February 25, 2026 North Massapequa

Ames Promotes Hope And Help In Mental Health Awareness Program

Massapequa ninth graders attended sessions on Feb. 9 and 10 that featured an important and empowering presentation focused on suicide prevention and mental health awareness. The program encouraged open conversations, highlighted the importance of looking out for one another and reminded

students that support is always within reach.

Kim Hession, social worker at the high school’s Ames Campus, met with students in the library during their math classes.

The annual presentation was held in the days leading up to P.S. I Love You Day, a national campaign dedicated to eradicating the stigma

around mental health.

Ms. Hession showed three videos that portrayed teen crisis situations and what steps could be taken to ensure a successful outcome. Ninth graders identified the positive strategies that were used in follow-up discussions.

Students also learned about the ACT approach –

Newspapers Have Helped Shape The World

acknowledge, care, tell – to support a family member or friend who might need support. Additionally, Ms. Hession shared the crisis hotline number and provided students with referral tickets they could fill out if they wanted an individual appointment with her for further discussion.

“The purpose of these

presentations are that students learn warning signs and symptoms,” Ms. Hession said, “and gain skills on how to reach out on behalf of a friend and connect them to help.”

She spoke about the origin and meaning of P.S. I Love You Day, and encouraged students to wear purple on Feb. 13 as a

unified showing of support for suicide prevention. After the presentation, ninth graders could take a purple, heart-shaped charm made by the 3D Printing club. The Active Minds club, which Ms. Hession leads along with Alyssa Levine, also made posters to raise awareness.

Newspapers have helped shape the world for decades, serving as invaluable resources that highlight both national and local news, retail information, cultural events, and much more. Although several newspapers now offer online versions of their publications, many readers remain partial to print versions. Those who purchase printed newspapers daily or subscribe to home delivery should consider recycling the papers to protect the planet. According to the environmental resource EarthEcho International, recycling a single run of the Sunday issue of The New York Times - or a comparable paper’s Sunday edition - would save 75,000 trees.

2026 Picnic Pavilion Reservations For Long Island State Parks

Are you interested in renting a picnic pavilion this summer at one of your Long Island State Parks? Reservations are open on the New York State Parks Reserve America website or by calling 1-800-456-2267. There are no in-person reservations. All picnic pavilion reservations must be made online or by calling Reserve America directly.

Reservable picnic pavilions are located at the following Long Island State Parks for the 2026 season, with the following restrictions:

• Belmont Lake State Park, North Babylon

o No sound systems / DJ’s / amplified sound

o No buses on holidays Memorial Day to Labor Day

o No generators permitted

• Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale

o No electricity

• Heckscher State Park, East Islip

• Hempstead Lake State Park, West Hempstead

o No generators permitted

• Orient Beach State Park, Orient

o No buses on weekends

• Sunken Meadow State Park, Kings Park (Field # 4)

o No pony rides, inflatables, sound systems / DJ’s / amplified sound

• Valley Stream State Park, Valley Stream

o No sound systems / DJ’s / amplified sound

o No buses on weekends and holidays Memorial Day to Labor Day

After you have

successfully reserved a pavilion, you can then apply for an add-on permit to enhance your reservation. Applications for add-on permits, which include sound system / DJ’s / amplified sound, pony rides, buses, inflatables, food trucks, or alcohol, can be found within the 2026 Group Picnic Application.

Applications must be received at least 14 days prior to your reservation date.

For additional information, please call the Regional Permit Office at 631-321-3770.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and

more, and welcomes over 88 million visits annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25th

7:00PM

BOY BAND & POP DIVA MUSIC BINGO

317 Main Street in Farmingdale. All winners will receive a prize! Reserve your spot now and purchase your ticket! 21+ / Limited menu available during the event. For more information, please call 631-921-4670

SATURDAY, FEB. 28th

11:00AM-4:00PM

HIDDEN HEARTS SCAVENGER HUNT

At The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St. in Cold Spring Harbor. Find the hidden hearts and snag a prize! Free Event. For more information, please call 631-367-3418

9:00AM-2:30PM

CLOTHING DRIVE at Hicksville High School, 180 Division Avenue. Fundraising clothing drive in support of The Sarah Grace Foundation For Children With Cancer. The Foundation is an all-volunteer Hicksville based charity that has supported these children and families for 23 years. Items can be dropped off in the main lobby of HICKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL on Saturday, February 28.

