JFK celebrated “Cultures Around the World Through Food” on Jan. 22 with its students in the English as a New Language program and their families.

The ENL students prepared themed foods from India (chole), Italy (pizza), Japan (candy sushi) and Mexico (tacos), and enjoyed playing puzzles and word games with their family members. Members from the high school’s French and Spanish honor societies and Study Buddy program volunteered to help the youngsters at each of the food stations.

“The students loved making candy sushi,” said Gina Palasciano, districtwide curriculum associate for world languages and ENL. “It was a fun, food-friendly night for the several dozen people in attendance.”

Ben Wilkonski, an eighth-grader at Robert Frost, finished in first place on the varsity diving team against North Babylon. With a score of 176.10, his feat qualified him for the state qualifying diving championships at SUNY Brentwood in February. He is currently ranked 20th in Suffolk County high schools and is the top-ranked eighth-grader.

Wilkonski had been a diver on the Frost swim team since seventh grade, before moving up to the varsity level as an eighth-grader. “He was such a exceptional diver that we knew he needed stronger competition,” said coach Craig Mangio. “You will be hearing much more about Ben in the future, he is one determined boy.”

High school senior Anne Ambrosio won third place in an essay contest regarding the Ayn Rand novel “Atlas Shrugged,” earning a $1,000 prize and the admiration of her teachers. The prestigious worldwide contest, gauging the philosophic meaning of the book, was judged by the Ayn Rand Institute.

“This is quite an impressive achievement in a very competitive contest,” said teacher Matt Murphy. “She’s a wonderful young lady and I am so proud of her.”

A total of 71 Deer Park High School students participated in DECA’s Suffolk County Regional Competition at Suffolk County Community College on Jan. 7, facing off against more than 1,600 other students from 27 Suffolk County high schools. Of the Deer Park entrants, 22 received trophies for their performances and six received honorable mention.

Adam Ahmed won first place and Shahan Mian came in third, both for the Principles of Finance event. Other trophy winners included Fatima Humayun and Lauren Lazarte for Principles of Hospitality, Daniel Sebok for Principles of Marketing, Ronak Shah and Tyler Teng for Personal Financial Literacy, Martin Salgado for Food Marketing, Kristy Kelsch and Gabriellia Mattera for Hotel & Lodging Management, Nabila Alim and Dan Gerardi for Human Resources Management, Parwiz Sultany for Marketing Management, Ifrah Afzal and Tajriana Haque    for Quick Serve Restaurant Management, Alban Astafa for Restaurant & Food Service Management, Eric LaMotte and Malique Papallier for Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Nick DiModica and John Santare for Hospitality Services Team, and Peter Demopoulos and Joseph Sanchez for Marketing Communications Team.

Honorable mentions went to Stephen Lew for the Principles of Business Management event, Nick Shanahan for Personal Financial Literacy, Ayinde Briggs for Automotive Services Marketing, Danial Khoshkehpazi for Restaurant & Food Service Management, and Ashley Ahmad and Kristina Kozakevitch for Hospitality Services Team.

These students have earned the right to participate in the State Career Conference in upstate Rochester in early March, where they will compete against 2,000 of New York’s best business students for the chance to participate in the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida at the end of April. 

“Deer Park DECA continues to be one of Suffolk County’s most successful chapters,” said the club’s adviser, business teacher Gregory Menig. “Despite graduating 40 members last June, our students have once again been able to produce outstanding results at the regional competition. I’m looking forward to seeing what this year’s award winners are able to accomplish in Rochester in March.”

High school students from Paula Behrens’ home and career class paid a Dec. 12 visit to class pen pals in Tammy Cotrone’s kindergarten classroom at May Moore. Cotrone explained the teaching process to the older students, then they observed her teach Fundations to her kindergartners.