Congratulations to Francheska Guzman Gutierrez on competing in the inaugural NYSPHSAA Girls wrestling invitational. Francheska qualified to compete at her weight class and was amongst roughly 250 female competitors across New York State. Copiague is proud of her accomplishment!

Date Added: 2/7/2023

Copiague School District celebrated the accomplishments of its top 20 students in the Class of 2023 with a luncheon on Jan. 27. Board of education trustees, central administration, invited faculty and family members joined the students for their special event.

Each top 20 student invited one special faculty member from the district who had a positive influence on them. Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Principal Joseph Agosta welcomed guests and thanked family members and faculty for their support of these exceptional students.

“It takes a village to educate a child,” Agosta said. “Because of the support of the Copiague Public Schools’ Board of Education and central office administration, our students have been given the necessary tools needed to be successful in the 21st century.”

Agosta then offered a brief biography of each student, noting their accomplishments, awards and future goals and endeavors for college and their career. Each student was called to the podium to express their gratitude to the person who inspired them.

“To make a difference in the world, you have to be great people,” Agosta added. “Not just great a what you do but great in who you are. As you move on from high school to college, I encourage you to challenge yourself to become a great person. Always surround yourself with people who make you want to be a better person and bring out the best in you.”

The district congratulates the top 20 students (in order beginning with No. 20): Madison Sims, Arleni Alvarez Almonte, Sean Moore, Martin Rybka, William Yanes, Jaden Gomez, Alyssa Mancuso, Mina Senturk, Krystal Maharaj, Kayla Osorio, Marcel Mazurek, Genesis Canenguez Mejia, Alice Sztabinski, Yaselin Pichardo, Nayshawn Ferebee, Antanina Petroglia, Richard Reyes, Venessa Seguino, Edison Peguero Rosario (salutatorian) and Jack Langan (valedictorian).

The teacher/staff honorees included: Joseph Agosta, Peter Angel, Brianna Arthur, Christina Cutolo, Kerri Hall, Flor Hernandez, Jessica Jablonski, Thomas Korn, Scott Kuhn, Renee Locker, Matthew Miles, Timothy Montera, Michelle Penyy, Stephen Rebholz, Gabrielle Romanelli, Kimberly Ruggiero, Darwin Ryan, Dr. Kaitlyn Thompson, Dr. Allison Weller and Brittany Tillinghast.

Click here to view the slideshow.

Date Added: 2/3/2023

Prior to the Jan. 23 board of education meeting, Copiague School District held its student recognition awards ceremony at Copiague Middle School. Held only twice per year, the board of education honors select students who have been chosen by administrators, teachers and staff in their respective buildings for their efforts.

The awards are presented to a small number of students for their extra special accomplishments. “Being honored is a very special award in and of itself,” said Copiague School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Bannon. “Appearing in front of your parents, friends, community and the board of education is a distinction. Publicly recognizing excellence is our way of celebrating some of the great successes of the Copiague Schools’ programs and, at the same time, enabling us to showcase outstanding role models to our school community.”

Congratulations to the following students: Deauville Gardens East Elementary School – Carter Deegan and Juliette Peralta; Deauville Gardens West Elementary School – Hector Molina Godoy Jr. and Leslie Nunez Ramirez; Great Neck Road Elementary School – Jonathan Angulo and Brasen Cruz Meraz; Susan. E. Wiley Elementary School – Jeremy Duran and Kyle Lopez; Copiague Middle School – Caiden Cohen, Parker Cohen and Mary McClendon; and Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School – Ferris Garafola, Kaia Mabli, Nalbelys Marmol Pichardo, Rashel Nunez, Edison Peguero Rosario, Kevin Pineda Guzman and Karsten Spencer.

Click here to view the slideshow.

