No Place for Hate club works with the Anti-Defamation League’s national program in schools across the country to combat prejudice and create programs and tools to address local and national issues. The club works together with the school and community to develop activities for students and staff members to raise awareness in a relatable manner.

For Homecoming this year members of the No place For Hate club painted corn hole boards. The boards were then used as their game at the carnival. Club advisor Jaclyn Javakian, is a LBHS alumni and was thrilled to take the club over this year.

The mission of the LBHS SMILE Program is to empower

individuals to become more self-aware and to develop the

skills necessary to make informed decisions about their

lives. They strive to provide resources and support to help individuals gain insight into their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and to foster a greater understanding of the impact of their choices on their lives and the lives of those around them.

Coach Lynn Volosevich discovered a banner from the 1967-68 Nassau County boys swim team championship season. Former team member , Mr. Roy Lester, shared memories with the current team of the meet against Plainview that clinched the title. The banner was then displayed alongside other swim team championship banners. The photo below features Mr. Lester with the current boys team, Coach Volosevich, Coach Cabasino, and former Coach John Skudin.

The LBHS class of 1959 held its 65th reunion on Jan. 26, 2025 via Zoom. That's right 80 year olds used virtual technology for the gathering. Attendees rated the event as very successful and asked for another in 2 years.

More in depth reporting of this event will be published in our spring newsletter.

The Committee for their 50th Reunion is very excited to invite their fellow graduates to join them to celebrate this amazing anniversary.

As they have in past reunions, they invite dear friends from classes before & after them to join in this celebration. They have already received requests from LBHS alumni in classes of 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 & 1977. However, ALL are welcome!!! If you have close ties to the class of 1975 they would love to have you join them.

Below is an article by Voyage Savannah Magazine that Sophia was featured in and shared with us to use.

Daily Inspiration: Meet Sophia Valentin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Valentin

Hi Sophia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always felt a deep connection to creativity, growing up in Long Beach, New York, where the ocean and nature played a significant role in shaping my artistic vision. From a young age, I began drawing and painting, either capturing the beauty of the world around me, or illustrating my own ideas. Whether I’m working on realistic portraits, conceptual illustrations, or more stylistic designs, I aim to create work that conveys meaning to people.

Early on, I learned about the Renaissance and artists like Michelangelo, whose technical skill influenced my approach to realism. This inspired me to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where I was able to observe and sketch the paintings and sculptures there. At the same time, I was captivated by Tim Burton’s films, which opened my eyes to the possibilities of blending whimsical aesthetics with more mysterious elements in my art. I believe the story behind the work of art and the feelings it displays is one of the most valuable aspects of it. This combination of visual and narrative elements has been a key influence in shaping my creative process.

Soccer and drawing have always been two of my greatest passions throughout my life. Motivated by both, I pursued a BFA in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where I played for the SCAD Women’s Soccer Team. Balancing my athletic and creative pursuits taught me valuable lessons in discipline, teamwork, and resilience – traits that continue to shape both my art and my everyday life.

Today, I continue to push the boundaries of my craft, doing freelance work for clients who commission everything from pet portraits to home murals, packaging designs, and more. Through exploring both traditional and digital mediums, my goal is to create art that resonates with people and sparks their imagination.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Throughout my journey as an artist, there have definitely been a few bumps in the road. I’ve faced several challenges along the way, from when Covid hit during my sophomore year at SCAD, to balancing academic, athletic, and artistic commitments. The transition to online learning was tough, and being separated from my teammates made it harder. However, it allowed me to focus on my art and grow creatively. As soon as things turned back to normal, managing time effectively and burnout became a struggle. I learned to focus on what I could control and accept my struggles, instead of letting them discourage me. Fast forward to the beginning of my senior year, a knee injury felt like a huge setback mentally and physically. Instead of giving up, I channeled my energy into supporting my teammates and focusing on recovery. These experiences taught me to view challenges as opportunities for growth, and I’m so grateful for the valuable lessons I’ve learned that I can contribute to my creative process.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in creating pieces that have fun, peculiar, little characters. These figures interact with different elements within the piece, sometimes even becoming the main subjects, and often tell their own mini stories. One piece I’m particularly proud of is my portrait of Tim Burton. In this work, I blended a painterly/realistic style with cartoonish doodle-like elements. The result is a dynamic and intricate piece that invites viewers to discover new aspects with each look. This work is rich in detail, engaging, and full of character, which I feel captures my style perfectly.

What sets me apart from other artists is my adaptability and willingness to experiment. I don’t confine myself to one medium or style; instead, I embrace the challenge of creating with whatever is available and doing what is outside of the norm. This flexibility not only keeps my work fresh and exciting but also allows me to continuously evolve and advance my skills. I experiment with a wide range of materials to bring my creative visions to life. My work combines traditional materials like graphite, charcoal, ink, gouache, watercolor, and acrylic paint with digital tools such as Procreate. I start my creative process with a painterly approach, focusing on shapes and composition. Once I’m happy with the layout, I refine the lines and add the right colors and values. I often mix realism with a more stylized look, and sometimes I create imaginative worlds with interesting characters. I don’t limit myself to one style, but instead enjoy doing what fits my thought process and the overall story. I aim for my illustrations to have a meaningful, bright energy that feels alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sophiarose.art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiarose.art

https://voyagesavannah.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-sophia-valentin/

Helen (Mazzara) Fleischman, a 1949 graduate of Long Beach High School, passed away on July 14, 2024, at age 92. She was born in Long Beach, New York. After graduating from LBHS, she attended Douglass College/Rutgers University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 1953. At Rutgers, she met Jerome “Jerry” Fleischman. Eventually, Helen and Jerry settled in Long Beach, where they became leaders in the community. Helen went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Librarian Science and Education from C.W. Post/Long Island University and was the Lindell School Librarian for 22 years. Helen was predeceased by her husband Jerry, and is survived by her children, Lisa, Bobby (Barbara Mullally), Nancy (David Silver), grandchildren Jacob Silver, Alexis Silver, and Jack Mullally, and caregiver Crystal Cortez.

