Learn what Connolly Elementary School in Glen Cove did for breast cancer

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A vibrant wave of pink-clad elementary students from Connolly Elementary School filled the streets of Glen Cove on Oct. 17. Their small footsteps echoed a large message of hope and solidarity.

Hand in hand, they walked with purpose, carrying signs and wearing handmade bracelets, not only raising funds but also symbolizing support for those battling breast cancer.
The annual breast cancer awareness walk-a-thon, organized by the Connolly Student Council, with the guidance of advisers Susan Stanco and Nancy Gorman, was a resounding success. The students raised a total of $1,600, which will go to Glen Cove Cares and the American Cancer Society. This year’s fundraising surpassed last year’s total of $1,000.
“This collective expression of hope and positivity takes something that is genuinely quite intimidating and scary, and shows that when we work together and we have a common cause, that we can have an impact and that we can lift each other up,” Connolly Principal Bryce Klatsky said after the event.
One participant, fifth-grader Mackenzie Alessandro, with the help of a few friends, spent weeks during recess crafting pink bracelets to sell in support of breast cancer research. Her efforts raised $600.

“I wanted to help people who have breast cancer and raise money to find a cure,” Mackenzie said, adding, “I learned that a little help goes a long way.”
Klatsky couldn’t have been prouder of Mackenzie and the rest of the student walkers. “Mackenzie came to us,” he said. “Nobody went to her and said, ‘Hey, do you have any ideas for how to raise additional funds or raise awareness?’ For a fifth-grader to take it upon herself to figure out how she can help improve other people’s lives — it’s the pinnacle of what we hope for our students in terms of their self-advocacy and civic engagement.”
Breast cancer awareness is particularly important on Long Island, where rates of the disease are higher than in most other parts of the country. According to the New York State Cancer Registry, Nassau County’s breast cancer incidence rate between 2017 and 2021 was 146.8 per 100,000 women, higher than both the state and national averages.
For the first time this year, the walk-a-thon extended beyond the school grounds and into the streets of Glen Cove. The police and fire departments provided safe escort for the walkers, including a fire truck that added an air of excitement.
“In years past, we would just walk around the building once or twice,” Klatsky said. “This is the first year we decided to go into the community. We wanted to increase visibility and awareness, and I think it really added to the experience for our students and the people in Glen Cove who saw us.”
Klatsky and the staff at Connolly have been mindful of the emotional impact that breast cancer can have on young students with family members who have battled the disease.
“We know it can be a scary and upsetting situation for our students,” he said after the event. “When we talk to our third- to fifth-graders, we try to focus on how they can project hope and take local action to raise funds and awareness. We keep the messaging positive and celebratory. It’s about showing them that through collective action, we can bring hope and, hopefully, someday find a cure.”
This year’s event was particularly meaningful for one member of the Connolly staff: art teacher Jean Barnnado, who has taught in the city school district for 30 years. Barnnado was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2023, and underwent five months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiation. She completed her treatment in June, and last month she was cancer-free. Barnnado attributes her recovery to early detection in a routine mammogram.
“I was surprised, because there isn’t any breast cancer history in my family,” she said. “I guess I was very lucky that I went to my routine screening.”
While she was undergoing treatment, Barnnado had to make many lifestyle changes, such as being more cautious about germs and sun exposure. “As the chemotherapy goes on, you get more tired, so day-to-day activities become harder,” she recounted. “But I worked through most of it.”
She said she was deeply moved by the love and support she received from her coworkers, her students and the community during her treatment. “You don’t realize how loved you are until something like this happens,” she said. “I’m so grateful for all the people who showed love and support for me.”