Kevin McDermott gives the word "determination" a new definition. The Chaminade and Duke alumnus, just 22, suffered a life-changing accident in July, and has shown a tremendous strength of will in his efforts to prevail over his severe injury. Many of his friends are taking action to help. more

School is back in session and all around the Merricks, elementary schools have been celebrating in style. On Sept. 17, Old Mill Road School held picnic that seemed more like a party. With everything from a DJ to carnival treats, students at Old Mill Road were treated to an evening of fun, to be followed by a new year of learning and excitement. more

"Four DWIs [is what] it took before that woman killed my child," said Deena Cohen, president of the Long Island chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Cohen was speaking before an assembly of about 50 students at Seaford High School, arranged by State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican, and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, a Democrat who is up for re-election. Cohen’s 21-year-old daughter, Jodi, was killed by a drunk driver 20 years ago. "I need you to understand the importance of [not] drinking and driving and drugging and driving," Cohen told the students. "The pain never goes away, ever ... The pain is still here. The 20-year number did something to my head. Jodi is gone almost as long" as she was alive. Tears were welling up in students' eyes as Cohen spoke. more

Thursday marks the official start of the Nassau County high school season, and it’s only the beginning of weekday action. more

With school back in session, many are concerned that another outbreak of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, is just around the corner. An outbreak in the New York area in the spring spread fear about this new, unknown disease. Many parents kept their children home from school when cases were confirmed, leading to high absentee rates. Some schools closed entirely. more

Tom Leavy's stop watch read 1:49 as the pack of girls approached, running at breakneck pace on Calhoun High School's brick-red track on a recent Friday morning. "One fifty-eight, Alex!" shouted Leavy, the Calhoun girls' cross-country coach. "That's a good pace. 2:06, 2:14, 2:15. That's it, Emily. Attagirl." Leavy, who started Calhoun's girls' cross-country team in 1974, is celebrating nearly half a century in coaching this season. As the girls rounded the corner, pulling away into the distance, he commented, "The girls who ran all summer, that's showing, and the girls who didn't run, that's showing, too." No matter whether his runners finish first or last around the track, Leavy has a kind word, a smile and often a joke for them. And that, team members say, goes a long way toward explaining his continued success as a cross-country and track coach. Last fall, the cross-country team, with 30 members, finished second in its conference. This year, the runners say, they're shooting for first. Led by Ava Fitzgerald, a junior who qualified for the state meet in her freshman and sophomore years (she placed 22nd at the Section 8 state qualifier last November), the team has high hopes in 2009. more

An ad hoc group of students and high school parents converged on the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Board of Education meeting Sept. 2 to call on district officials to reconsider their 2007 stance against synthetic-turf football fields at Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools. Roughly 250 parents and their children attended, with young people donning Merrick Police Activity League, Merrick-North Merrick Little League, Bellmore Braves and Calhoun football jerseys. In response to recent calls for artificial turf, Board of Education President Diane Seaman announced at the meeting that the district was forming a committee to explore ways to improve the high schools' football fields. She noted that the committee would look not only at synthetic turf, but also at ways to upgrade maintenance of the current grass fields. more

In response to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's and Department of Health's May report on synthetic turf, Environment and Human Health Inc., a nonprofit group based in North Haven, Conn., issued a rebuttal listing its concerns with the state's findings. Environment and Human Health describes itself as "an organization dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms through research, education and the promotion of sound public policy." The group comprises "doctors, public health professionals and policy experts committed to the reduction of environmental health risks to individuals." more

The elementary school teacher already accused of a sex crime now faces charges in two counties. more

The New York State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the attorney who represents the Lawrence School District, reversing the state comptroller's determination that he should be removed from its pension system. Following the Aug. 20 decision, the state must repay the lawyer’s missed pension payments within 30 days and reinstate him in the state retirement system. more