Congratulations to LBHS Class of 2025 valedictorian Daniel Brenner and salutatorian LiLin Garfinkel. Both are IB Diploma Candidates and contribute significantly to their school community.

Long Beach Public Schools was presented with the Presidential Citation for Music Program of Excellence at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All State Conference in Rochester on Dec. 6.

The Presidential Citation Award is NYSSMA’s highest honor bestowed on K-12 districts for their support of and excellence in music education. This honor recognizes that the Long Beach music program is a model for music education programs in New York State, providing a well-rounded, comprehensive program at all levels.

Long Beach High School students Riley Barshak, LiLin Garfinkel and Nickita Melnikov were named Commended Students as part of the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Commended Students are identified based on their Preliminary SAT scores. They placed among the top 50,000 of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2025 competition by taking the exam, which serves as the National Merit Scholarship qualifying test. The three Long Beach seniors are part of a select group being recognized nationally for this exceptional academic accomplishment.

Long Beach High School juniors and seniors were invited to attend a panel presentation and discussion featuring six Class of 2024 alumni for the school’s annual Alumni Day that took place in early January.

This year’s alumni panel included the following members: Hannah Bloom, Troy DeFrancesco, Lily Evans, Samantha Feingold, Laika Khan and Kirsten Lilly. The former Long Beach High School students gave current students a first-hand accounting of the college process and college life.

Please consider supporting LBHS 11th grader, Reese Gallinaro in her philanthropic efforts. See message from her below: Donations accepted until 2/8/25.

My name is Reese Gallinaro and I am currently a Junior at Long Beach High School. As a young child, I endured several years of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. It was during this time that Legos became a source of comfort and distraction for me. This was an extremely challenging time and for that reason, I would like to pay it forward and help children that may be in similar situations.

The act of constructing and creating with Legos provided a therapeutic escape from the difficulties of my treatment. It allowed me to focus on something positive, ignited my creativity and often served as a diversion during moments that could have otherwise been overwhelming.

Recognizing the profound impact Legos had on my well-being, I am excited to share that I am organizing a Lego fundraiser. The goal is to collect and donate a substantial number of Lego sets to the pediatric patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering. My hope is to provide these children with the opportunity to engage in imaginative play and make their hospital experience a bit less scary.

I kindly request your support for this initiative. Whether through a donation of Lego sets, or by spreading the word, your involvement will contribute to brightening the lives of young patients facing challenging times.

You will find a QR code on the flyer, it is a direct link to an Amazon account that has been created in which you can purchase Lego sets to donate to Pediatrics at MSKCC. Donations will be accepted through 2/8/25.

Thank you for considering my request and helping me create smiles for the children at Memorial Sloan Kettering. -Reese

Congratulations to the following five Long Beach High School student athletes who recently signed National Letters of Intent to signify their commitment to play Division I sports in college. (L-R) Taryn Morris for lacrosse at Binghamton University, Gwen Serafin for swimming at Marist College, Aysu Unver for soccer at Rider University, Saoirse Ferrick for lacrosse at Hofstra University and Delaney Chernoff for lacrosse at University of Denver.

We want to hear from you, LBHS Alumni. Please share all upcoming reunions and get togethers. We want to know what our LBHS Alumni have been up to. Please email us at alumni@lbeach.org and we will share the information in an upcoming newsletter.

Marines Class Captains consist of alumni who represent the alumni of their graduating year. They are ambassadors that help maintain relationships with other alumni and the Long Beach school community.

Being a class captain is a great way to stay involved with the Long Beach school community and are as active in the role as their schedule will allow.

Class captains help the alumni coordinator:

- Establish and maintain social media presence for their specific grade

- Outreach alumni and encourage membership to the Alumni Association

- Keep classmates up to date on events and news about Long Beach Schools

- Encourage and increase participation in Long Beach events and alumni activities

- Plan alumni events and get togethers

Please email Alumni@lbeach.org to be considered a Class Captain!

If you would like to participate in a future networking event, please let us know.

Do you want to be featured in an upcoming alumni newsletter, if so please fill out the Alumni Spotlight Form.

Complete the registration form to become an official member of the Long Beach Alumni Association. Membership will afford you inside information on events specifically geared towards alumni, and access to our newsletters. Click here to join the Alumni Association!

Email: alumni@lbeach.org
Location: Long Beach, NY, USA
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/Long-Beach-High-School-Alumni/61552033839920/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Email: alumni@lbeach.org
Website: www.lbeach.org
Location: Long Beach, NY, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LongBeachPublicSchools/
Twitter: @LBSchoolsNY