Mandarin classeshave been celebrating the Chinese New Year.  

This celebration is also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, and it is the most important festival in China. Each year the New Year is associated with an animal sign according to the zodiac cycle, and this year is the year of the Rabbit.  

During the past two weeks, Helen Han’s classes at Grand Avenue Middle School decorated the hallway with their own drawings of rabbits that they created using Calligraphy brushes. They wrote couplets and made red envelopes and paper cuttings. The students learned how to use chopsticks and used Play-Doh to learn how to make dumplings. 

They also experienced a special authentic treat of dumplings and noodles to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

Students in Hui Chen’s Mandarin classes at Kennedy High School practiced Chinese characters in calligraphy with authentic brushes and ink.  

The festivities culminated on Jan. 23 with a demonstration from Mandarin teacher Lydia Qiu  in which students prepared authentic Chinese dumplings. Culture Club advisor Franca Fiorentino helped plan this colorful and delicious event.  

At Mepham High School, the ELITE Program and Mandarin Honor Society sponsored a dumpling making event after school on Jan. 18, led by Mandarin teacher Lydia Qiu. 

Date Added: 1/27/2023

Students in Michelle Biancardo’s seventh grade Creative Coding classes at Grand Avenue Middle School used the kidOYO program to create an assortment of vintage inspired video games, such as Space Invaders, Pong and Pac-Man.

Some of their creations were highlighted during the Grand Avenue Gaming Showcase.

Seventh grader Colin Cheng created one of the games on display. He coded his own version of Space Invaders.

“He used Sprite editor to create advanced enemies, meteors as barriers and even made it a multi-level game with a boss to defeat at the end,” explained Biancardo.

The games were configured to be played by using one wire placed between two fingers as a grounder and play dough as a conductor for the controller. Arrow “buttons” made from foil also served as a conductor.

The showcase took place in the school library during all lunch periods from Dec. 21-22 and students were encouraged to explore and play this collection of games.

Date Added: 1/5/2023

A few GRANDTASTICALLY BRAVE volunteers from Grand Avenue Middle School offered their community service at the Lions Club Polar Express Children's Holiday Event held at the Brookside-based Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Central Office on Dec. 3.

This year, Grand Avenue partnered with the Lions Club to do some good for kids and families. The annual Polar Express event provides gifts and necessities collected from charitable donations to forward to children of need in the Bellmore-Merrick community and around Nassau County.They work with Nassau County social services, local elementary schools, charities, and houses of worship to help bring joy during the holiday season.

A GRAND shout-out goes to Matthew Goodman, Declan Haugh, Gabby Vayman, Michael Miele, Steven Zweigbaum, Jessica Weiss, Gavin Steele, John Hanovic, and Anthony Fisher for very generously offering their time to set up for the event on 12/2 and service the event on 12/3. Their hard work, efforts and smiles were very much appreciated by all.

A special thank you goes out to CHSD board of education president and the NBUFSD board of education trustee, Nina Lanci, for spearheading the charity endeavor. We are grateful for her partnership.

Date Added: 12/20/2022

The Yorker Club held its annual holiday food drive for the bellmore-merrick community cupboard. Yorker members collected a total of $500 dollars during their lunch periods during the entire month of November. Co-advisors Mr. Bargiel and Mr. Rummenie would like to thank all members who spent their lunch collecting donations during this time. All proceeds go to the bellmore-merrick community cupboard for the holiday season!

Date Added: 12/6/2022