2:00PM

MEGA MAGIC WITH MIKE D’URZO

Award-winning magician and mentalist. Michael J. Grant Campus

MAKE A SUBMISSION! Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more information, please call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com

in Brentwood. The Theatres at Suffolk County Community College, in partnership with the Lively Arts Series, announce the Spring 2026 Season, featuring a dynamic lineup of performances presented at the Michael J. Grant and Ammerman campuses. Tickets and information available at sunysuffolk.edu/ spotlight or by calling: Michael J. Grant Campus, Brentwood: 631851-6589, Ammerman Campus, Selden: 631-451-4163

SATURDAY, FEB. 28th

10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 1st

10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

LONG ISLAND PET SHOW 2026 at Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena, 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood. The Long Island Pet Expo is designed to educate and entertain the public about the wonderful world of pets. Featuring many pet vendors, educational and entertaining performances, special attractions, hands-on-petting opportunities, pet adoptions, and outstanding shopping for pet lovers and their pets. Well behaved leashed pets are welcome! A fun day for the whole family!

UPCOMING MARCH EVENTS

MONDAY, MARCH 2nd

7:00PM-9:00PM

THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH SIDE

SPORTSMAN'S CLUB

The Historical Society of Islip Hamlet will host Ed Gross,

GENESIS FUEL OIL

Historian, on the history of the Sportsman's Club; how it grew from an 18th century house to an Inn. Presidents and notables of the era hunted and fished there. The Club worked with Robert Moses to create Connetquot River State Park. Meeting will take place at the Islip Public Library, 71 Monell Ave, is free and open to the public. For more info: www.isliphamlethistory. org, 631-559-2915.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4th

12:00PM-4:00PM

SENIOR CITIZEN

ST. PATTY'S PARTY LUNCHEON

Join The New Serenaders at The Irish Coffee Pub for a St. Patty's Party Luncheon. Get ready to enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, drink, singing, and dancing fun. Included will be a 3-course meal with choice of entree, unlimited beer, wine, soda, dessert, coffee, tea, music, and more. The Irish Coffee Pub is located at 131 Carleton Avenue in East Islip. For more information, please call 631277-0007

SATURDAY, MARCH 7th

6:00PM

CHEF COMPETITION

Cook your favorite entree or dessert or just come, taste and cast your vote. Admission $10. Grace United Methodist Church, 515 S. Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. For more information, and to RSVP, please call 631-226-8690

Berner’s Young Chefs Become Kitchen Savvy

For many sixth graders in the Massapequa School District, their Family and Consumer Sciences class is their first real exposure to the kitchen. The first semester wrapped up new cooking skills and confidence.

Family and Consumer Sciences is part of the sixth grade wheel courses at Berner Middle School, which also includes art, take two of those courses on an every-other-day schedule. Among the cooking projects this past semester were cookies, monkey bread, pizza rolls and roasted potato helped out with baking and cooking at home, but never took the lead until this class. They work in small groups, with each assigned a job including chef, assistant chef, kitchen aide and dishwasher. By rotating jobs throughout the semester, students get exposure to different responsibilities.

“It’s important to work together as a team,” sixth grader Amalia Hillebrand said. “Each role helps you understand what it’s like to be in a kitchen.”

Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Dani Shehada said that students learn how to prepare and read a recipe, and measure ingredients. Kitchen safety skills are taught before any cooking begins, and students are reminded to always keep a clean workspace.

“Throughout this semester, all of my students have shown

tremendous growth by becoming more confident and independent individuals,” Ms. Shehada said. “They have also developed skills such as communication, critical thinking, timemanagement and problem-solving.”

