[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 30, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING TIMBER POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S 5TH GRADE STUDENTS FOR 
                  WINNING THE DISNEY PLANET CHALLENGE

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                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 30, 2012

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jennifer Giordano's 
5th Grade Class at Timber Point Elementary School of East Islip, NY. 
Recently, the class was recognized as the Disney Planet Challenge's 
2011 2012 New York State winners. They also placed 5th overall in the 
entire country. I am honored to have this school, Jennifer Giordano and 
all these students in the 2nd Congressional District of New York.
  The Disney Planet Challenge is a competition designed to encourage 
American youth to play a key role in impacting the environment 
classroom by classroom. By learning the merits of conservation and 
innovative energy solutions, students become aware of the importance of 
protecting our environment. The challenge's interdisciplinary approach 
involves math, science, and English in order to motivate students to 
compete for a common goal. This is being applied on Long Island and 
across the nation.
  Ms. Giordano's 5th Grade Class at Timber Point Elementary School 
embodies the spirit of thinking globally while acting locally. This all 
started with the film WALL-E, which inspired the students to launch a 
project focused on keeping non-biodegradable trash and dangerous 
chemicals out of local landfills. They met this goal by holding 
themselves and their community accountable. This included urging local 
restaurants to use biodegradable materials, setting up compost sites, 
initiating a battery collection program, and starting recycling 
programs. These 5th graders have successfully made their community more 
aware of how their habits impact our environment. Their hard work shows 
that when we all work together to do our part, we can make a big 
difference.
  I commend these students for their dedication to their community and 
our planet. I would also like to honor their teacher, Jennifer 
Giordano, and their parents for instilling in these children the 
importance of protecting our environment for future generations. As the 
New York State winners of the Disney Planet Challenge, I would like to 
formally submit all of these students' names in recognition of their 
achievements:
  Zaina Abdelbaky, Brittney Amaru, Nicolette Banville, Charlie Curran, 
Kyle DeLisi, Nickolas Dimitriou, Ryan Engblom, Lauren Florenz, Steven 
Geisler, Nicole Graziano, Tom Hazell, Shannon Hubany, Dylan Lopez, 
Natalia Lozinski, Owen Meddis, Julia Ryan, Kerri Smith, Katelyn Spina, 
Natalie Stergakos, Ryann Tracy, Cassidy Triolo Matthew Pinz.

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