Center Moriches High School, Patchogue-Medford High School and The Wheatley School in Old Westbury have been named National Banner Unified Champion Schools by Special Olympics North America.

The designation, which was awarded to nine schools statewide, recognizes “excellence and leadership in creating inclusive school communities” where students with and without disabilities are on the same sports teams and in the same physical education classes, according to Special Olympics New York.

The schools join 36 others statewide that have already achieved National Banner status, which marks the “highest level of achievement” for Unified Champion Schools, the organization said.

“Students, coaches and administrators in our Unified Champion Schools are the leaders of the Inclusion Revolution,” Special Olympics New York President and CEO Stacey Hengsterman said in a statement. “We are honored to recognize their truly incredible work to accept, include and celebrate all students.”

To earn the designation, a school must meet 10 “standards of excellence” developed by the Special Olympics. These standards include whole-school engagement, which is when activities include all students and staff, and inclusive youth leadership, which is when students “of all abilities are given opportunities to be leaders,” according to the organization.

Center Moriches, for example, has unified physical education classes and basketball, bowling and TopGolf teams.

“We are honored to receive such an impressive distinction and will continue to bring people together through sports, leadership and inclusive events,” superintendent Ricardo Soto said.

DEER PARK

Outdoor classroom

John Quincy Adams Primary School recently unveiled a new outdoor classroom that features blackboards and benches that transform into tables, created by head groundsman Phil Cortese, according to school officials. 

“Creating a space for our students has long been a dream of ours,” Principal Christopher Molinelli said. 

MASTIC BEACH

Department of the Year

William Floyd High School’s Business Education Department has been named Department of the Year by the Business Teachers Association of New York State in recognition of its commitment to business education.

The department, which has an enrollment of nearly 1,500 students, offers courses in three pathways: accounting, small business management and Microsoft Office specialist. It also offers extracurricular activities including a Business Honor Society, Business Service Club and Future Business Leaders of America Club.

This is the seventh time the department has earned the designation since 2003, school officials said.

ISLANDWIDE

Coca-Cola semifinalists

Twenty-seven Long Island students are among 1,238 nationwide named semifinalists for their leadership skills, academic achievements and community service in the Coca-Cola Scholars Program, which will issue $20,000 scholarships this spring to 150 “scholars,” according to the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

Semifinalists and their school districts: Makayla Bowman, Bellmore-Merrick; Ashley Reyes, Central Islip; Emily Zheng, East Meadow; Jaden Kwon, East Williston; Emma Ding, Madeleine Lennox, Charlotte Nerayoff and Julia Xu, Great Neck; AnnaBelle Deaner, Blake Rabinowitz and Emma Wilck, Half Hollow Hills in Dix Hills; Jacob Wolmetz, Hauppauge; Farhan Ishraq, Herricks; Grant Creedon, Locust Valley; Chloe Eng, Manhasset; Maxwell Greenberg, Oceanside; Francisco Martinez, Plainedge in North Massapequa; Amanda Klein and Rebecca Rabinovich, Plainview-Old Bethpage; Kieran Casey, Port Jefferson; Sophia Smyth, Rocky Point; Naraly Ceballos, Sachem; Alexandra Saccone, Sewanhaka; Elizabeth Estrada, Southold; and Grace Liu, Yiran Liu and Ethan Schwarz, Syosset.

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.