Sixth graders at Lynbrook North Middle School learned the true meaning of never giving up during a visit from longtime amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient and activist Chris Pendergast on April 17. Mr. Pendergast founded the ALS Ride for Life organization after he was diagnosed to teach others about ALS and raise money for research and services for patients and their families. 

Unable to speak due to the debilitating neurodegenerative disease, Ride for Life volunteer April Victor helped Mr. Pendergast tell his story to the students which he shared through a computer. Ms. Victor educated students on how ALS affects a person and their families and provided facts about the disease. Mr. Pendergast reflected on when he was diagnosed and his drive to fight. He told students that instead of complaining about his situation, he decided to be part of the solution and since then, has made it his mission to find a cure for ALS. 

The students learned more about Ride for Life through an inspiring and motivational video. The video featured media clips of Mr. Pendergast riding in his electric wheelchair from Yankee Stadium to Washington, D.C. Since then, the Ride for Life event has become an annual tradition for the organization as Mr. Pendergast and fellow ALS patients ride throughout the New York City and Long Island area to raise awareness. The video also showcased the support of schools who welcome Mr. Pendergast each year during his ride, including Lynbrook North Middle School.

“Over the years of doing the ride, ordinary students like yourselves, along with your teachers and community, have helped me raise over eight million dollars,” he said.   

This year, the Lynbrook North Middle School community will raise money for ALS research before Mr. Pendergast’s next ride on May 6. At the conclusion of his inspiring presentation, he reminded students to never give up, never lose hope, always remain optimistic and be willing to defy the odds no matter what they may be.

“I hope these messages will help you in your own hour of challenge,” he said. “If it does then this time spent together will not have been wasted and my journey more worthwhile. It is through helping others that we help ourselves.” 

Lynbrook North Middle School sixth-graders in Christine DeSimone’s math classes put their math skills and creativity to the test as they designed their very own math board games. Working in groups of three to four students, the goal of the project was to create a math board game that could help other students review what they have learned this year.

Each group brainstormed an instructions sheet for their game which included the object of the game, recommended ages of the players and the amount of players that the game is suitable for. Students also had to incorporate at least 20 mathematical question cards into their board game with at least five cards being a word problem. The math problems related to topics from units that the students learned this year. This included Operations with Decimals, Operations with Fractions, GCF/LCM, Exponents/Order of Operations/Algebra problems, Solving Equations, Inequalities, Ratios, Unit Rates, and Proportions. 

The sixth-graders added game pieces, along with fun clipart and illustrations to bring their games to life. After testing out their projects, the games were displayed for other groups in their class to try. The activity was a great way to build upon mathematical knowledge in a fun and creative way!   

 

Lynbrook North Middle School drama club members took a walk on the wild side as they presented Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.” for loved ones on March 8 and 9. From the Academy Award-winning film “The Lion King,” the stage adaptation tells the story of a young lion prince named Simba, played by Liam Mylan and Daniel Levine, whose father Mufasa, played by Andrew Schiller, is killed by the wicked uncle Scar, played by Jack Ceglie. Audiences journey through Simba’s life of love, loss and fight to serve his new role as king.