Four exceptional East Islip High School senior track athletes – Gianna Motto, Joy Petersen, Jenna Scandale and Samantha Tucci – signed national letters of intent on May 13 to continue their track careers in college this fall.

Motto will attend SUNY Cortland, majoring in physical education. A member of East Islip’s league champion girls track teams, the sprinter is a two-time All-County and All-League honoree. She also earned Scholar-Athlete recognition and fourth place at nationals. In academics, Motto was named to the school’s high honor roll.

Petersen will attend Ithaca College, majoring in political science and history. Serving as two-year captain of the 2021 league champion girls varsity cross country team, Petersen earned All-Long Island, All-County, All-Division and All-League honors. Serving as captain of the girls varsity winter track team, Petersen was a nationals qualifier in the 4x400 and sprint medley relays, earning All-County, All-Division and All-League honors. Serving also as captain of the league champion girls varsity spring track team, she was an individual division champion in the steeplechase and one of the county champions in the 4x800 relay, and earned All-Long Island, All-County, All-Division and All-League honors. In academics, Petersen earned a spot in the top 10% of her class and is a Scholar-Athlete. She serves as secretary of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and is a member of the school’s National Honor Society, Science Honor Society and World Language Honor Society.

Scandale will attend the University of Delaware, majoring in secondary education. A sprinter and middle-distance runner on the league champion varsity girls track team, she earned All-County, All-Division, All-League and Academic All-County honors, was the division champion in the 4x4 relay, small school county champion in the 4x4 relay, league champion in the 300-meter dash, and was named to the All-Long Island 3rd team for the 4x4 relay.

Tucci will attend Murray State University in Kentucky, majoring in pre-veterinary science. A distance runner, she served as co-captain of the girls varsity cross-country and track teams, earning All-County, All-League and Scholar-Athlete honors. In academics, Tucci finished in the top 10% of her class, serves as secretary of the Science Honor Society, and is a member of the National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society as well as an Ambassador Girl Scout.

Date Added: 5/24/2022

This spring, students at East Islip’s Timber Point Elementary School proudly participated in the annual Math-a-Thon, putting their math skills to work to help the patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This year’s effort broke all previous school records, raising a grand total of $41,490. The students grew more and more excited as balloons were added to the hallway display for every $1,000 raised for the hospital.

Timber Point has been supporting St. Jude and holding the Math-a-Thon every year since 2003, a tradition they are extremely proud of and look forward to continuing each year. To date, the students have raised over $230,000 for the hospital.  

“We are so very proud of our students and thank the families for their hard work and support of this wonderful cause,” said Michelle Kilkelly, who coordinated the Math-a-Thon with fellow teacher Carolyn McGee.

Date Added: 5/24/2022 

U.S. Army representatives visited East Islip High School on May 11, bringing an interactive tractor trailer designed to showcase STEAM-related initiatives that the military has to offer, both current as well as conceptual designs for the future. These vehicles are not only used as promotional and recruiting tools, but also to enhance public awareness. Participating students had the chance to travel through the interactive truck and learn about military robotics, drones and future military gear and technologies.

“This mobile exhibit was a great opportunity for my robotics students to see some of the practical applications of the things they are learning about in class such as engineering, coding and robotics design and development,” technology teacher James Connell said.

Date Added: 5/19/2022

A total of 37 outstanding young East Islip student-musicians were selected by the Suffolk County Music Educators' Association for All-County recognition this year.

The students honored were East Islip High School sophomores Jackelyn Arevalo-Carrillo (alto), Julia Fink (soprano), Kevin Huang (violin), Emma Johnson (clarinet), Ryan Kelpie (tenor), Richard LaSpina (violin), Jason Lopez (clarinet), Samuel Martinez (tuba), Kathryn O’Hara  (viola), Jocelyn Olds (double bass), Jada Poindexter (clarinet), James Rapuzzi (clarinet), Hanna Ross (soprano), Aidan Sanders (bass) and Jack Wodicka (trombone), and freshmen Olivia Quintero  (viola) and Ella Tantillo (French Horn); East Islip Middle School eighth graders Liam Eichler (baritone/euphonium), Viki Li (viola), Brenden Muller (clarinet), and Zeynep Oztas (violin), seventh graders Ava DeMaria (violin) and Emily Mooney (soprano), and sixth graders Eva Daugherty (chorus), Casey Flad (saxophone) and Peyton Zusmer (double bass); John F. Kennedy Elementary School fifth graders Beckett Affelt (chorus), Heath Affelt (chorus), Connor Schaper (trumpet) and Taegan Tantillo (violin); and Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School fifth graders Sabrina Abigail Gabuna (viola), Hailey Deutsch (flute), Anna Humann (chorus), Alexander Hyppolite (double bass), Arielle Hyppolite (violin), Divya Singh Jennings (trombone) and Ethan Quintero (chorus).

Date Added: 5/19/2022