Southold High School – The Suffolk Times

BETH YOUNG PHOTO | Navy Cmdr. John Skarin presented Southold NJROTC Lt. Cmdr. Shelby Pickerell with the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross and a full college scholarship during a ceremony at Southold High School on Sept. 11.

Southold High School senior and NJROTC lieutenant commander Shelby Pickerell received the NJROTC’s highest honor, the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross, at a Patriot Day ceremony at Southold High School on the afternoon of Sept. 11.

Though Ms. Pickerell knew she would be receiving the medal, she didn’t know she’d also be awarded a full four-year college scholarship by Cmdr. John Skarin, commanding officer for the New York Navy recruiting district.

Ms. Pickerell hopes to attend Stanford University next fall, where she’d like to study linguistics or mathematics before serving in the U.S. Navy. She said she would like to study many languages, but would start with Mandarin and Arabic and then double back to less difficult tongues. She plans to apply to seven colleges.

In addition to her NJROTC success, she also served as captain of the girls’ cross country team, is a musician and has appeared in several school plays. She also spent a month in Sweden as a Rotary International foreign exchange student.

“You’re unbelievably impressive. We’re excited to have you as part of the U.S. Navy,” Cmdr. Skarin said during the ceremony. “Now all you have to do is be accepted to Stanford and you will be attending that school for free.”

After the ceremony, the commander added, “Her academics and extracurricular activities were through the roof. I personally conducted her officer interview in June. She wants to serve her country. I didn’t want to lose her to any other branch of the service.”

Maj. William Grigonis, who heads the Mattituck-Southold-Greenport NJROTC program, said Ms. Pickerell has been an impressive cadet since she joined in her freshman year.

“Whatever she does is done with a smile on her face and done correctly,” he said. “She doesn’t need guidance. She motivates people to get things done.

“She doesn’t look out for Shelby. She looks out for all the kids and expects them to do their best,” he continued, adding that she’s also his “Annie Oakley,” serving as captain of the cadets’ air rifle team.

Ms. Pickerell seemed nervous in the face of all the accolades.

“I was warned ahead of time about the award, but I didn’t know about the scholarship,” she said, adding that she kept the award a secret. “It’s been a stressful week.”

byoung@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Southold and Greenport students teamed up to present “Trixie, Teen Detective and the Mystery of Gravestead Manor” beginning tonight.

Southold and Greenport High School students teamed up for the first time to present a fall comedy, “Trixie, Teen Detective and they Mystery of Gravestead Manor,” which is a spoof on the Nancy Drew mysteries.

The drama clubs will put on their first performance tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Southold District Auditorium. Additional performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $10 or $6 for students and seniors. They’re on sale at Southold Pharmacy, the Southold Free LIbrary, Southold and Greenport High Schools and at the door.

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Trixie, Teen Detective and the Mystery of Gravestead Manor

Greenport Junior Dory Lieblein plays Bobby Jo.

Trixie, Teen Detective and the Mystery of Gravestead Manor

Southold Senior Gayle Gammon plays Trixie.

Trixie, Teen Detective and the Mystery of Gravestead Manor

Greenport Junior Briana Pagano as Trudy.

FACEBOOK PHOTO | Ronan Guyer

Visiting hours for Ronan Guyer, the Southold High School freshman who died last week following a fall while practicing for an upstate cross country meet, will be held Today, Monday, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Defriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.

Additional visiting hours will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, also from 4 to 8. A religious service will take place at the funeral home on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. with the Rev. Peter Kelley of the First Presbyterian Church of Southold officiating.

Ronan, 14, died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack during a practice for the state cross country championships outside of Buffalo.

He had been in a coma and on a ventilator in a Buffalo hospital since Friday, Nov. 9. He was injured after slipping on a patch of mud and hitting his chest on the ground, his family said. The impact was believed to have caused cardiac arrest.

He is survived by his parents, Lori and Stephen Guyer, his sister Shannon, and brother Colin.

His parents request that donations be made to the Peconic Gardiners Junior Sailing Association, a not for profit organization that promotes junior sailing on the East End. (Tax identification number 20-2810022).

Make checks payable to the PGJSA care of Ronan Guyer at PGJSA, PO Box 339, Southold, NY 11971.

gparpan@timesreview.com

GARRET MEADE FILE PHOTO | Southold athletic director, Joe Braico, reflected his team’s defeat in the Suffolk County Class C finals in May.

Just before his second anniversary as Southold’s athletic director, Joe Braico is leaving the district for a job closer to home.

Mr. Braico, who lives in Plainview, will become the athletic director at the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District in January. He’ll be leaving Southold at the end of this month.

“I loved it out here. I was very happy out here. The community has been absolutely fantastic. I loved every moment of my time out here,” Mr. Braico said Monday.

The move will give him more time to spend with his 19-month-old daughter Gabriella, Mr. Braico said. He had considered moving his family to Southold, but said the job opening in Plainview was “too much to pass up.”

“I had envisioned I would be in Southold for the rest of my life,” he said. “I’m forever indebted for being allowed the opportunity to work in such a great community.”

Mr. Braico said he informed the school district he was leaving in mid-November. He has been the athletic director in Southold since Dec. 15, 2010.

