Birchwood Students Give LIRR A Makeover

A mural painted by students at Birchwood Intermediate School brightens the LIRR underpass in Huntington Station. The mural has gotten tons of positive feedback from the community, showing the children that what they are doing matters.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

Take a drive down New York Ave. past the Huntington LIRR station and feast your eyes upon the colorful and colossal mural that covers the walls underneath the rumbling trestles.

The mural is close to being completed, with only a few finishing touches left before a ribbon cutting ceremony set for Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. before the start of the Unity Day parade.

This new art installation comes as a gift to the Town of Huntington from Birchwood Intermediate School students who came together with their families and teachers to beautify the walls that are seen by many who are making their way into Huntington or to the train station.  Those working on the project began the first weekend of August and continued to work every weekend after to complete the massive undertaking.

“What was so special about the process, was the outpouring from the community as we were doing it, that was something that will stay with me forever,” Annie Michaelian, former Assistant Principal of Birchwood and one of the coordinators, said. “People would come by and beep and yell out, ‘Thank you! It looks awesome!’”

This project came as a once in a lifetime opportunity for the students grades 3-5 at Birchwood to leave their mark on the community of Huntington, while also learning the gift of service. Students volunteered for shifts on the weekends, where they would spend hours working together to paint the many elements the mural contains.

“When we come out of the classroom walls and do something like this, it teaches them a different kind of lesson,” Michaelian said. “It teaches them about giving back and having love for their community.”

Volunteers who worked on the mural will know they left their mark on Huntington when they pass by.

The idea for the project came from fifth-grade teacher, Barbara Wright, who had done a similar service with her Brownie Troop in Bayport, however not nearly at the same scale. She brought this idea to the SBM team at Birchwood, that is made up of teachers, students, administrators, and parents who work to bring the school and community together, and was immediately supported. This is when her and Michaelian came together to coordinate necessary planning, approvals, and supplies.

The team knew that an art project this massive would require a large amount of supplies and volunteers, but they lucked out with both. When the group contacted Aboff’s in Huntington about donating paint and supplies for the mural, the store was more than willing to help them. The group also needed painters to bring the project to life, so Michaelian set up an online volunteer form on the Birchwood school website where students, families, and staff could sign up. They were delighted to see the outpouring of people signing up from the school. With how many volunteers they had, Michaelian made specific shifts based on grade level that allowed students to work with their classmates.

“That way it was rotating and everyone got a chance to be involved,” Michaelian said. “I’ve never done this before, but it seemed so seamless, it was great.”

One stipulation to a child volunteering was that a parent was required to be with their child during the entire shift, so the coordinators were not responsible for over 20 children at once. But this allowed parents to have a more active role in their child’s project.

“It was so beautiful to see a child and their parent working together on such a beautiful project,” Michaelian said.

The mural’s bright and happy design comes from Huntington itself. When the SBM Team asked students what makes Huntington special, these are the images they created.

“Everything’s that’s on the walls is a child’s drawing from our school,” Michaelian said. “We guided them in terms of telling them, these are the elements of Huntington if they hadn’t known, then they did research on their own. They would visualize it then draw it in their own style.”

The student’s illustrations were then photoshopped by one of Wright’s friends to be scaled to the size of the wall so the group had approximate measurements. While working on the mural, many students would be eager to come back weekend after weekend to help paint.

“It was amazing to see that it was a newfound love for some kids, some that didn’t even realize they were artistic,” Michaelian said. “They didn’t realize they enjoyed this but walked away feeling like, ‘Wow, I want to do this for another project.’”

At the new mural, from left, are former assistant principal at Birchwood Intermediate School Annie Michaelian, Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci and Birchwood teacher Barbara Wright.

Michaelian hopes this project can be a catalyst for an increase in beautification projects from the school and within the community. There is all around good feelings from this project, from the community appreciating the wonderful creation to the students feeling the good can come from service.

“We know that the kids who were involved so much with it, when they pass by this year or ten years from now, when they see it they will be so proud of it,” Michaelian said.

Northport Family Gives Service Puppy Its Start

After a service dog was helpful to Cynthia DeStefanos daughter, the Northport mom is starting Orienne, a yellow Lab, a start on a career as a service animal.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

When the DeStefano family of Northport received an assistance dog for 12-year old Giavanna, three years ago, they fell in love with the dog and were impressed by how much he helped. So much so that they are now raising a puppy that will eventually assist someone else.

The non-profit Canine Companions for Independence is able to provide Giavanna and many other children, adults and veterans with disabilities with highly trained service animals at no cost, thanks to both financial donations and volunteers who help raise puppies. When the DeStefano family applied to receive one of the dogs, they were overjoyed to be matched with Harry V.

Their daughter, Giavanna was born with a genetic anomaly that makes her globally delayed. She has trouble with many tasks. This is where Harry comes in. He knows and obeys more than 50 commands, including opening and closing doors and helping Giavanna get her backpack on in the morning, and he guides her when she is unsteady on her feet.

“When we’re at a restaurant and my daughter drops something, he’s the first one to get it,” Giavanna’s mother, Cynthia DeStefano, said. “If she falls, he’s the first one to go to her and give her physical support.”

