Cherry Lane and Rushmore Avenue schools recently welcomed Chris Pendergast to their schools for informative and inspiring assemblies about awareness and perseverance. Pendergast, a former schoolteacher who 25 years ago was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and given three years to live, met with students to educate them on his disease and share his message of hope. This spring, he plans to embark on his 22nd annual Ride for Life across Long Island to raise money for research and patient services and awareness about the disease.

During his presentation at Rushmore, Pendergast shared a video showing different individuals who live with ALS and photos from his annual ride past Rushmore and Cherry schools, when students displayed signs with inspirational messages as he passed by. 

Pendergast’s visit to Rushmore also served as a kickoff to various student council-led fundraising activities that will take place in the months ahead. Last year Rushmore raised approximately $5,000 and is traditionally one of the top ALS fundraisers among Long Island schools. 

Since beginning his Ride for Life, Pendergast has helped to raise over $1 million for ALS research and services. He will ride again this May and, once again, Carle Place students will cheer him on.

Rushmore Avenue School students and families demonstrated their goodwill and charity by making large contributions to the annual toy drive to benefit children receiving care at NYU Winthrop Hospital. The drive is cosponsored by New York State Senator Elaine Phillips and Assemblyman Ed Ra. Pictured are Student Council representatives, along with Assemblyman Ra, who visited Rushmore to pick up the donation.

Carle Place Middle School/High School once again hosted its annual Intergenerational Concert, a cooperative effort between Cherry Lane music teacher Audrey Wilkins, Rushmore Avenue School music teacher Henry Stanziale, MS/HS chorus teacher Jessica Younker and the Carle Place Senior Center’s Senior Citizen Choir.

The Senior Citizen Choir joined the first-grade chorus from Cherry Lane, the sixth-grade chorus from Rushmore Avenue and the high school Select Chorus for this special event. The respective choral groups took their turns on stage performing holiday and seasonal classics for one another and even collaborated on one special song. 

After the program, senior citizens stayed to mingle with students and friends in the cafeteria.