Southold Superintendent David Gamberg said the school board will likely be ready to appoint a new interim athletic director by its next meeting Dec. 19. He said he expects the interim AD will work through the end of the 2012-13 school year, after which the district will appoint someone on a permanent basis.

Mr. Gamberg described Mr. Braico’s departure as “bittersweet,” adding that he believed the AD had been happy in Southold but was presented with an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“He was very supportive of PE teachers who did team-building exercises. He was very much supportive of scholar athletes and the sportsmanship part of the ledger,” added Mr. Gamberg. “Sportsmanship is very important. That’s what we’re looking for in his replacement.”

Mr. Braico’s announcement comes just a week after Greenport athletic director Todd Gulluscio of Shelter Island announced he’s leaving to become Sag Harbor’s athletic director.

Mr. Gamberg said it’s hard to tell whether it’s difficult to find athletic directors willing to work in small North Fork districts, since whether the area is a good fit for a candidate depends on individual circumstances. He said the school is planning to cast a wide net in finding a permanent replacement.

“I like to think this is a very good place to work,” he said. “We’d like stability in this position. That’s very important to our programs.”

byoung@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER FILE PHOTO | Special education students now comprise 13 percent of students at Southold schools.

About 13 percent of the Southold School District’s student body receives some form of special education services, according to a recent report by the district’s director of pupil personnel services, Alyse Middendorf.

Ms. Middendorf told the Southold School Board at its Dec. 5 meeting that 127 of the district’s 954 students were classified as special education students as of Oct. 6, though she said that number is constantly fluctuating as students move in and out of the district and are classified and declassified as needing special services.

“It’s a high number, but in a district this size, two kids can change the statistics,” Ms. Middendorf told the board. “I’d like to see us between 9 and 10 percent, but can I get there? I don’t know. It depends who moves into the district.”

In her presentation, she highlighted the district’s work in “integrated co-teaching,” in which special education teachers partner with general education teachers to teach in an integrated classroom.

“Southold’s ahead of the game on that,” she said.

The district also last year instituted a new class of fourth, fifth and sixth graders who focus on “functional academics with real world activities,” she said. That class also participates in mainstream classes. Ms. Middendorf said the school has started a similar class for first through third graders.

“I would like to open that up to surrounding districts,” she said of the program. Ms. Middendorf said one of her goals for the future is to provide a high school career and vocational program for special education students. Currently, the school has used a federal grant to partner with a company called Community Employment Options, which provides job coaching and training for special education students, but she would like to expand students’ options.

“It’s a way of engaging disengaged students,” she said.

Of the students in the special education program, Ms. Middendorf said 59 have a learning disability, 28 have a medical or health-related impairment, 12 are speech impaired, 14 have autism, eight have an emotional disability, five have multiple disabilities and one has an intellectual disability.

Students who respond well to special education classes can become declassified later in their education if they manage to overcome less severe disabilities, and can then be integrated into regular classrooms.

She said students who are not facing severe learning disabilities can be classified in the school’s “504” program, in which they are given special instructional plans to help them cope with mild learning difficulties. She said 21 students are currently in the 504 program.

“In our preschool population, we have 15 classified preschoolers and five pending,” she said. “More and more youngsters are in fact knocking on our doors. A lot of times the youngsters don’t meet the criteria [for special education classification] but we do offer resources.”

“The ideal scenario is we want to address any of these kinds of things earlier, rather than later,” said Superintendent David Gamberg.

byoung@timesreview.com

JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | Southold English as a Second Language teacher John Myers (center) with ESL students (from left) Jonathan Escobar, 17; Muhammet Ilgin, 17; Southold graduate Jorge Sandoval, 22, Tatiana Amador, 14; and Kevin Escobar, 16.

Four years ago, when Turkish immigrant John Ilgin enrolled for eighth grade in the Southold School District, he didn’t speak English fluently.

Not only that, but his English as a Second Language teacher, John Myers, didn’t speak Turkish.

“I don’t know how he taught me English,” Mr. Ilgin said. “I just got accepted into my first-choice school, St. John’s, and it’s all because of Mr. Myers.”

Mr. Ilgin joined dozens of community members in praising the district’s ESL program at last Wednesday’s regular Board of Education meeting, where Mr. Myers gave a presentation.

When Mr. Myers was hired by the district 10 years ago, there were only two ESL students. Since then, the district has hired another ESL teacher, Karen Quinones, to work in the elementary school to handle swelling enrollment. Currently, over 50 students are enrolled the ESL program, Mr. Myers said.

Immigrants, mostly from Guatemala and El Salvador, are moving into the district because Southold’s rural character reminds them of their home countries and the reputation of the school’s ESL program has made it desirable, he said. Of the 145 students who have taken the ESL course, only five have dropped out of school, Mr. Myers said.

“Connections are established and, little by little, families are reunited here,” he said. “My goal is to be able to have these kids leave this building with a diploma in hand.”

Although dozens of parents and students praised the district’s ESL program, one parent criticized the school board for not hiring an additional ESL teacher.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Xavier Amador, a psychologist and parent of an ESL student, said he believes the district needs to hire another ESL teacher to ensure that each student receives enough individual instruction in a mixed class comprising beginner, intermediate and advanced students.