Date Added: 2/1/2023

Members of the Long Island Nets of the NBA G-League surprised members of the boys and girls basketball programs at Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School on Jan. 13. L.I. Nets head coach Ronnie Burrell and players David Duke and Noah Kirkwood met with players to share their wisdom and experiences. Copiague graduate Wade Richardson, who works for the Long Island Nets, helped facilitate the visit as part of the Nets Martin Luther King Jr. program.

Date Added: 1/30/2023

Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School students participated in the annual Poetry Out Loud competition on Jan. 10. The four contestants were supported by teacher mentors and performed two poems of their choosing. Mary Bridges performed “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost and “It Sifts from Leaden Sieves” by Emily Dickinson. Dariely De Los Santos recited “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen and “An Autumn Sunset” by Edith Wharton. The two poems chosen by contestant Shannon Higgins were “I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain” by Emily Dickinson and “Full Moon” by Elinor Wylie. Anna Garcia chose “The world is about to end and my grandparents are in love” by Kara Jackson and “’Hope’ Is the Thing with Feathers” by Emily Dickinson. The two school finalists will compete in regional semifinals in early February.

Date Added: 1/27/2023

Twenty-six student-musicians from the Copiague School District have been selected to participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association All-County ensembles. The groups will perform at concerts on March 11 and 12.
Congratulations to the following student-musicians:
Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School:
Hannah Alara (clarinet)
Raisaun Gibson (trumpet)
Daniel Kister (tenor)
Mykelle Moore (soprano)
Linda Paiz (alto)

Copiague Middle School:
Carolina Acosta-Rivera (alto)
Katelyn Agtuca (percussion)
Judith Bonilla (children’s voice)
Kaitlyn Caldwell (clarinet)
Sebastian Chavez Minaya (baritone)
Yvonne Coleman (alto)
Alejandro Claros Sanchez (baritone)
Dianna Espinal (soprano)
Katie Gonzalez (flute)
MacKensie Goodman (baritone)
Alexandra Kaleka (clarinet)
Veronica Karwowska (trumpet)
Davi Malik (alto saxophone)
Mya Lucia Nunez (trumpet)
Elias Palacios (baritone)
Isabella Rufrano (clarinet)
Gianna Viglione (baritone)

Deauville Gardens East Elementary School: Carter Deegan (trombone)
Deauville Gardens West Elementary School: Damien Eldora (trumpet)
Susan E. Wiley Elementary School: Antonio Joseph (clarinet)
Great Neck Road Elementary School: Cole Sells (trumpet)

Date Added: 1/25/2023

Congratulations to Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School basketball player Malachi Moore on reaching career milestone 1,500 points. Malachi has also become the first Copiague boys basketball player to hit the 1,500 point mark since records started being kept. A wonderful accomplishment!

Date Added: 1/17/2023

The SOUL Community Outreach Club at Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School, led by social studies teacher Joe Mannix, ran a homeroom food drive at the school to help replenish the Eagle’s Nest food pantry. The whole school was involved including students and staff and the outcome was more than 35 bins filled with food.

Date Added: 1/4/2023

Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School recently hosted a moot court competition. A moot court competition simulates a court hearing, in which participants analyze a problem, research the relevant law, prepare written submissions and present oral argument. Students in two of Mr. Garcia’s advanced criminal justice classes went head-to-head arguing a case of First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights. One class served as the defense and the other class pleaded the offense’s side of the case as they presented their oral arguments to the honorable justices.

Date Added: 12/23/2022

Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School senior class members of the Class of 2023 finally had the chance to once again connect with the seniors of the Copiague community as they hosted the Senior to Senior dinner in the school’s cafeteria on Dec. 6.

To kick off the holiday season together, the students served dinner for the more than 50 senior citizens in attendance. Dressed in their holiday best, the seniors were all treated to holiday tunes by the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague Madrigal Choir to start the night of celebration.

When dinner was complete, the guests and students made their way to the dance floor, where they had plenty of opportunity to show off their dance moves.

Click here to view the slideshow.

Date Added: 12/16/2022