Kennedy High School celebrated homecoming during the week ending Oct. 20.

Annual traditions of hallway decorating, a Friday pep rally and a community-wide festival ahead of the football game were all part of the week-long celebrations. Members of the CHAMP program operated the outdoor snack shack, under the direction of teacher Michael DiGiovanni, while Student Government Association members hosted a halftime field goal competition for charity.

Junior Mikella Rahim sang the Star-Spangled Banner and the band, led by Walter Avellaneda, offered musical interludes throughout the afternoon. The kickline and cheerleading squads performed at halftime as well, pepping up the crowd.

Seniors Giovanni Scimeca and Ella Alesia were crowned Homecoming king and queen, respectively. 
The school’s Athletic Hall of Fame induction saw the return of several alumni during a ceremony. The entire 2018 boys’ volleyball state champion team was included in this induction.

While the football team fell to Bethpage 34-7, game highlights include Jaden Celestin rushing for 60 yards and Niko Bachas with 13 tackles for Bellmore.
 

On Oct. 16, students and staff across the Central High School District wore orange for Unity Day and engaged in activities aimed at promoting kindness, acceptance and inclusion, and community.  

Students at Grand Avenue and Merrick Avenue Middle School and Mepham High School participated in activities to create a unity chain.  

“Students were encouraged to write prompts about what they do to make school a safer place for their peers, a positive message or an act of message they have done or witnessed recently,” explained Nathalie Job, an assistant principal at Merrick Avenue. 

Once written onto strips of orange paper, students came together to link the strips into a chain, uniting the individuals and their common goals. 

Also at Mepham, students in Jacqueline Geller’s school and leadership class created unity bracelets for themselves and a friend. 

At Calhoun High School, orange papered footprints with messages of positivity and acceptance, promoting the theory that ‘each step unites us.’ They also had a wooden wishing well on display and encouraged passersby to add their ‘wish for the school community.’  

Students from various classes at Calhoun also worked ahead of Unity Day to create banners and photo booths ahead of the day’s events. 

At Kennedy High School, the school community united for spirit week.  

The Meadowbrook Alternative Program, PREP Academy and Electrical Training Program hosted their annual Day of Bonding in conjunction with Unity Day at the Brookside building. By incorporating all the adult agencies, central office clerical staff, preschool and daycare, and the senior center – which are also housed at Brookside - the event created “a way for all the groups to get to know each other,” explained Eric Arlin, the executive director of Alternative Education.

Click here to view the District Celebrates Unity Day slideshow.

 Date Added: 10/17/2024

Makayla Daube, a Mepham High School senior, All-State forward basketball player and All County volleyball player, has been named a News 12 Scholar Athlete.

Daube is also the class of 2025 valedictorian, as well as a script writer and reporter for the district’s Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting program.  

She will receive a $1,000 scholarship from News 12 sponsor, Bethpage Federal Credit Union. 

Watch the full news segment here.

The International Buddy Club at Merrick Avenue Middle School learned about the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and viewed a video highlighting music, foods, and more. 

Students learned about Guatemalan Worry Dolls and the transition of telling them your worries and putting them under your pillow before sleep to help remove your worries.

Students created some of their own dolls, expressing lots of creativity.

Four seniors in the CHSD  were named semifinalists in the 2025 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. 

Dylan Bazelnov, Grace Ham and Jayden Simon of Kennedy High School, and Ian Klimov of Calhoun were among the top 2% of students chosen nationwide. Students are evaluated based on community and leadership skills, academic achievements and service.

Both Bazelnov and Ham are in the School & Leadership Program at Kennedy, while Klimov is the valedictorian of Calhoun's Class of 2025 and Simon is the salutatorian of Kennedy's Class of 2025.

In late January, 150 finalists nationwide will be notified and awarded $20,000 scholarships.