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Service, Support & Advocacy

November

2025

Unsung Heroes Take the Spotlight as Students Earn Over $21,500 in International

Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award Competition

Jay Patel and Rayan Hasan of New York’s Jericho High School earn grand prize with their documentary on Alice Hamilton, a pioneering physician whose efforts transformed workplace health and safety

For its 2025 international Discovery Award competition, the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC) has awarded over $21,500 in cash prizes to elementary, middle and high school students. This annual competition inspires students to develop primary and secondary research projects that highlight the powerful historical impact of Unsung Heroes whose stories remain little-known.

Students Jay Patel and Rayan Hasan of Jericho High School in New York were surprised with the announcement that their documentary, The Unsung Hero of Industrial Health: Alice Hamilton’s Responsibility in Shaping Industrial Health Policies, had won the competition’s $6,000 Grand Prize. LMC CEO Norm Conard presented the award in front of classmates, family, school and district officials, and supervising teacher, Dr. Brian Dussel.

Conard shared his thoughts: “Jay and Rayan’s project will be proudly featured in our Hall of Unsung Heroes. Their compelling documentary about physician and researcher Alice Hamilton masterfully captures her courage in investigating occupational hazards and her pivotal role in shaping policies that protected workers nationwide.”

“Real heroes tower and guide,” said LMC Founder Lowell Milken. “But their stories need to be discovered and heard. When we do, we have the opportunity to motivate new generations to aspire to values that are essential during the challenging times we face individually, as a nation, and as a world community.”

Ara Woo and Chloe Hu, students at Jericho High School in New York, are the winners of the $2,500 Outstanding High School Project award, presented to them by Conard. Dr. Brian Dussel was their supervising teacher. Ara and Chloe’s documentary, From Oppression to Action and Solidarity: Yuri Kochiyama, an Unsung Hero in Activism, emotionally relates the story of the Japanese American activist who fought for civil rights, prisoners’ rights, and global justice, leaving a lasting impact on movements for racial and social equality.

This month's ICYMI

Baldwin opens it's second school based health center

The Baldwin School District hosted an open house to announce the opening of its newest school based health center, an on-campus medical facility that will offer behavioral, mental and physical treatment to Baldwin high schoolers.

The center opened thanks to a partnership with nonprofit group Harmony Healthcare Long Island, and is the second medical facility in the district, following the mental health center that opened at Baldwin Middle School in the 2023-24 academic year.

For Baldwin High students, the facility will be open year-round, including summer months when school isn’t in session. District officials said services will be offered regardless of insurance status, and the facility is currently staffed by a medical assistant, a nurse practitioner, a program manager, and a licensed social worker.

“We’re very excited to have this opportunity to service our students and families at the high school level,” Superintendent Anthony Mignella said.

Long Beach students warm hearts during ‘Sock-tober’ drive

During last month’s “Sock-tober,” students at West Elementary School in Long Beach took part in a collection of new socks to donate to individuals in need through Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.

Inspired by the school’s upcoming 100th year celebration in spring 2026, the goal was to gather at least 100 pairs of socks, a target the school proudly exceeded.

To celebrate their success, students participated in a fun, schoolwide “Crazy Sock Day,” showing off their most colorful and creative footwear.

This initiative is one of several activities planned throughout the school year in anticipation of the school’s milestone centennial celebration.

Alumni, former staff and community members who would like to take part in the upcoming festivities are encouraged to reach out to the school for more information. 

Sylvan Avenue puts safety first with Teddy Bear Clinic

Kindergartners at Sylvan Avenue Elementary School in the Bayport-Blue Point School District recently took part in an interactive safety program, the Teddy Bear Clinic, presented by the Pediatric Trauma Center of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

The workshop began with a conversation about everyday safety habits, including wearing seatbelts correctly, using booster or car seats and the importance of correctly wearing a helmet. With guidance from medical students, several kindergarteners helped act out scenes that showed the difference between safe and unsafe choices while riding in a car.



To highlight why helmets matter, volunteers participated in an egg-drop demonstration. One egg, secured with a makeshift “helmet” and parachute, reached the ground intact, while the unprotected egg cracked on impact.

The day’s activities emphasized a key lesson: accidents can occur, but many injuries are preventable with the right safety practices. 

From the N-SSBA Archives



Semi-Annual Dinner 12/8/1976

N-SSBA in the News