The Bayport-Blue Point High School Debate Club is off to a great start this school year.Co-presidents Liam D. and Vaughan W., along with the rest of the officers and club members, decided to shift gears for the current year.

The Debate Club had employed the Lincoln-Douglas debate style at Long Island Forensic Association, a demanding and rigorous one-on-one style, but has since adopted the Public Forum debate style.The Public Forum style is two-versus-two, and the elements of the debate structure are different with the timing of speeches and questioning and lack of a morality component.The Debate Club felt that the partnerships could provide greater experience in preparation for Lincoln-Douglas style in later years.

Under the guidance of Debate Club members who have attended prior debates with LIFA, the newest members to the club have been working towards this year’s events.Co-presidents Liam and Vaughan, Logan C. and Yuvraj T. are club veteran debaters. The club welcomes Avery C., Sophia M. and George R. IV who have gained valuable insights in preparation for the November and December rounds of the LIFA schedule.

The Debate Club has met weekly and had also a collaborative meeting with the Sayville Debate Team to prepare for November’s debate.The members also worked independently on developing their arguments on the proposition “Resolved: The United States’ Strategy of Great Power Competition produces more benefits than harms.”

The district’s teams for the November LIFA debate competition were George R. IV and Yuvraj T. and Avery C. and Sophia M.The team’s opponents were primarily from Chaminade, Half Hollow Hills East, Syosset, Port Washington and Jericho.Vaughan W. attended the November debate as a judge.This position will offer him insights for our next debate this month.

The Bayport-Blue Point School District extends best wishes for success in future debates.

Date Added: 12/9/2022

Students at James Wilson Young Middle School are spreading holiday cheer to Long Island Veterans. The school recently wrote letters thanking the veterans for their service and for securing their freedoms.

New York State Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo visited the middle school on Dec. 2 to thank the students for spreading cheer among the nation’s heroes and to collect the letters, which will be distributed to veterans in the community.

Date Added: 12/8/2022

During the Bayport-Blue Point School District’s Nov. 29 board of education meeting, 72 students were recognized for acquiring academic achievement awards.

The recognitions included 53 students who acquired summa cum laude (96.5 or greater weighted GPA), magna cum laude (95-96.49 weighted GPA) or cum laude (94-94.49 weighted GPA) status during their high school tenure. Thirty-three students were recognized for having been named AP Scholars and AP Scholars with Distinction and Honor. Additionally, six students will receive an AP Seminar and Research Certificate and five students will receive a Capstone Diploma upon graduation. Three students were also recognized for being named National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students based on their PSAT scores in the 11th grade.

Matthew B. – AP Scholar
Lauren B. – cum laude
Faith B. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Faith B. – cum laude
Grace B. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction
Jakob B. – cum laude
Joseph C. – AP Scholar
Logan C. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Katie C. – magna cum laude and AP Scholar
Brady C. – summa cum laude
Isabella C. – cum laude
Jonluca C. – AP Scholar
Sebastian D. – magna cum laude
Liam D. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction
Emily D. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar
Airlea D. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction
Emilio D. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar
Faith D. – AP Scholar with Honor
William D. – cum laude
Sean D. – magna cum laude
Haydin E. – summa cum laude
Christina F. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma
Benjamin F. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Abigail F. – summa cum laude
Norah F. – cum laude
Maxwell G. – magna cum laude
Allison G. – AP Scholar, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Sydney G. – AP Scholar
Felicia G. – cum laude
Samantha H. – cum laude
Kacey H. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma
Kate H. – cum laude, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Madeline J. – AP Scholar
Shannon J. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar
Elizabeth K. – magna cum laude
Matthew K. – AP Scholar
Chase L. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma
Christina L. – AP Scholar
Kai L. – AP Scholar
Olivia L. – summa cum laude
Cian L. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Honor
Olivia M. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar
Ryan M. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student, valedictorian
Callum M. – cum laude
Aaron M. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar
Kathleen M. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma
Erin M. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, salutatorian
Connor M. – summa cum laude
Lily M. – AP Scholar
Eva M. – AP Scholar
Matthew M. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar
Katherine N. – AP Scholar
Sean N. – magna cum laude
Rani P. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
Sydney P. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar, AP Seminar and Research Certificate
Julia P. – cum laude, AP Scholar
Emma R. – AP Scholar
Grace R. – summa cum laude
Brayden R. – AP Scholar
Ella R. – summa cum laude
George R. – AP Scholar
Kieran S. – National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
Patrick S. – summa cum laude, AP Scholar with Honor
Liam S. – magna cum laude
Christian S. – AP Scholar
Angelina V. – magna cum laude
Ali V. – AP Scholar
Madison W. – summa cum laude
Rachel W. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction
Roy W. Jr. – summa cum laude, Ap Scholar with Honor
Vaughan W. – magna cum laude, AP Scholar with Distinction
Erin W. – summa cum laude

Date Added: 12/7/2022

James Wilson Young Middle School seventh grader Dillon B. is the winner of the 2022-2023 Lions International Peace Poster Contest, sponsored by the Brookhaven Great South Bay Lions Club. This year’s theme was “Lead with Compassion.” Dillon was also announced as the winner of the Suffolk County Lions Club District 20-S contest, and his poster will now advance to the New York State Lions Club competition.

For over three decades, Lions Clubs around the world have sponsored this special art contest in schools and youth groups, giving children the opportunity to express their visions of peace and to inspire the world through art and creativity. Middle school librarian Ms. Brinkman, who is a Lions Club member, collaborated with art teachers Ms. Raiten and Ms. Burns on bringing this contest to the school. The students were instructed to explore and visually express the peaceful future that compassionate leadership brings.

The peace posters were evaluated by Lions Club members based on originality, artistic merit and expression of this year’s theme.

The district congratulates Dillon on this outstanding accomplishment and extends best wishes for success in the New York State Lion’s Club competition.

Date Added: 12/5/2022

Bayport-Blue Point athletes were at the top of their games this fall season.

The varsity girls tennis team garnered the Suffolk County Small School Championship title, with the varsity girls volleyball team taking home the Suffolk County Class B Championship trophy. Additionally, the varsity football team had an exciting season that ended in the team’s clinching of both the Suffolk County Division IV Championship and the Long Island Class IV Championship.

The district congratulates all the athletes on these outstanding accomplishments.

Date Added: 12/2/2022