The High School East National Honor Society mixed service and snacks on Wednesday.

Honor society students hosted the academic year’s first Homework Café.

The events started a few years ago as a way to encourage students to do homework and get peer tutoring in a friendly, fun environment.

Students come to the cafeteria for hot chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies and can do homework and get help in any subject.

The group’s officers even prepared the hot chocolate.

“It is a big hit,” advisor Maria Zeitlin said.

High School East and West music students joined together Tuesday to celebrate the 11th annual Tri-M Dinner.

The Tri-M Honor Society hosted the event for its members from both schools, this time hosted in the West library.

The students enjoyed dinner, musical performances by members, and engaged in friendly competition, with teams from East and West facing off in events leading up to the signature competition — Music Jeopardy.

The real victory of the evening was that both high schools’ honor societies joined in an effort to benefit the Smithtown community. Every person attending the event brought nonperishable food items that will be donated to the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry.

Smithtown High School East inducted the newest members into the Rho Kappa Honor Society for social studies on Thursday evening.

The newest members of the honor society: Aaron Ailawadi, Rebecca Albahae, Violette Baez, Leigh Baratta, Leana Bergan, Isabella Bilotti, Cailey Bobadilla, Samantha Bryceland, James Bryceland, Dylan Carrera, Alexa Chibbaro, Jonathan Chung, Jessica Conte, Nicholas Conte, Peyton Cozine, Kevin Cummings, Calvin Dean, Nina DeNicola, Brandon Depka, Kattlun Doukas, Andrew Epstein, Zack Finger, Michael Fiscina, Emily Garry, Sophia Giglio, Amber Goldstein, Kiara Gopie, Jacquelyn Gorman, Ethan Hecht, Justin Hippler, John Holler, Philip Impastato, Hailey Jack, Trishualla Kanhai, Taylor Koehler, Shruthi Kumar, Julia Kushko, Bianca Kusko, Giovanna Lombardi, Jack Lombardi, Abhiram Marisetti, James McCann, Katherine McDermott, Dora McDonald, Connor McDonnell, Nikhil Mehta, Samantha Micozzi, Alexis Milburn, Aman Mistry, Tyler Murray, Matt Neto, Julia Pena, Karsten Pergen, Willow Pomisel, Sofia Ragona, Deven Ramchandran, Srivaths Ravva, Meghan Roche, Daniel Russo, Taylor Saar, Sarada Sakthivadivel, Jason Schmideler, Emily Schrier, Dylan Serino, Sofia Sininsky, Olga Suleymanova, Alec Tehranian, Jacob Thomson, Anushka Tilara, Robert Trabulsi, Jack Troise, Sarah Tufo, Lorraine Valenzano, Jack VanDeusen, Holy Hary Zaher, Jennifer Zhong.

Smithtown business students received a hands-on lesson in hawking products while competing against more than 120 Long Island schools on Friday.

Both High School East and High School West students competed in a virtual trade show sponsored by Virtual Enterprises International.

High School East students operated a company called SeasonALL, which sold products including scented candles as well as raking and shoveling tools.

High School West students operated a company called TruBlu Technologies that focused on entertainment and fitness products, including Bluetooth-fitted water bottles that track water intake and control temperature through an app.

The businesses even created websites advertising their (fictitious) products:

http://www.trublutechnologies.wixsite.com/trublu

www.veseasonall2022.wixsite.com/seasonall2022

Students had different roles during the virtual trade show. Some manned a call center to take orders from students from other Long Island high schools. Other students operated a booth that you would generally see at an in-person trade show. West even had a student don an inflatable suit of its company’s mascot, Blue Tooth Shark.

Superintendent of schools Mark Secaur visited East’s business operation on Friday afternoon and came away impressed.

Virtual Enterprises prepares students for successful futures by transforming classes into companies and bridging the divide between the classroom and the working world. 

Students develop essential leadership, professional, functional and core technology skills through VE’s hands-on, immersive, work-based learning experiences. Over the course of an academic year, teachers become consultants as students work individually, in departments and as a firm to develop, refine and implement a business plan.

In order to manage their virtual business, students work in departments to manage day-to-day functions, produce key deliverables, assess growth, make decisions, respond to challenges and participate in a variety of business-related events and activities, in-person, and through VE’s global marketplace.

“It’s such as amazing experience for the kids,” West business teacher Phil Como said. “They want to sell. They’re energized.”

High School East Leadership raised more than $450 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation while having fun sponsoring a series of powderpuff football games on Thursday after school.

Playing on the school’s main stadium field, teams divided by class — seniors, juniors and sophomores — competed in 6-on-6 football while some of their male classmates served as coaches and referees.

Sixty-four girls in all participated.

The teams paid an entry fee that served as a donation to support breast cancer research.

The annual game resumed after a one-year, COVID-related hiatus. It had been played the previous 15 years.

“They look forward to it every year,” High School East Leadership advisor Morgan Tavis said.

Smithtown high school students enrolled in principles in biomedical science classes received a hands-on forensics lesson from real-life crime-scene investigators on Thursday.

