Ten Kennedy High School seniors were recently inducted into the National Honor Society, which was founded in 1921 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. More than a million students take part in the activities of the National Honor Society, with chapters in all 50 states. Selection is based on four criteria: outstanding scholastic achievements, community service, leadership and character. Congratulations to Nicholas Costable, Gilad Gamliel, Daniel Garf, Ian Gray, Ryan Pastuch, Michelle Raider, Daniel Reisner, Daniel Wong, William Yegelwel and Connor Zalud. more

Tracy and David Banner, owners of Banner Auto Repair in Bellmore, recently received a $750 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance for John F. Kennedy High School. more

At first glance, sweetly smiling sixth-grader Ally Murphy of North Bellmore might seem out of place on a football field. Truth is, she feels quite comfortable there, so much so that she captured second place in the Tri-State NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Championships in the 12-13 year-old division at the Meadowlands Arena recently. more

As evidenced by the recent razor-thin margin of victory achieved by Nassau County Executive-elect Edward P. Mangano recently, every vote counts. Many high school seniors, like me, are approaching their 18th birthdays. It's a significant milestone in many ways, but most important, we are granted the privilege to vote. more

W.C. Mepham High School's chapter of the National Art Honor Society held its annual induction ceremony recently, at which 38 students were inducted into the group. more

About 40 members of the Merrick Kiwanis Club, the Calhoun High School Key Club and the Merrick Avenue Middle School Builders Club loaded up vans full of food and toys and distributed the goods among families throughout the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District last Sunday. Students at elementary schools in the Merrick and North Merrick school districts, along with the MAMS and Calhoun, collected the toys in recent weeks. The Kiwanis Club collected food donations outside of local supermarkets. more

The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Special Education PTA and the Community Parent Center will present the third annual Fair for Transitioning Students with Disabilities on Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 7 to 9:30p.m. in the Calhoun High School cafeteria. For more information, call Cheryl Gitlitz at (516) 992-1349. To register, e-mail MartineTyson at mmtys@optonline.net. The event will feature a panel presentation for parents and students about life after high school. more

Tzvi Lewisohn, a Calhoun High School senior, loves to win. Basketball, bowling, you name it, Lewisohn is a competitor. But, he is quick to note, more important than winning is sportsmanship. “We always congratulate the other teams,” Lewisohn, a member of Calhoun's Challenger bowling and basketball teams, says with a smile. “We don't want them to think we're out to win; we're just trying to have fun.” Of course, it doesn't hurt that both teams are undefeated for the past two years. They have not lost since the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District started the Challenger basketball league for special-education students with a handful of other Nassau County school districts in 2008. more

The shooting at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, sparked a national discussion on teen violence. There were calls for more metal detectors and more security guards at schools. Yet, what too few people focused on was the underlying social environment that influenced the incident: The shooters were socially alienated to the point that they thought opening fire on their peers was their only sense of empowerment. more

One of the more recent controversies raging in education is whether and how to extend the school day and even the school year. Most children spend about six hours a day in class. There are proposals to lengthen that time anywhere from an hour to two or more. One variation involves weekend school, particularly for those students who have fallen behind in their studies. more