(Kings Park, NY) — School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) DBA FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Long Island is announcing that March is Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month and is urging girls to get involved in robotics. The group says this will help them become more interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) throughout their educational careers.
Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month was created by the Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Network, a not-for-profit organization that encourages young women to pursue careers in STEM. According to the EYH Network, girls become most interested in these areas of study when they are in middle school.
A recent study from U.S. FIRST followed alumni in the first 72 months after completing its programs. Its results showed that STEM had a greater impact on women than their male counterparts. Further, the study found that, in the first three years in college, the percentage of female FIRST alumni taking engineering increased from 28% in Year One to 35% in Year Three. By the third year in college, the gender gap in declared engineering majors closed, with 51% of female and 51% of male FIRST alumni majoring in that field.
SBPLI has seen an increase in girls enrolling in its FIRST robotics programs. Girl Scout troops and all girls’ community groups formed teams in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) while in elementary school. Many of them continue to participate in FLL in middle school and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) in high school.
“SBPLI has encouraged girls at an early age to become involved in robotics,” said Bertram Dittmar, Executive Director, SBPLI. “Our robotics programs allow these young women to excel in STEM and generate interest in the field when they enter college. It also opens the door for them to land engineering jobs once they graduate.”
On March 5, St. Joseph’s College President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., will be the guest speaker at LIMBA’s (Long Island Metro Business Action) virtual meeting. The topic will be “The Challenges Faced By Higher Education During Uncertain Times.”
Under Dr. Boomgaarden’s leadership and in response to the COVID pandemic, St. Joseph’s College (SJC) took a number of proactive steps to acknowledge the very real challenges facing college students. Last spring, tuition rates were frozen for the 2020-2021 academic year and the amount of emergency financial aid disbursed was increased. In addition, the College created an emergency fund for students in immediate financial distress. For prospective students currently in high school, SAT scores were made optional when applying for spring 2021 admission. While continuing to adhere to all guidelines and best practices, SJC spent more than $2 million to outfit the campuses with the necessary equipment for the continued health and safety of its community, and has been offering a multifaceted approach to classes since Fall 2020 that gives students four options for learning and course instruction: remote, hybrid, on-ground and online.
“At St. Joseph’s, we focus on developing the whole person, instilling a love of learning, a spark of curiosity and a firm, moral foundation that prepares our students not only for their future careers, but also for lives of deep meaning and service,” said Dr. Boomgaarden. “Even in today’s uncertain climate, we are confident in our services and commitment to helping our students find gainful employment upon graduating from St. Joseph’s.”
Dr. Boomgaarden currently serves on the steering committee of the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education (LIRACHE), in which he is also chair to the Superintendents and College President’s Partnership, and as chair of the Lower Hudson Valley Consortium of Catholic Colleges and Universities. He was recently appointed Board Chair of the Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph and has been named one of the most influential Brooklynites by “Brooklyn Power 100” for two consecutive years.
He previously served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Scranton. Before that, he was the Dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts and David P. Swanzy Distinguished Professor of Music at Loyola University New Orleans. A historian of opera, music aesthetics and harmonic theory, he is the author of “Musical Thought in Eighteenth-Century Britain and Germany,” and published articles and reviews in scholarly journals, including the Journal of Musicological Research and Journal of Music Theory.
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Please visit the LIMBA website to register for the event. Registration is free, but spots for the discussion will be limited.
For more information, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
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About LIMBA
Since 1968, LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) has been Long Island’s catalyst for economic investment and improvement, sponsoring lively breakfast forums featuring Long Island business activists and government officials. Its mission is to promote and address issues that affect the quality of life on Long Island. For more information, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
Touts Record of Accomplishments during First Year in Office While Managing Challenges Posed by COVID-19
On February 22, Yvette Aguiar announced that she has accepted the nomination from the Riverhead Republican Party for a second term as Town Supervisor. The announcement was made during the Riverhead GOP’s convention at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2476.
