Community Update

We got some nice news to start off our New Year!

This week, we learned that two of our Syosset High School seniors have been named Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars! Michael Ren and Winston Zhou were two of just 300 high school students selected from nearly 2,500 around the world who submitted original research on critically important scientific fields of study.

Michael’s project used machine learning (artificial intelligence) to identify proteins associated with antibiotic resistance in a new methodology that could reduce the time and cost of diagnosing antibiotic resistant infections. Winston’s project also used machine learning to develop a mathematical algorithm that created more accurate forecasts of the El Niño weather phenomenon, inventing a methodology that could be applied to improve the quality of other types of “noisy” data.

I’m super proud of these two young people, who patiently explained their projects to me yesterday. But, their individual success is not how I judge our Science Research program. For years, our focus has been on preparing any student with the interest and aptitude to pursue their research dreams as far as their hard work will take them. So I’m really proud that this year, 41 students submitted projects to the Regeneron competition – that’s up from 27 last year, and 18 from the year before! Any student prepared to develop a competition-worthy research project is a winner from an educational perspective.

Our community’s investment in a new laboratory now allows students to work on their projects without leaving the building, saving time and transportation headaches. The steady increase in students working at the highest level shows how our investment in staff and facilities continues to pay off in opportunities for kids.

We’ll keep tabs on Michael and Winston as they move through the next rounds of the competition. Congratulations to our them – and to all of our Syosset research scholars – for their hard work and accomplishment.

In December 2022, the New York State Education Department mandated that any brand or mascot derived from Native American culture must be changed. That included our Syosset Braves moniker. We have now started the process of identifying a new team name and mascot.

While we understand that changing this longstanding tradition has been emotional for some, we hope that the selection process we’ve developed will allow us to identify a team name and mascot that celebrates our school District’s traditions, values, and spirit of excellence. I recently received some truly clever suggestions (and artwork) from a group of 7th graders at HBT. I won’t share them here – I’m trying to avoid personally influencing the process – but they were thoughtful, fun, and really well-drawn!

If these students are any example, our committee will have many compelling ideas to choose from. Please complete the brief survey at this link (no personal artwork needed) by Friday, January 17th at 11pm.

This past Monday, the Board of Education had their first meeting of 2025. The agenda included a focus on how the District has been refining the transitions between schools – from preschool to Kindergarten, elementary to middle school, and middle school to high school. Research has shown that school transitions can interrupt the momentum of students’ academic and social development, so smoothing the adjustment can really pay off.

Since 2017, we’ve made a number of adjustments to the transition from 8th grade to high school, including three new initiatives this year. Earlier this week, the first half of the Class of 2029 (incoming 9th graders) took a field trip to tour the high school. The second half of the Class will soon follow. I popped in to observe the HBT visit as the students attended a special assembly with a presentation by Principal Dr. Durante and performances from our band, rock band, and orchestra. Students then rotated through eight different stations to become familiar with the many elective course offerings available to them in Human Ecology, Technology, Art, Broadcast Journalism, Business, Computer Science, Robotics, Health, and Theatre Arts. Armed with this experience, students will be even better prepared to build their schedules with the help of their guidance counselors, and our newly updated Grade 9 Curriculum guide.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, we have Seniors preparing for the biggest transition of all – commencement. Last Friday, we welcomed back some of our graduates to speak about their transition from high school to college, and give our soon-to-be graduates tips and advice. Students from over 30 colleges and universities participated in this informative (and fun) event. It’s one of those #SoSyo things to watch our alumni return to share firsthand perspectives on college life with our current students.

Harrison’s Warriors is a student-formed and -led fundraising team dedicated to raising awareness and funding for children battling cancer.

Founded in 2020 by current Juniors Benji Falkove and Brody Levine, the group has grown from just two members to over 40, backed by strong community support. Last weekend, Harrison’s Warriors hosted a successful basketball tournament that attracted more than 130 participants. The students recruited players, secured the venue, created promotional materials, formed teams, developed the tournament concept, and served as referees and scorekeepers. In total, the tournament raised nearly $7,000 for Memorial Sloan Kettering.

The students did more than just raise funds to fight cancer, they created a sense of community among the group and stoked enthusiasm for the power of charity. A special shout-out to the dedicated students who volunteered at this past event–Alex Appell, Cameron Levine, Emmett Goldberg, Jake Cygielman, Jesse Fagen, Max Warsaw, Noah Abramson, Owen Abramson, and Trey Freedman–and the many other members of Harrison’s Warriors who volunteer year-round.