On Thursday, November 14th, the first-ever Fall Unity Summit, hosted by the Student Council, took place in the auditorium. The event brought together about 26 student representatives and 6 faculty members on the panel.

The Unity Summit is an event organized by Student Council to give student representatives a chance to ask questions directly of the school administration. The goal is to identify issues, bring attention to them, and work towards meaningful change. This was the first summit held in the fall, with plans to follow up on progress during the annual Spring Summit.

Student representatives were selected by their advisors from many clubs and organizations across the school. These included honor societies, class clubs, sports teams, and more.

The event began during Period 1 with a question workshop and preparation session. Between Periods 1 and 2 and continuing into Period 3, students presented their questions to the panel, which led to discussions and responses. Later in Period 4, the students debriefed, and the day concluded with a reception during Period 5 to thank the student representatives for their participation.

The questions asked at the Unity Summit covered a wide range of topics. These included concerns about communication between administration, parents, and students; the lack of a study hall period; issues with school unity and pride; limited academic recognition; low attendance at school events due to poor advertising; bathroom pass policies; restrictions on fundraising during the school day; rejection of spirit week themes like pajama day; the cancellation of field trips; insufficient club funding; the choice to remove the WACPAC Club (known for its strong community involvement); the limited options for honors and SUPA classes; and the lack of promotion for less popular sports teams, among other topics.

Responses from the panel were met with mixed reactions. Some students felt that the answers sounded like “politician” responses, lacking clear explanations. For instance, the removal of the WACPAC Club was deeply disappointing for many students. Their involvement in the community through the years has always been significant. Every December, they host a Christmas Drive for those in need, but now they are no longer able to do so. Similarly, the rejection of pajama day during spirit week received no clear explanation, leaving some students frustrated. 

For the most part, many students were satisfied with the responses they received and recognized that some questions, like those mentioned above, are more suited for the Board. Students widely appreciated the efforts of the current administration, particularly Dr. Cardone, who was praised for his advocacy and willingness to listen. Some, like Adonis Lyon, noted that this school year feels more open to change, thanks to the new administration. He mentioned Senior Day as an example of positive progress. Even among parents, there were many positive comments about the administration’s efforts to bring change, and this recognition is well deserved.

Michael Pacheco, President of Student Council, said this of the event:

“Every representative had a great question to ask the faculty on the table. During the event and debriefing, it truly showed me how much these representatives cared about their topic. Overall, I believe that this Unity Summit was very successful and something I hope to participate in again this spring. We appreciate the faculty on the panel and have nothing but positive things to say. We hope to represent more students and have some Board members present at the next Summit. My main goal for this school year is to get as much done as possible so that future students at Amityville Memorial High School have a better experience than those here now.”

The first step toward change is bringing issues to the attention of the administration. Faculty on the panel, including Dr. Cardone, emphasized that students should not wait for events like the Unity Summit to voice their concerns. Dr. Cardone recently hosted a “Conversations with Cardone” in the cafeteria during lunch periods, where students brought up many issues, showing that administration is always open for discussions.

The entire Unity Summit was livestreamed by Mr. Greiss and Mr. Zwerling with the Broadcasting Club, allowing the school, parents, and the community to watch live or access the recording. Massive thanks go to them for making this event accessible.