The top 10 academically ranked students of Deer Park High School’s Class of 2024 were recognized at the district’s April 30 Board of Education meeting. With their proud families in attendance, guidance staff and administrators honored valedictorian Jordan Trojan, salutatorian Calvin Nguyen and the remaining top 10 ranked seniors: Eadie Liu (third), Kathy Lin (fourth), Stephanie Sheeler (fifth), Evan Attrino (sixth), Fatima Nawaz (seventh), Alexis Lazarte (eighth), Shirley Bhuiyan (ninth) and Kaliya Hull (10th).

“It is with immense pride that I stand before you today to commend these remarkable students for their exceptional academic achievements,” Principal Charles Cobb said. “Each of you is demonstrated not only intellectual proudness, but also remarkable dedication and resilience in your pursuit of excellence. Your hard work and commitment have set a high bar at Deer Park High School, inspiring your peers and the entire school community. Today, we celebrate not just the outcome of your efforts, but the journey that brought you here, a journey marked by late nights, rigorous challenges and an unwavering pursuit of knowledge. As we acknowledge your success, it’s important to recognize that your achievements are a testament to the supportive network around you. Our teachers who guided you, families who stood by you and friends who walked alongside you. As you move forward, carry forward this legacy of excellence and the understanding that with great knowledge, comes the great responsibility to lead, inspire and contribute positively to society. Your futures are undoubtedly bright, and I'm eager to see where your talents and determination will take you next.”

Addressing the students, Board of Education President Donna Marie Elliott said, “What a privilege it is to sit in this auditorium and hear about all your academic and personal successes. God bless you all. Congratulations, and we’re looking forward to celebrating you on graduation day.”

“Congratulations to the top 10 students and their families,” Superintendent James Cummings said. “It is really an honor to recognize them and we are looking forward to all that they’re going to accomplish. I know they are going to make their families, their parents, their friends and Deer Park proud in the future.”

Date Added: 5/6/2024

As their proud families watched with pride, Deer Park High School recognized the achievements of 17 remarkable students at the annual spring Breakfast for Champions on April 17. The dedicated and determined students were honored by administrators and teachers in categories corresponding to school departments as well as principal’s and teacher’s awards. Held in the school’s library, the event featured music from a high school string quintet consisting of Jayme Lipiec (viola), Eadie Liu (violin), Liana Luc (violin), Lorelai Silverstein (bass) and John Susana-Mendez (cello).

Students were honored in the 15 school department categories of athletics (Sophie Joseph), business (Summer Eisenberg), English (Muntazir Mehdi), English as a new language (Maria Tojin Uz), family and consumer science (Nadia Elsergany), fine arts (Kasumi Dennis), guidance (Anaelle Beauchamp), health (Ubaid Iqbal), mathematics (Louis DeAngelis), performing arts (Jaden Carbajal), physical education (Nathaniel Ciuffo), science (Daniel Aguilar), social studies (Sara Garcia), technology (Christopher Pittas) and world languages (Saamir Alfred), as well as the Principal’s Award (Dimaunte’ Gardner) and Teacher’s Award (Georgios Kagiannis-Juliano).

“The students seen here show exceptional conduct and character on a daily basis,” Associate Principal Garret Noblett said. “The stories that we will hear today recognize students for all of their achievement, hard work and accomplishments, and determination to overcome obstacles. We have students who have either worked on achieving their personal best inside and outside the classroom, demonstrate good citizenship or show compassion to help others. Thank you to the parents and families of our champions who play a key role in helping them get to where they are today.”
 
“This is one of those days that really leaves a memorable mark here for us here at Deer Park High School and puts a smile on our faces every year, because it allows us to acknowledge students for a multitude of reasons,” Principal Charles Cobb said. “We have students from varied backgrounds and interests here, and I think this brings everybody together.”

