On Friday, May 30, student teams from Vernon School and Theodore Roosevelt School proudly represented the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District at the Nassau County Games for the Physically Challenged, held at Mitchell Field. Joined by dedicated teaching staff and supportive student volunteers from Oyster Bay High School, the day was filled with energy, enthusiasm and teamwork.

The Games, now in their 39th year, provide an inspiring platform for physically challenged youth to compete in adapted athletic events that highlight their strength, determination and skill. Students participated in a variety of competitions including track and field events, mini golf and more—each tailored to meet the unique needs and abilities of the athletes.

Oyster Bay-East Norwich is deeply proud of our students who took part in this meaningful event, exemplifying courage, sportsmanship and school spirit. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff and high school students who made the day even more special through their encouragement and assistance.

The Nassau County Games for the Physically Challenged remain a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusion, ability-focused competition and community support. Congratulations to all our student-athletes for making Oyster Bay-East Norwich proud!

 

Date Added: 6/2/2025

On May 21, a group of Oyster Bay High School students brought powerful stories and a love of literature to the second grade classroom of Ms. Wagenhauser and Ms. Surace at Theodore Roosevelt.

The high schoolers are enrolled in the ELA elective “Cultural Mirrors in Literature and Film”, taught by Dr. Maria Kim. As part of their studies, they’ve been reading and analyzing children’s books that explore cultural identity, family heritage and the richness of diverse voices. For this special collaborative session, they visited Roosevelt to share those stories with younger students.

Gathered around classroom tables, the high school students read aloud to small groups of 2–3 second graders, engaging them in meaningful stories and discussions. Some of the featured titles included:

* “Rainbow Hopping” by Qing Zhuang
* “The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest” by Ellen Jackson
* “Abuelita and Me” by Leonarda Carranza
* “Sofia Valdez, Future Prez” by Andrea Beaty
* “Malala’s Magic Pencil” by Malala Yousafzai
* “Watercress” by Andrea Wang

The event created a bridge between grade levels and was a hands-on way for older students to put their learning into practice while inspiring curiosity and empathy in their younger peers.

“Cultural Mirrors in Literature and Film” is “a literacy journey that celebrates diversity and expands your worldview,” encouraging students to explore how storytelling can bridge cultures and ignite meaningful conversations. The elective includes texts by Alice Walker, Edwidge Danticat and Thi Bui, as well as films that highlight America’s multicultural landscape.

By sharing these narratives with second graders, the OBHS students not only deepened their own understanding of the stories but also helped spark a love of reading and cultural awareness in the next generation of learners.

Click here to view the High schoolers share diverse cultural stories with second graders at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary slideshow.

Date Added: 5/30/2025

The Oyster Bay High School Annual Art Show was a vibrant celebration of student creativity, talent, and self-expression. Held throughout two levels of the school building, the exhibition featured an impressive array of artwork from students in grades 7–12.

The show included pieces in a variety of mediums—ceramics, photography, drawing, painting, digital art, and mixed media—each one reflecting the unique voice and vision of its creator. Visitors were treated to a dynamic and inspiring showcase of the hard work and artistic growth of Oyster Bay’s young artists.

Special thanks go to the dedicated art department team—Mr. Boris, Ms. Miley, and Ms. Randazzo—whose guidance and passion continue to foster a love for the arts and support students in finding their creative voices.

Click here to view the Oyster Bay High School Annual Art Show Celebrates Student Creativity slideshow.

Date Added: 5/29/2025

Oyster Bay High School is proud to announce that three of its students have been honored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) for their exceptional writing in the 2025 Achievement Awards in Writing contest.

Giovanna Lisa earned the Superior designation, Mosie Bradley received an Excellent distinction and Riley Baehr was awarded a Merit rating. These accolades reflect the students’ strong command of language, creativity and individual voice - hallmarks of the NCTE’s rigorous evaluation criteria.

These students were nominated by Dr. Deirdre Faughey, who teaches AP Language and Composition, AP Research and College English at Oyster Bay High School. Dr. Faughey also serves as adviser to the school's chapter of Quill & Scroll, the international honor society for high school journalists. By entering students in the Achievement Awards in Writing contest, she continues to champion the importance of writing and literary development at OBHS.

The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing program, established in 1957 encourages young writers to develop their skills and celebrate their literary talents. In 2025, a total of 680 students were nominated by schools across 41 states, Washington D.C. and internationally from countries including China, Guatemala, Jordan, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Thailand.

Submissions were judged by two to three independent reviewers who assessed each piece holistically for content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development and style. The four-tiered recognition system includes First Class, Superior, Excellent and Merit.

Congratulations to Giovanna, Mosie, and Riley on this outstanding achievement, and to Dr. Faughey for her continued commitment to fostering a culture of excellence in writing.

To learn more about the NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing, visit ncte.org/awards/achievement-awards-in-writing.

 

Oyster Bay High School’s student-run news team, Bay News Now (BNN), made a powerful impression at the Broadcast Alliance for Senior High (BASH) Awards yesterday at Hofstra University. Competing against more than 40 high schools from Nassau, Suffolk, New York City and Westchester, the OBHS team took home three top honors, demonstrating excellence in student broadcast journalism.

The BASH Awards celebrate the best in high school broadcast journalism, highlighting the storytelling, reporting and production talents of students across the region. OBHS’s BNN team earned first place for Best News Package, with reporting by Madeline Mathews and photography by Noah Kingsley. They also received third place in the Human Interest Story category, with roles reversed - reporting by Noah Kingsley and photography by Madeline Mathews. The team also placed third for Best Short Broadcast/Daily Show, which featured anchors Madeline Mathews and Noah Kingsley, weatherman Henry Briggs, and a behind-the-scenes crew including Eva (Eden) Juretschko, Sienna Stewart and AnaLuz Ferrer working in the control room and on camera.

These accomplishments are a testament to the hard work and creativity of OBHS students and the dedicated leadership of their teacher and advisor, Mr. Alex Dollin. A former morning show producer at News 12, Mr. Dollin brings real-world industry experience to the classroom and inspires his students to pursue meaningful stories and strive for professional production standards. Under his guidance, the BNN team has quickly become known for its high-quality content - so much so that the anchors were recently featured in interviews on News 12 and FOX 5 News. The FOX 5 segment can be viewed here [https://www.fox5ny.com/video/1645968].

This success comes as OBHS marks the one-year anniversary of its broadcast studio, a milestone that reflects how far the program has come in just twelve months. Since launching the studio, the school has replaced traditional morning announcements with a live daily show, entirely produced, written and anchored by students. This hands-on approach to broadcast journalism gives students career and technical education (CTE) training that is rare among Long Island high schools. Everything is taught in-house, with students gaining real experience in television production, investigative reporting, field reporting, writing and producing digital content - and even professional and financial skills for the media workplace.

The OBHS multimedia journalism and television production program is part of a CTE-endorsed pathway, offering students the opportunity to earn a CTE endorsement on their high school diploma. This credential signifies that a student has completed a rigorous, state-approved course of study in a specific career field, combining academic coursework with real-world learning and culminating in a technical assessment or industry-recognized credential. The endorsement signals to colleges and employers that a student possesses specialized skills and knowledge, giving them a competitive edge in both college admissions and the job market.

Thanks to the vision of Mr. Dollin and the enthusiasm of OBHS students, the BNN program has grown into a model of excellence in student media. The recent accolades at the BASH Awards are just one reflection of the program’s incredible momentum and its bright future.

Click here to view the Oyster Bay High School’s Bay News Now wins big at BASH Awards slideshow.

 

Date Added: 5/23/2025