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Dancing in a winter wonderland
Dancing in a winter wonderland
Comsewogue's First Winter Dance
Comsewogue's First Winter Dance
By Sophia Arredondo
By Sophia Arredondo
After a long week full of midterms and regents, the students of Comsewogue High School came together to have a great night with friends at the first Winter Dance.
Decorated with subtle, yet appealing decorations, the cafeteria transformed into a winter wonderland. Each table had a centerpiece with balloons and star-themed balloon holders.
When first entering, the security guards checked students' bags and the friendly faces of Class of 2024 advisors, Ms. Carter and Ms. Coffman, greeted students and collected pre-bought $25 tickets.
Food and drinks were placed on a table adjacent to the doors closest to the rotunda. An assortment of pizza, chips, and water was provided for the guests.
A DIY photo booth was created and available for students to take photos with. The backdrop was a cool, icy blue color topped with white snowflakes. Fairy lights hung above the backdrop as well, further enhancing the “Snowball” theme itself.
The majority of students who attended the dance were underclassmen, mainly sophomores. The students created a lively atmosphere with their spirited energy. They were all-inclusive and made sure no student was left alone.
Upbeat sounds of pop music pulled students to the dance floor. Once the dancing started, it never stopped. The sparkly dresses glistened in the dimmed lights with disco lights flashing all around. Throughout the night, the DJ continued to play upbeat tunes and students danced all night long.
“I thought it was super fun, but I just wish more people came, so it was a bigger thing.” Sophomore Jake Epstein said.
Although there weren't a ton of people, the dance was ultimately a success. A good time was had by all students and staff who were there. As a result of this dance, there is definitely talk going around about having another next year.
“I think that a type of dance is definitely going to become an annual tradition, whether it’s in the winter or for homecoming. I’m not sure,” said TASK advisor Ms. Danisi. “I guess we’ll have to see what the future brings us.”
Video produced by Sophia Arredondo
Photo property of Sophia Arredondo
Photo property of Sophia Arredondo
Photos property of M. Mosca. Video produced by C. O'Hara.
comsewogue band takes on manhattan!
comsewogue band takes on manhattan!
Comsewogue High School Band Marches
in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
By Mrs. C. O'Hara
Every year on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, Irish people celebrate with one of the biggest parades in New York City. This year our own Comsewogue band had the opportunity to perform in the parade, as guests of the Suffolk County Emerald Society.
The band, under the leadership of Mr. Wilbur, practiced for weeks leading up to the performance. They spent a number of hours marching around the track to build endurance for the 1.8-mile trek. Students volunteered to participate, and music teachers Ms. Johnson, Ms. Holmes, Mr. Schroeder, Ms. Sparacin, and Mr. Wilbur all played and marched with the band.
The day started off well. Students loaded themselves and all the band equipment onto the bus at 10:00 am and arrived at 47th Street at about 1:00 pm. After much waiting, the group commenced marching at about 3:15 pm and arrived at 79th Street at 4:15. The students really enjoyed the day overall, and Junior Riley Candreva, drummer, said he would love to do this again.
When asked how the day went, senior CJ Winkler, clarinetist, said, “Despite the fact that there was little time to practice, I feel the day was ultimately a success. We all had fun being part of such an iconic parade.” Senior Joe Tabasko, who carried the banner for the Emerald Society, stated, “It was an exciting day for all the Comsewogue students involved. I am glad I got to be a participant.” Senior Kaylin Doxey, flutist, said, “It was truly an incredible experience. Walking down 5th Avenue with crowds cheering didn’t seem real! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am so glad the school was able to be a part of this.”
Many administrators were in attendance and walked with the band as well. Superintendent Dr. Quinn enthusiastically told us, “It was such a great day! I was so proud to march down 5th avenue with so many talented students and staff. I am so appreciative of the Emerald Society for inviting us! I appreciate Fred Wilbur and his efforts!” According to Assistant Superintendent Joe Coniglione, “Seeing our students perform and sound absolutely perfect on that grand of a stage was one of my proudest moments as a member of this Comsewogue community!”
Additionally, Ms. Michelle Lautato and Principal Mr. Mosca walked with the performers. Mr. Mosca enjoyed being a part of this special occasion, stating, “This was an amazing event for all of us who were involved. I'm sure this is a moment the students will never forget. Mr. Wilbur did an incredible job getting our students ready for this parade in such a short time.”
Mr. Frimmer, Mrs. Frimmer, Mr. St.Pierre, and Mr. DeMaio also walked in the parade and cheered on the marchers. Said Mr. Frimmer of the event, “I would like to give a HUGE shout out to Mr. Wilbur!! For him, the 34 students and 4 other faculty members to be able to pull this off in such a short period of time is a testament to how great of a teacher he is and how much the students learn from his expertise. I would also like to thank all the students who participated. You all put in a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication...you absolutely CRUSHED IT!!! It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved. To be able to watch them play and listen to how great they sounded is something I will never forget.”
