Long island newsday story, Sayville HS
06-05-08, 09:29 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 110
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Long island newsday story, Sayville HS
My son rode to school yesterday, (in the rain, no helmet, shoelaces untied). I didn't find out till later that they were doing it for a cause.
https://www.newsday.com/news/local/lo...0,302521.story
Newsday.com
Sayville students protest rising gas prices
BY APRIL WARREN
lidesk@newsday.com
2:42 PM EDT, June 4, 2008
Dan Calise arrived at school on a skateboard. Ryan Romard, Doug Erath and Tom Golka pedaled bicycles. Chris Monitto and Kierney Brennan rode on scooters. Dozens of others walked.
They were among the hundreds of students, faculty and staff at Sayville High School who left their cars at home Wednesday and found alternate means of transportation as a way to protest rising gas prices.
Some of the students wore ponchos or huddled under umbrellas in the steady morning rain. Many were dripping wet. But the weather didn't diminish their enthusiasm for the cause.
"We just wanted to show the gas companies we are willing to take the day to not use our cars," said Golka, 18, a senior. "Everyone just wanted to do something about it," said his classmate Erath, 18. The pair was part of a group that bicycled more than two miles to school.
The idea for the protest arose from a discussion about civil disobedience during teacher Doug Shaw's second-period English class. "I asked the students what they were upset about and what they were going to do about it," said Shaw, who walked to school from his home several blocks away.
The class, led by senior Calise, 18, spread the word through text messages, a Facebook group and posters. "I don't believe it's right for the gas companies to be charging too much and making billions of dollars on it," Calise said. Exxon Mobil made a record $40.6 billion in profit last year.
Monitto, 17, a senior, said he needs to work 25 hours a week for minimum wage at a grocery store to help afford the $40 he spends weekly for gas. "It gets really hard to juggle work and homework," he said. "It's really hard for a 17-year-old to have that much stress on them."
Spurred by the students, Sayville teachers eagerly joined in.
Candace Breen, 50, car pooled with three other teachers from Miller Place in a hybrid car. "I'm really impressed the students came out in the rain," said Breen, who said she hopes to car pool again in the future.
"Faculty and staff saw the kids were taking a stand and that we have the same concerns as they do," Shaw said.
About 80 percent of the more than 1,200 students, faculty and staff participated in the protest, according to Shaw and his students.
The 96-space student parking lot, usually overflowing, held only 48 cars Wednesday.
"I'm very impressed with our kids," said principal Joseph Buderman. "It was great to see kids coming in dripping wet . . . It's great to have convictions and support the convictions with effort."
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
https://www.newsday.com/news/local/lo...0,302521.story
Newsday.com
Sayville students protest rising gas prices
BY APRIL WARREN
lidesk@newsday.com
2:42 PM EDT, June 4, 2008
Dan Calise arrived at school on a skateboard. Ryan Romard, Doug Erath and Tom Golka pedaled bicycles. Chris Monitto and Kierney Brennan rode on scooters. Dozens of others walked.
They were among the hundreds of students, faculty and staff at Sayville High School who left their cars at home Wednesday and found alternate means of transportation as a way to protest rising gas prices.
Some of the students wore ponchos or huddled under umbrellas in the steady morning rain. Many were dripping wet. But the weather didn't diminish their enthusiasm for the cause.
"We just wanted to show the gas companies we are willing to take the day to not use our cars," said Golka, 18, a senior. "Everyone just wanted to do something about it," said his classmate Erath, 18. The pair was part of a group that bicycled more than two miles to school.
The idea for the protest arose from a discussion about civil disobedience during teacher Doug Shaw's second-period English class. "I asked the students what they were upset about and what they were going to do about it," said Shaw, who walked to school from his home several blocks away.
The class, led by senior Calise, 18, spread the word through text messages, a Facebook group and posters. "I don't believe it's right for the gas companies to be charging too much and making billions of dollars on it," Calise said. Exxon Mobil made a record $40.6 billion in profit last year.
Monitto, 17, a senior, said he needs to work 25 hours a week for minimum wage at a grocery store to help afford the $40 he spends weekly for gas. "It gets really hard to juggle work and homework," he said. "It's really hard for a 17-year-old to have that much stress on them."
Spurred by the students, Sayville teachers eagerly joined in.
Candace Breen, 50, car pooled with three other teachers from Miller Place in a hybrid car. "I'm really impressed the students came out in the rain," said Breen, who said she hopes to car pool again in the future.
"Faculty and staff saw the kids were taking a stand and that we have the same concerns as they do," Shaw said.
About 80 percent of the more than 1,200 students, faculty and staff participated in the protest, according to Shaw and his students.
The 96-space student parking lot, usually overflowing, held only 48 cars Wednesday.
"I'm very impressed with our kids," said principal Joseph Buderman. "It was great to see kids coming in dripping wet . . . It's great to have convictions and support the convictions with effort."
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
