Schools: Wrapping Gifts; Tech Internship

Harborfields Students Learn About ‘Positive Self-Programming’

“Suicide is like a bomb. Once it goes off, nothing is left.” Those are the words that stuck with Harborfields High School students after a suicide prevention assembly on Dec. 11.

Roger Von Braun, a suicide prevention advocate, not only shared the tragic loss of his brother and the devastating effects it had on him and his family, but also delivered a message of hope.

“My brother believed he was playing the role of the victim – that he had been dealt a bad hand,” he said. “You are the dealer. You are the programmer. Program yourself to believe that you are worth it.”

Stressing the importance of healthy coping skills, he offered several tips and tricks to help prevent depression and negative thoughts. The first: be more self-aware. “Start to realize when you’re thinking negatively,” he said. “Stop and think, ‘is this helpful?’ Now, you’re in control of the situation.”

Elwood Students Wrap Gifts for Family

Fifth graders in Marsha McLeod’s class at James H. Boyd Intermediate School wrapped gifts fora family in need.

The students adopted a family earlier this year and wrapped approximately 45 gifts for the family’s 14-year-old boy, and 11-year-old and 7-year-old girls.

Each present was bought with money that the students earned through selling popcorn over the last several weeks. Students could also purchase raffle tickets for $1 to enter for a chance to win prizes. The proceeds from the raffle ticket sales were also used to purchase the presents.

Additionally, the students wrapped crayons and coloring books to be delivered to children at Huntington Hospital.

 
Northport Student Completes Technology Internship

Northport High School junior Francesca Malon recently completed the Women in Technology internship at BAE Systems in Greenlawn, where she worked to wire and code Arduino boards.

The platform consists of both a physical programmable circuit board, often referred to as a microcontroller, and a piece of software, or Integrated Development Environment, which is used write and upload computer code to the physical board.

 Francesca was one of only 15 female students chosen from high schools across Long Island to participate in the program, which influenced her to consider a career in engineering and technology. 

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