BETHPAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
A Million Pennies Saved are a Million Donated
Central Blvd. School Raises One Million Pennies (More than $10,000) for Children’s Charities
Representatives from 11 different children’s charities displayed the more than $10,000 in checks they received as result of Central Boulevard
School’s One Million Penny Drive. (Photo by Kris Melvin-Denenberg/Syntax)
Penny-wise Central Boulevard School (CBS) fifth grade teacher
Deborah Deasy developed a school-wide project called “The Million
Penny Project.” She designed the program to help K-5 students get a
sense of how much a million really is, and to teach them the power
they have to make a difference in the lives of others. And what a dif­
ference they have made! The students collected more than one mil­
lion pennies for charitable children’s research organizations.
At the project’s conclusion, students surpassed their original goal,
raising more than $10,500 to be divided among 11 charities. The stu­
dents and teachers researched various charities, and then voted to
make their donation to 11 charities specializing in research for a vari­
ety of child-centered medical conditions. The organizations chosen to
receive a $1,000 donations include: Muscular Dystrophy Association,
Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, Feinstein Institute of Medical
Research, NARSAD Alliance for Research on Childhood Depression
and Schizophrenia, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Juvenile
Arthritis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Medical Research
at North Shore/LI Jewish Hospital, Tourett’s Syndrome Association,
and Autism Speaks. The $500 of additional contributions, above and
beyond the $10,000, will be made to the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation.
Fish tanks situated in the school’s lobby served as donation drops
for the pennies. Ms. Deasy and Central Boulevard students, faculty,
staff and parents partnered with Commerce Bank to exchange the
pennies for checks to be donated to the charities. Commerce Bank
also donated piggy banks to each child in the school.
An emotionally charged assembly was held at CBS to celebrate
the culmination of the year long project. Representatives from each of
the selected organizations were presented big checks from students.
Ms. Deasy thanked students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators and
Commerce Bank for their unending support. Each organization
Central Boulevard School Principal Steven Furrey congratulates
teacher Debbie Deasy for spearheading the penny drive. (Photo by
Kris Melvin-Denenberg/Syntax)
thanked the students for their impressive donation and commended
them on their maturity, generosity, and kindness. Congratulations to
all who helped make the project a success.
Bethpage Residents Say YES to
Budget and Full Day Kindergarten!
RESULTS
Proposition 1 - Budget
YES 1586 NO 684
Proposition 2 - Full Day Kindergarten YES 1464 NO 620
Elected as trustees to the Bethpage School District:
Tom Frost, Joel Dauman, Kurt Spears, Anna Israelton
Congratulations to all!