Yes, we know teams can’t “redshirt” themselves.... but we did it anyway for the 2025 Special Olympics New York Polar Bear Plunge. Next year, we will be back!
We’re grateful to officials from Special Olympics New York’s Hudson Valley chapter who visited us this past Friday, Dec. 5, to present us with the 2024 Cool School Challenge Trophy (we raised $4,022) and brought celebratory pizza for anyone from the 2024 team who was able to attend. They gratefully recognized the efforts of the 2024 team and are completely energized to work with us to get an awesome team in place for 2026.
However, the trophy didn’t stay in our possession very long. It’s now in the safekeeping of our friends at the nearby Chester School District, the Cool School Challenge winner for the 2025 plunge at The Rez in Highland Mills. Congratulations, Chester, but you better watch out: We’re coming after you in 2026 to reclaim our title!
Thank you to everyone who supported the High School’s Youth Against Cancer (YAC) Club’s effort to bring awareness to the many health issues impacting men in November, particularly during its Nov. 21 GOING BLUE DAY. The group’s coin jar collection efforts at Perino’s Market, Slate Hill Market and Callie's Coffee Café raised $121.50. THANK YOU to everyone who donated to these jars and to our friends at Perino’s, Slate Hill Market and Callie’s Coffee Café for agreeing to have these jars on display.
But... it gets better! A Buildings & Grounds collection drive raised an additional $325. THANK YOU to everyone who donated! All these funds will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, a favorite charity of retired Maintenance Mechanic Joseph Palazzo, who initiated the district’s men’s health awareness initiative years back, with funds raised donated to St. Jude.
And... it still gets better! Mr. Palazzo, though retired from the district but who holds the St. Jude mission in high regard, IS MATCHING the amount raised! A GRAND TOTAL of $893 will be donated to St. Jude, which treats children with serious illnesses and finds cures, no matter their family’s ability to pay. THANK YOU, THANK YOU ---this total amount is the highest amount ever collected!
Don't make lunch, remind your student to pick up lunch (and breakfast) too!
VERY COOL STUFF! Gel electrophoresis is a laboratory method used to separate DNA, RNA or proteins based on their size by pushing them through a gel with an electric current. Smaller pieces move faster and farther than larger ones.
Brendan McGann’s College Biology and College Forensic Science students did just that in their recent gel electrophoresis lab. The separated (by size) DNA fragments allowed students to analyze genetic differences, which is useful to track evolutionary ties and observe genetic similarities for a variety of reasons.
Students prepared an agarose gel, carefully pipetted their DNA samples into wells and applied an electric current across the gel. Because DNA carries a negative charge, the fragments migrate toward the positive end, smaller pieces move faster and farther, while larger pieces lag behind. After the run, the students viewed the separated fragments as distinct bands, each telling a piece of the DNA story.
Not only did students see how DNA can be separated by size, they had the opportunity to practice scientific skills such as micro measuring, pipetting and preparing reagents; apply biology concepts; and have a better understanding of real-world biotechnology tools. These gains in experience allow them to grow from learners into capable young scientists in the fields of genetics, forensics, biotechnology and microbiology research!
WOW! SIMPLY AMAZING!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the recent High School FLBA Food Drive! The group shattered its past collection drive efforts with over 1,000 items donated, weighing an estimated 800 pounds! The FBLA Club will be making a very healthy donation to Minisink Cares, the group which distributes the food to the community. Thank you for helping those who are coping with food insecurity; your donations will make a difference!
Class of 2019 alumnus Sarah Wolff, a third-year PhD student at Texas A&M University in its College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, met with students. She’s part of the research team which discovered a fibroblast growth factor (FGF) — a type of protein — capable of regenerating an entire finger joint, including articular cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
Researchers were able to implant different FGFs into tissues that normally don’t regenerate and they found one — FGF8 — that can regenerate a complete joint and the beginnings of a fingertip. While FGF8 can’t regenerate some recognizable elements like a fingernail, its discovery is an important step toward full-limb regeneration. Ms. Wolff's project specifically uses FGF8 to regenerate joints after amputation in mammals.
“Our expectation is that if we can figure out all the factors that regenerate a finger, then we could apply those factors anywhere on the rest of the arm, or even a leg, and regrow a limb,” Dr. Lindsay Dawson, assistant professor in the VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, said in published reports.
