16
Students create PSAs to support energy efficiency
July 17, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
By ALEC RICH newsroom@liherald.com
When the pandemic first shuttered schools in mid-March, students and teachers were forced to adapt to a virtual learning environment laden with challenges. But for all the hardship that came with learning from home, meaningful work was still produced by students across Long Island, including Nina Ballone, 11, of the James H. Vernon School in East Norwich. Nina was one of 142 students across five different school districts on the Island to submit an energy efficiency themed video to PSEG Long Island, as part of the company’s new PSA initiative. For Nina, who created her 40-second PSA on phantom electricity, or the electricity consumed by devices while they are powered off, she said completing the PSA inspired changes in her own life when it comes to saving energy around the house. “My family always keeps our coffee machine plugged in, so now sometimes I go and unplug it,” she said. “And my mom, she’ll curl her hair sometimes and she’ll turn it off but then she won’t unplug it, so then I’ll go and put that away. Or at night when my phone is mostly charged, if it’s at like 90 percent, I won’t plug it in because I know that it’ll use a lot of energy.” The PSA initiative, which was originally meant to be a contest in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and worked on in the classroom, was altered once the pandemic hit. Adjusting to the home environment, students including Nina had their parents film them and then edited the videos down using iMovie to create the final product. Diana Hauser, a fifth-grade teacher at
Courtesy Ballone family
NINA BALLONE, 11, said the creating an energy efficiency themed video to PSEG Long Island PSA inspired changes in her own life when it comes to saving energy. Vernon, said the contest was meant to be the culminating activity of an “ecology and resources” unit, and prior to the pandemic, students worked in groups to select a topic ranging from energy conservation to nonrenewable resources. Once out of the classroom setting, students were given a choice of either completing the PSA individually or doing an alternative project, but Hauser said many stu-
dents still chose to complete the PSA alone. Hauser said PSEG did a great job providing students and teachers with a curriculum to follow for the videos, and said she was happy with the PSAs students turned in despite the challenges of working from home. “I think it became extremely challenging for the students, but I was so happy
that they continued to be motivated even though there wasn’t a contest,” Hauser said. “They were really genuinely excited about it and I thought they did a really good job.” George Coburn, manager of PSEG’s community partnership program, said the company was planning to have the PSA contest serve as just one part of a slate of educational programming in April in honor of Earth Day. First looking to suspend the contest when schools closed down due to the lack of classroom access, Coburn said feedback from teachers noting that the project could be a useful online activity led to “modifications” that would make the project fully virtual. Coburn noted that there was an amazing turnout under the circumstances and said he was pleasantly surprised with the continued interest of students and teachers to see their projects through. “Originally we had some reservations, we thought that it might be overwhelming for the teachers and in particular parents,” Coburn said. “But it actually was just the opposite, it wound up being a bonding experience with the students and their family members and that was probably one of the best outcomes from this.” Coburn said by having students take the lead on the project and getting family members involved, it only further helped inspire valuable lessons about energy consumption and protecting the environment. Cobur n added that PSEG plans to relaunch the program again next year, a prospect that teachers like Hauser would welcome. “I think it’s just a wonderful program,” Hauser said. “Anytime the students are highly motivated like that, and they get so much out of it, certainly it’s a win-win for everyone.”
Maselli resignes for family reasons but will remain active CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 remaining transparent in the future and being receptive to the community’s needs. He said the biggest issue facing the district is the reopening of schools following the coronavirus pandemic. No matter the conclusion on whether or not schools will open, Nolan said students’ wellbeing and education will be at the forefront of any decisions the board makes. Marchand, 50, lives in Bayville and was elected to the board in 2018, serving initially as a leave replacement but winning a full term the following year. She has a long history of parenting Locust Valley students, as her twin sons, Ronnie and Vinnie, graduated from Locust Valley High School in June and are on their way to the University of Wyoming in the fall. She also has a daughter, Mia, who is entering fourth grade at Bayville Intermediate. Marchand said she was honored to have won the vice presidency and looks forward to working alongside the rest of the board to help the district succeed. “We all have equal weight on the
board,” Marchand said. “It feels nice to have the support of the other board members, but I’m a team player and we all like to work together as one governing body.” Moving forward, Marchand said she hopes to help Graham and the rest of the administration go through a seamless reopening of school in the fall, following safety protocols, while providing students with the best education possible.
she has children who are entering their senior and junior years of high school, as well as a middle schooler preparing to transition into LVHS. She said she is also pursuing several new professional opportunities. Nonetheless, Maselli said her resignation is not a sign of her no longer being active in the district. “[My resignation] does not mean I will stop advocating for our youth,” she said. “Creating a safe, welcoming environment for all students is a core belief Maselli’s resignation that I hold dear. I will conIn a statement to the tinue to advocate for incluboard, Maselli said that, JENNIFER MASELLI sion and diversity in our while she is proud of the Former Locust Valley district.” work she and her fellow Board of Education Maselli said she has b o a r d m e m b e r s h ave served as a leader for the accomplished over the president district’s Special Education years, it is in the best interest of her family that she step down. That Parent Teacher Association for 11 years, is where she is most needed, she said, as something which she said she intends to
C
reating a safe, welcoming environment for all students is a core belief that I hold dear. I will continue to advocate for inclusion and diversity in our district.
do once more with the hiring of new Special Education Director Michael Saidens. Maselli thanked the community for being given the opportunity to serve as president of the board. She said it is important for people in positions of leadership to uphold their oaths of office “without personal or political agendas, especially in this hyper-partisan era in which we live.” Advocating for students within an objective and responsible framework is what makes a school board successful, she said. “I encourage the community to use their voices,” Maselli said. “Speak up, stand up, get involved. You too can make a difference. I look forward to supporting Dr. Graham as a parent, citizen and advocate. “ “I extend my deepest thanks to Mrs. Maselli for all of her work this past year as our board president and her past two years on the Board of Education,” Nolan said. “Her spirit, dedication to community and love of education has always been evident in her work. I am grateful to have worked with her for the past two years.”