“I’m very pleased with the initial response from the superintendent and the school board,” Dr. Amador said after the meeting. “It’s the follow-through I’m concerned about.”

Another parent, a Salvadoran immigrant whose children are enrolled in the district’s ESL program, said he would like to help his children with their homework, but struggles with English himself.

Superintendent David Gamberg said the district is in the process of hiring an additional ESL teacher and is working to develop a shared service agreement with Greenport and Mattituck schools to provide ESL workshops for parents.

As the district continues to expand its ESL program, Mr. Myers said he’s looking forward to creating lifelong friendships.

“Every student that I’ve taught is still in my life,” he said.

jennifer@timesreview.com

BETH YOUNG FILE PHOTO | Southold Superintendent David Gamberg.

As the search for missing Peconic teen Ashley Murray continues, the Southold School District is providing additional support to help students cope with the disappearance of the 16-year-old sophomore.

Superintendent David Gamberg said Tuesday that everyone in the district is concerned about Ashley’s well-being and said he believes students are holding up fairly well since she went missing Feb. 25.

“I think it is extremely important to point out that ongoing and sustained work is essential to address healthy interactions among students,” he said. “It is only when we provide periodic programs, along with daily support and engagement, that students have resources to promote appropriate responses to such situations.”

Mr. Gamberg said the district has hosted presentations about substance abuse and cyberbullying and is also setting up a new assembly with neuroscientist Stephen Dewey to discuss peer pressure and bullying. The district is also hosting Compassion Without Borders, a program that promotes charitable causes; Youth Making a Difference, a leadership-training program; and a senior class trip to visit the Suffolk County jail in Riverside.

The district also hosts Friendship Matters groups, which aim to help children develop social skills, build friendships and address female relational aggression, he said.

In the classroom, Mr. Gamberg said teachers are educating students about bullying and peer relationships. Students also learn about cultural sensitivity and sexual abuse prevention through college prep sessions, he said.

In addition to providing students with peer mediation and counseling, the superintendent said he’s also been in constant contact with the Southold Town Police Department since Ashley was reported missing and district officials are encouraging students to come forward if they have any information about her disappearance.

“Anything we can do to provide the police with any clues or hints [will be helpful to the investigation],” Mr. Gamberg said. “You never know what will lead to something.”

Although the superintendent said he hasn’t noticed a large number of students seeking support, he said all staff, teachers and administrators are available to help students cope during this “troubling” and “sad” situation.

“We are continuing to be very watchful and mindful of our students,” he said. “[We’re] walking around, greeting students and making sure that we’re paying close attention to them.”

Anyone with information should contact Southold police at (631) 765-2600. Information will remain confidential.

jennifer@timesreview.com

JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | Southold school board president Paulette Ofrias, left, and Superintendent David Gamberg at Wednesday night’s budget workshop.

When Southold High School business teacher Kathy Williams arrived at her job Monday, she was feeling pretty good. The DECA club she advises received several awards last week during a three-day state competition in Rochester.

Monday was also her birthday.

What started out as a good day took a downturn after she received notification from the district that the position she’s held for the past 24 years could be reduced to part-time or eliminated due to budget constraints the district is grappling with as it prepares next year’s spending plan, she said.

Ms. Williams’ name was on a list distributed by PTA president Angela Tondo to members of the community this week that named other positions and programs rumored to be on the chopping block.

Superintendent David Gamberg described the list as “inaccurate.” After the two-hour meeting, he declined to say how many employees received similar notifications as Ms. Williams did because it is a personnel matter.

During the school board’s first 2013-14 budget workshop Wednesday night, Ms. Tondo apologized for her actions and thanked the audience for participating in the budget talks.

“It was not my intention to give misinformation to anyone,” she said. “When I shared the information I was given, I believed it to be true. The job of the PTA is to keep its members informed and by inviting them here tonight I hope that we were able to do that.”

About 70 parents, district employees, students and graduates attended the meeting with over a dozen of them applauding Ms. Williams’ hard work and asked the school board to find a way to keep her full-time.

Many graduates said they attribute their success in college to Ms. Williams’ guidance and praised her business courses and DECA club because they feel those programs prepared them for the real world.

Blaise Linn, who graduated in 2011, said Ms. Williams has been a mentor and friend to many students and believes they’ve counted on her for instruction and advice.

“For years, Ms. Williams has stood as a beacon for confused juniors and seniors as they stumble through the college selection and application process,” he said. “ On behalf of myself and the many students who could not be here because they are away at the college Ms. Williams helped get them admitted into … I implore you to make sure Southold High School does not lose an asset as valuable as Ms. Williams.”

Student school board member and senior class president Preston Jolliver described Ms. Williams as his “second mom.”

“Compared to other schools, we don’t have a lot, but what we do have is the best,” he said. “Ms. Williams will tell you when you’re doing something wrong so you can get it right the next time … To lose her would be a great disappointment.”

Following the meeting, a teary-eyed Ms. Williams was surrounded by her students who told her they weren’t going to let her go “without a fight.”

Ms. Williams said it was “wonderful” to hear the outpouring of support from parents and students and said she believes the evening validated her career.

“The school board doesn’t have an easy job right now,” she said. “It’s stressful for them as well. My feeling is they should do everything they can to keep me because I make a difference. Not to sound conceited, but I do [make a difference].”