Christopher Brooks and Hudson Fodera, who were in a group together, said their favorite projects included pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies and a chocolate fudge dip. They enjoyed the class so much that they got together one day at Hudson’s house to make Funfetti sugar cookies on their own, using the recipe they learned in class.

“I know how to handle a kitchen better,” Hudson said, who added that the most important aspect is following the recipe. “One wrong ingredient, or if you forget an ingredient, it will mess up the entire

recipe and might not be good to eat.”

Ms. Shehada said that the goal of Family and Consumer Sciences classes are to give students practical skills they can use in their everyday lives. In eighth grade, they also learn how to sew and participate in a career exploration project, in addition to cooking.

“In FACS, I learned new ways to cook and tried different recipes,” sixth grader Charlotte Ventura said. “I expanded my tastebuds and made new friendships along the way. I learned basic safety precautions when preparing food. FACS is important because as we grow older, we must know how to be safe in the kitchen and be able to prepare food ourselves. We must know the way to share roles and responsibilities in the kitchen and in life.”

WORDS

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From the moment they arrived, students at Fairfield Elementary School in the Massapequa School District were surrounded by kindness on Feb. 13.

The positive vibes helped mark P.S. I Love You Day, a national initiative focused on promoting mental health awareness and ensuring that everyone knows they are loved and valued.

Children were greeted by

Lantern Walk Lights Up Fairfield With Love

positive messages, chalked on the sidewalk by the PTA. Throughout the day, they enjoyed the hallways decorated by the Best Buddies and Mindfulness clubs. There were purple hearts, representing the color and image that symbolizes P.S. I Love You Day, and “Light up the world with kindness” posters, as this year’s theme was “Be the Light.”

The day concluded with a lantern walk in the auditorium. With the lights turned off and curtains closed, students walked through a path lit up by small battery-operated candles placed in about 550 paper bags. Assistant Principal Megan Pavlick led children on a guided mediation as they walked through. Students in the younger grades were paired

with buddy classes from the upper grades.

All of the paper bags had positive messages and images created by students earlier in the week. Ms. Pavlick explained that just like a lantern, kindness can be the light that pushes the darkness away. She asked students to think of ways they can be that shining light for others.

Psychologist Jaclyn

Cardillo spearheaded the P.S. I Love You Day committee, which planned the lantern walk and the preceding spirit week. Children decorated paper light bulbs which were hung on the door of each classroom. P.S. I Love You Day co-founder Brooke DiPalma also spoke at a pair of assemblies about the power of kindness and community. Several

teachers also planned classroom activities that focused on kindness.

“We want students to remember that they have a light that shines within them that makes them special and unique,” Ms. Cardillo said, “and they can give that kindness to others. The magic they have within them is very powerful.”

PSEG Long Island is reminding customers that balloons released into the air can become entangled in overhead electric equipment and cause a host of problems.

“Safety is PSEG Long Island’s No. 1 priority. That’s why we’re cautioning customers to please hold

onto their metallic balloons,” said John O’Connell, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Transmission and Distribution Operations.

“Though they’re festive, fun and look nice, we want the public to be aware that metallic balloons also conduct electricity. If they

Hold On To That Balloon!

get loose and come into contact with a power line or other electrical equipment, that could lead to power outages, fire and, possibly, injuries.”

To mitigate these risks, PSEG Long Island encourages the public to follow these safety

guidelines:

• Metallic balloons and other decorations should be kept clear of overhead power lines and equipment, and never purposely released into the air.

• All balloons with helium should be secured to weights that prevent them from

floating away.

• To properly dispose of a Mylar balloon, safely puncture it in several places to release the helium, and discard it in the trash.

• NEVER touch a power line. Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon, toy or anything caught in an

overhead power line. Report it by contacting PSEG Long Island at 800-490-0075 so a specially trained crew can safely address the issue. To see a video of metallic balloons coming into contact with electrical wires, visit https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jxgGYDccsQ4

Can

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