On Dec. 14, two of West Babylon Senior High School’s Science Olympiad teams traveled to Connecticut to compete at a Science Olympiad invitational. Joined by 19 teams from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island, West Babylon students competed in 23 different STEM events.

Coached by Andrea Durbin, West Babylon’s Science Olympiad teams compete at invitationals to help prepare for the annual regional competition – of which only the top six teams will move on to the state competition.

At the Connecticut Invitational, West Babylon’s Team A finished in fifth place while West Babylon’s Team B finished in 14th. Medals were awarded to the top three finishing teams in each event. The following students were awarded medals in their individual events:

* Second place in Air Trajectory: Melanie Jastrzebski and Nicole Rex
* Third place in Air Trajectory: James Graham and Leo Jin
* First place in Astronomy: Addie Eglin and Magdalena Obrycki
* Second place in Fossils: Addie Eglin and Erin Fider
* Third place in Wind Power: Julian Cruz and Magdalena Obrycki
* Second place in Write It Do It: Gabbie Gorczynski and Sofia Fuentes

Click here to view the Science Olympiad Teams Make Mark at Competition slideshow.

Date Added: 1/3/2024

In September 2023, a large beech tree, estimated to be more than 100 years old, was removed from the front of West Babylon Senior High School. The tree was a safety concern, as many of the limbs rotted.

The district was able to salvage some of the lumber during the tree removal process. West Babylon Senior High School technology teacher Gene Rogovitz and several students took the salvaged lumber and created two gifts to present to the board of education. The pieces were titled “Art and Artifact.”

The project involved sanding the unfinished cross section of a limb, pouring an epoxy resin and placing a picture of former West Babylon High School students from the class of 1968 inside the epoxy. The piece is titled “The Rings of Time.”

The second piece of the wood was cut, sanded, stained and a piece of laser-engraved plexiglass was mounted on top with the West Babylon phrase “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.” The phrase was engraved on top of the doors of the West Babylon Main School, a school originally built in the 1930s.

Date Added: 12/17/2024

West Babylon Senior High School student-musician Grace Rossi performed with the New York State School Music Association’s All-State orchestra on Dec. 7 and 8 in Rochester. The ensemble was made up of 81 top music students from across all of New York State. Rossi was one of just 14 violists to be selected to the ensemble. She is pictured with West Babylon Senior High School Principal Stephen O’Leary, orchestra teacher Chris Patruno, Music Chairman Bryan Heaton and guidance counselor Emily Hassett.

Date Added: 12/16/2024

West Babylon Senior High School students visited the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Dec. 7 to conduct X-ray protein crystallography under the guidance of teacher Andrea Durbin.

As a part of BNL’s Student Partnership for Advanced Research and Knowledge program, high schoolers joined students from Longwood, Islip, Eastport-South Manor, Connetquot and Harborfields in a collaborative effort to study and resolve the 3D structure of proteins that are currently unknown. Proteins are organic compounds that are responsible for many functions within living organisms. The protein being studied by the West Babylon students was one that may have a role in individuals with cystic fibrosis.

The SPARK program allows high school students to work directly with BNL's scientists. Participants obtain real research experience while utilizing BNL’s cutting-edge facilities. Once completed, the research conducted by these students will be published in a national database as well as presented at a symposium at the end of the year to Brookhaven’s scientific community. West Babylon Senior High School students involved included Nicole Rex, Joel Colas, Julian Cruz, Maria Moreno Lopez, Erin Fider, Nandini Ramesh, Dheera Misra, Melanie Jastrzebski and Saad Syed.

Date Added: 12/13/2024

West Babylon Senior High School students put their fitness skills to the test as they participated in the Army Fitness Challenge on Nov. 12. During their physical education classes, students were divided into groups and went head-to-head against their classmates – as well as other school districts – to see if they had what it takes to be Army strong.

Local Army soldiers took over the physical education classes as part of the challenge. Students rotated through various stations where they also learned about living a healthy lifestyle and the importance of being active. The four stations – buddy carry, modified sprint/weighted carry relay, cross functional fitness relay and Hex bar lifts/teambuilding – challenged their physical strength but encouraged students to work together.

Additionally, the West Babylon classes will have their times at each station compared with other schools in the area to potentially earn the title of the Army’s Certified Fittest School.

Click here to view the Army Challenge Tests West Babylon Students 2024 slideshow.

Date Added: 11/18/2024