Other parents and students said they were concerned about rumors of eliminating music, art, foreign language and the Robotics program next year.

Mr. Gamberg stressed nothing has been decided yet and said he and the school board are looking into a variety of ways to maintain current programs.

Some preliminary cost-saving ideas Mr. Gamberg said the district is considering include a referendum to scale back transportation costs by increasing the walking distance radius for students and reducing salary-rate increases for all district employees.

When parents asked if the district is in contract talks with its employees, Mr. Gamberg said discussions have taken place. He didn’t elaborate because the negotiations are ongoing.

Prior to the public comment portion of the meeting, Mr. Gamberg painted a gloomy picture of the district’s current financial situation.

In order to roll over the current budget, Mr. Gamberg said the 2013-14 spending plan would need to increase to $28.6 million, up nearly 6 percent. The bulk of rising costs is caused by contractual salary increases and benefits, he said.

While a state law passed in 2010 caps year-to-year increases in the tax levy — the total amount the district collects from taxpayers — at 2 percent, the district is allowed to exceed the state’s mandate because expenses such as pensions and capital costs are exempt.

Mr. Gamberg said Southold is allowed to raise the tax levy to 4.01 percent without obtaining 60 percent voter approval. If the school board decided to pierce the tax cap beyond that allowable limit, Mr. Gamberg questioned if the community would approve it in May, given recent voter turnout. He said twice in the past six years the budget passed with only 59 percent approval.

“I don’t like those odds,” he said, adding that if the district was forced to go on contingency, it would face an additional $900,000 gap and would have to cut a total of $1.6 million from the budget. “You don’t want to know what that could look like.”

Mr. Gamberg also discussed the district’s decline in revenue. Since the 2008-09 school year, he said Southold’s state aid has reduced by 20 percent. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, Southold would receive about $1.4 million in state aid, down nearly 12 percent compared to the current school year.

Mr. Gamberg also said student enrollment has dropped from 1,019 students in 2005 to 867 in the current school year. He added that enrollment has reduced by 11 percent over the past five years.

“We may need to scale back,” Mr. Gamberg said. “We want to preserve opportunities not just for the next year or two, but for many years. That is a challenge.”

School board president Paulette Ofrias stressed that Wednesday night’s budget workshop was the first step in preparing next year’s spending plan and said the district is struggling with the tax levy cap and reductions in both state and federal aid.

“None of those are things we can control as a board member,” she said. “We’re not the bad guys here. We’re caught in the middle of this perfect storm.”

Although the school board has its regular meeting scheduled for next Wednesday, Ms. Ofrias said the second budget workshop will be held on April 3.

jennifer@timesreview.com

COURTESY PHOTO | Members of the award-winning DECA teams from Mattituck and Southold high schools at the recent competition.

Southold and Mattituck high schools received top honors at last week’s State Competitive Conference in Rochester, where DECA students’ business skills were put to the test.

More than 1,700 students from across the state competed in either role playing or exams and attended leadership conferences and award ceremonies hosted by the Distributive Education Club of America, known as DECA. The national organization promotes business and marketing skills among high school students.

Among Southold DECA students, Ryan Hanrahan won first place in Visual Advertising for his Folgers Coffee billboard advertisement, Jackie Ruggles won second place in the Decision Making-Human Resources category for a role-playing competition in which a judge acted as the CEO of a corporation and gave her a business problem to solve. Hannah Mathaei won third place in the decision making-human resources role-playing competition after solving a corporation’s human resource problem.

Emily Ciamaricone of Mattituck High School won second place in Public Service: Broadcast Advertising after creating a 60-second TV commercial for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and was a finalist in another competition.

Mattituck’s DECA advisor Lu Anne Nappe was also recognized as the Outstanding Advisor of the Year for preparing students to become leaders and entrepreneurs, ensuring that they’ll be career- and college-ready upon graduation.

Additional finalists among Ms. Nappe’s were Meghan Daly (Public Service: Visual Advertising), Mackenzie Robertson ( Visual Advertising ), Nicholas Tesiny (Decision Making-Human Resources), Andre Vega (Visual Advertising), Kevin Williams (Wholesale Selling), Maisy Claudio ( Job Interview) and Brette Rosen (Public Speaking: Prepared). Ms. Nappe said her student Nick Tesiny was inducted into the National DECA Honor Society.

In addition to winning three trophies, Southold DECA advisor Kathy Williams said six of her students also placed in the top 10, including Jessica Rizzo (Decision Making-Human Resources), William Tondo (Wholesale Selling), Preston Jolliver (Public Speaking: Extemporaneous), Robert Melly (Broadcast Advertising), Grace O’Donnell (Broadcast Advertising: Public Service) and Ben Glew (Broadcast Advertising: Public Service).

Ms. Williams said students Jackie Ruggles, Sean O’Donnell, Preston Jolliver, Evan Miller and Halle Murphy were also inducted into the National DECA Honor Society.

In addition, both school districts received awards for their participation in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s fundraiser and for increasing enrollment in their respective clubs.

jennifer@timesreview.com

JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | Danielle Pagano at her mother’s salon in Southold, working on the mannequin head she’s had since she was a child.

