All three grades at Mandracchia Sawmill Intermediate School in Commack took first place in the National Science League competitions this year. The National Science League is offered as a school wide enrichment club, and offers students a hands-on, guided inquiry approach. The science process skills of experimentation, observation, measurement, and reasoning from evidence are emphasized. The goal of the club is to provide an opportunity for the students to further explore science topics generally covered in the intermediate science curriculum, as well as to develop science literacy essential for life as effective, productive citizens in the 21st century.

Grade 3 students were the highest scoring school out of 50 nationwide, grade 4 scored higher than 82 schools, and grade 5, higher than 112 other schools. The students met weekly to participate in scientific discovery activities, and the final meet is a highly standardized process. Students in grades 3 and 4 work independently, using only paper and pencil to answer 35 multiple choice questions in 35 minutes.  Grade 5 must answer 40 questions within the same time frame.  The top 10 scores for the meet on each grade level constitute the team’s score.

Club advisors Michelle Goldstein and Lindsey Persichilli were especially thrilled to announce that the following students are also First Place National Student Award winners:

Grade 3-Max Cantley and Melina Nicou

Grade 4-Gavin Cressy, Kierra Spahn, Emma Hearns, and joshua Brodsky

Grade 5- Louis Viglietta and Marina Kahn

 Photo Top: Individual first place winners hold their medals, with Assistant Principal Evelyn Cardenas-Smith, Club Advisor Michelle Goldstein, and Principal Michelle Tancredi.

Image above – Third, fourth and fifth grade National Science League teams.

We are in the process of analyzing the findings of the report and supporting documents.

]]> http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/24/annual-memorial-day-wreath-ceremony/feed/ 0 http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/24/movie-review-star-trek-into-darkness/ http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/24/movie-review-star-trek-into-darkness/#comments Fri, 24 May 2013 19:34:18 +0000 The Huntingtonian http://thehuntingtonian.com/?p=29865

By Brendan Morrow

J.J Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” was a near-perfect reboot, reviving a dead franchise by paying tribute to the past while injecting some added spectacle, with some new twists for a new generation. It was one of the most memorable movies of that summer. “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a near-perfect sequel, and will likely end up as one of the most memorable movies of this summer. It feels like a natural follow-up to the themes and the characters of the first one, while still being a standalone adventure as most great “Star Trek” films are. The action is exhilarating, but it’s all grounded with characters we care about and a compelling plot that never asks us to turn our brains off. Though it sometimes relies a bit too much on what came before, if there was ever a reason to get excited for Abrams’ “Star Wars Episode VII,” this is it.

Taking place not long after the evens of the first film, “Into Darkness” opens as the crew of the USS Enterprise is sent on a mission to the planet Nibiru, where an active volcano is threatening the lives of the entire alien population. During the course of the mission, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) violates the Prime Directive when the ship is exposed to the planet’s primitive civilization. As a result, Starfleet Command demotes Kirk to the position of first officer. Meanwhile, Starfleet attempts to track down a menacing terrorist named John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) after he perpetrates a deadly bombing in London.

The 2009 “Star Trek” was in some ways a departure from what came before, adding much more action into this franchise than had existed in prior installments. At the same time, though, it had the perfect balance of paying tribute to these classic characters and storylines while giving them a new spin, though some hardcore Trekkies have objected to the spectacle of the Abrams series. The alternate dimension storyline was nothing short of brilliant. By setting this franchise in a different universe than the others, Abrams and his writers allow themselves to play around with the Star Trek mythology, doing their own thing and going in their own direction while not messing with the pre-established cannon.

Although “Into Darkness” lacks the freshness and the discovery of the first one, it’s a perfect follow up to that movie in just about every way. The action is exhilarating, improved even from its predecessor. The opening sequence on Nibiru is one hell of a way to start a movie, establishing a crazy fast pace full of spectacle and mind blowing IMAX 3D imagery. Coupled with the soundtrack by the brilliant Michael Giacchino, in these sequences, Abrams is consistently able to capture that feeling of childlike wonder we get when watching a classic Spielberg film. Abrams also knows when to retrain himself, and to never go overboard with the spectacle. Unlike the “Star Wars” prequels, stuffed with an overload of computer-generated effects which give us a headache, “Star Trek Into Darkness” finds the perfect balance.

At the same time, Abrams never lets this spectacle overshadow characters. What makes or breaks a blockbuster like this is the dynamic between the team, and whether or not we care about them. Otherwise, it’s just a technical showcase with nothing to remember when we leave the theater. Abrams, along with screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, absolutely nail the camaraderie of the USS Enterprise. The relationships feel fleshed out from the 2009 film, as if a logical amount of time has passed and we can actually see this team having grown since then.

