Students Create Tetrahedron Models

Students in Laurie O’Neill’s Smithtown High School East Design and Drawing for Production (DDP) Class recently worked together to create tetrahedron models using straws, string, and tissue paper. A tetrahedron (plural: tetrahedra) is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, three of which meet at each vertex. A regular tetrahedron is one in which the four triangles are regular, or "equilateral", and is one of the Platonic solids. The models are then combined to make larger tetrahedrons, and students compare the ratios of edge length, area, and volume of the models in an attempt to understand scaling factors. Principals of flight are also addressed. Tetrahedrals are an interesting design for a kite. You have lots of scope to explore, and you can build large and different kites without changing your basic design. The kite is a geometrical frame which is covered by sail. It is cellular and can be expanded easily just by tacking on more cells. It is also a very strong ridged structure so that you can use very light and flimsy materials. This class also counts towards art credit.

Live Election Coverage

Be sure to join SmithtownRadio.com's James Brierton, Megan Russ, Dean Laurence and Amanda Boitano for LIVE ELECTION COVERAGE beginning at 7 pm et. They'll be broadcasting until all the results are in. As well, they'll be taking your calls and e-mails. So be sure to log onto www.SmithtownRadio.com to join the interactive broadcast!

Mini College Day

Mini College Day took place on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at Smithtown High School East and Smithtown High School West. Over 50 colleges were in attendance and representatives met with hundreds of juniors and seniors. The students brought their college questions and had the opportunity to speak to representatives and request additional information.

Coordination of the Mini College program is rotated every two years through members of the North Shore Consortium. The North Shore Consortium is comprised of twelve High Schools that run two annual College Fairs each year. The college admissions staff from 50 schools travels to each of the participating high schools in a one week period in both the Fall and the Spring. Dorothy Caputo and Amy Insana, School Counselors, are the current coordinators for Smithtown CSD.

East Senior is Keynote Speaker at Junior National Leaders Conference

Senior Philomena Bubaris, known more cmmonly as Philly, was the Keynote Speaker at the Junior National Leaders Conference in Washington, DC on October 28th 2008. She addressed approximately 300 future leaders of America by speaking to high achieving middle school students representing almost every one of the 50 states. Philly was nominated by the faculty advisors after attending the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC this past summer and was selected after submitting an outline of a speech that would motivate future leaders of America. Phase II of the competition involved a conference call interview with the organizers of this program. She was then chosen to address the middle school student leaders in Washington.