When the judges of a recent cosmetology competition in Farmingdale announced the third-place winner, Riverhead BOCES student Danielle Pagano became slightly disappointed.

That feeling became more unpleasant after they called the second-place winner. She believed all hope of going home with an award to honor the evening hairstyle she completed on her long, dark-haired mannequin was lost.

“I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, I didn’t make it,’ ” Danielle recalled during an interview last week. “After that, they called my name.”

Danielle, a Southold High School junior who has studied cosmetology at the H.B. Ward Career and Technical Center of Eastern Suffolk BOCES for the past year, won first place in the March 1 Skills USA competition at SUNY/Farmingdale.

When her teacher, Vinnie Catenacci, asked her to compete after a fellow classmate dropped out about two weeks prior to the contest, Danielle agreed because she believed it would be a good experience.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cosmetologist,” she said. “It’s my dream. I like making people feel beautiful.”

Danielle described her first competition, in which she and about a dozen regional students were given one hour to complete their evening hairdos, as “nerve-wracking.” Typically created through the use of curling irons, bobby pins and hairspray, these types of hairstyles are usually meant for special occasions, such as weddings or proms.

The beginning was troublesome, Danielle later recalled, because she had difficulty creating a perfectly smooth ponytail. But once she got it taut enough, Danielle said she finished the updo with about eight minutes to spare.

Her mother, Theresa, a veteran cosmetologist who has owned Village Hair Studio in Southold for the past six years, helped her practice for the competition. Danielle said she picked one of the sleekest updo styles because she liked its smoothness, as if it was chiseled out of stone, and believes she won because of her mother’s guidance.

“She showed me how to place the curls,” Danielle said. “It had a clean look — no loose tendrils. I liked the bunch of swirls and braided curls.”

Ms. Pagano said she was excited when her daughter took home the top prize and later laminated the letter the school sent home congratulating her daughter.

“I want her to keep it forever,” Ms. Pagano said. “Danielle has goals. Danielle is going to fulfill those goals.”

After she completes 1,000 classroom hours during her senior year, Danielle will take the state board written and practical exams in order to obtain a cosmetology license from the state. Although she plans to start her professional career behind the chair at her mother’s salon, Danielle said she believes her destiny is offshore and wants to work as a cosmetologist aboard cruise ships.

“I’ve always enjoyed spending time with my family on cruises or on our boat,” she said. “I love being on the water.”

As she continues with her studies, Danielle said she’d like to participate in future competitions because she believes it has helped her build confidence.

“My mom gave me a big hug and everyone was smiling at me,” she said about winning. “I’ll remember it forever.”

jennifer@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | There will be four performances of “Grease” at the Southold District Auditorium, beginning Thursday night.

The Southold High School Drama Club presents its spring musical “Grease” beginning Thursday night in the Southold District Auditorium. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and Saturday. There will also be a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday.

The musical is directed by Casey Rooney and Jessica Ellwood. The musical director is Kelli Baumann and choreography is by Anita Boye. The pit orchestra director is Karl Himmelmann.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | The Mattituck High School drama club will present "Are Teachers Human" beginning Thursday.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | The Mattituck High School drama club’s presentation of “Are Teachers Human” earned several Teeny Award nominations.

The 11th Annual Teeny Awards nominees were announced Wednesday morning, earning North Fork high schools dozens of nominations. The awards, presented by East End Arts and sponsored by Suffolk County National Bank and Riverhead Toyota, showcase the best in local high school theater.

The awards ceremony will be held June 9 at Southold High School, with the red carpet beginning at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Southold, with 11 nominations, and Riverhead, with 10 nods, lead the way for local schools.

The nominees for all the North Fork high schools are listed alphabetically by school below:

DRAMA

Lead Actor in a Drama

Eliminas Abromaitis, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Jonathan Troiano, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Jamie Tuthill, McGann-Mercy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Lead Actress in a Drama

Nicole Chiuchiolo, McGann-Mercy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Brionna Cook, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Amanda Osborne, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Jordan Tapley, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Andrew Nucatola, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Patrick O’Brien, McGann-Mercy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Danielle Allen, McGann-Mercy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Emma Bernhardt, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Erin Plitt, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

Jessica Sisti, Riverhead, “A Christmas Carol”

COMEDY

Lead Actor in a Comedy

Zach Fisher, Shoreham-Wading River, “Don’t Drink the Water”

Sean Mannix, Shoreham-Wading River, “Don’t Drink the Water”

Oliver Orr, Mattituck, “Are Teachers Human?”

Lead Actress in a Comedy

Maggie Daley, Shoreham-Wading River, “Don’t Drink the Water”

Gayle Gammon, Southold/Greenport co-production, “Trixie, Teen Detective”

Mally Fogarty, Mattituck, “Are Teachers Human?”

Rachel Lohrius, Shoreham-Wading River, “Don’t Drink the Water”

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Tom Batuello, Mattituck, “Are Teachers Human?”

Anthony DeVita, Shoreham-Wading River, “Don’t Drink the Water”

Ryan Zlatniski, Mattituck, “Are Teachers Human?”

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Nicole Chiuchiolo, McGann-Mercy, “You Can’t Take it With You”

Gwyn Foley, Mattituck, “Are Teachers Human?”

