By John F. Didden, Principal
| The 1998-99 school year has been a very good one for Mepham. Academically, our district was second on Long Island in Regents Diplomas. Mepham was fifth in Regents Diplomas in all of Long Island! We are working very hard using our computer network and active learning strategies to help all of our students meet the new higher standards from NY State. Our outstanding staff has clearly established Mepham as one of the top academic high schools. | | |
This year Mepham became the only school in the country to have a Tandy Corporation winner for the fourth consecutive year. Senior Akash Jain was designated as a “Top 100 Science Student” in the country and had his picture in Time magazine. Akash was also an Intel Science Research Semifinalist (formerly Westinghouse). He will be attending Stamford University in the fall. Our science students continue to excel at LI Science Congress, LI Engineers Bridge Building, Rube Goldberg competition, Duracel competition, etc. Class valedictorian Jody Green is a county wrestling champ (fifth in the state), a Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest winner and lead actor in the fall drama production of The Nerd. Our talented students also did well in language and math competitions this year.
The band and choir were both very successful in competitions in Toronto and Houston. Both came back loaded down with trophies. Members of both of these groups entertained us with the wonderful spring musical, Once Upon a Mattress. These two groups just keep getting better and better. Our “Athletes Helping Athletes” students continue to work with the students at Grand Avenue Middle School where they meet with students and serve as role models.
Mepham teams continue to be successful with the boys’ and girls’ track teams capturing conference and division honors. The Kickline won first-place honors in a Nassau County competition as did the JV Cheerleaders.
Recognizing the ever-increasing diversity of Long Island and our school, a committee was formed in November to examine what Mepham could do to help our students and community thrive in this multi-cultural world. The committee recommended that Mepham become involved with the Anti Defamation League’s A World of Difference program. This involvement will provide special training for student and staff leaders who will help guide us through a series of programs that are intended to sensitize members of our school community to the importance of tolerance and understanding. The need for this kind of sensitivity was driven home to our entire country by the terrible tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. We recognize that it is not enough only to prepare our students academically, we have to instill in them the values that will help them make a much-needed “difference” in our society. This program is a top priority as we approach the new Millennium.
As the school year draws to a close, we prepare to say farewell to our retiring colleagues: English teachers John Keane, Joseph Critelli and Geraldine Greefie; math teacher Arthur Smith and physical education teacher and coach Gerard Hughes. All of these teachers have devoted the “lion’s share” of their professional careers to working on behalf of the students and families of Mepham High School. We will miss them.
Mepham is blessed to have so many active “family” members. Our PTA continues to be the vibrant voice that has always been helping us in so many ways. The PTA even made arrangements to have beautiful murals painted in the cafeterias this year. The Sports Boosters helped organize our annual bonfire and Homecoming Parade. Our front lawn now features an events-sign donated by the Boosters. Surrounding this sign is a memorial garden dedicated to Alumni Past-President, John “Denny” Ryan. The Boosters are also sponsoring the Varsity “M” Dinner where we will test out a portable PA system, which they have also just donated.
The Class of ’99 is on the brink of joining the ranks of the largest and most venerable of our extended family, the Mepham Alumni Association. The Alumni continue to remind us how important family and values are. The Alumni’s influence goes far beyond the wonderful material things they do for us each year in the form of fabulous scholarships and gifts such as wrestling room equipment and benches, all of which we greatly appreciate. They reinforce for us values like commitment, dedication, loyalty, hard work, perseverance, and integrity. They reinforce for us service to others. They reinforce for us the value of family. Mepham “today” owes a great debt of gratitude to the Alumni for setting such a wonderful example for us to follow.
As we head into the last school year of the century, we thank the Alumni for all you continue to do for us . . . especially teaching us how to be “family.”
From Scuttlebutt, Summer 1999.
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