Leadership club hosts 11th annual ambassador exchange

Students from Sayville and Wyandanch High Schools’ leadership met on Friday, Jan. 31 for their 2025 Ambassador Exchange.

The event, which began in 2014, saw the students hailing from different backgrounds spend the school day learning and sharing experiences with one another.

Sayville students greeted their visitors from Wyandanch at the Sayville High School’s main entrance before making their way to the gymnasium.

There, the students shared meals, including bagels for breakfast and tacos for lunch, participated in rounds of speed-chatting, attended class together, explored the school grounds, and participated in a series of games and activities designed to promote understanding, inclusiveness and a realization that our differences can actually be our greatest assets.

The event, which was organized by Sayville Leadership Club advisors Angela O’Hoppe and Jennifer Wittman-Cahill, centered around the slogan, Knock Down Walls, Build Bridges, encouraging students to recognize their similarities despite whatever their differences might be. Through these interactions, the students formed connections, learned from each other, and exchanged phone numbers to stay in touch.

“My favorite part of the day is watching all of the students interact together,” said O’Hoppe. “Nobody is on their phones, nobody is thinking about their worries. They’re just having fun. In those moments you remember they’re all just kids at the end of the day.”

“This event is the culmination of all that we do in our leadership club,” added Wittman-Cahill, “It’s my favorite event of the year, because the kids experience a great deal of joy being with each other. Nothing else matters besides the relationships and connections that they are making.”

“This event is a amazing experience shared between two wonderful communities,” said Superintendent of Sayville Schools Dr. Marc Ferris, “Students from both sides can learn so much from each other through collaboration, partnership, and shared learning experiences. I am so proud of our students and staff for putting together this incredible event.”

The two schools will meet again this spring, when the Sayville students will visit Wyandanch High School.