“I am honored to have received this nomination and will continue to move Riverhead forward, fighting for our great Town, across all communities and at all
Yvette Aguiar announces he will accept the nomination for a second term as Riverhead Town Supervisor during the Riverhead Republican Party’s convention at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2476 on February 22.
levels of government,” Ms. Aguiar said. “I am committed to continue working for all of Riverhead. I am also honored to see the entire committee is unified by casting only one vote, indicating the entire committee’s full support.”
Ms. Aguiar cited the challenges and accomplishments of her first 14 months in office. First and foremost was helping residents navigate the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred nine weeks after taking office. At the same time, she addressed the fiscal challenges the Town experienced as a result of the pandemic. She cut the operating budget by 1.14%, and the Town’s debt was also reduced by $9.68 million, putting Riverhead on a stronger fiscal footing and reducing future internal expenses.
“As a Town, we were faced with a sizable budgetary shortfall,” Ms. Aguiar said. “We mitigated these losses by cutting all non-essential spending, placing promotions on hold and limiting new hires, while maintaining the services our taxpayers expect and deserve.”
Among the initiatives taken to address the effects of COVID-19 on the Town’s most vulnerable, she oversaw the establishment of the Riverhead SAFE (Senior Assistance For Essentials) program, which delivered food, medicine and essentials to homebound senior citizens; the creation of the Senior Emergency Hotline, which provided the most up-to-date information on COVID-19; and the expansion of the Meals on Wheels program.
She also announced that, on Friday, the Town will launch a senor outreach program, which will go online, to ensure the Town’s seniors are vaccinated and will be provided with transportation to and from vaccination sites. “The COVID-19 vaccine availability has been sporadic, and the process has been very stressful on our seniors,” she said. “The Senior Hotline coordinator and our Senior Center will join forces to ensure our seniors receive vaccines, once they become available.”
Realizing the challenges posed by the pandemic will subside, she also continued to focus on Riverhead’s future through economic development, balanced by maintaining the East End quality of life, supporting the farmers, supporting the businesses and remaining committed to continue stabilizing the Town’s finances under the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the subject of redeveloping its downtown, Ms. Aguiar said the Town’s Pattern Book has been completed and adopted, and updates to its Comprehensive Master Plan have begun. “The Pattern Book will be used as a tool to modify zoning and further enhance revitalizing our Main Street,” she said. “The Comprehensive Master Plan will serve as a roadmap to our future. Community involvement is critical.”
“My background in management at various institutions, both in the private and public sectors, and my higher educational background in teaching management, along with my supervisory law enforcement experience, has served me well,” she said.
Ms. Aguiar is a retired Detective Sergeant with the New York Police Department’s Counter Terrorism Division. She was trained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in criminal profiling, crime scenes, surveillance, and the interviewing and interrogation of suspects. She served as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Department at Briarcliffe College. She is an Associate Professor at American Military University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Public Administration from John Jay College, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Northcentral University.
In 2019, Ms. Aguiar was elected Town Supervisor, defeating Democratic incumbent Laura Jens-Smith and becoming the first Latina to be elected to that post and the first Latina Town Supervisor elected in Suffolk County.
“I wish to thank the Riverhead Republican Party for having faith in my ability to lead and selecting me for re-election as Riverhead Town Supervisor,” Ms. Aguiar said. “I am confident we will overcome any crisis we may face. As a Town, we will continue to be innovative, proactive and explore all avenues to move our great Town forward with pride and resilience.”
“We are excited to have nominated Yvette Aguiar for Riverhead Supervisor,” said Tammy Robinkoff, Chair, Riverhead Republican Committee. “She has done an outstanding job as Riverhead Town Supervisor under the pandemic, and we look forward to seeing what her leadership will bring in the future.”
On February 19, Ryan Madden, Sustainability Organizer, Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), will be the guest speaker at LIMBA’s (Long Island Metro Business Action) virtual meeting. The topic will be “Reimagining LIPA & the Municipalization of Power.”
A graduate of Binghamton University, Mr. Madden earned a B.A. in Political Science and Environmental Studies. Prior to his work in sustainability, he focused on electoral politics, campaigning for national and local candidates in his hometown of White Plains and in Binghamton. During his last year in college, Mr. Madden worked for the Energy Conservation Corps of Cornell Cooperative Extension promoting NYSERDA’s Green Jobs Green New York energy efficiency program.