Date Added: 5/1/2024

Deer Park High School and librarian Evan DeNaro welcomed Holocaust survivor Jeannie Parnes Wechsler to the high school library on March 7 and 8. Social studies classes taught by Joe Alo, Marissa Caruso, Hunter Hayes and Kerry Walsh, along with many high school staff members, sat down with Wechsler as she shared her stories and experiences from those horrific years. Over the course of World War II, the Parnes family of two parents and seven children experienced many miracles that resulted in all nine members surviving the war and remaining together.

“Jeannie’s story is one to remind the people of today that events such as the Holocaust must never again come to pass,” Alo said. “It reminds us that we must remain vigilant in taking a stand against the hate and intolerance against people of other religions, races, and ethnicities so that no one experiences an event like this. Jeannie expressed that it was always her mother’s wish that she tell the story of her family during the Holocaust, and by being with students and staff at Deer Park High School, Jeannie was able to continue to fulfill the wishes of her mother.”

At the conclusion of her visit, Wechsler was asked if she had any lasting messages for those in attendance.

“I look out at all of your beautiful faces and I see people of different races and religions all together and learning as one,” Wechsler said with a smile. “This is the way things should be. The similarities in our lives must outweigh the differences and by working together, we can make a better world, a world that we will all be blessed to live in.”

Date Added: 4/25/2024

Twenty-one talented and hardworking Deer Park music students were chosen for the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association’s All-County Festival ensembles.

Deer Park High School freshmen Emily Dong (violin, Orchestra), Lillah Hubert (soprano, Chorus), Aubrey Hyney (trombone, Band) and Kaiya Pierson (alto, Chorus), and sophomores Emily Cannet (flute, Orchestra), William Fox (bass, Chorus), Dylan Girard (clarinet, Band), Ryan Hughes (tenor sax) and Lauren Marable (flute, Band) performed at the SCMEA West Division 3 concert on March 9 at Huntington High School.

Robert Frost Middle School seventh graders Jocelyn Pierson (soprano, Chorus) and Mikaela Ponte (violin, Orchestra), and eighth graders Joshua Beylin (clarinet, Band), John Paul Grande (trumpet, Band) and Timothy Spenelli (baritone, Chorus) performed at the SCMEA West Division 2 concert on March 10 at Huntington High School.

John F. Kennedy Intermediate School fifth graders Addison Sheehan (voice, Chorus) and Jayden Rivers (voice, Chorus), and Robert Frost Middle School sixth graders Hailey Cannet (clarinet, Band), Zoey Eisenoff (violin, Orchestra), Christopher Jackson (alto sax, Band), Natalie Siskoglou (voice, Chorus) and Jillian Wagner (voice, Chorus) performed at the SCMEA Central Division 1 concert on March 10 at East Islip High School.

“We are immensely proud of our talented students who were selected to participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators Association’s concerts this season,” Director of Fine and Performing Arts Bradley Murphy said. “Their acceptance into these prestigious ensembles is a testament to their hard work, dedication and exceptional musical abilities. These students have represented our district with distinction, showcasing the caliber of our music programs and the commitment of our educators. We congratulate them on this outstanding achievement and commend them for being ambassadors of excellence in the arts.”

Date Added: 4/25/2024

Deer Park High School’s varsity boys basketball team was honored at the Suffolk Boys Basketball Coaches Association Brunch, held on April 14 at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook. The team won 14 games this season, made the playoffs for the 14th year in a row, reached their 13th Elite Eight since 2006 and reached their ninth Suffolk County Final Four since 2012.

At the awards ceremony, the SCBCA honored freshman Ethan Nelson, junior DiMaunt’e Gardner, senior Ryan Rose, and volunteer assistant Mike Chin. Nelson was voted All-League, All-Conference, Class AA All-Tournament team and League 3 Rookie of the Year; Gardner was named All-League and Academic All-County; Rose was named Class AA All-Tournament team; and Coach Chin received the Mackwich/Moran award for his service as a volunteer.

The Falcons have high aspirations again in 2024-2025, with 10 lettermen returning and reinforcements coming from a competitive JV and a Robert Frost Middle School team that went 8-2.

Date Added: 4/22/2024