccariJacqualyn BargfredeGillian BartholomewAmanda BensonAshley BentsenMegan BernowichSoli BloomAmanda BonacasaHeather BrodyChelsea BudaSarah BurchChristina CacioppoPatricia CampoVictoria CimineraPaul CirilloKorhan CitlakJane Cohen

Lucy CohenHaily ConroyJack DauberMegan DiDominicaEmely DuranRyan EganMariya EldhoAdrianna EnochRachel FinkelsteinNaya GhirdarryMalaya GreenCaleigh HardeckerMichael HawkBrooke HelfenbaumBrian HennChristopher HochuliJessica HuploskyJude JavilloJosena JosephMarissa KanterCaitlin KellyNicole KraemerMarissa KufeldJaclyn MalloyJessica MallozziKarianne ManganAlexander MeyerowitzAnna MikhaylovaChristina MoranKayla MorhartChristopher MurphyGrace O’RourkeJui PatelJoseph Pepe Jr.Dylan PiazzaBrandon PilnikTara PodiasBreanna PrimianoHannah ResnickJulianna RisiJoseph SammartanoVincent SchellSydney SchmittJessica SeepersaudCassandra SnowCamryn StiansenSara ThorneAlexa TrippiediTaylor WaschitzJared WeberAlison WhitneyJacqueline WrightNancy Zheng

Fourth Quarter OHS High Honor RollAn Unforgettable Year

Page 6

Solving for “Why” Drives OHS Graduates


Complex questions and passionate interests occupy the minds of OHS valedictorian Alexander Meyerowitz and salutatorian Josena Joseph. Both students say that their intellectual pursuits have never been guided by grades, although they each have GPAs nearing 105%.

Computer science has captured Alex’s curiosity. Inspired by his father’s career, which included developing stock trading software for Bloomberg, Alex began to play with the computer components his dad brought home. From there, he sought to understand the code that lay beneath his beloved video games. He studied the books his father provided to help him learn programming, master-ing Java and other coding languages. At OHS, he joined the Robotics Club. Recently, Alex realized he tends to approach all problems from a coding perspective. Last summer, he took an advanced math course at Harvard that challenged his thinking. “My intuition would hamper me because programming is formulaic....and this was not!”

Now Alex is fascinated by artificial intelligence and has been studying both psychology and conscious-ness because “AI combines the two.” He plans to continue on this path at Brown University. One of the questions he hopes to answer is how artificial intelligence actually works. “Math hasn’t caught up to the applications of AI,” he explains.

“We know how to do things but don’t know why it works.”

Alex’s valedictory speech centered on the conun-drum of whether a high school graduation candidate might have anything useful to say to peers about the future when he has limited life experience of his own. Referring to current divisions in American society, he humbly offered one small nugget of advice:

“If I have any wisdom to give all of you,” he said, “it’s to .... listen to those around you and always stay open to the possibility of changing your minds.”

Josena is headed to Johns Hopkins University on a pre-med track with the hope of improving health care in the developing world. This path has been shaped by the pain of losing her beloved grand-mother, who passed away on Josena’s first day of sixth grade, and the four years Josena spent in the World Interest Club at OHS. She believes better emergency services where her grandmother lived in India might have saved her.

Gratitude for the opportunities she has been given is inextricably linked with the demand of Josena’s conscience to “do something” about problems she observes.

In her salutatory speech, Josena advised her peers to eschew rigid planning of their lives and instead to be alert to possibilities. “Don’t just tick off the box-es,” she said during her interview for this article. “It’s a waste of time to do something you’re not passionate about.”

Solving for “Why” Drives OHS Graduates

Page 8 oceansideschools.org

The Future Looks BrightTake a look at the Class of 2030, arrows to a future that we can only imagine. It may seem far away but in only twelve short years, they will step onto the world stage. (Photo, right, from the Pre-K Moving Up ceremony)

They’ll solve unfathomable problems and hold jobs that haven’t been invented yet. Beginning their journey in kindergarten this coming year, they will be the first co-hort to experience a full year in School #6’s new grant-funded learning lab. There, they will be immersed in tactile and digital approaches to critical, creative, and collab-orative thinking.

Below, Oceanside Middle School students prepare to take their place as the OHS Class of 2022.

They’ve graphed the x and y axes, unlocked scientific wonders, studied the intricacies of world lan-guages, unpacked the text and techniques of literature, grappled with complex societal problems of past and present, reveled in athletic accomplishments, made joyful and somber music, and dabbled in colorful and textural art. They have also grown in self awareness, embraced friends old and new, and devoted themselves to good causes. We are excited to see the world unfold for them at OHS!

Below, The 7th grade chorus performs at the OMS Moving Up Ceremony

Clockwise from top left: School #2, School #9E, School #4, School #5, School #3, School #8.

oceansideschools.org Page 11

Elementary Moving Up Day

Clockwise from top left: School #2, School #9E, School #4, School #5, School #3, School #8.

Page 10 oceansideschools.org

Elementary Moving Up Day

Oceanside Union Free School DistrictBoard of Education

Sandie Schoell, PresidentMary Jane McGrath-Mulhern, Vice President

Seth J. BlauMichael D’Ambrosio

Stuart M. KaplanDonald Maresca

Robert M. Transom

Dr. Phyllis S. HarringtonSuperintendent of Schools

Donna KrausPublic Information Coordinator; Editor

Administrative Offices: 145 Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572.

Please call 678-7525 with any questions

Visit our website @ oceansideschools.org

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NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDOceanside, N.Y.Permit No. 417

Follow us on @OSchoolsPR OSchoolsPR

School CalendarPlease note the following important dates when schools re-open:

First Day of School for Students: September 4

OHS Grade 9 Parent Orientation: September 13

OHS Castleton Back to School Breakfast: September 21

High School Back to School Night: September 17

Elementary Back to School Night: September 20

OMS Back to School Night: September 25

#6 Kindergarten & Pre-K Back to School Night: September 27

School calendars will be mailed in August. If you have a child enrolled in school, you will receive a calendar. All others may stop by the District Office at 145 Merle Ave. to pick up a calendar or call 678-7525. The full, final calendar will be posted on the district website: oceansideschools.org.

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