In celebration of the districtwide United We Stand for A Drug-Free Community week, schools throughout the district recently took part in activities and attended presentations which promoted happy and healthy lifestyle choices. Below are just a few examples of the activities that took place districtwide.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students from John Pearl Elementary School were recently visited by Suffolk County Department of Health representative Bonnie Anderson for an informative presentation on the dangers of tobacco usage. Students were taught that excessive tobacco use can lead to detrimental effects on the lungs, heart and especially the teeth and gums. 

Students from Idle Hour Elementary School recently vowed to stay drug-free, and helped to create a “We Have S.W.A.G. (Students Who Achieve Goals) Drug-Free” poster, featuring the names of all students throughout the building who made the pledge. 

Suffolk County Police Officer Wendy Verlotte visited Sycamore Avenue Elementary School as part of the Suffolk County Police Department “Police Smart” Health and Safety program. Officer Verlotte utilized a multimedia presentation to share age-appropriate information with the students on topics such as the dangers of smoking, and alcohol, as well as the use of illegal drugs. Throughout the week, students were also treated to an informative Anti-Bullying program, learned about the dangers to their health from tobacco usage, and taught how to properly handle a situation involving strangers.  

Cherokee Street Elementary School students from Ilene Albrecht’s second-grade class took part in a yoga and mindfulness activity hosted by Youth and Family Services Coordinator Nicole Coogan. Students discussed the best times of day to be mindful, as they used new techniques to relax their minds and relieve themselves of stress.
In celebration of United We Stand Against a Drug-Free Community Week, staff and students from Slocum Elementary School formed a giant key for an aerial photo in keeping with their slogan of “Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug-Free.” Additionally, students in grades three through five were visited by Kershel Anthony from KerboomKidz, as he engaged the students in fun, athletic, activities set to music in the school’s gymnasium. 

Duffield Elementary students decorated red bags which served as “emotional buckets,” to be filled with inspirational messages from their peers promoting positive self-esteem. The school celebrated United We Stand Against a Drug Free Community week with their own devised slogan of “I Believe in Me, Happy, Healthy and Drug-Free.”

Fifth-grade students at Bosti Elementary School were recently visited by representatives from Child Abuse Prevention Services to discuss internet safety. Throughout the course of their visit, students learned how to keep themselves safe online and the proper measures to take if they feel unsafe while using the internet. 

Bosti

Cherokee

Duffield

Idle Hour

John Pearl

Slocum

Sycamore