On Feb. 14, Floral Park Memorial High School was a proud participant of P.S. I Love You Day.
(Photos courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District)
P.S. I Love You Day was created by West Islip teenager Brooke DiPalma to combat suicide and depression. The mission of this organization is to decrease bullying and promote mental health awareness. On the second Friday of every February, communities are encouraged to wear purple to recognize this day and to foster kindness.
Floral Park Memorial students were a sea of purple to observe P.S. I Love You Day. In addition to wearing purple, activities were created for seventh and eighth-grade students to further acknowledge the importance of mental health.
Around the building, a committee of students sold candy grams with the P.S. I Love You trademark. Students were able to send a candy gram to a friend with a sweet message of encouragement. In class, students learned the history of P.S. I Love You Day and decorated hearts with positive messages. The Floral Park Florettes volunteered to hang these hearts around the junior high cafeteria; this allows students to continually read these constructive affirmations.
Seventh-grade students also spent time interviewing their classmates to further enhance the community in the classroom. This activity aimed to celebrate the students and their unique identities. They researched inspirational quotes and explained what they liked about the quotes and how a specific quote may apply to an individual’s life.
The eighth-grade students evaluated acts of kindness in an episode of the 90s sitcom, “Saved By The Bell,” and identified acts of kindness to be completed over the winter break. They also engaged in fun games in class to raise morale and a sense of belonging.
Additionally, faculty and staff wore purple and made donations to the organization to dress casually for the day. They also engaged in a door-decorating challenge in order to further create an environment of support.
Students who traveled to Spain during February break-even participated, taking a photo in front of the Plaza de Toros in Madrid and holding a sign that read P.S. I Love You.
The contributions from both the candy gram sales and dress down day will be donated to the P.S. I Love You Day organization. This donation, along with others, allows the organization to fund a Student Ambassador Program and Scholarship program, as well as make a yearly donation to the Long Island Crisis Center and other local organizations.
Submitted by Syntax and the Sewanhaka Central High School District