Harry went through the same process as the dog the DeStefanos are raising. Orienne II will be raised by the family for 12-18 months then undergo six months of advanced training at the organization’s facilities.

“After seeing what everyone did to get our dog to where he is, I said, ‘If and when I can do it, I would like to be a puppy raiser,’ Cynthia DeStefano said. “It’s the time to give back, they’ve done so much for us,”

If Orienne is among the dogs in training who succeed, the dog will assist someone with special needs in the future.

The family took in Orienne at 12 weeks old just more than a month ago and already Cynthia has seen the dog  grow before her eyes. Orienne will be taught basic commands but what’s more important is that she will learn socialization in public places with people and other animals. Luckily, Orienne, a mix of labrador and golden retrievers, is naturally calm and observant. She is adapting well to living with another dog and mimics the dog’s actions.

“She wants do what he does, DeStefano said. “She actually did a command that she wouldn’t even learn until advanced training. She was like, ‘Well if he can do that, I can do that.’ and she follows him.”

Commands are crucial to an assistance animal’s service. Since Giavanna is non-verbal, she, Cynthia and Harry are a three-person team.  When he is commanded, he is a major asset to the family.

“We went to the doctor and she had to get a shot, so he does a command called, ‘visit’ and he puts his head across her and stays there,” DeStefano said. “So she’s distracted and doesn’t realize she’s getting a shot, she’s petting him and he keeps her calm in that moment.”

Assistance animals are permitted in public areas where animals are typically not allowed. Orienne has been exposed to many different places, including church, Northport village, and stores, which gives her a chance to meet people and learn how to behave properly in public.

The DeStefanos also bring Orienne to puppy class where she learns new commands and her progress is monitored.

“We have to do a monthly report and there’s lots of different questions on there about their physical condition, eating, how they’re doing,” DeStefano said. “We do that every month and have vet appointments to follow as well.”

It’s crucial that the dog’s progress is evaluated often, so Canine Companions knows sooner rather than later if the dog will be able to be a service animal. Only four out of 10 dogs will actually make it through advanced training to become assistance dogs. The dogs must meet rigorous standards regarding their emotional and physical abilities.

“In our group, there were people with all different kinds of disabilities and age ranges, so you can’t place a dog that might have something that’s not good enough for those people,” DeStefano said. “Those people really rely physically on those dogs for so many actions every day that if there’s even a possibility the dog won’t be able to fulfill everything that somebody needs, they can’t place it.”

Cynthia is choosing to stay positive during the process and hopes Orienne will make it through the eight weeks of advanced training, then be matched with a family like her own.

“Everyone asks me, ‘How are you gonna give her up?’ It’s because she’s being raised to do something really good for somebody, so I know it’s the right thing,” DeStefano said.

If Orienne is able to make it to advanced training, during the second week the DeStefanos will attend a graduation ceremony where diplomas are handed out and the leashes are handed over to the new Grad Team. Whether or not they have contact with Orienne once she is matched with a family is up to the new owners. Luckily, the boy that raised Harry lives on Long Island which gives him a chance to see the dog.

After raising Orienne, Cynthia said would definitely consider raising more dogs for Canine Companions for Independence. Those interested in becoming a puppy raiser for the organization, can visit cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.

Festival Promotes Unity In The Community

Unity Day honorees and special guests following last year’s awards ceremony.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Students from school districts around the town of Huntington will join members of the community Saturday for the Unity in the Community Parade and Fair to celebrate Huntington Awareness Day.

Dolores Thompson and the Huntington Enrichment Center started Huntington Awareness Day in 2010 with the vision of creating an event that highlighted the “inclusivity, diversity and commonality of our town,” according to South Huntington Superintendent Dr. David Bennardo.

In the last few years several local school districts got involved to help grow the event and increase participation among students. Bennardo said South Huntington School Board President and Town Attorney Nicholas Ciappetta suggested that the district reach out to Thompson to co-sponsor the event.

“We are such a center of diversity and so proud of it in the town,” Bennardo said. “We were thrilled because it’s so much of what we’re about.”

The Huntington and South Huntington school districts were the first to become involved, but this year Harborfields, Elwood and Northport  school districts will also take part in the parade and fair that “stress the commonalities and the things that make us the same rather then the things that divide us.”

This year the parade kicks off at 11 a.m. from Huntington High School, and marchers head south on Oakwood Road to Stimson Middle School. The fair at Stimson Middle School will run until around 4 p.m., and feature games, bounce houses, food trucks and other activities.

“To me the parade is the most powerful visual representation of our mosaic of diversity in the Town of Huntington,” Bennardo said. “You’ll be able to look down Oakwood Road and see everything from a Huntington, South Huntington or Harborfields musician, to a Northport student advocate, to an Elwood teacher of diversity.”

After the parade, honorees from each of the school districts at the event will receive an award for their outstanding commitment to the community. The honorees come from all walks of like and range in age from 18 years old to nearly 90.

“There’s no other parade or event you’ll find that has students, businesses, clergy, administrators, teachers and police officers from so many different communities together in one place for one common cause,” Bennardo said.

Bennardo said he felt it was important for students to get involved in an event like Huntington Awareness Day because “students are open minded.”

He said, “By allowing the schools to become so involved, we gave a natural avenue for students to teach us about the importance of diversity and tolerance.”