Ms. Wolff, who is Dr. Dawson’s graduate student, noted that joint regeneration is associated with less mature tissues and she is driven to understand is how can joint regeneration across the lifespan can be stimulated.
Ms. Wolff earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science, with an Equine Science minor, from Penn State in 2023, where she was also a member of the equestrian riding team as well as clubs relating to research in her field of study.
More speakers are planned for this Science Speakers Series. Please join us in thanking Ms. Wolff for taking the time to meet with students and show and talk to them about the wonderful possibilities that can become a reality with hard work and determination.
In the Nov. 21 NYSPHSAA Regional Championship game, our Varsity Football team played with grit, intense resolve, determination and unbelievable drive and effort, but will not be advancing to the next level of state competition after the 42-12 final score against Rye.
We are beyond proud of this year's Varsity Team...they are the 2025 Section IX champions who finished Section IX play undefeated....the first undefeated season in 17 years!
They came to every game, including tonight's game, well-prepared and represented Minisink with honor and distinction. These talented young men are always winners to us!
Please join us in congratulating the players and coaches and everyone associated with team for a spectacular season. They will be back next year... stronger than ever!
SIMPLY AMAZING! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED…and to our friends Cuginos for being a part of this effort!
The High School’s Youth Against Cancer Club raised $516 at its recent GO PINK Coin Drop at Cuginos. And…how wonderful is this: The High School’s FBLA donated $300 to this fundraiser from the High School Store’s sales for the PINK OUT game held that same evening. What a wonderful demonstration of high school club camaraderie!
The donation was presented to the Oncology Unit at Garnet Medical Center in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Nov. 19. Club President, Board of Education Ex-Officio Student Member and Senior Heather Day presented the $816 check to Jessica Gerlach, R.N., Garnet’s manager of radiation oncology and clinical trials; and Tanya Camacho, R.N. and Katelin Trainor, R.N., infusion and radiation nurses.
High School Math Teacher Sue Papa is proud to share that the High School’s newly formed NAMI on Campus MV Club (NAMI means the National Alliance on Mental Illness), supported by NAMI of Orange County, recently completed its first successful event! Following recent suicide prevention assemblies, club members, led junior by Abby Rogers, offered suicide prevention kits, donated by Act Through Music, to interested students during lunch periods. There were also key chains, stickers, wristbands other important resources available for students to take, courtesy of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hudson Valley/Westchester.
“The students are very passionate about raising awareness and breaking stigmas around mental health,” said Ms. Papa, who is the club’s advisor. “They’re looking forward to building connections and creating a mental health toolkit that will promote healthy minds through healthy habits.”
If your student is interested in being a part of this group, have them email Ms. Papa at spapa@minisink.com
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During their visit, students learned about the wide range of academic programs, student services, and campus resources available. They even met some alumni who were proud to share their experiences and insights about SUNY Orange life! This is the first time that the Counseling Department has arranged a group visit to an area college/university and more are planned!
“The club takes pride in helping to keep Minisink beautiful,” said Advisor Seth Johnson. “This is one of several community service events that FBLA participates in throughout the course of the year."
Did you know Minisink Valley’s Facebook page features thousands of great photos and information which show what’s going on at Otisville Elementary, Minisink Valley Elementary, Minisink Valley Intermediate School, Minisink Valley Middle School and Minisink Valley High School?
Over 8,400 people (and growing!) in the greater Minisink Valley area “follow” the district’s page. Join them! It’s a great source of information!
Visit the district's Facebook page and be sure to “like” us: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
•Eighth-grader Natalie Wargo placed sixth in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 500-yard freestyle.
•Freshman Madyson Thorpe placed sixth in diving
•Treven Costello placed 15th in the 100 breaststroke
•Madison Jennings placed 12th in Diving
•Malunga Kinzonzi, Olivia Bohr, Madyson Thorpe, Natalie Wargo and Treven Costello also participated in the relays. The medley relay placed 14th, the 200-yard free relay placed 15th, and the 400-yeard free relay placed 14th.
The High School’s National Honor Society hosted its annual Veterans Dinner on Nov. 5, to honor local veterans as Veterans Day nears. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to honor and show gratitude to local veterans for their service and sacrifices, while giving NHS members an opportunity to express patriotism, practice civic responsibility and connect with their community by hearing firsthand accounts of bravery and service.