Sydney Campbell, Southold/Greenport co-production, “Trixie, Teen Detective”

MUSICAL

Lead Actor in a Musical

Sam Bracken, Southold, “Grease”

John Drinkwater, Greenport, “Guys and Dolls”

Lead Actress in a Musical

Laura Logan, Shoreham-Wading River, “Sweeney Todd”

Susanna Kelly, Southold, “Grease”

Brianna Pagano, Greenport, “Guys and Dolls”

Supporting Actor in a Musical

Matt Drinkwater, Greenport, “Guys and Dolls”

Jack Dunne, Southold, “Grease”

Supporting Actress in a Musical

Lea Gianbruno, Shelter Island, “Legally Blonde”

Michaela Manno, Southold, “Grease”

Shelby Pickerell, Southold, “Grease”

Outstanding Performance

This category recognizes students who “shine brightly” in roles not eligible for adjudication in the leading or supporting categories.

Alexandra Lasot, Southold, Teen Angel in “Grease”

Lara Mahaffy, Southold, Ursula in “Trixie, Teen Detective”

Choreography

Victoria Carroll, Riverhead, “Fiddler on the Roof”

Southold dance captains, Southold, “Grease”

Outstanding Ensemble

Mattituck, “Once Upon a Mattress”

Playbill/Poster Art

Stephen Spinelli, Shoreham-Wading River, “Sweeney Todd”

Gretchen Walter, Southold, “Trixie, Teen Detective”

Judge’s Choice Award

This noncompetitive award is given for a scene, musical number, dance number or group that the judges feel stands out enough to warrant special recognition.

The Greek Chorus, Shelter Island, “Legally Blonde”

Stage Management Recognition

(noncompetitive)

Mariah Brengel, Shoreham-Wading River

Ian Byrne, McGann-Mercy

Quinn Carey, McGann-Mercy

Helen Chen, Mattituck

Jaclyn Conway, Southold-Greenport co-production

Jaclyn Conway, Southold

Mayra Gonzalez, Mattituck

Melissa Hickox, Mattituck

Julie Lindell, Shoreham-Wading River

Anne O’Rourke, Mattituck

Stephen Spinelli, Shoreham-Wading River

Jerilynn Toole, Riverhead

Sean Walden, Greenport

Rachel Williams, Riverhead

Technical Design recognition

(noncompetitive)

Savannah Calderale, Southold, set design for “Grease”

Catherine Penn, Riverhead, costume design for “Arsenic and Old Lace” and “Footloose”

cmiller@timesreview.com

CARRIE MILLER PHOTO | Luke Gustafson, a Hampton Bays senior, prepares his prize-winning dish at Suffolk Community College’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center.

The kitchen was heating up at Suffolk County Community College’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center in Riverhead Tuesday afternoon, where four high school student chefs were competing for a $1,500 scholarship to the culinary program.

Hampton Bays High School senior Luke Gustafson, 18, cooked the prize-winning dish: sliced chicken breast in a tomato-mushroom sauce served with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed French green beans.

To make it to the competition, he and the other aspiring chefs had to compete against culinary students from their own high schools. The winner from each participating school then moved on to the SCCC competition.

Now in its fifth year, the contest was created to support student learning and encourage promising students. It’s also a way to show off the culinary talent Long Island has to offer.

Similar to the Food Network’s cooking competition show “Chopped,” the students were given a mystery basket full of ingredients — and 90 minutes to turn them into a delectable dish.

College instructors kept a watchful eye on the students from start to finish, judging them on cooking techniques, use of ingredients, cleanliness, presentation, taste and creativity. The secret ingredients: chicken, potatoes and fresh green beans.

“They are the most common. If they can take these items and make something good out of them, they’ve accomplished the task,” said Richard Freilich, director of SCCC’s culinary arts program. “We don’t want to make it too difficult; we really just want to see their skill level.”

Other competitors were Daniel Insoyna, 17, a Southold High School junior; Ruben Bernacet, 19, a senior at Bellport High School; and Charles Alifano, 17, a senior at Floral Park Memorial High School.

Each student was accompanied by a culinary teacher from his high school, who came along for support.

Luke and Daniel are both enrolled in the Eastern Suffolk BOCES culinary program in Riverhead, spending 2 1/2 hours per day, five days a week learning different aspects of cooking.

“We’ve used all of the ingredients before,” said BOCES culinary teacher Tom Hashagen, a resident of Shelter Island. “We do a lot of instruction with chicken because it’s the cheapest thing to use. I told the kids it’s what they would probably have.”

Mr. Hashagen described Daniel, who took second place in the competition, as a quick learner. “He’s one of those kids that, once he comes in, you know he’s going to be good,” he said.

“Luke is sort of intense,” Mr. Hashagen continued. “He finds out what he needs to do and attacks it fairly well. He also shows some good leadership qualities we are trying to work on and foster.”

cmiller@timesreview.com

The latest edition of Southold High School’s award-winning student newspaper, The Sentinel, just hit the presses. Newspaper adviser James Stahl launched the paper 18 years ago.

Under the direction of editor Gretchen Walter, the 2013 summer issue leads with some helpful advice for future students from writer Shelby Pickerell.

“Keep track of the news because there is a world beyond Southold,” Pickerell writes.

