Local Students Give Back to The Troops

Students from both Waverly Park School in East Rockaway and the are in the giving mood this holiday season.

Fifth graders at Lynbrook’s Waverly Park School have been busy creating "Cornaments" for their adopted soldier Lieutenant Durso's platoon in Afghanistan.

These holiday cards that double as ornaments are filled with positive words and encouraging thoughts. This is just one of many community service projects the students have taken up as part of their “Be the Change” campaign.

For the second year in a row at the , children collected "goodies" for the armed forces in Afghanistan.

This year, with the help of Naval Reservist Paul Martino, a 1989 graduate of the collection will go to a naval unit stationed in Afghanistan under the command of Beth Greenwood.

Students, parents and staff contributed items for the care package. Teachers also participated in two "Jean Days" and together were able to raise enough funds to fully pay for the costs of postage. The event was organized by staff member Meryl Cohn.

Also in the spirit of holiday giving, the Lynbrook Kindergarten Center has been actively involved with the John Theissen Toy Drive for the past 15 years. Staff members, students and their families have generously donated holiday gifts to help the John Theissen Children’s Foundation bring holiday cheer to ill and underprivileged children.