Mr. Madden joined LIPC in September 2015 as a Community Organizer for PowerUp Communities. As the Sustainability Organizer, he leads LIPC’s efforts for energy democracy and climate justice locally and statewide.
For over 42 years, LIPC has worked at the state, local, and national levels to advocate for some of the largest problems our society is currently facing. They pride themselves on taking initiative when it comes to fighting for some of society’s largest issues, such as community wealth, racial injustice and climate change. However, they recognize that creating widespread change is challenging. Therefore, LIPC’s mission is to educate their clients and the general public on ways to take a stance to effectively bring about change.
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Please visit the LIMBA website to register for the event. Registration is free, but spots for this discussion will be limited.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, or for a list of upcoming events, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
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About LIMBA
Since 1968, LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) has been Long Island’s catalyst for economic investment and improvement, sponsoring lively breakfast forums featuring Long Island business activists and government officials. Its mission is to promote and address issues that affect the quality of life on Long Island. For more information, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
Discusses How the Town Has Addressed and Overcame Many of the Challenges Posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Yvette Aguiar, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead, delivers the State of the Town address at Riverhead Town Hall on February 8.
On February 8, Yvette Aguiar, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead, held her State of the Town address at Riverhead Town Hall. She talked about her administration’s challenges during her first year in office, how the Town worked to overcome those challenges and mitigate the effects of Hurricane Isaias and the COVID-19 pandemic.
She went on to outline other initiatives over the past year to move the Town forward, despite the pandemic’s impact. Her administration worked on efforts to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the Town residents and its finances and made important investments in public safety. “At a time when people were scared and confused, with limited movement and resources, we worked to protect our residents and helped those most in need,” she said.
To help these communities, the Town worked to provide shelter for the homeless and partnered with the county to supply emergency food deliveries to homebound residents and families in need.
“The pandemic has had its greatest impact on the Town’s children and seniors,” Supervisor Aguiar said. “Very often, our seniors found it difficult to access food, healthcare and other essential services.”
Under her leadership, the Town created the Riverhead SAFE (Senior Assistance for Essentials) program, which delivered food, medications and supplies to older residents and enhanced its Senior Meals on Wheels program. Supervisor Aguiar announced that, starting next week, the Town will launch an outreach program to assist seniors with transportation to and from Riverhead vaccination sites. Future plans include an expansion of the Town’s Senior Home Improvement program.
The pandemic also impacted the town’s finances, with a $1.8 million reduction in building application fees, State and County aid and Justice Court revenues in the General Fund. To mitigate these losses, Supervisor Aguiar’s administration reduced spending by 1.14%. She renegotiated the 2018 contracts for the Town’s police officers and superior officers at a savings of $645,000 for 2021 and renegotiated a reduction in insurance cost for 2021 at $30,326. In addition, the Town was able to lower its debt by $9.68 million.
“We cut non-essential spending, placed promotions on hold and limited new hires, while maintaining the services taxpayers expect and deserve,” Supervisor Aguiar said. “The lower debt will reduce financing costs, helping to put the Town on better, long-term footing.”
Supervisor Aguiar also addressed the topic of illegal overcrowding and its impact on schools. Upon taking office, she commenced five Supreme Court actions and adjusted the hours for Code Enforcement. However, these actions, and other initiatives to reduce illegal, overcrowded housing, were put on hold by the governor’s eviction moratorium, which will be in effect until May 31.
“This will continue to be a priority of my administration,” Supervisor Aguiar said of the overcrowding crisis. “We will also work to enhance the availability of legal workforce housing for our Town’s residents.”
On environmental issues, Supervisor Aguiar said she will work to protect the residents of Manorville and those living east of the Enterprise Park at Calverton (EPCAL), who are threatened by contaminants in the drinking water. “These residents deserve clean and safe water now. I will continue to champion with Federal, State and Local officials to supply the necessary water as quickly as possible,” she said.
