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“Ready for Takeoff” to be viewed by millions of travelers on JetBlue Airways flights.

Tony Award-nominated actress Jenn Colella brought Broadway talent to the Reach for a Star Luncheon on Tuesday, April 9 at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. The annual event raises awareness and vital funds for extracurricular programs and afterschool activities for students with severe physical disabilities at the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center.

Jenn Colella, lead in the hit Broadway musical Come from Away, is slated to perform a selection of songs at the Reach for a Star Luncheon — an annual spring fundraiser that benefits extracurricular and after-school activities for children with severe physical disabilities from the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center — at the Crest Hollow Country Club on Tuesday, April 9. Tony Award-nominated Colella has appeared in several big-name productions over the years, including High Fidelity, Urban Cowboy, Chaplin, and If/Then.

Employment & Transitioning for Youths with Disabilities article by Patricia Birbiglia for Exceptional Parent Magazine’s October 2012 issue.

Click Here to view the full article.

8^th Graders at Henry Viscardi School Win “Stand Up and Speak Out Against Bullying”

Essay Contest

January 17, 2013 – Albertson, NY – The 8^th grade class at the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi School, an accredited academic school for grades Pre-K through 12 for children with severe physical disabilities, has won the “Stand Up and Speak Out Against Bullying” essay contest. The essay competition was one component of the 12^th Annual Youth Conference for middle school students held at LIU Post on December 7, 2012.

As participants of the Youth Conference which promotes bullying awareness, the students were invited to participate in the essay contest. Fifty schools submitted essays. Together, the eighth graders wrote an essay based on a quote by Keith David, a retired NFL player and the guest speaker at the Conference, “No one is born a winner or a loser, but everyone is born a chooser.” The students wrote about how they face difficult choices in life due to their physical disabilities and how they face challenges every day, but can overcome the adversity of a disability by making the right choices.

Click Here to read the winning essay.

Watch the MSG High School Sports Desk segment featuring the Henry Viscardi School basketball team playing at our annual Sportsmanship Tournament. The HVS Cougars took first place. Go Cougars!

Click Here to watch video from MSG Varsity

The following is by the Class of 2012:

The Class of 2012 went on a once in a lifetime experience to Washington D.C. on May 2 – May 4.  We stayed at the Marriot Hotel in Gaithersburg, Maryland which was right on Washington Lake.  We traveled into Washington on Thursday morning and went to the Smithsonian, Air & Space Museum.  What a great place to see.  We had a picnic lunch outside on the “mall”.    The Capital Building was next.  We had a private V.I.P. tour of the Capital.  We were able to go out on the Speaker of the House’s balcony.  What a spectacular view of Washington DC!  Next onto Lincoln Memorial.  What a sight to see! We were also able to see the Korean War Memorial and the Soldier Statues.  (Don’t forget to look at the pictures) There is never enough time to see everything, but we saw a lot in a short amount of time. The students represented the Henry Viscardi School with dignity, maturity and utmost respect .  This trip could not have been possible without the amazing staff.  Fun was had by all!

Click Here to see photos of the trip