R.M. Finley Middle School eighth grade students participated in the WWII and Holocaust Artifacts program from April 15-18, hosted by Ms. Helen Turner, director of Youth Education of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.

The program was created by eighth grade social studies teachers Mrs. Rebecca Carfora, Mr. Michael Chiclacos, Mrs. Meredith Murolo and Mrs. Danielle Treder, along with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. It was designed to have students collaborate with each other to analyze artifacts that survived from this time period. They also viewed clips of historical films, experienced a guided museum tour and heard testimonies from Holocaust survivors Rosette Goldstein and Werner Reich and second generation survivor Evelyn Altenberg. The group spoke about their individual and family members’ life experiences with students.

Special thanks to Ms. Helen Turner, Principal Nelson Iocolano, Assistant Principals Lawrence Carroll and Thomas Pye, and the eighth grade teachers who supported and assisted with the preparation and planning of this grade-level field trip.

On March 31, students from Robert M. Finley Middle School participated in National History Day hosted by Hofstra University. Students from Ms. Vanessa Mahnken’s Humanities/Research Program participated, creating projects based on this year’s theme, “Triumph and Tragedy in History.” 
 
Special thanks to Principal Nelson Iocolano, Assistant Principals Lawrence Carroll and Thomas Pye, and all the English language arts and social studies teachers, who supported the students and research program.

Edin Alvarado – “Ellis Island – Tragedy Through the Triumph” 
Ryan Annunziato and Mason Dall – “JFK: The Legacy”
Beyrim Ayari, Jake Casale, Brian Flores and Allen Joshua Hudson – “The Triumph and Tragedy of the Transcontinental Railroad” 
Luis Barrera and Christopher Hyman – “The Triumph and Tragedy – Adolf Hitler”
Ashly Freeman – “Spanish Flu: Tragedy and Triumph” 
Fatima Guevara – “Alice Paul’s Triumph Through Tragedy”
Lee’ora Jackson and Keilyn Zavala – “Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World”
Michael Markoulis and Eamonn Sullivan – “D-Day: The Beginning of the End”
Francis Martinez and Mario Zaldivar Reyes – “The Story of the Titanic”
Veronica O’Regan – “Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation”
Alexander Piascik – “The Titanic’s Success and Disaster”
Genalie Prezeau and Londell Wheeler – “Apollo 11’s Success”
Devin Rodrigo – “Triumph of Lexington and Concord”
Albert Zambrano – “World War II Axis Power Leaders”

Seventh graders from R.M. Finley Middle School shared their love of and skill in the Spanish language with second grade classes at Deasy School.

Tatyana Alicea, Javiera Contreras and Carolina Maisonet, under the guidance of teacher Christine Skaar, taught the youngsters how to say different colors, the letters of the alphabet and how to count from one to 10 in Spanish. The seventh graders used videos and songs to help the second graders with pronunciation and spelling. At the conclusion of each lesson, second graders were given a packet that reinforced the lessons they learned. 

Members of R.M. Finley’s Drama Club will take the stage for their outstanding production of “Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition” on Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 7, at 2 p.m., in the Wunsch auditorium. General admission is $8, tickets for students and senior citizens are $7. Please come out and support our wonderful students!