The issue concludes with a recap of the 2013 prom written by Leah LaFreniere.

Read the entire issue below:

The Sentinel, Summer 2013

WILL TONDO PHOTO | Sacred Heart Basilica in Paris, France. The photo was part of Southold student Will Tondo’s portfolio that won second place from the Long Island Press.

In an English classroom at Southold High School Monday afternoon, students reminisced about the school year’s top stories as they put to bed the final issue of The Sentinel.

They were feeling proud because they received 10 awards at the Long Island Press High School Journalism Awards ceremony May 22 at Hofstra University, where were more than 1,200 submissions were judged.

Southold High School English teacher and student newspaper adviser James Stahl said this was The Sentinel’s best year in terms of winning awards. He helped launch the publication 18 years ago after the district decided to create its own student newspaper. Southold students had previously worked jointly with Greenport’s newspaper, The Quill.

Mr. Stahl said he attributes his students’ success to their willingness to conduct interviews personally rather than via texts or email, forms of communication they’ve grown accustomed to.

“I was happy because in this day and age there’s less face time and more emailing each other,” he said. “There’s something about [in-person interviews] that will hopefully always remain.”

Among The Sentinel’s award-winning stories was “BYOD — What’s That?” by reporters Nicole Busso and Halle Murphy, about the district’s “Bring Your Own Device” program. The pilot program, launched this year, allows students to use their own devices in the classroom instead of ones borrowed from school.

Nicole said she interviewed Superintendent David Gamberg after doing research with Halle about how the district lags behind other schools in terms of technology.

“He has a very open relationship with the students, so the interview wasn’t too nerve-wracking,” she said. “He knew we aren’t up to par with other school districts. He was very straightforward with honest information.”

The student reporters said they’re pleased with their story because it sparked a dialogue within the district about the importance of investing in technology so students are prepared for the future.

“We found that we’ve been behind for a long time,” Halle said. “Now that we’re graduating seniors, we won’t be able to experience it. Hopefully the underclassmen will get a better education with more technology.”

As for editorials, freshman Jackie Davey earned a second-place award for her opinion piece, “Saved in the Nick of Time,” about teacher layoffs proposed during this year’s budget process.

When Jackie learned that one of her favorite instructors, business teacher Kathy Williams, was in danger of losing her job, she said she felt compelled to do something to prevent it.

She addressed the school board for the first time during its budget workshop and spoke in support of Ms. Williams during the public comment portion.

Although Jackie admits she was biased in helping to save Ms. Williams’ job, she decided to focus her editorial on the layoff issue as a whole.

“I tried my best because we have great teachers that are worth fighting for,” she said.

Another award-winning piece in The Sentinel tackled hallway traffic.

Mr. Stahl’s son, Dan, won second place in the investigative journalism category for researching which hallways at the school are most crowded in between class periods.

Dan set up cameras and counted how many people walked by. He found that the most crowded area is near the ramp, where he counted 173 people. The stairway after fourth period is also jammed, with 155 people.

In the storytelling category, Shelby Pickerell’s article “A Lock’s Lamentation” won a second-place award.

She came up with the story idea when she noticed that more students were securing their lockers. In previous years, most students never felt the need to lock up their possessions, Shelby said, but the trend changed when locker theft increased this year.

Julia Grizadas earned a second-place award in the arts review category for her article “Must Reads.” This was Julia’s first year with The Sentinel and she said she plans to work on the student newspaper again next year.

In the photography category, Will Tondo and James Penney each won a second-place award.

Will submitted pictures he took during his school’s European trip. One of his favorites is a shot of Love Lock Bridge in Paris, which he said is lined with hundreds of thousands of locks.

James submitted his photographs from this year’s school play, “Grease.”

“A lot of people just capture what they see,” said James, who saved up for his Nikon D800 camera by working at Founders Tavern. “I love being able to capture what I want to see and show it.”

Other honorees include Justina Babcock and Shannon Quinn, who brought home an honorable mention in the school news category for their article about school lunches — “New Prices, New Proportions, Same Cellar.”

Aidan Mancini, a 2012 graduate, earned a first-place prize for his “Senior Map” illustration, which appeared in last June’s edition.

jennifer@timesreview.com

TIM KELLY PHOTO | The Suffolk Times journalism award winners were Shelby Kostal of Greenport, Alexandra Kluko of Mattituck and Gretchen Walter of Southold.

The Suffolk Times honored three high school students with journalism awards Thursday night.

Alexandra Kluko of Mattituck, Shelby Kostal of Greenport and Gretchen Walter of Southold were each honored for their efforts this year in their high school journalism programs.

Gretchen served as editor of the school newspaper, in addition to working with the drama club, Students Against Destructive Decisions and the Gay/Straight Alliance.

Alexandra also worked on the school newspaper, in addition to her time with the Leo Club, art club and community service at ELIH and Maureen’s Haven.

Shelby was a double winner Thursday, also taking home the Greenport Female Athlete of the Year award. Shelby was a National Honor Society member while also playing on the Greenport volleyball team.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER | This year’s Mattituck Strawberry Queen is Leah LaFreniere of Southold High School.

Saturday morning Leah LaFreniere was just another 16-year-old girl from the North Fork. But come the afternoon, she had her coronation.

