Just halfway through the school year, East Islip Middle School eighth graders in social studies classes taught by Ryan Pearsall and Alberto Santoro have already reached an impressive milestone on their path toward high school graduation. As part of their coursework, students recently completed a Seal of Civic Readiness-aligned project requiring them to identify a community need, research the issue and develop – and in many cases carry out – a plan of action.
Through the successful completion of these projects, students demonstrated advanced civic knowledge, real-world engagement and academic rigor consistent with the expectations of the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness, a distinction awarded to students who show a deep understanding of civic concepts and active participation in civic life. By completing this project in eighth grade, students are already meeting benchmarks that will contribute directly to future high school graduation goals while setting a powerful precedent for early civic engagement and academic excellence.
A defining feature of the project was student choice. Students selected one of two rigorous pathways, both held to high school–level expectations: service learning or independent civic research.
Students pursuing service learning projects identified a need within their community, designed a plan of action and engaged in meaningful service. Ashley DiPaola and Riley Lewis researched stray and abandoned animals on Long Island before volunteering at Carol’s Senior Pet Sanctuary, where they walked dogs and supported rescued animals. Sunny Antico and Victoria Koehler examined poverty on Long Island and volunteered at First Presbyterian Church in Babylon, serving brunch to community members in need. Riley Ambrosio, Elisa Carlino, Julianna Simeone and Hadley Sujka also focused on animal welfare, volunteering at Carol’s Senior Pet Sanctuary to care for rescued dogs. Alexa Hernandez and Kayla Karlund researched ways to support cancer patients, organized a donation drive for activity books and puzzles, and delivered the items to the New York Cancer and Blood Center in East Islip. Alexa Garofalo and Brynn McKiernan studied veterans living in poverty and prepared individually packaged meals that were donated to Liberty Station in Port Jefferson. Alex Amorim, Joey Barbarito, Myles Mazzarone and Anthony Raguseo researched homelessness in New York, ran a food drive and donated collected items to Mercy Haven in Islip Terrace.
Other students chose to conduct original research on a civic issue of personal interest, following high school research standards that included claim development, evidence-based argumentation, source evaluation and formal academic writing. Sam Binsfeld, Jivin Chawla, Damien Colgan and James Lawrence researched teen vaping and presented three potential solutions to address the issue. Colbie Gravano and Gabriella Joseph examined teen mental health and self-image, analyzing data and trends to better understand how self-perception impacts adolescents. After presenting their findings to classmates, they created informational flyers that were displayed throughout the middle school.
“What stood out most to me was their focus on positive thinking and healthy self-talk,” Santoro said. “These themes were at the center of what they learned and what they wanted others to take away. I was genuinely impressed not only by the quality of their research and presentation, but also by the empathy and care they showed while discussing such an important topic.”
Both student pathways emphasized critical thinking, responsibility and civic agency, skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
“By completing Seal-aligned work in middle school, students are not only deepening their understanding of civic life but also accelerating their readiness for high school coursework and expectations,” Director of Humanities Korin Scarles said. “This experience empowers students to see themselves as active participants in their communities and confident scholars capable of meeting advanced academic challenges. Mr. Pearsall and Mr. Santoro guided students through this process with an emphasis on reflection, ownership and real-world relevance, reinforcing that civic readiness is not something that begins in 12th grade – it starts now.
