The Connetquot High School turf field was the backdrop for Edward J. Bosti, Cherokee Street, Helen B. Duffield, Edith L. Slocum, Idle Hour, John Pearl and Sycamore Avenue fifth grade students who enthusiastically gathered for the Connetquot Central School District’s Coming Together Day on May 27. Sponsored by the Athletes Helping Athletes club and the high school’s Athletic Department, this tradition is an excellent, fun-filled opportunity for students to make new acquaintances prior to moving up to Oakdale-Bohemia and Ronkonkoma middle schools this coming fall.

The students first filed into the bleachers, according to school and wearing their color-designated T-shirts. Prior to the activities, Cherokee Street physical education teacher Joe Nelson riled up the students as he announced each school. Additionally, student-athlete and AHA club member Lily Jonas was presented the Tim Bassett Award for her extraordinary leadership qualities.

During the morning, the students participated in 10 different stations, including the cannonball brigade, crab soccer, noodle tag, tug-of-war, potato sack race and more. Best of all, the fifth grade students returned to their respective schools knowing that they made new friends and would see each other in the fall.

Date Added: 5/28/2025

Connetquot student-athletes proudly announced their commitments to continue competing in their sports at the collegiate level, including Division I, Division II, Division III and junior college programs during the May 20 College Recognition Ceremony for Athletes.

These talented seniors have demonstrated outstanding dedication, perseverance and passion both in the classroom and in their sport. Their hard work has earned them the opportunity to compete at the next level. Congratulations to all our committed athletes; your journey is just beginning!

Athletes Name	Sport	College	Division
Isabella Begonja	Cheer	Long Island University	I
Jamie Elliott	Lacrosse	Binghamton	I
A.J. Jeffares	Lacrosse	St. Johns University	I
Jadyn Llorens	Cheer	Long Island University	I
Taryn Murphy	Lacrosse	University of New Haven	I
Kaylin Mallon	Soccer	University of Kentucky	I
Carson Turissini	Lacrosse	Iona University	I
Julia Turk	Acro and Tumbling	Quinnipiac University	I
Essence Wright	Track	Rider University	I
Jenna Zachmann	Lacrosse	Radford University	I
Brandon Bartick	Baseball	College of Staten Island	II
Christie Clark	Soccer	Mercy University	II
Kaylee Diaz	Acro & Tumble	Wingate	II
Steven Frias	Football	American International College	II
John Guido	Lacrosse	Molloy University	II
Justin Hendrickson	Baseball	Wingate University	II
Martina Mileti	Track & Field & XC	Molloy University	II
Mikai Marks	Track	Molloy University	II
Colton Stellwagen	Lacrosse	Saint Leo University	II
Lucas Weaver	Lacrosse	Lincoln Memorial University	II
Dylan Wilkinson	Baseball	St. Thomas Aquinas	II
Emma Zinkowski	Tennis	Dominican University	II
Kasey Alvino	Soccer	Johnson & Wales	III
Andrew Amarando	Baseball	St. Joseph’s University - LI	III
Rachel Brunette	Soccer	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Dean Burchard	Soccer	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Madison Caputo	Soccer	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Dylan Cerone	Baseball	Misericordia University	III
Julianna Daina	Softball	St. Joseph’s University - Brooklyn	III
Isabella DeRenzo	Softball	St. Joseph’s University - LI	III
Addison Devery	Softball	Swarthmore College	III
Sydney Elizalde	Lacrosse	SUNY Cortland	III
Michael Empaynado	Baseball	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Megan Erdman	Basketball	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Gavin Gagliardi	Tennis	Marywood University	III
Matthew Galetta	Soccer	St. Joseph’s University - Brooklyn	III
Allie Hanzel	Cheer	University of Scranton	III

			Division
Greg Inserillo	Baseball	SUNY Broome	III
Lily Jonas	Cheer	SUNY Farmingdale	III
Alex Kudrick	Soccer	St. Joseph’s University - Brooklyn	III
Brayden Lane	Soccer	Kings College	III
Makayla Morganelli	Soccer	Suffolk Community College	III
Hayden Murphy	Lacrosse	St. Joseph’s University – LI	III
Liam Murphy	Baseball	SUNY Maritime	III
Brennan O’Connor	Volleyball	Baruch College	III
Luke Plana	Tennis	SUNY Farmingdale	III
Joe Scarabino	Baseball	New Paltz	III

Date Added: 5/22/2025

Ten talented Connetquot High School students participated in the BAFFA Juried Invitational High School Student Art Exhibition, and four were recognized for their outstanding work. Congratulations to G DiNero who earned first place in Ceramic Sculpture, Abby Mauleon who earned third place in Digital Art, Sophia Tax who earned honorable mention in Digital Art and Dean DeSiano who earned honorable mention in Mixed Media.

Additionally, congratulations to participating students Dylan Vecchiarello (Digital Art), Aidan Gleason (Mixed Media), Ryan Mandracchia (Ceramics), Konnor Mastrodicasa (Ceramics), Fabrizio Francucci (Ceramics) and Theresa O’Brien (Ceramic Sculpture).

Thank you to art teachers Mr. John Hargrave and Mr. Vincent Osmers for their dedication and for providing students with the opportunity to showcase their creativity and talent in this prestigious exhibition.

 

Click here to view the Connetquot High School Artists Shine at BAFFA Juried Invitational slideshow.

 

Date Added: 5/19/2025

On May 10, Connetquot High School welcomed a strong community turnout for the eighth annual Beats for Liam teen cardiac screening event, with 96 teens receiving free heart screenings aimed at detecting hidden cardiac anomalies.

The event was held in memory of Liam Regensburg, a Connetquot High School student who tragically passed away in his sleep on October 29, 2012 due to Sudden Cardiac Death. Liam was a healthy high school junior at the time, and his loss has fueled a mission to raise awareness and provide preventive screenings.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a silent threat, claiming the lives of thousands of young people each year. Often symptomless, SCA is caused by electrical irregularities in the heart that can be detected with a simple, non-invasive EKG.

Thanks to the Liam Regensburg Memorial Foundation, families had the opportunity to have their teens screened at no cost, potentially saving lives through early detection.

 

At Connetquot High School, students in Mrs. Doheny and Mr. Wilans’ elective social studies and English language arts courses, which explore the history, literature and lasting impact of the Holocaust, recently took a powerful journey through history using cutting-edge technology.

Through a partnership with the organization Spirit of Triumph, students participated in a fully immersive, 360-degree virtual reality tour of Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland. Spirit of Triumph’s mission is to teach students to confront injustice and build a future in which empathy triumphs over intolerance through virtual reality. 

Using virtual reality and audio headsets, the experience provided a deeply moving and educational opportunity, bringing students as close as possible to visiting the historic site without leaving the classroom.

Ahead of the experience, daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Alice Lambert, spoke to students about her father’s escape from Dachau Concentration Camp. After surviving for several days, he eventually made his way to England and then ultimately, the United States, where he joined the American armed forces. Once enlisted, he returned with American forces to Germany. Due to his knowledge of the land and his ability to speak German, he helped support the allies in their victory during the Battle of the Bulge. 

This initiative not only brought history to life but also showcased the potential of virtual reality as a transformative teaching tool. It allowed students to connect emotionally and intellectually with the past, deepening their understanding of the Holocaust.

Click here to view the Connetquot High School students experience Auschwitz through virtual reality slideshow.

Date Added: 5/8/2025