For a lot of viewers, our first introduction to J.J Abrams was as the executive producer of ABC’s “Lost.” During the first season of that show, Abrams had a hand in catching our interest and setting up all these bizarre, intriguing mysteries in a pretty genius way. Though the “Star Trek” movies aren’t mysteries, and are rather straightforward, Abrams still brings in an element familiar from “Lost:” the idea that we never quite know what to expect at any given moment. At no point during “Into Darkness” did I feel like I could accurately predict where the film was going, and when so many of even the very best blockbusters are pretty much telegraphed in the trailers, that’s something to really appreciate.

I mentioned earlier that the fact that this takes place in an alternate dimension gives Abrams freedom to explore new territory. Unfortunately, at times “Into Darkness” relies a bit too much on what came before, not embracing the fact that they have the opportunity to tell literally any story they want to. Though it would arguably be risky to have a Star Trek movie without familiar characters and aliens like the Klingons, I would prefer to see this franchise going in a totally new direction, giving us brand new alien species and planets. For the most part, Abrams’ stories do feel fresh, but they’re all rooted in Star Trek lore, and one scene in particular towards the end is a direct mirror of one of the most classic Star Trek scenes of all time. This feels totally unnecessary, and I hope that in future installments, Abrams and his team become less afraid of doing their own thing, rather than retreading the same storylines and beats we’ve seen before.

But even if some individual moments are familiar, “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a slick, entertaining summer blockbuster with a solid script and memorable characters. J.J Abrams is all about the “mystery box:” the idea of filmmaking as a means of making the audience ask questions, both about the actual plot, and about how on Earth the director was able to pull this off. Abrams succeeds on both accounts, making a film tha dazzles and makes us look up at the screen in awe. Though his movies are nowhere near as meaty and Oscar worthy as those of Paul Thomas Anderson or Quentin Tarantino, for example, J.J Abrams is perhaps the defining blockbuster director of this generation, and coming out of “Star Trek Into Darkness,” I couldn’t help but think of him as the next Spielberg.

There was a long drawn out floor fight for the position of Highway Superintendent.  Domenick Feeney and Steve Rossetti were pushing to give the nomination to current highway Superintendent William Naughton. Cuthbertson and Petrone were pushing for Don McKay and Joe Dujmic pushed for Kevin Orelli. During the first voting session none of the three candidates received 50% of the vote. After an unsuccessful second attempt to nominate a Highway Superintendent, a motion was made to suspend the rules. At this point no official nomination was made and there will be a 3 way primary race in September to fill the slot between incumbent William Naughton, Don McKay and Kevin Orelli.

Since the meeting ran nearly 4 hours, a motion was made to adjourn until next Tuesday, May 28. At that time, they will attempt to nominate a candidate for the additional Town Council seat.  At this point it looks like the race for that council position will be between Tracy Edwards, Keith Barrett, Ed Perez, and Edward Nitkewicz.

If you know of an entrepreneur or have an idea for Huntington Station, please contact Source The Station.

The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce announced the installation of Lawrence (“Larry”) Kushnick as the newly appointed Chamber Chairman during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Networking Breakfast.  The Chairman’s role is to provide leadership in the execution of the Chamber’s agenda representing the interests of business, industry, financial service, not-for-profit and other professionals within the greater Huntington area.  The Chairman also provides direction for the Chamber’s mission in promoting business, economic development and job creation through the coordinated effort of its membership.

Kushnick is the Founder of Kushnick Pallaci PLLC, a leading New York law firm with offices in Melville, NY which is dedicated to the practice of construction, commercial and real estate litigation and arbitration.  The firm represents owners, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, design professionals, architects, engineers, surveyors, municipalities, manufacturers, installers, and suppliers, in all aspects of construction disputes and claims.  The firm also serves as local counsel for numerous out-of-state firms.

Kushnick has over 25 years of litigation experience, is a past Law Review Editor and a frequent lecturer on topics involving construction law.  He represents matters relating to commercial, residential, public and private construction projects in the New York Metro area and throughout New York State.  He is a member of numerous organizations including the Suffolk County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Long Island Builders Institute, The National Association of the Remodeling Industry, American Institute of Architects, General Building Contractors of New York State, and Associated General Contractors.  In addition, he has served as Vice Chairman and Legal Consul to the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and presently is the Festival Chairman for one of the most anticipated festivals in the tri-state area, the LI Fall Festival.

Kushnick has been honored by the Long Island Business News. His firm received the Business of the Year Award from the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and Law Firm of the Year award from Long Island Press Newspaper.  He has also been selected several times for inclusion in the prestigious New York Super Lawyers magazine.