Thank you to all NHS members, including Gavin McGinnis, Faith Padavano, Hana Ebbert, and Heather Day, who sang the National Anthem; members of the high school band, led by Mitchell Demberg, for their musical performance, and Vincent Galligan IV, who played Taps, for their work to make the evening memorable. Most importantly, thank you to our many veteran friends for attending and THANK YOU for your service and sacrifice.
Part of their work has been working through the scale size of the solar system. Mr. Napolitano “shrunk” the Sun and other terrestrial planets by a factor of one inch = 100,000 miles. This makes the Sun approximately the size of a bowling bowl while Earth and Venus are about the of a peppercorn.
In a class lab, students had to use this scale to correctly place Mercury (the size of a pinhead) the correct distance from the Sun…in seven minutes’ time! At the end of that time, some groups determined that Mercury should be placed approximately 30 feet away from the Sun using this scale.
Then, Mr. Napolitano took his classes outdoors. Using a bowling ball to represent the Sun (and its scaled size), students did distance calculations from the Sun using scaled sizes for Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. A student walked 10 paces away from the bowling ball to simulate the distance from the Sun to Mercury; an additional nine paces for Venus; an additional 17 paces for the Earth; and an additional 14 paces for Mars. When students moved to the Earth’s distance from the Sun (36 total paces), the bowling ball (Sun) would appear in the students’ point of view as the same size the Sun does in the ski.
This outdoor work definitely gave them a perspective of how big the universe, how far planets are from the Sun and the size of the Sun in relation to its planets.
And, just for fun, Mr. Napolitano told them the travel time needed to reach some of those planets:
•Earth’s Moon: Three days and 4 hours to travel
•Jupiter: Five years
•Pluto: Straight travel time and speed 43 years (with using gravity from other planets, 9.5 years)
•To the closest star called Proxima Centauri (4.2 light years away): 60,000 years using our current technology (And, on this scale, using the Sun as a bowling ball, Proxima Centauri would be 4,200 miles away from us.)
#9 Captain Ava Downing
Ava has been on the Minisink girls’ varsity soccer team for five years. Next year, Ava will pursue a nursing degree at SUNY Orange. Ava’s parting message: “Thank you Minisink soccer for the valuable lessons, happy memories, and most importantly --- a family. I am so grateful for all of my coaches and teammates who have helped me along the way. This was the best senior season I could ever ask for, and I am going to miss you all so much.”
#15 Keira Filip
Keira has been a member of the varsity girls’ soccer team for three years. She is still making her college selection, but plans to play softball and study nursing. Keira’s parting words are: “Thank you for all the laughs and jokes. Enjoy every little bit and keep on smiling and have fun!”
#12 Samantha Kassel
Sam is finishing her third year on varsity girls soccer. Next fall, Sam will attend the University of Rhode Island where she will study Biology. Sam’s parting words are: “You are exactly where you’re meant to be. Enjoy every moment and always seize the day!”
#6 Jazlin Luna
Jazlin has played on the varsity team for two and half years and she plans to pursue a degree in Elementary Education at LaFayette University. Jazlin’s parting message is: “Thank you to everyone for your support on the team, the laughs and help I received both at practice and on the field. I’m thankful for the time spent this season and wish nothing but the best to every player moving forward. “
#2 Jaida Macaluso
Jaida has been on the Minisink girls’ varsity soccer team for five years. Next year, she plans to major in Education of Arts. Her parting message: “Life is a movie. Don’t blink, you might miss it.”
#1 Captain Kate O’Neill. Kate has played on the varsity team for six years. In the fall, Kate will attend Misericordia University where she will play soccer and pursue a degree in Education. Kate wishes to say to her team: “Thank you all for great laughs and memories! It goes by so fast. Remember to have fun, work hard and be kind. Love you all!”
#16 Captain Olivia Pollock
Olivia has been on the Minisink girls varsity soccer team for four years. In the fall, she will pursue a degree in medical imaging. Olivia’s parting message: “It’s not about being the best, it’s about trying your best.”
#10 Avery Wingen
Avery has been on our varsity soccer team for two years. Next year, Avery would like to major in Education. Avery’s parting words: “I've made so many friends and memories with this team. Remember to play hard, keep laughing, and don’t take it for granted.”