Leah was crowned Mattituck Strawberry Queen at the Lions Club’s annual Strawberry Festival Saturday.

The Southold High School student was one of 17 teens who entered essays for this year’s competition. The five finalists then met with the judges last month at Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue. The other finalists were:

• Jasmine Clasing, Southold High School

• Brittney Longley, Mattituck High School

• Rebecca Piraino, Mattituck High School

• Olivia Vayer, Mattituck High School

JOHN NEELY PHOTO | Southold graduates prepare to line up for the ceremony Saturday afternoon.

Southold High School held its graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon. Click below for photos from the event.

For a complete list of graduates and bios on the valedictorian and salutatorian, pick up a copy of the June 27 Suffolk Times and check out the graduation insert.

TIM GANNON PHOTO | The boat used in a senior prank at Southold High School last week.

A senior prank caught the attention of police this week after five Southold High School students were accused of dumping a boat at the entrance of the school, according to a police report.

The 18-foot Columbia boat was found on the first day of school last Monday, spray painted with the words “Seniors 2014,” the report said. The pranksters also painted the words “S.S. Galati” on the boat, naming it after the school’s principal, William Galati, police said.

The police believe it was the work of five teens, who were previously given the boat by a Peconic man who had been advertising that the boat was available free of charge, the report states. The boat had been visible for weeks on the man’s Main Road property.

The report indicated that Mr. Galati expressed an interest in pressing charges against the students, but police chief Martin Flatley said Tuesday that the school is instead looking to handle the matter “on administrative terms.”

“No arrests were made,” he said.

Superintendent David Gamberg declined comment on any disciplinary actions the district may have taken.

The boat was towed to the town dump at the expense of the school district, the police report said.

The prank follows in a tradition of senior pranks at Southold High School, which often involve a boat. The Class of 2006 hoisted a boat to the ceiling of the school gymnasium. The Class of 2010 made headlines when they took apart a car and rebuilt it inside the school library.

COURTESY PHOTO | Southold High School senior Gary Prieto handled rough waters in Newport, R.I., well enough to win a national championship in the Laser Radial Rig.

One of the things that separates sailing from other sports is that the “playing field” is constantly changing. When the winds pick up, the current changes. Sails and strategy need to be adjusted. And then, just like that, things can calm down again.

An experienced sailor knows how to handle those situations.

Perhaps for some sailors from more southern climes, the cold, windy weather on Nov. 3, the second and final day of the Interscholastic Sailing Association High School Singlehanded Championship in Newport, R.I., was something they had never encountered before.

Not so, for Gary Prieto.

Prieto, 18, a Southold High School senior and a member of the Old Cove Yacht Club in New Suffolk, has been sailing competitively since he was 7 years old. Living in the northeast, he was no stranger to the conditions he encountered in Newport Harbor that day.

“I’ve sailed in some pretty cold regattas,” he said. “You have to understand that it’s going to be a long day. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be just trying physically. It’s going to be tough.”

Following light conditions on the first day, with winds at about five knots, Day 2 saw winds reach about 18 knots, and Prieto was ready for them. He did a good enough job of keeping his boat flat upwind to win his first major regatta.

Prieto won three races and took second in another on the second day to help him finish first in the Laser Radial Rig. He tied Andrew Puopolo of Stuyvesant High School with 48 points, but won on a tiebreaker. Prieto’s three first-place finishes in the 10-race regatta gave him the edge over Puopolo, who had two firsts.

“This is probably my greatest achievement in sailing so far,” Prieto said. “I was just so relieved that I had finally won a major regatta. I felt that coming off last year’s collapse, sort of, I didn’t want to do that again. There’s nothing worse than getting second.”

This was Prieto’s fourth straight appearance in the national championship. He finished 12th as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and second as a junior before winning this year.

“That was always the goal, to keep improving and to win it,” he said.

That second-place showing last year still irks him. Prieto said he held the lead before being passed in the final race and seeing Malcolm Lamphere of Lake Forest High School (Ill.) grab the title with 84 points to Prieto’s 95.

“I think last year’s experience really helped me a lot this year,” said Prieto.

Sailing in calm conditions on Nov. 2, Prieto took a 10th, a fourth and a pair of ninths, but he didn’t panic. After starting the second day with a sixth, he ran off three straight firsts, a second and then a fifth to top things off.

“I kind of got on a hot streak,” he said. “I think that was because I remained patient.”

Referring to the 10th race, which Puopolo won, Prieto said, “It was kind of nerve-wracking because he sailed like a perfect race.”

In addition to receiving a plaque and a medal for his achievement, Prieto’s name, as well as that of Southold High School, will be engraved on the perpetual Cressy Trophy.

Prieto will compete in an international regatta in February, the Laser Midwinter Championships in Clearwater, Fla.

Prieto said he wants to sail in college. In September he was accepted by the United States Naval Academy, but he hasn’t committed to a college yet.

When the time comes for him to head off to college, he will have quite a memory from Rhode Island to take with him.

Prieto’s father, Richard, was with him in Newport for the regatta and got to experience his son’s triumph firsthand. While on the way home, Gary Prieto made the call to tell his mother, Julia, the news. He said, “That was probably the happiest ride home I ever had.”

bliepa@timesreview.com