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Vol. 56 No. 41
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Oceanside High unveils new science rooms by KePherD DaNIel kdaniel@liherald.com
Courtesy Oceanside School District
MeMbers oF the Oceanside Board of Education each cut a ribbon opening the high school’s new science classrooms.
Oceanside High School officials held a ribbon-cutting for a set of new science classrooms that were completed this year, at a cost of $3 million. The rooms, which officials said were sorely in need of an upgrade, were the first phase of the school’s five-phase plan to renovate several instructional areas around the school. “Those that remember our science labs, as what they were, know this was a long time coming,” Superintendent Phyillis
Harrington said. Harrington thanked the Board of Education and the community for their support for the project. “I want to remind the people that this project was done with the money that is kept in an account, that comes from unspent money that we have each and every school year,” she noted. About 45 percent of the $3 million was returned to the district in the form of state aid for capital projects. “This was a very big project Continued on page 12
First Presbyterian Church celebrates 150 years in service by toM carrozza tcarrozza@liherald.com
Parishioners at the First Presbyterian Church in Oceanside are preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the institution in early November. The church, which is the oldest house of worship in the community, has continued to be a beacon for local residents, especially through the pandemic. Despite the pandemic and a decline in church attendance across the nation, First Presbyterian has grown and is as strong as ever today, church officials said. The Rev. Russ Roth said the
church has seen strong attendance in the past few years, even after shifting to virtual services in the first year of the pandemic. Church staff members have taken precautions, such as closing off half the pews and distancing people in each pew. Roth said the church would continue to stream services on Facebook to allow the congregation to attend from home, even after the pandemic. “As people came back, we would actually run out of space,” Roth said. “People really had the desire to come back and really experience mass here.” Roth attributes the church’s active congregation of about 60 to 80 people online and 40 to 50
J
esus didn’t come to condemn. He came to offer hope. the reV. russ roth First Presbyterian Church
people in person to the inclusive message of the clergy. “One of the things about this congregation is that it is very welcoming,” Roth said. “Some of it is people who are looking for hope.” And this is not the first time the church has been an impor-
tant pillar of the community during tough times. When Superstorm Sandy hit a decade ago, the church offered fuel, food, water and a place to charge phones. The church still acts as a disaster relief site for the community. Throughout the pandemic, deacons and youth of the church have made a habit of calling members of the congre-
gation to check in with them. “It’s like a second family,” parishioner Stacia Liossatos said. A Merrick resident, Liossatos has belonged to the Oceanside church for close to 50 years. When her daughter suffered burn injuries a few years ago, the congregation rallied by donating money and medical Continued on page 15