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Vol. 33 No. 10
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Two Lynbrook seniors top class of 2026 watch a NASA rocket launch carry their experiment to the space station, where astronauts Ly n b r o o k H i g h S c h o o l tested it in orbit. These days, Mur ray and seniors Jack Murray and Aidan Michaels were not only collabo- Michaels are co-vice presidents rators on a research project, but of the high school’s Chess Club, have been named valedictorian and have visited West End Eleand salutatorian, respectively, mentary School to teach and of the class of 2026. play chess with the younger stuMurray and Michaels part- dents. nered two years ago “I feel proud of on the school dismy accomplishtrict’s Project LIFTment and glad that OFF — Lynbrook’s my hard work has Inspirational Flight paid off,” Murray To Orbit For Future wrote in an email. Leaders and InnoHe is president vators. Their topic of the Science Bowl was “How does team, which placed microgravity affect third at the Brookthe growth of the h av e n N a t i o n a l w i n e c ap m u s hLaboratory Compero o m ? ” a n d t h e tition on Jan. 30 — e x p e r i m e n t w a s MATTHEw SARoSY the best finish in selected for launch Principal, LHS the team’s history. to the International He is also a leader Space Station as i n t h e Ro b o t i c s part of the Student Space Flight Club, which recently qualified Experiments Program. The ini- for the Long Island Regional tiative is overseen by the Competition. National Center for Earth and Murray wrote that many Space Science Education in the teachers helped him on his jourUnited States, and internation- ney at LHS. “The teachers and ally by the Arthur C. Clarke the opportunities available at Institute for Space Education. Lynbrook have inspired me to In November 2023, the pair, try new things and reach outthen Lynbrook High sopho- side my comfort zone,” he mores, traveled to Florida to
By KAYlA DECHTER
kdechter@liherald.com
Tim Baker/Herald
The senior class won the 2025 Rock Rivalry at East Rockaway Junior/Senior High School.
Rock Rivalry celebrates 90 years Annual competition blends teamwork, school pride By KAYlA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com
For 90 years, Rock Rivalry has been more than just a competition at East Rockaway Junior/Senior High School — it has been a rite of passage. What began as a spirited contest among the high school classes has grown into a schoolwide tradition that unites all four of them in a week of teamwork, creativity and school pride. From Sports Night and the annual volleyball event to choreographed entrance performances and student-built concession stands, Rock Rivalry blends athleticism, artistry and entrepreneurship into a memorable celebration of community. The event began when the high school opened in 1936, and Principal Richard Schaffer said it is unique to the district. “This is the one thing the entire school community can point to, saying, ‘This is East Rockaway,’” Schaffer said. “. . . Former staff and alumni fly in just to judge and watch performances.” This year, Sports Night took place on Feb.
12 in the school gym. The Quiz Bowl was scheduled for Thursday, followed by the volleyball competition, and the entrance performances will take place on March 13. “Reaching the 90th anniversary of Rock Rivalry is a significant milestone because of how much it means to students and the community,” Schaffer added. “Around 75 percent of the high school participates, which is about 300 out of our 400 students” — the largest participatory event of the school year. To attract even more students, event advisers added the Quiz Bowl. And the mural showing is open to the entire community. “Rock Rivalry has classmates all working for a common goal . . . to win the cup,” Erin Lynch, a class treasurer at the time, wrote on the East Rockaway Gull website in 2023. “In order to be successful, especially in a competition like Rock Rivalry, collaboration is necessary. Everyone has the opportunity to build off of each other’s ideas and work as a team. Whether it is a tug of war during ConTinuEd on pagE 10
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hese two students representing the class of 2026 is an extraordinary accomplishment.
ConTinuEd on pagE 15