We were thrilled to welcome the senior members of our South Huntington community back to Walt Whitman High School for our 32nd Annual Spring Fling on March 28th! It was a lively Saturday afternoon filled with delicious food, dancing, community connection, and a touch of Broadway magic. The fun afternoon is provided entirely free of charge to our senior community by the school district, including raffle tickets and free tickets to the matinee performance of the high school’s spring musical, Pippin.

The South Cafeteria was decorated in colorful spring decor by Whitman’s ESGO student government and leadership students, who also served as hosts and servers for the 200 honored guests. When the DJ amped up the beat, our students were also right there on the dance floor with our spirited seniors. 

“I like seeing our kids interact with the older generation,” said Whitman Principal Dr. John Murphy, “and I like the older generation seeing how amazing our younger generation is. This gives them a chance to realize, wow the world is better and it’s going to be fine. We’re in good hands because of young men and women like these.”

Senior Shayaan Siddiqui was one of the more than 60 students who volunteered to give up their Saturday afternoon to be part of something special. "As part of student government, we love giving back to the community. It’s heartwarming to see how much these senior citizens appreciate the time we put in for them. There is a real need to connect with these members of our community and understand that Long Island is the place it is because of the work they put in over their lifetimes. It is truly rewarding to give back to them,” said Shayaan.

 

70ish senior Lorraine Spina has been attending the Spring Fling for several years. She called the event “a beautiful gift” to the community. “You can see they put their heart and soul into this; from the generosity of the organizers to the effort it takes to coordinate the DJ, the performances, the raffles, and the food. It’s not just a one-day event—it requires so much planning and preparation. That is why I think it’s so special.”

 

After everyone enjoyed a fantastic lunch and dessert provided by the South Huntington School Nutrition Services, followed by a few turns on the dance floor, it was time to get a preview of what was to come. Students Lucy Maniatis and Landon Forlenza, both lead actors in the high school’s Center Stage Production of Pippin, performed one of the musical numbers from the show.

 

And before everyone left to take their seats before the curtain rose on the afternoon’s presentation of Pippin in Walt Whitman’s Performing Arts Center, several of our lucky senior guests walked away with amazing raffle prizes thanks to contributions from local businesses.

This memorable event wouldn't have been possible without our student and teacher volunteers, our custodial staff, the Nutrition Services team, and our wonderful local vendors. Most importantly, thank you to our senior guests—we hope you had a fabulous time! 

 

See more photos here!

 

A big thank you to over 60 of Walt Whitman’s ESGO student government and leadership students for volunteering!

 

Volunteers took their time speaking with our senior guests, taking food and drink orders, and sharing pleasant conversation with one another. 

 

Whitman’s student volunteers served up delicious food with a side of smiles. 

 

The DJ turned up the music and the student volunteers joined energetic seniors on the dance floor.

 

Several of our lucky senior guests walked away with amazing raffle prizes thanks to contributions from local businesses.
 

 

Students Lucy Maniatis and Landon Forlenza, both lead actors in the high school’s Center Stage Production of Pippin, performed one of the musical numbers from the show.

 

 

Thank you to our senior guests—we hope you had a fabulous time!