School news

Waverly Park welcomes special visitor

Lieutenant Commander Andrew M. Schimenti speaks to Lynbrook fourth-and-fifth-graders

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     On December 5, Lieutenant Commander Andrew M. Schimenti, who is currently the chief of SOJ22 Regional Engagement Branch at Special Operations Command Pacific, Intelligence Directorate in Hawaii spoke to the fourth and fifth graders at the Waverly Park Elementary School. He was greeted by the school’s honor guard.

Schimenti has an extensive background in the Navy that he shared with his young audience — and students were eager to ask questions.

“When did you know you wanted to be in the Navy?” asked fourth-grader Maggie Bodian. Schimenti told the students it was when he was 8 years old, watching a John Wayne film about WWII with his father. 

Mitchell Klee, a fifth-grader asked, “How do you speak to other people in different countries when language is a problem?” Schimenti explained that he has to hire an interpreter when traveling to different countries.

    The Student Council Advisor, Shari Bowes arranged the visitation to coincide with Waverly’s annual Veterans Day events. The students will continue to communicate with Schimenti when he returns to Hawaii.