Thanks to the six ELVHS students – Hana Ali, Sinan Ates, Kyle Onghai, Royce Perrera, Logan Schaffer and Peggy Yin – who volunteered their time to help mentor students in the new elementary-level science club. The students and science teachers Ms. Amanda Brideson and Mrs. Melissa Garcia ventured to the elementary school to help the younger students in engaging scientific investigations. The academically focused relationships between the high school students – who are in AP classes and on the Science Olympiad team – are a new endeavor for Port Jefferson’s young practicing scientists. Headed by fifth grade teachers Mrs. Megan Roth-Ueno and Mrs. Kari Costanzo, the club members are generating ideas for their April 1 science fair projects as they embark on developing them, both at home and in the club. According to Ms. Brideson, it was wonderful to see the studious skills of the high school students in action and in a different setting with the younger students.

Congratulations to the seven ELVHS string students who represented the Port Jefferson School District music program when they were selected to perform in the Secondary Long Island String Festival at St. John the Baptist High School on Jan. 12. Freshmen Alexa Ayotte and Olivia Schlegel, sophomores David Lawler and Kasumi Layne-Stasik, juniors Jack Reilly and Nicole Schully and senior Kyle Onghai were selected along with others from across Suffolk County on a competitive basis with New York State School Music Association scores as the main criteria along with teacher recommendations.

Leadership is the power of one harnessing the power of many. That is how ELVHS Principal Mr. Eric Haruthunian introduced junior Liam Cooper to the Board of Education for his efforts in raising $1,520 for Wreaths Across America. The national organization was able to place 101 holiday wreaths on the graves of our nation’s veterans with Liam’s leadership and the help of the school’s Varsity Club, staff, administrators and community. Mr. Haruthunian lauded Liam’s endeavor and thanked the school community for the tremendous achievement before Liam was presented with a certificate of appreciation for his undertaking of the successful project.

Members of Binghamton University’s acapella group, No Strings Attached, recently performed for students at Port Jefferson’s Edna Louise Spear Elementary School. As part of their winter tour, the group sang an assortment of Disney classics and included Abby Bossert, who graduated from Earl L. Vandermuelen High School in 2018.

Congratulations to student Eric Chen who has scored in the top 5% on the Mathematical Association of America’s American Mathematics 8 Competition. The examination in middle school mathematics provides an opportunity for students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers. “Our school has been participating for many years, and Eric’s score marks only the third occasion that a Port Jeff Middle School student scored at least 20 out of 25 questions correct [Eric scored 21],” said Eric’s math teacher Mr. Matt Garofola. “Eric has a natural aptitude for math and sees the connections between mathematical concepts at an extremely high level. He also has great persistence and will never give up when trying to find the solution to a problem.” The material covered on the AMC 8 includes topics from a typical middle school mathematics curriculum. Some topics include counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, elementary geometry including the Pythagorean Theorem, spatial visualization, everyday applications, and reading and interpreting graphs and tables. Some questions also involve linear or quadratic functions and equations, coordinate geometry, and other topics traditionally covered in a beginning algebra course.