Deer Park Recognizes Summer School Helpers

Eleven exemplary high schoolers – Joseph Criscione, Isaiah Edwards, Joseph Melendez, Coy Overton, Anthony Pascal, Brandon Rainone, Morgan Rooney, Joy Reiss St. Bernard, Karsten Scoggin, Samantha Uhlman and Christian Ventura – were recently recognized by the Deer Park School District for their dedicated work as summer school student helpers.

Six of the honorees were in attendance at a recent Board of Education meeting, where they were presented with certificates by Superintendent Eva J. Demyen.

An arrangement with the New York State Department of Labor enabled the district to hire some eligible students with pay, but others worked solely as unpaid volunteers. All proved invaluable as aides and mentors for the approximately 60 children enrolled in the summer program, run by teacher Phyllis Senia, which benefits special education students throughout the district.

“Above and beyond is minimal compared to what these kids did,” said Frank Caliguiri, Deer Park’s assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services. “They really did the job of a working adult, taking responsibility for the children in the program.”

Photo by Deer Park School District: (From left) Assistant Superintendent Frank Caliguiri, teacher Phyllis Senia and summer school student helpers Morgan Rooney, Isaiah Edwards, Anthony Pascal, Brandon Rainone, Joy Reiss St. Bernard, Samantha Uhlman and Joseph Criscione (not pictured: Joseph Melendez, Coy Overton, Karsten Scoggin, Christian Ventura).