Officers Ryan Doherty and Lynn Volpe from the Crime Scene Investigation unit of the Suffolk County Police Department displayed and explained their tools and provided a tour of their crime-scene van during visits to High School East and High School West.

Volpe and Doherty explained that their unit handles death investigations that may be related to causes including overdoses and other accidents, sex crimes and fatal fires, reckless endangerment cases that include stray bullets getting lodged in houses, and vehicle crashes that result in serious physical injury or fatalities.

The county’s crime lab takes the lead on more involved and expensive investigations involving murder and bank robberies.

The officers explained how they take photos, including with drones, and do hand sketches at scenes for evidence that ultimately may be used in court. They also passed around fired and unfired bullets to the students and explained the markings. And they explained their use of volcanic ash to identify fingerprints.

Doherty had used the drone to take aerial photos at a fatal fire in Riverhead this week.

Forensics is the beginning unit of the principles in biomedical science coursework in the district.

“To see the realistic aspect of crime-scene investigation as opposed to just learning it in a classroom setting is really beneficial,” High School East science teacher Danielle Volpicella said. “And it exposes them to a potential career path.”

Gen Zillionaires makes its presentation on Wednesday night.

A pitch for an old-school entertainment facility earned best business plan at the Smithtown Central School District’s 27th annual Business Olympics on Wednesday evening inside the High School West auditorium.

The “Gen Zillionaires” team of Carmella Piccininni, Abby Portela, Katie Magee and Sean Carroll from High School West were chosen by a group of professional judges and also by a separate vote from their student peers as the winning group among the eight finalists.

Each team member collected a $75 first-place prize.

Their business plan included an entertainment facility with bowling alley, pool tables, arcade, dance floor and old-school diner.

Business students from High School East and West competed for the top business plan in the finals of the Business Olympics after advancing from an earlier virtual round. This year’s theme was “Hometown Makeover.”

Teams of students were charged with creating a business, including selecting a real-life vacant storefront in Smithtown.

The students prepared commercials for their businesses and discussed promotion, pricing, target markets and potential threats. The finalists’ concepts included a greenhouse with fresh foods, miniature golf, a retro entertainment center, a workout facility with social component, drive-in movie theater, medical office and café with board games.

The eight finalists presented their business plans “Shark Tank”-style in front of judges as well as in front of other students and family members.

The teams had advanced to the finals by previously competing virtually against other teams. In all, a combined 200 business students from East and West volunteered to compete with proposals.

Local individuals and businesses donated prizes, including Duck Donuts, Chick-Fil-A, Apple Bank, Hanover Bank, Grace Guiffrida Plourde attorney at law, and C2 Education, which each provided gifts of $250 or more.

More than 80 judges volunteered across all rounds.

“Monkey Business,” a team that included Madison Hilman, Isabella Manzi, Sophia Mohrmann, Josie Muratore and Meghan Theofeld from High School West, won a student vote for best commercial.

Christine LoFrese, the district’s career and technical education director, noted that the business plans taught how to work in a group as well as public-speaking and time-management skills.

“It really is something that separates our students when they head off to college,” LoFrese said. “… It’s not easy to get up here on stage.”

High School East inducted the newest members of its foreign language honor societies during a ceremony inside the auditorium on Wednesday afternoon.

Membership in a foreign language honor society is the highest honor a high school student studying a foreign language can achieve. It is, at the same time, an acknowledgement of students who have pursued knowledge of, and shown interest in, a second language and culture.

The new inductees included:

German: Kaylee Abbriano, Armaan Bokhari, George Donohue, Sophia Gioia-Hagendorf, Benjamin Horta, Garrett Mangels, Stefanie Moghadasi, Liam Stanley.

Italian: Teresa Aliperti, Gabriella Amicizia, Leana Arcese, Ginevra Arcilesi, Michael Boccafola, Valentina Bocelli, Abigail Campanelli, Giuseppe Carramusa, Matthew Chavez, Amanda Cosentino, Paul Cusumano, Anthony DiConza, Andrea DiLeo, Eva DiMaria, Joseph DiMino, Matthew Dowd, Nicole Fagan, Nicholas Ferraro, Aliya Forman, Victoria Geyer, Sophia Giglio, Alexis Gomez-Gutierrez, Brenna Hanley, Caileigh Harrigan, Sarafina Heepe, Joseph Kanner, Cassidy Lake, Krista Lisanti, Giovanna Lombardi, Alexandria MacKay, Emily Martinsen, Riley McGovern, Antonia Miele, Ella Minerva, Joseph Mingione, Brendan Mullahy, Sofia Munno, Gianna Nappo, Jessica Natoli, Makenna Pitcoff, Ariana Pollucci, Matthew Reinitz, Jaclyn Roach, Alexandra Rodriguez, Antonio Sabatino, Michael Santospirito, Chloe Schindlar, Hailey Schiraldi, Maggie Sckalor, Carlie Sorce, Gerald Suppa, John Carlo Taveras, Michael Tempone, Theodore Thompson, Gianna Thorn, Joseph Tuttolomondo, Anthony Valenzano, Christopher Volino.

