|
MacArthur High School
MacArthur students respond to rebuild. Recent tragic events found the MacArthur High School community once again ready to serve. Hours after the initial shock at the World Trade Center (WTC), MacArthur families were inundating the attendance office with donations of respirators, medical supplies, tee shirts, work gloves, toiletries, bottled water, snacks and even food for the canine rescuers. As ninth graders wrote letters of support to the New York City Fire Rescue Team, the staff at MacArthur organized a collection of items to be sent to the home of a student whose father is missing in the disaster. Hallways with lockers decorated with flags and other symbols of patriotism echoed the small flags worn by the students in a show of support and unity.
An emergency Blood Drive is being planned for October 23 at MacArthur H.S. Co-sponsors by the Salk/MacArthur PTSA, the drive will direct donations to the relief efforts at the WTC. Donors and donations will be warmly welcomed by the faculty, staff, students, and parents of the MacArthur community as they continue to model the heroic behaviors that our rescuers have provided.
Gardiners Avenue Elementary School
All classes at Gardiners Avenue Elementary School handmade "Get Well" cards and a poster to send to the patients and rescue workers at Saint Vincent's Hospital in New York City. These cards were brought to the hospital by a class parent on September 17, 2001.
On September 18, 2001, Saint Vincent's Hospital called to let all the children know how much their cards, flags and posters meant to those still in the emergency room and to the men and women that were brought in after continued rescue attempts. They especially wanted the children to know that some of their cards went down to the rescue workers at "Ground Zero". Also the poster that says Gardiners Avenue School, Levittown, New York "Sends Our Love" is down at the site so everyone can see it.
On September 20th a priest from Saint Bernards Parish in Levittown stopped by Gardiners Avenue School. He spent a few days in New York City at the Trade Center. He said, "that the Gardiners Avenue School Poster is prominently displayed and appreciated by the rescue workers."
Jonas E. Salk Middle School
Students and faculty at Jonas E. Salk Middle School have responded to the terrorist attacks with generosity and pride. Money has been collected for Salk families who have been victimized by this heinous crime and for the Red Cross.
Students have demonstrated their patriotism and support in many ways; such as a neighborhood bake sale that raised over $200.00 and the creation of an American Flag by a group of sixth graders. Salk sends its thanks to the police and firefighters and its condolences to all families who have suffered losses.
Division Avenue High School
These are the times that try men's souls… and DAHS students respond overwhelmingly.
September 11, 2001 began just like any other day at Division Avenue H.S. Students scrambled to their classrooms before the bell rang, teachers handed out papers and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited at homeroom at around 8:22. At 8:45, however, everyone became painfully aware of what those words mean as two planes slammed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and all into our collective hearts.
Teachers and students gathered into "Cable in the Classroom" sites so that they could see what was happening, first hand. It was a time for facts, not for speculation or rumor. Division Avenue Principal, Dr. Chertok announced the tragedy and told everyone that a crisis center was established in the Library for students and faculty who had family working in or around the affected areas. Teachers sat with students who needed conforting or to answer the sobering and plaintive questions, "Are we going to be bombed? Are we at war?" Amidst the sound of the news came the school's intercom summoning students to the attendance office. Parents were signing them out of school. The pull to be with loved ones, to share the experience, was strong, almost primal.
As the new day began on September 12th, teachers met to discuss what could be done to assuage some of the pain the students felt. The usual lessons were placed on hold while students were given an opportunity to express their feelings, their fears and their anger.
As that day took shape, so did a firm resolve around Division. Students want to do something, but they did not know what they could do. One student, in a letter to the Principal, said, "I am sixteen and everything I want to do to help, I am not allowed to do. I wanted to donate blood, but no, you have to be seventeen. I called the volunteer hotline that was on the news, but…you have to be eighteen to join… they told me to pray…but I want to do more then that". It echoed the feelings of many.
So, with the help of administrators and teachers alike, Division Avenue students did something. They organized a relief effort through Big Brothers and Big Sisters, which, over two days, collected five truckloads of supplies requested by the American Red Cross. Students, sorted, packed and loaded the trucks carefully, but happily. Their hearts became lighter, unburdened by the pain of the recent days. They remembered their peers who are missing dads, uncles, aunts, and cousins. They cheered as the first truck was packed and driven away, but only for a moment, because more work needed to be done. Another truck provided by the Town of Hempstead, at the request of Gary Hudes, Councilman and member of our Division Avenue Community was also loaded and driven away. Exhausted, students went home to get their rest; they knew it would be needed to finish the job on Friday.
The rain hampered, but did not stop the student's body of Division. Again, Gary Hudes came to the rescue with a tent to shield the supplies from the rain. It joined with the sorting and packing would take place. A local family, seeing the need, went home and brought their tents too. It was like a little pavilion of hope.
This time three, even larger, trucks were loaded. The work was constant, but at 7:00p.m. the work paused as students, teachers and members of our community stood in a line, 250 strong, with lit candles to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" When the work was done, WLIR came and played music, doing its part to help everyone feel better.
Saturday dawned, clear and bright, and once again, Division's students were ready to work. With the help of the Levittown Fire Department, who supplied a water truck to make the job easier, over a hundred students gathered to wash cars. Dashing to the effort, the community quickly lined up their automobiles, boats, and trucks. Planning to donate the money to the victims of this tragedy the students worked vigorously and swiftly. This would be added to the cash donations made over the previous two days and when all was said and done, over $15,000 was raised.
Levittown opened its heart to this effort. Center Lane Deli, Pizza Hut and especially Division Avenue Deli, sent heroes, sodas, coffee and pizza to feed students as they toiled throughout those three days. Office Max and Staples supplied the tape needed to pack up the boxes, free of charge. The 99 cent store sent many donations and helped light the turnpike with its candles. As the day became night, the stores of Levittown and the surrounding area brought boxes, encouragement and personal donations to the site.
Cablevision, Home Depot, Vision World, Wise Eyes, Jay's Appliances, CVS, Genovese, Sundown, East Hills Chrysler and Freeport Schools are among those who came with donations to the cause. Nassau County Legislator and Division Avenue graduate Dennis Dunne came to give his works of support. They came so quickly and so silently they could not all be listed. They came without being asked, without asking to be noticed. The students noticed; they hope the community noticed too.
This has been a horrible and senseless tragedy and it continues to sadden all of us, but the students at Division have been able to turn those negative feelings into positive, patriotic ones. "It was as if they changed from boys and girls to men and women right before us." One of the administrators said. Again and again, although they had worked so hard and were so tired, students came to teachers and administrators to thank them for helping them help others. The teachers and administrators would like to respond, "No, thank you for reminding us that is it always better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
top
|