Mr. Wilbur worked tirelessly to make this event the success that it was. He should be commended for his incredible efforts in leading the band, and the students should be proud of such a wonderful accomplishment. "I would like to thank all of the students who volunteered to participate in the parade and congratulate them on a job well done,” says Wilbur. “ I also want to especially thank Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Holmes, Mrs. Sparacin, and Mr. Schroeder for helping out."
Kudos to Mr. Wilbur and the band!
Create art to help others,
in Music and Arts Honor Societies
By Emilia Franti
A place where you can help people by working on different projects is Music and Arts honor societies which stand for modern music/arts masters.
Ms. Holmes, the advisor for Tri-M explains that the students need to achieve an overall GPA of 80 or above. Students need a GPA of 90 or above in any music classes. They also have to participate in a small ensemble, for example, tapestry, jazz ensemble, school play, chamber orchestra, or student drama.
In different honor societies, members gain extra activities for college applications, by doing different projects. What Tri-M is currently working on is the iPad projects.
Ms. Holmes “We hold an iPad drive, the students bring them in and we wipe them clean and we donate them to the company so they can use them in nursing homes and rehab facilities, for people who have Alzheimer's and dementia. That helps them with their memory and helps their therapy greatly”
Nicolas Mathews is the vice president of the Art Honor Society. In this honor society students have different responsibilities. It could be to plan some of the meetings, talk to the rest of the members about how they wish to work, or about what to do in future meetings.
Lexia, the other vice president, explains they help to set up goals for the honors society. For example, during trick or treat street, the google classroom was filled with work and ideas of what they could do.
Photos by Emilia Franti
Video produced by Juliana Manteiga
Some of the projects they have in progress are to fix up the school hallways. Reese Agarenzo, comments that they like to touch up the murals around the school. She informs that “We are also doing the display case, for the winter and the spring”
The honor society also includes a lot of community service hours. “The community service hours I do is to do a bunch of posters for a bunch of clubs, for example, posters for the student drama show that's coming up, and I do art for literature magazines”- says Nicolas Mathews.
Music and Arts societies are places where they can get their minds off something else and work with what they enjoy and create art to help other people.
Language of opportunities By Julia Arriaga Martinez
Language of opportunities By Julia Arriaga Martinez
Video produced by Julia Arriaga Martinez & Cristalie Genao Estrella
Spanish speakers have always dreamed of speaking English better than any other to make it flow nicer. The opinions of Spanish speakers do matter, both in school and in the work communities. We have a lot to say and are given little attention to sharing an opinion.
We cannot adapt so fast to a country where we have moved to and started from scratch to live with other people who do have valid opinions. Older Hispanics do not have the ability to understand a new language and hope that their children can understand it, and have the opportunity to learn and have an easier life.
The other side of the coin is that for Spanish-speaking students, it is very difficult to make their parents happy. They are under regular pressure to please their parents by learning English and helping them with whatever they need help with. For the parents, it is like a relief, and for the teenagers, it is one more achievement in their lives.
Spanish-speaking students are most insecure about their English pronunciation since it is a new language that they have to learn in order to have an easier life. In the beginning, they have that insecurity of not being able to do it well and when someone corrects them, they are happy since it is a great achievement. They think to advance more and more if they start to socialize with people who speak it correctly and most of them are Americans or bilingual.
As always, Spanish speakers have that hunch and almost always help their community. They help each other and by knowing English they have more opportunities than any Latino who has less knowledge about them or only speaks what is necessary. It is hard to see a middle-aged person working hard with their little knowledge of English. It makes them think that if they had not studied or learned English, they would be in their place and not where they are now.
Young Spanish speakers have a life ahead of them and have secured lives with which they can be useful and find their purpose in life.
Video produced by Victoria Ines
honoring our differences
honoring our differences
by Victoria Ines
Language has always been a connecting force for us as people. Comsewogue has been teaching such a powerful communication tool to students that they excel to an extent that they have multiple honor societies. In these societies teachers Mr. Drucker, Mme. Daneels, and Mrs. Trypaluk help students transcend learning languages. These honor societies are the Italian, French, and Spanish honor societies. They have made a massive effort in helping people learn and respect other regions of the world and their cultures and language.
These clubs all have their own respective traditions and the kids who have not learned of the world outside of the United States, are shown many traits that make these places different. But these classes also help break the stigmatization of these areas. As Mr. Drucker said, “The more we get to know other people helps realize we’re very similar and their differences and appreciate them.”
Although we all have different views on the world we can all appreciate each other in a better way through our shared experiences and knowledge which can only be exchanged with language. In these places, we also have the opportunity to help the less fortunate as they run many different fundraisers to help people in need.
If anything, we can learn from these honor societies and help all people around the world in a way that we know best, learning.
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