French: Aamna Ali, Daniel Anderson, Isabella Bilotti, Samantha Bryceland, Emma Cawley, Darcy DeBenedittis, Ryan DeLauzon, Terrence Dorrian, Katrina Junz, William Kaminicki, Alexandra Khan, Casey Kuhner, Christiana Maggiulli, Chase Marullo, Patrick Nulty, Karsten Pergan, Amelia Robinson, Liam Ruiz, Alec Ryan, Owen Shortell, Emmie Spielmann, Trudy Swinford, Daniel Van Brunt Jr., Christine Wilkinson.

We’re partnering with our community to help set district priorities, open lines of communication, and hold us accountable for the success of our students. That’s why we’re asking all stakeholders to participate in our confidential Strategic Plan and Feedback Survey, which is open Nov. 15 through Dec. 12.

We want to hear from you about opportunities for students, teaching and learning, facilities and operations, and culture and climate.

Check your email for an invitation and survey link or click HERE.

All-county jazz during a recent performance.

Smithtown Central School District students have taken home a slew of musical honors.

All-county upperclassmen include:

From High School East, band members Zachary Finger (alto sax), Samantha Micozzi and Violette Baez (Bb clarinet) and Sofia Ragona and James Bryceland (trumpet/cornet), chorus members Madison LoFrese, Jessica Sucharki, Ryan DeLauzon, Mia Robinson and Carly Getreu (alto 1), Sofia Sininsky and Emily Garry (soprano 1), Lauren Welch (soprano 2), Shane DeCamp (tenor 1), Dylan Carrera and Sean Diffley (tenor 2), orchestra members Julia Pena (double bass) and Dylan DeMicco (snare drum) and treble choir members Caylee Fesinstine and Kelsey Solomon (alto 1) and Victoria Keane (alto 2).

And from High School West, band members Zachary Goldstein (also sax), Ryan Altemose (snare drum) and John Galletta (trombone), chorus members Courtney Vigliotti (alto 1) and Dana Schnur (alto 2), orchestra members Samantha Crush (Bb clarinet), Peter Kagiwada (French horn), Francis Seely (trumpet/cornet), Stephen Jung (viola) and David Rubin (violin) and treble choir members Abigail Staudt (alto 1), Annabella Hernandez (alto 2) and Gia Cellucci (soprano 1).

Shane DeCamp, Dylan DeMicco, Sofia Ragona, Sofia Sininsky, Luke Surrusco and Lauren Welch  at East and Ryan Altemose, Samantha Crush, John Galletta, Annabella Hernandez, Stephen Jung, Peter Kagiawada, Leah Kelly and Francis Seely also received all-state honors.

Additionally, all-county vocal jazz honorees include Rose Link (soprano) from High School West and Michael Coppola (soprano) from Great Hollow Middle School as well as all-county instrumental jazz honorees Carter Lam (alto sax 2) from High School East, Ethan Benstock (trumpet 1) from High School West and Katherine Dunn (trumpet 3) from Accompsett Middle School.

National Honor Society officers (l to r): Sarah Schubel, Taylor Koehler, Alexis Milburm, Olivia Scioscia

High School East National Honor Society officers visited the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook on Thursday to share their appreciation on Veterans Day.

The group’s officers distributed handmade cards from National Honor Society members as well as from elementary school students.

“We did this two years ago for the first time, before COVID,” advisor Maria Zeitlin said. “I really wanted to make sure it continued.”

The 350-bed Long Island State Veterans Home provides health care services to Long Island’s veterans. Via its affiliation with Stony Brook University, it also trains long-term care and geriatric professionals.

Smithtown High School East’s Math Honor Society continued to give back to the district’s middle school students on Wednesday afternoon.

The honor society members served as tutors for students at Nesaquake Middle School. The sessions are held biweekly after school in the middle school’s library.

Students at Nesaquake Middle School can voluntarily sign up for the sessions — or their parents or guardians can request it.

The tutoring sessions returned to in-person this academic year after being held virtually in 2020-21.

“They form friendships,” Nesaquake Middle School math teacher Tina Bosi said. “There’s a nice bond between the kids.”

High School East’s Math Honor Society, led by advisors Marianne Schoepflin and Angela Boccio-McComb, welcomed more than 120 students to their meeting earlier in the month. That meeting included teaching members how to create 3D Sierpinski triangles.

In addition to its tutoring efforts at Nesaquake, the Math Honor Society has recognized the need for additional math resources for students at the secondary level and has started putting together a Google classroom open to all secondary students called “Bridging the Gap.” This Google classroom will provide secondary students with short instructional videos, created by members, explaining how to solve problems in pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, and calculus.

The honor society’s 2021-22 officers include presidents Srivaths Ravva and Samantha Micozzi, vice president Sarah Tufo, treasurer Mackenzie Barrett, secretaries Sofia Ragona and Aman Mistry, STEAM coordinators Nikhil Mehta, James Bryceland and Ashley Prevet, and middle school tutoring coordinators Justin Hippler and Jonathan Chung.