For the 10th year, the Northport-East Northport school district is raising awareness for drug and alcohol use amongst teens through Recovery, Awareness, Prevention (R.A.P) Week. This weeklong event is districtwide and involves various learning opportunities and activities for students. 

This year, high school 9th and 10th graders learned about the effects of addiction during presentations from health teachers during physical education classes. In their presentations, health teachers emphasized the impact that addiction can have on a teenager’s life now and well into the future. They asked questions to test students’ knowledge of the prevalence of drug and alcohol and spoke about resources and opportunities for students who are struggling. On the final day of R.A.P Week, interactive tables were arranged in the high school commons to give students an additional opportunity to leave about drug and alcohol awareness.

At the middle school and elementary school levels, the program is age-appropriate and focused on high level prevention and awareness. Students participate in activities that range from dressing up as their “heroes” to signing a building a paper chain made of anti-drug messages.  

Organized by Drug & Alcohol Counselor Anthony Ferrandino along with the district Drug and Alcohol Committee, R.A.P Week continues to inspire students to be the best versions of themselves and seek help and support when needed. 

Northport High School student Amanda Penny is using her interviewing skills to run a successful podcast, which she has titled “Amanda’s World.” The podcast focuses on topics of interest to Amanda, ranging from her favorite television shows to her focus on a career in journalism. 

Amanda says she hadn’t planned on the podcast becoming such a success, but after her first video received over 100 views, she realized there was an opportunity to grow an audience or even make money. To help build a following, she has been uploading content nearly every day since January and has had over 4,000 views. Her guests have included producers, small business owners and journalists and have ranged from Morgan Evans, host of the Teen Wolf After Show to Barstool Sports content creator Alex Bennett.

When asked what she enjoys about the podcast, Amanda said “I love interviewing people and talking. For example I interviewed this singer who I loved when I was young, and to this day, I still talk to her. I made a lot of connections in L.A. and I have a really big support system.” 
Amanda runs the podcast almost entirely out of her home with support from school staff, who have provided her with resources and guidance. “My school support system is amazing. Everybody supports me 100 percent,” she said. 

In the future, Amanda hopes to study journalism in college and eventually work for a media company, such as MTV or Barstool Sports.  

Congratulations to the following students who have been named National Merit Commended Students: Madeleine Cierski, Braden Ciszek, Grace Freas, Luke Frisoli, Nicholas Gilligan, Esther Loring, Valentina Masone, Audrey Ryan and Clare Vogt. 

Commended Students are named based on a nationally applied Selection Index score that may vary from year to year and is typically below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states. These nine students showed, via their PSAT scores, that they are exceptionally talented and have been recognized for their achievements. 

Over the course of the 2020-2021 school year, dozens of art and fashion students at Northport High School worked alongside teacher Robin O’Neill Gonzales and artist Oksana Danzinger to create “United Waste of America.” This large scale map of America made entirely out of plastic waste was recognized during New York Textile Month, as students, Ms. O’Neill-Gonzalez and Ms. Danzinger presented virtually to those attending the event. 

When presenting the piece of art, Ms. O’Neill-Gonzales explained how the students worked with herself and Oksana to map out the piece and practice weaving on small looms before taking on the large scale creation. Once students familiarized themselves with the weaving process, they began working on individual states using various forms of plastic including plastic bags, straws, and packaging filler to create a colorful and textured artwork. 

Several students also presented to attendees, explaining their creative process and the techniques used. Ms. O’Neill-Gonzalez praised them for their hard work to bring the creation to life, despite working under a hybrid model for the majority of the project. 

The end result was a nearly nine foot by 12 foot piece of art created entirely of hand woven plastic. With bottle caps and beads used to mark capitals and iconic locations and special textured weaving techniques used to designate mountaineous areas, the piece has a tremendous visual impact. Currently, the plan is to hang it in the high school for future generations to admire and inspire conversation about plastic waste in America. 

New York Textile Month is described as “a month-long city-wide festival designed to celebrate textile creativity and promote textile awareness,” with the school’s presentation being one of several educational events and programs available during the month.