Sewanhaka High School is a six-year

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

located in

Floral Park Floral Park is an Administrative divisions of New York State#Village, incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York (state), New York, United States, on Long Island. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863. ...

, New York. It is part of the

Sewanhaka Central High School District The Sewanhaka Central High School District is a central high school district located in western Nassau County on Long Island, in New York State. The district is currently composed of five high schools: Sewanhaka High School, Elmont Memorial High ...

. Sewanhaka High School was established in 1929. Its name translates to "Island of Shells" in English. As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,669 students and 119.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.0:1. There were 675 students (40.4% of enrollment) eligible for

free lunch A free lunch is the providing of a meal at no cost, usually as a sales enticement to attract customers and increase revenues from other business. It was once a common tradition in saloons and taverns in many places in the United States, with th ...

and 118 (7.1% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Sewanhaka High School
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 4, 2020.

History

Sewanhaka High School was constructed in 1929 by architects Knappe & Morris. Additional classrooms were completed in 1936. The school was established first in the district. It is the only high school in its district to offer career vocational courses on Long Island. Those eligible to join this program include students from the other four high schools in the district.

Awards and recognition

During the 1992–93 school year, Sewanhaka High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Departmen ...

, the highest award an American school can receive.

Sports and clubs

The school's sports teams are known as The Indians and the team colors are purple, gold, and white. There are many team sports, organized clubs, and student activities at Sewanhaka. The Sports Team levels are Junior High (JH), Junior Varsity (JV) and Varsity (V) for boys and girls *Basketball *Baseball *Bowling *Badminton *Cheerleading *Cross Country *Football *Field Hockey *Golf *Gymnastics *Lacrosse *Riflery *Soccer *Softball *Tennis *Track *Volleyball

Student government

*Student Council *Class Board

Academic organizations

*Arts and Crafts Club *Auto Club *Big Sisters & Big Brothers *Chess Club *Chieftain *FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) *French Club *Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) *G.S.A. (Gay/Straight Alliance) *Italian Club *Junior Robotics *Mathletes, Junior High *Mathletes, Senior High *MIST NY *Mock Trial *National Art Honor Society *National English Honor Society * National Honor Society *

National Junior Honor Society The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is an international student organization that consists of chapters in middle schools (in the range of grades 6-9 depending on the school). The NJHS was founded by the National Association of Secondary Sc ...

* National Math Honor Society * National Science Honor Society *Photography Club *Poets and Writers Club *Reading Club *Robotics Club *Seekers (Christian Club) *Sculpture Club *Sewanha-Con *Sewing Club *Skills USA (A District-wide Program) *Social Justice Club *Spanish Club *Students Participating in Community Events (SPICE) *Totem (Yearbook) *

Tri-M Tri-M Music Honor Society, formerly known as Modern Music Masters, is an American high school and middle school music honor society. A program of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), it is designed to recognize students for their ...

Honor Society *Unity Club *Women in Science *Woodworking Club *World Cultures Club

Music and performing organizations

*Cheerleaders, Junior High *Color Guard *Drama Club *Follies *Marching Band *Musical Performances *Rockettes *Stage Band *String Ensemble *Voices of Harmony

Service organizations

*Builders Club *Cricut Makers Club *Key Club *P.A. Club (Sound & Lighting Club) *S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) *Service Club *S.T.A.C (Students and Teachers Against Cancer) *Stage Crew *The Green Club

Model UN

The

Model United Nations Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. At a MUN conference, students work as the representative of a count ...

Debate Team at Sewanhaka starts with participation in the 1/2 credit World Issues class, and then upon completion, the students become members of the club. The team goes on many conferences where they debate a wide variety of issues facing the real United Nations today. At the 2009 American University Model United Conference, the Sewanhaka team took home Overall Best Delegation, the prestigious first place award on the international scale. Two members of the team took home the distinguished delegation award in November 2011, continuing the team's success from the previous two years (members of the class of 2010). Recently, Senator Jack M. Martins congratulated the Model UN team from Sewanhaka High School. The team participated in the Sewanhaka Interschool District Model UN competition. More recently, in 2016, the team took home the trophy for Outstanding Small Delegation from the Rutgers University Model United Nations (RUMUN) conference.

''The Chieftain''

The school newspaper at Sewanhaka, ''The Chieftain'', has been extant since the inception of the school. It has garnered many national and local awards, including the American Scholastic Press Award, Newsday High School Journalism Award, Hank Logerman Award, and an honorable mention in 2009 and 2010 during Adelphi Quill Young People's Press competition. Its editorials argue both sides to a common problem that society currently faces and the rest of the paper updates the school on its recent activities, runs special features for special news events and covers the progress of its sports teams.

Theatre

Sewanhaka students perform in one musical per year, during the spring. Recent shows include: * ''

The Addams Family ''The Addams Family'' is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 unrelated single-panel cartoons, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' over ...

'' (2020) * ''

Hairspray Hairspray may refer to: * Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind * ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters ** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album ** ''Hairspray ...

'' (2019) * ''

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song " Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, ...

'' (2018) * ''

The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical) ''The Phantom of the Opera'' is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and a libretto by Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe. Based on the 1910 French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, it tells the story ...