On the issues of downtown revitalization and economic development, the supervisor announced that the Pattern Book has been completed and adopted and will be used as a guide for the ongoing revitalization of Riverhead’s downtown. These include the addition of nationally recognized chain stores and shops, the purchase of the old Swezey’s building by the Long Island Science Museum and the scheduled fall opening of the Island Water Park, an interactive family-friendly amusement center featuring an indoor surf pool, restaurant and café. Thanks in part to an $800,000 grant received by the Community Development Agency, the Town will create a Town Square on the Peconic Riverwalk.
“We as a Town will navigate and successfully tackle any future challenges presented to us,” Supervisor Aguiar said. “I am confident we will emerge from the current State of Emergency as a greater, smarter and more cohesive community, dedicated to building a better future for our residents.”
A transcript of the speech can be downloaded here.
What: Yvette Aguiar, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead, will deliver the State of the Town address. She will share the Town’s challenges over the past year, along with its efforts to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Town residents and its finances. In addition to making investments in public safety, the Town reduced its debt and cut spending while staying under the state’s tax cap. She will also highlight initiatives for 2021.
When:Monday, February 8
11:30 a.m.
Where:Riverhead Town Hall
200 Howell Avenue
Riverhead, NY
** PLEASE NOTE: Social distancing guidelines will be enforced at this event. Attendance is by invitation only. **
Directions: LIE to Exit 71 for NY-24 toward Hampton Bays/Calverton. Turn right onto NY-24 S/Edwards Ave S. and continue to follow NY-24 S. At the traffic circle, take the 4th exit onto Peconic Avenue. Exit the traffic circle onto Peconic Avenue, then turn right onto E. Main Street. Turn left into 200 Howell Avenue.
Photo Ops: Supervisor Aguiar delivering her State of the Town address.
KINGS PARK, NEW YORK — School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) DBA FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Long Island, has announced it is celebrating Engineers Week, which will be held on February 21-27, by continuing to offer its robotics programs for students ages 6 to 18. SBPLI said that the programs and the competitions have provided an opportunity for the organization to create a future generation of engineers on Long Island.
Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NPSE) in 1951, Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. This special occasion usually falls on the same week when high school robotics teams deliver and drop off their robots to the FIRST Robotics Competition Long Island Regional. However, since last year, the in-person tournament has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has switched to a set of virtual challenges.
SBPLI has hosted tournaments for the FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition. Ever since SBPLI held its first robotics competition in 1999 at Suffolk County Community College, more than 20,000 Long Island students have experienced programs rooted in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with an emphasis on “learning and implementing.”
U.S. FIRST and Brandeis University conducted a study showing that, compared to 59% of students who only took science and technology classes but were not involved in FIRST programs, 89% of FIRST alumni declared a major in STEM by the time they were in tenth grade. The study also showed that, by the time they became sophomores, 70% of FIRST alumni declared a major in engineering or computer science, whereas only 25% of non-FIRST participants did so.
“The purpose of these competitions is to not only get children interested in engineering and technology at an early age, but to have them continue that interest throughout their educational careers and obtain good-paying jobs here on Long Island upon graduating college,” said Bertram Dittmar, Executive Director, SBPLI.
It’s been said that engineers are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for engineers in New York State throughout 2028 is expected to be 4.8%, with the median annual salary being $91,090. Mr. Dittmar said the FIRST Long Island robotics programs create a pipeline of future engineers that help companies meet the demand.
“Over the years, we have FIRST alumni who have performed internships with local technology companies during high school and college,” Mr. Dittmar said. “After they graduated college, some of them had jobs waiting for them at the same places where they interned. This shows SBPLI’s commitment to keeping the best and brightest employed here on Long Island.”
AboutFIRST® Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $30 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST®, go to www.firstinspires.org.
