Members of the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Key Club received recognitions and scholarship winners were honored by the Kiwanis Club of Copiague during their annual breakfast.

Senior members of the Key Club were chosen for scholarships presented by Kiwanis Club president Phil Guerra. Although the scholarship amounts will not be announced until the school’s senior awards night in June, the following students were recognized as scholarship winners: Abigail Romero, Deana Simon, Brenda Reyes, Kriyal Patel, Joshna Ilyas, Ajhani Carroll, Owen Rosenberg, Jackson Bright and Darley Senat. 

Key Club president Abigail Romero and vice president Deana Simon spoke about the many volunteer activities in which the 163 members of the club participated in this year, such as blood drives, Pennies for Patients, community service projects and food drives. Alice Szabinski, president of the Middle School Builders Club, the junior version of the Key Club, also shared some of the various community service activities completed this year. 

Board of education trustees and Kiwanis Club members Kenneth Urban and Christopher Madden announced this year’s Outward Bound recipient, Gregory Jean-Baptiste. 

Copiague School District celebrated the many accomplishments of its student body during the Student Recognition Awards and Superintendent’s Art Gallery at the Copiague Middle School auditorium.

Board of Education members, administrators, friends and family gathered to recognize these select students for their contributions to both the district and community. Thirty-seven students from throughout the district were chosen for the special recognition by the Copiague Board of Education for their outstanding achievements. These awards are only presented twice year to a small number of students for their accomplishments. 

The district congratulates the following Student Recognition Award winners: Deauville Gardens East Elementary School: Jazlyn Bonilla and Emma Turcios; Deauville Gardens West Elementary School: Carolina Acosta-Rivera and Payton Lewis; Great Neck Road Elementary School: Flauren Marcelin and Jocelyn Mejia Salazar; Susan E. Wiley Elementary School: Savannah Myszke and Kayden Quinones; Copiague Middle School: Hadasa Argeuta Botzok, Wailin Baez Polanco, Ana Maria Cruz Hernandez, Rebekah Dorfeuille, Vaiva Kean, Tamia Robert and Kaylie Rodriguez; Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School: Jennifer Reyes and Carol Rodrigues-Rodriguez. 

Members of the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Math Research Group were also acknowledged: Joseph Falco Jr., Zaiba Ismael, Liam Mahabir, Myra Mendoza-Rodriguez and Austin Nunez. Members of the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School robotics team were honored: Ziair Clark, Tyrese Glen, Derik Gonzalez, Sebastian Grajales, Leslie Guzman-Nunez, Amelia Henningham, Gregory Jean Baptiste, Nolan Johnson, Gabrielle Kaufman, Oleksa Klymovets, James Marmol, Raul Mena, Carol Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Arianna Tirino and Adam Wiszowaty.

The Superintendent’s Art Gallery winners were also acknowledged as a special way to celebrate student achievement. This year, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Bannon selected 40 works of art, which will be on display throughout the entire school district. The pieces of art are framed and feature a brass plate, nothing the student-artist’s name, grade level and the year the piece was completed.

Three special works of art are chosen as “crowd favorites.” Each year at the Fine Arts Festival, the district displays various pieces of student artwork and the Copiague community votes for their favorite selections. Winners are chosen at the elementary, middle and high school levels and receive a $100 gift card. This year’s crowd favorites are pieces by Raffy Maloloy-On (Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School); Madalyn Molina (Copiague Middle School); and Kayla Cooper (Great Neck Road Elementary School).

The district congratulates the following student-artists: Deauville Gardens East Elementary School: Deanna Demeo, Alexandra Monell and Jailah Rix; Deauville Gardens West Elementary School: Gianni Espinal and Delilah Larios; Great Neck Road Elementary School: Genesis Hylton, Hunter Natoli and Leanny Soto; Susan E. Wiley Elementary School: Derek Skadel; Copiague Middle School: Lisbeth Adames Estevez, Eliud Bonilla, Lena Fleckenstein, Cathalene Garafola, Isabella Greene, Angeni Hernandez, Emily Krysiak, Kenneth Meza Betanco, Jennifer Molina Salazar, Aleyda Olivia, Annamaria Pepe, Karen Pierre, Stephanie Velasquez, Mariely Vinas Marte and Alexa Zephirin; Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School: Shani Bennett, Jeudy Collado, Jahnay Cuffy, Skyy Edwards, Robert Elias, Tiffany Gallinat, Kayla Kelly, Olivia Krzyzoszczat, Joseph Maloloy-On, Piotr Piatkowski, Katherine Rivera Isaquirre, Evelin Ruiz, Breon Sutton, Arianna Tirino, Marlin Valerio and Johanna Vargas Baez. 

Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School student-athletes Tayanee Peay and Jackson Bright were recently recognized as the top senior male and female athletes from their school. The Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk  and the Butch Dellecave Foundation honored the pair at an awards ceremony. The award is in honor of one of the founding fathers of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame. Pictured, from left, Copiague School District athletic director Pete Cesare, Tayanee Peay, Jackson Bright and Bill Bennett, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School physical education teacher. 

The graduates of the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Class of 2019 were recognized and honored by members of the community and school administration at the annual senior awards ceremony. Gathered in the school’s auditorium, the seniors were recognized for their hard work and dedication during the last 13 years.

Following the national anthem sung by Darley Senat, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Principal Joseph Agosta welcomed the audience and praised the students for their passion and motivation. “You are here today because of your unwavering drive for success every day,” he said. “Thanks to the help of these scholarships and support of the local community, these students are beginning their college careers with a solid foundation.”

Surrounded by family and friends, as well as members of the board of education, central and high school administration and teaching staff, more than $93,000 in local, memorial and organizational scholarships were presented to deserving seniors. In addition, students were presented with the Principal’s Recognition Award and the New York State Department of Education Academic Excellence Awards. 

To close out the evening, Mr. Agosta presented awards to the Top 10 students in the Class of 2019. 

The Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Class of 2019 celebrated the 60th  commencement exercises on June 26 at the arena at Suffolk County Community College’s Brentwood campus.

Led by administrators and members of the faculty, the students marched into the ceremony to “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the concert band and director by Eric Dobmeier. Board of Education President Laura Gavey offered congratulatory remarks to the soon-to-be graduates. “The Class of 2019 has definitely made lasting memories both inside and outside the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School,” she said. “Graduation is a time to look at what the future has in store for each of you. Tonight is the beginning of the rest of your life, graduates. So set your course and begin your new life today and make a positive impact on the world.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Bannon shared her wishes for the students to continue down the successful path they have forged. “You are to be commended for all the positive energy, effort and dedication you put into everything you accomplished while you were in high school,” she said. “When you left middle school, many of you were unsure what high school would hold for you. But you had hopes and dreams, many of which have come true. Now, as you leave high school, I know all of you have dreams of what your future might hold. My dream for each of you is that you live your happiest life.”

Class of 2019 salutatorian Abigail Romero reflected on the important lessons she has learned in Copiague. “I’ve noticed that there is a tendency for people to underestimate us from Copiague,” she said. “I’d like us all to prove those people wrong. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Class of 2019 is a revolution. We have the enormous potential to make a real change in this world. We have the resources necessary to do so, and if we don’t, we will forge them. Let’s not waste the enormous potential that we have. One of the most beautiful things about this life is the ability to start over and over, each time getting closer to the person who you want to become. As we move forward into the future, together, who are you going to become?”

Echoing Abigail’s sentiments, valedictorian Aaron Eng urged his fellow classmates to seize every opportunity, especially if it pushes them outside their own comfort zone. “Don’t be content with maintaining the status quo,” he said. “Allow yourself to undergo growth and develop yourself into the person you want to be. I am glad to be able to call myself a graduate of the Copiague school district. I’m genuinely grateful for all that Copiague has had to offer over the past 13 years, not just regarding academics. Having such a diverse student population really fosters a mindset in which such diversity is celebrated, and differences are embraced. I know many of us will be departing to areas much more homogeneous, where we may feel out of place. My wish is for you to work beyond this, and to find a way to promote a message of diversity and acceptance wherever you go.”

The graduating Class of 2019 has an extra special place for Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Principal Joseph Agosta, who began his role as principal when the graduates were incoming freshman. “When you look back and reflect you will recognize that for much of these past 13 years, you have been supported by loving families, caring and dedicated teachers and administrators and a board of education focused on providing you with the skills needed to help you reach your true potential, stand on your own and take your place as productive world citizens,” he said. “Looking forward, much is expected from you and I have great confidence in your abilities. As you continue on your journey, I hope you look back at your years in high school with fond memories. I charge you with the task of continuing to put what you have learned to good use and to be a positive force in your community.”

Senior class vice president Kriyal Patel presented the class gift – a donation to the incoming freshman class – to Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Assistant Principal Jonathan Krawchuk. Krawchuk and Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Assistant Principal Tamika Eason announced the names of each graduate. Graduates made their way across the stage and were congratulated by Mr. Agosta and Dr. Bannon. After each name was called, Mr. Agosta instructed the students to turn their tassels and pronounced them graduates of the Class of 2019.