“I am honored and look forward to my new role as Chamber Chairman”, explains  Kushnick.   “I plan to work closely with the Chamber Board, the staff, local community leaders and our membership to build upon our past successes and to vigorously support the mission of Chamber and advance efforts which will provide value for membership and which will help our members build their businesses and careers, stimulate the local economy and create new opportunities.”

About the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce: Incorporated in 1925 as a Chamber of Commerce in the Village of Huntington, the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of business, industry, financial service, not-for-profit and other professionals within the greater Huntington area. Its mission is the promotion of business, economic development and job creation through the coordinated effort of its membership. 

Just our opinion:

After seeing the above photo do you really need to ask why the Huntington Station revitalization can’t move forward?  At the press conference Supervisor Petrone said that he wants people to come and walk the plaza.  At least that’s what we think he said because we couldn’t hear well over the heavy traffic volume.  If we heard correctly Supervisor Petrone said the entire project cost $800,000.  We wonder how many first time home buyers could have received down payment assistance to buy a home nearby.  This is something that would lead to true revitalization. It probably is just about enough money to open the STEM school. (Yes we know, it’s not the same funds).

All in all it wasn’t a total waste.  It caused Legislator D’Amaro to show his face in Huntington Station.  I think the last time we saw him, he was promising to clean up the crime in Huntington Station before we ended up closing our school. We predict he’ll be back along with a few others, knocking people over to get  in a photo with the adored HUFSD Superintendent Jim Polansky if and when the new STEM school opens.

From the looks on their faces in the photos, do you want to risk the traffic and endure the noise to have a seat there?

Disclaimer:  We really do not hold any of this against the artist.  She clearly put her heart and soul into creating something for our community.  In a different time and place, this is something that would have been cherished by all.  She is just a victim of being tied to these inept leaders, just like the rest of us.

]]> http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/22/dedication-of-the-statues-the-huntington-station-plaza/feed/ 5 http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/22/hslq-benefit-for-carolyn-lukralle/ http://thehuntingtonian.com/2013/05/22/hslq-benefit-for-carolyn-lukralle/#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 14:30:22 +0000 The Huntingtonian http://thehuntingtonian.com/?p=29779 Carolyn Lukralle’s passions have always been softball and baseball. Even in kindergarten, she was part of the softball league. She has always been very athletic and independent. She was a natural athlete. On October 30, 2012, her life changed dramatically.

On that day, she was in a serious car accident 20 miles north of Lake George. She was taken to Glens Falls Hospital, then transferred to Albany Medical Center, where she spent 15 days in intensive care. While there, she had surgery on her C5 and C6 vertebrae, spent a week on a ventilator, and then had a tracheotomy. On November 15th she was transferred to Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York, where she spent two weeks in rehab, followed by another surgery on her C2 to T2 vertebrae to help support her back as she grows older. Upon her discharge she was diagnosed as an incomplete quadriplegic.

Carolyn has now been at Cold Spring Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Woodbury since January 14th. She has some movement in her right foot, and we are praying constantly that she makes an outstanding recovery. She has been so strong throughout this tragedy.

Carolyn is a lifelong resident of Huntington and a 2010 graduate of Walt Whitman High School. The one thing that Carolyn wants so much right now is to be able to come back home and live with her family in Huntington. In order to be able to do that, she must have a handicapped accessible bathroom, entrance ramp to her home and a generator to power her bed in case of emergency which would all cost about $32,000. We are pulling all our resources together to make this happen, but we need your help. We deeply appreciate anything you can do to help a fellow Huntingtonian make her dream come true.

Call the box office for tickets at 631-261-2900 or info@hslq.org.

For more information click here.

Dear Huntington School District Residents:

On behalf of the Board of Education and administration, please accept my sincerest gratitude for supporting the Huntington School District’s 2013-2014 budget.  During a time that has come to be defined by fiscal challenge, your support will allow us to address the educational needs of our students as well as the concerns of our taxpayers.  In addition, your support for the capital propositions will permit us to make the needed upgrades and improvements to building infrastructures with no impact on the tax levy or rate.

My appreciation also extends to each of you who assumed an active role, asked questions or provided input during the budget development process.  We will maintain our efforts toward realizing cost savings and efficiencies, while preserving the goal of providing students, K-12, with a high quality education and one that promotes college and career readiness in an increasingly global and technologically driven society.

I cannot stress enough the importance of open lines of communication.  Once again, I strongly encourage district residents to contact us at any time during the year with questions or concerns, or simply to recognize a student or staff member accomplishment.  I firmly believe that together, we can build upon a strong educational foundation and continue to foster a climate that promotes increased student growth and achievement, parental involvement and synergy within the school district community.

Thank you for your confidence in the Huntington School District and for supporting our children and their futures.

Sincerely,

James Polansky
Superintendent of Schools