About School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) DBA FIRST® Long Island is a fully volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1984 by Fred Breithut with the goal of developing partnerships between local high schools and businesses. His goal was to provide students with practical experience and curriculum development, while helping the business community develop its future workforce, which resulted in the formation of over 100 partnerships. In 1999, SBPLI brought the FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to Long Island, which featured just eight FIRST® Robotics Competition high school teams. Since then, the Long Island Regional FIRST® Robotics Competition has grown to two events with over 80 teams competing each year. SBPLI also hosts Long Island’s annual FIRST®LEGO League Qualifying and Championship Tournaments and the FIRST® LEGO League Junior Expos, in which over 2,000 elementary and middle school students from Nassau and Suffolk Counties take part each year. In 2016, SBPLI added the FIRST®Tech Challenge to its roster of programs. For more information about the programs, or to learn how to become a sponsor, visit www.sbpli-lifirst.org.
What: Yvette Aguiar, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead, will deliver the State of the Town address. She will share the Town’s challenges over the past year, along with its efforts to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Town residents and its finances. In addition to making investments in public safety, the Town reduced its debt and cut spending while staying under the state’s tax cap. She will also highlight initiatives for 2021.
When:Monday, February 1st
11:30 a.m.
**In case of inclement weather closure, this event will be rescheduled for Monday, February 8th at 11:30 a.m.
Where:Riverhead Town Hall
200 Howell Avenue
Riverhead, NY
** PLEASE NOTE: Social distancing guidelines will be enforced at this event. Attendance is by invitation only. **
Directions: LIE to Exit 71 for NY-24 toward Hampton Bays/Calverton. Turn right onto NY-24 S/Edwards Ave S. and continue to follow NY-24 S. At the traffic circle, take the 4th exit onto Peconic Avenue. Exit the traffic circle onto Peconic Avenue, then turn right onto E. Main Street. Turn left into 200 Howell Avenue.
Photo Ops: Supervisor Aguiar delivering her State of the Town address.
Louise Messina, Resident, McPeak’s Assisted Living, receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from a CVS pharmacy representative at the facility’s vaccination clinic on January 26.
[Patchogue, New York] — On January 26, McPeak’s Assisted Living hosted a vaccination clinic for its residents. Representatives from CVS came to administer shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to protect residents from being infected with the virus.
LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) has announced that Mitch Pally, Chief Executive Officer, Long Island Builders’ Institute (LIBI), will be the guest speaker at the business networking group’s next virtual meeting on Friday, February 5. The topic will be “The Outlook for the Redevelopment of Underutilized Shopping Centers.”
Since 2010, Mr. Pally has served as LIBI’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, he worked for the law firm Weber Law Group, where he was Partner in Charge of the firm’s Government Relations practice group and concentrated his practice in land use and real estate. Before that, he was Vice President of Government Relations for the Long Island Association, a position that he held for more than 20 years. In addition, he served as the Suffolk County representative of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors from 2004 to 2018.
Formed in 1941, LIBI is the largest residential and mixed-use trade association in New York State. The organization is comprised of building industry professionals who are dedicated to making Long Island a better place to live and work by creating a balance among the economy, the environment and achieving the goal of homeownership. LIBI represents builders; remodelers; commercial, residential and multifamily developers; and rental buildings, as well as general contractors and professionals serving Long Island.
“We welcome Mr. Pally to speak to our group on this very relevant topic,” said Ernie Fazio, Chairman, LIMBA. “The COVID-19 lockdowns put many stores out of business and left behind empty shopping centers in their wake. We will find out if the retail market can make a comeback and, if not, what other uses are available for these vacant properties.’
“The redevelopment of underperforming shopping centers, both neighborhood and regional, provides our Long Island communities with a great opportunity to allow for the inclusion of new housing options within already developed areas without knocking down any trees,” Mr. Pally said. “Since we are not creating any new land, the ability to redefine such existing developments, within today’s retail climate, is a perfect way for all of Long Island to be able to redefine what it means to live, work and play in the community.”
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Please visit the LIMBA website to register for the event. Registration is free, but spots for this discussion will be limited.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, or for a list of upcoming events, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
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About LIMBA
Since 1968, LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) has been Long Island’s catalyst for economic investment and improvement, sponsoring lively breakfast forums featuring Long Island business activists and government officials. Its mission is to promote and address issues that affect the quality of life on Long Island. For more information, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.
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