School Board Recognizes NHS Teams, Hears From Sandy Hook Students

By Eliza Hallabeck

The Newtown High School girls’ basketball and volleyball teams were recognized by the Board of Education at the start of its meeting on Tuesday, April 3.

Also during the meeting the school board heard a presentation by Sandy Hook Elementary School students about Project Eagle, a student group that has completed multiple community service projects since its inception in early November.

State Representative DebraLee Hovey was in attendance to present the girls’ basketball team with an official citation from Rep Hovey, State Representative Christopher Lyddy, and Senator John McKinney.

“Be it hereby known to all,” Rep Hovey read the citation to the team standing before the school board, “that the Connecticut General Assembly offers its sincerest congratulations to Newtown High School’s girls’ basketball team.”

Rep Hovey explained after presenting the citation to the basketball team that she had not been informed the girls’ volleyball team would also be recognized during the meeting, and she apologized for not having something to present to that team.

“Not only are they phenomenal young women and athletes,” said NHS girls’ basketball coach Jeremy O’Connell after Rep Hovey presented the citation, “but every one of them has made high honors.”

The girls’ basketball team won the Class LL state championship game last month in a match against Mercy High of Middletown, and in November the girls’ volleyball team won the Class LL state tournament championship match against Southington.

Project Eagle

Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung also gave a brief introduction to the school board before multiple students spoke about her school’s Project Eagle program.

“The group that we have here certainly embodies the spirit of giving back to the community that has given to them,” said Ms Hochsprung.

Ms Hochsprung also recognized Sandy Hook School parents Jennifer Taylor and Rashi Ray for their oversight of Project Eagle.

Students took turns explaining multiple community service projects members of the group have completed since it began in November, including creating four works of art to hang at Danbury Hospital, helping to clear a trail at the Conservation Commission’s property on Pole Bridge Road, raising money to provide the school’s turtle Shelley, who is located outside of the school’s library/media center, with a new stand and tank, and more.

“On behalf of the Board of Education,” Ms Leidlein said after the presentation to the Project Eagle members, “we are all very impressed with how busy you all have been and how well you have been serving the community at such a young age. And we encourage you to continue in this endeavor, and who knows? Maybe one day you will be sitting up here,” she added with a smile.