Jocelyn Thorbourne, Logan Miller and Jordyn Gross love their school. So the three Jefferson Primary School third graders helped orchestrate a collaboration with New York Pizza in the Big H Shopping Center on a three hour fundraising initiative for the Jefferson PTA.
New York Pizza agreed to donate 20 percent of their profits between 4-7 p.m. one recent day to the Jefferson School PTA. The third graders along with some other community minded youngsters were on hand to meet and greet customers and encourage participation.
The pizzeria is a bustling place, especially during the late afternoon and early evening. New York Pizza personnel taught the youngsters how to make pizza and garlic knots along with explaining some of the ins and outs of the business. The kids loved every minute of it.
Even Huntington High School senior Nat Amato was inspired to pitch in and help out. The teenager has a real talent for baking brownies. No kidding around. Those who have tasted what Mr. Amato is capable of creating can attest to the fact these aren’t any ordinary brownies. They are irresistible. So he baked a special batch and sold them with the profits donated to the Jefferson PTA.
Huntington High School graduate Kevin Thorbourne, the Town of Huntington’s director of minority affairs and the Blue Devil varsity boys’ basketball team’s assistant coach worked behind the scenes to make it all come together.
Mr. Thorbourne is one of the founders of the Young Leaders youth development organization. While the group is geared toward middle school and high school students, the Jefferson trio are members-in-training. Mr. Amato played basketball for Huntington this past winter and he’s a longtime participant in the Young Leaders program.
The third graders were left with a feeling of satisfaction as the event wound down. “They had so much fun doing something to assist their school’s PTA,” Mr. Thorbourne said. “The money raised will be used for school projects.”
The Jefferson PTA is led by Jen Biancardo (president), Kelly Donovan (co-vice president), Wendy Naborre (co-vice president), Stacey Fiore (corresponding secretary), Ken Guandique (treasurer) and PTA Council Delegates Jennifer Carillo and Jasmin Garcia.