'' (2017) * ''

Beauty and The Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...

'' (2016) * ''

Children of Eden ''Children of Eden'' is a 1991 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by John Caird. The musical is based on the Book of Genesis, with Act I telling the story of Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel, while Act II deals with ...

'' (2015) * ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'' (2014) * ''

Legally Blonde ''Legally Blonde'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic in his feature-length directorial debut, and scripted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith from Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. It stars Reese Wit ...

'' (2013) * ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' (2012) * ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unit ...

'' (2011) * '' All Shook Up'' (2010) * '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (2009) * '' Fame'' (2008) * ''

Bye Bye Birdie ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is a stage musical with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, based upon a book by Michael Stewart. Originally titled ''Let's Go Steady'', ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is set in 1958. The short story "Dream Man", authored ...

'' (2007) * ''

The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...

'' (2006) * '' Grease'' (2005) Another play which is not a musical is performed each autumn by Sewanhaka students in the Drama Club. Recent shows include: * '' Rumors'' (2015 and 2006) * ''Done to Death'' (2014) * ''

Almost, Maine ''Almost, Maine'' is a play by John Cariani, comprising nine short plays that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost, Maine. It premiered at the Portland Stage Company in Portland, Maine in 2004, where it broke ...

'' (2013) * ''Up the Down Staircase'' (2012) * ''The Clumsy Custard Horror Show and Ice Cream Clone Review'' (2011) * '' Twelve Angry Jurors'' (2010) * '' The Odd Couple ''female version'''' (2009) * ''

Epic Proportions ''Epic Proportions'' is a play by Larry Coen and David Crane. Set in the 1930s, it tells the story of brothers Benny and Phil, who go to the Arizona desert to work as extras in the Biblical epic film ''Exeunt Omnes'', directed by the mysteriou ...

'' (2008) * ''It Was A Dark And Stormy Night'' (2007)

Notable alumni

Zendon Hamilton Zendon Alphonso Hamilton (born April 29, 1975) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2000 to 2006. Amateur career Hamilton, a 6'11" center played high school ba ...

(born 1975), professional basketball player * Alfred G. Hansen (born 1933), United States Air Force four-star general. *

Lloyd Harrison Lloyd Harrison (born June 21, 1977) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, the San Diego Chargers, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at North Carolina State Universi ...

(born 1977), professional football player *

Evans Killeen Evans Henry Killeen (born February 27, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, he worked in four Major League games, all in relief, for the Kansas City Athletics late in the season. The Brooklyn, New Y ...

(born 1936), professional baseball player * Thomas Mallon (born 1951), book author and magazine contributor; member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences *

Eamon McEneaney Eamon James McEneaney (December 23, 1954 – September 11, 2001) was an All-American lacrosse player at Cornell University from 1975 to 1977 and later an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald who died during the September 11 attacks. Lacrosse career McE ...

(1954-2001), lacrosse player, killed in the

September 11 terror attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, Hijackers in the September 11 attacks, ninet ...

* Richie Moran (born 1937), lacrosse player and coach *

Al Oerter Alfred Oerter Jr. (September 19, 1936 – October 1, 2007) was an American athlete and a four-time Olympic Champion in the discus throw. He was the first athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Ga ...

(1936–2007),

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

discus throw The discus throw (), also known as disc throw, is a track and field event in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than their competitors. It is an ancient sport, as demonstrated by th ...

4-time gold medalist *

Sal Paolantonio Sal Paolantonio is a Philadelphia-based bureau reporter for ESPN. Since joining ESPN in 1995, Paolantonio has become a staple in their NFL coverage, as he contributes to shows such as ''SportsCenter'', ''NFL Live'', '' Sunday NFL Countdown'' (f ...

(born 1956),

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

-based bureau reporter for

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...

, who primarily reports on NFL stories. *

Pete Richert Peter Gerard Richert (born October 29, 1939) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1962–64, 1972–73), Washington Senators (1965–67), Ba ...

(born 1939), Major League Baseball pitcher *

Telly Savalas Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American actor and singer whose career spanned four decades. Noted for his bald head and deep, resonant voice, he is perhaps best known for portraying Lt. Theo Kojak on th ...

(1922–1994), actor *

Vinny Testaverde Vincent Frank Testaverde Sr. (; born November 13, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. He played college football at Miami, where he was an All-American and won the H ...

(born 1963), college and professional

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

, 1986 Heisman Trophy winner. * Howard C. Vogts (1929–2010), the winningest high school football coach in New York State history * Robert C. Wertz (1932-2009), politician who served for 32 years as a member of the New York State Assembly.Brand, Rick
"Robert Wertz, longtime GOP assemblyman, dead at 76"
'' Newsday'', May 5, 2009. Accessed November 28, 2017. "Born in Kew Gardens, Queens, Wertz graduated from Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park and got a bachelor's degree from upstate Alfred University and a law degree from Albany Law School."

References

{{authority control Public high schools in New York (state) Floral Park, New York Educational institutions established in 1929 Schools in Nassau County, New York Public middle schools in New York (state) 1929 establishments in New York (state)