______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
September 29, 2022
With a focus on
HERALD Your Health Wellness
Inside
Vol. 33 No. 40
District 24 hosts Dot Day
Griffin talks new lIRR schedules
Page 5
Page 12
SEPTEMBER 29 - oCToBER 5, 2022
$1.00
ICNA tackles Muslim stigma about suicide hosted a women’s-only talk, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, last Saturday. For those struggling with suiThe talk took place on the cidal thoughts, a supportive, no- grounds of the Masjid Hamza frills, honest conversation about mosque in Valley Stream, a gathmental health can be hard to ering spot for Muslim residents come by. Even as gova n d c o n g re g a n t s ernments, schools from nearby neigha n d wo rk p l a c e s borhoods. The secreengage in renewed tary of the mosque, efforts to shore up Abdul Kadir, said mental health that it was not affiliresources for their ated with the event, citizens, students but had lent out its and employees, the space to ICNA Relief. stigma associated A small crowd of with mental health Muslim women remains. showed up for the And in concendiscussion, some trated pockets of U.S. local, and some from Muslim communias far away as Brookties, like those that lyn. Many had come dot Long Island, that because family memstigma can be particbers had expressed ularly acute. For suicidal thoughts or mental health coun- aMENa BHUTTa mental turmoil, Shuselors and advocates, Mental health maila Noor, ICNA’s breeching a longadministrative outh e l d c u l t u r e o f counselor reach coordinator, silence and shame in said. Others wanted these communities is an ongoing guidance on how to broach the battle. topic of mental health issues in Still, following a rising tide in their community. mental health intervention Discussions of suicide are among U.S. Muslim communi- often a source of tension among ties, the domestic humanitarian relief organization ICNA Relief Continued on page 19
By JUaN laSSo jlasso@liherald.com
W
Courtesy Valley Stream Central High School District
VallEY STREaM CENTRal High School was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this month. Above, a history class at the school.
V.S. Central High School is National Blue Ribbon winner
By JUaN laSSo jlasso@liherald.com
The U.S. Department of Education recently released its list of 297 schools across the country that have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. The award, created in 1982, is widely considered the national gold standard for academic excellence and development, offering schools major recognition and serving as a reference guide for many families who
are deciding where to send their kids to school. Valley Stream Central High School District administrators were thrilled to hear that this year, Central High School joined four other schools on Long Island and 16 across the state as National Blue Ribbon School winners. “This is such a huge accomplishment for all the faculty, administration, staff, and families of all in Valley Stream Central High School,” Kenneth Cummings, presi-
dent of the district Board of Education, said. “The board has always known what great schools we have, and now all Long Island and beyond knows that as well.” The U.S. Department of Education chooses the top schools based on their students’ performance on statewide or national assessments, as well as other metrics, such as their success in closing academic gaps between students in different socio-ecoContinued on page 9
e’re seeing more Muslim children, youths and adults dying by suicide, and it’s not being addressed.