[Music] good evening and welcome welcome to the Farmingdale School District's annual Wall of Fame induction ceremony let's all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge of allegiance to the plag of the United States of America and to theic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all thank you good evening and welcome my name is Carla sow and I proudly serve as one of the assistant principals here at rale high school additionally I have the honor to serve as a chairperson for the wall of Fate selection committee I am pleased to be joined on stage by five wonderful students at presenters for the night we are so delighted to have so many stakeholders of our community here with us to celebrate one of the goals of the wall of fame is that today's students will be inspired by our in-depth East to pursue their dreams and strive to one day be honored for their own accomplishments in a future Wall of Fame ceremony today we honor three dealers our 2024 winners our 2024 winners are Dr John balchuck class of 2000 Mr Bob waganda class of 1963 and Mr Greg wowski class of 1985 tonight [Music] tonight's event does not happen without the support of many so we would like to take a moment to thank all of the people who have had their hand in this event today we would like to thank our selection committee for all of their dedication and support Mrs Beth Garvey Mr Michael hunger Mrs Lori mlin Mrs E Powers M Daniela doery and myself we would like to thank our Board of Education members our central office administration principal Mr Jed Herman assistant principal Dr Martinez Mr patronaggio in addition we would like to thank the FHS main office staff especially Mrs Betty Looney the custodial staff and our ad staff for all of their [Music] help started in 1998 the wall of fame represents a very talented group of men and women who have been First Responders veterans Educators chefs doctors entertainers artists business owners and so much more all are excellent role models who show us that with hard work and determination we can turn our passion into a successful career um tonight we will hear from several of our current students who are journalists for our school newspaper called the paper line they will have the privilege of not only introducing our honies tonight but also writing about their accomplishments for our school paper now we would like to introduce you to Jenna binish our student journalist who will be writing about our first honoring Dr [Applause] [Music] bchuk administrating to people in need whether in the healthc care profession or in the world of education is one of the noblest paths a person can choose most people select either one in terms of careers either Healthcare or education but administrating care and health to both patients and students is deeply profound in mindblowing but this is what our wall of famor Dr John R bchu has done he has both enriched the teaching profession with his experience as a teacher and a coach in our district and he has enbl the nursing profession with his dedication to healthcare during the pandemic he played a critical role in launching a hospital-based nursing assistant program that streamlined the process for those entering the healthcare profession this program earned National recognition do Dr Bal Chu's list of accolades is astounding in addition to holding many positions during his nursing career including director of nursing Recruitment and Retention nursing supervisor and educator currently Dr bchuk is an Adjunct professor at sui Farmingdale the Common Thread running through Dr bchu like is his deep sense of Charity especially in times of great distress Not only was he instrumental in helping steam stem the the tide of Despair during covid-19 but his experience in dealing with students cultivated his empathy he is extremely mindful self care and advocates for nurses social emotional wellbeing Dr Balu has worked TIR tirelessly to promote constructive channels for stress reduction such as coordinating peer support groups additionally Dr bchuk has all always had a passion for hockey this started when he was a daer himself he loves to use hockey fundraisers as a way to help people struggling with addiction mental illness and cancer he loves to help children and youth who face disadvantages illnesses and related hardships and he loves to always find new creative helpful ways to contribute to our world in positive uplifting ways Dr bchuk is an inspiration to all of us we are incredibly grateful to him and all the work he has done congratulations on the behalf of Farmdale High School it is our honor to induct you into our lovely wall of fame [Music] Dr John balchuck was nominated by Mr James capano please welcome Mr capano to the [Applause] [Music] stage great job Jenna I think wrapped it up so I'm good all right today I'm here to speak on behalf of John bchuk John is a good person who's made some mistakes in his past that has learned sorry it's a wrong speech that was from his parole board here this is the one today we're here to acknowledge the accomplishments of Dr John bchuk yes John is a doctor of nursing if I drop of a cardiac issue somebody yells is there doctor in the house technically he can stand up I'm Still Holding Out for the cardiologist I've known John since we both attended Northside Elementary school together we were in the same grade and progress through the fadale education system together ultimately graduating in the year 2000 throughout the year years John and I played in the same fadale Rec leagues and played together on the high school ice hockey team our love for that sport of hockey did not stop after high school as we both played Junior Hockey and are members of the Farmdale alumni team throughout High School John and I were many of the same classes including AP Physics one day when our teacher asked if any of us were planning to focus on F uh physics in college John remarked yeah like I want to be a physician but well John is a man of his word he's not a physician John's a male nurse in high school John also played varsity football part of a dominant offensive line that's saw great success in our four-year tenure on that offensive line John became Adept at pushing people around a perfect precursor for his career in nursing Administration and management John's wife Lori is also a North Side in Farmdale High School alumni and his two children Joey and Juliana our fixtures in our family's life as we' remained close friends with numerous fadale High School alumni all of whom have young children around the same age we've who have also become very close friends John not only continues playing men's league hockey but he played semi-pro football up until very recently winning two national championships with the Long Island Eagles if you ask you might even to be able to see one of the championship rings I'm positive he has them with him as for John's Prof professional career nursing was actually his second calling after pursuing a career in physical education after graduating from ad Delphi University once he became a certified RN he continued his pursuit of Education in the field becoming a board certified nurse executive a certified Advanced cardiac life support provider and instructor and holds a certificate in professional nursing development he developed and implemented a New York State Department of Health approved certified nurse assistant training program to help replenish the nursing ranks after the pandemic a program that was selected and presented at the American Hospital Association National Conference he was also asked to uh present his doctoral dissertation findings on Stress Management for new RN at a nurse a national nurse education Summit and he will have that research published in the peer-reviewed nursing Economic Journal John has a doctorate in nursing a level of Education less than two 2% of the people in his field reach the achievement is not only a testament to his work ethic but it speaks volume on his passion for his trade and his determination to better himself in the medical industry during the pandemic Dr bchuk that's right I'm calling a doctor pay attention big boy this the first and last time I'm ever calling you Doctor during the pandemic Dr belar L the ponic Bay Medical Center as the assistant director of nursing he was boots on the ground at testing and treatment facilities and even work at a local nursing home to oversee the protection and treatment of the elderly he's always willing and available to answer questions related to any medical needs or issues and always answers the call as a friend he gives back to the sport he loves actively involved in charity and fundraising events with northwell the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers he's a great father he's Dev devoted to furthering his education and bettering his profession as a whole he is a person I'm lucky enough to call of my oldest friends and he is a d for Life congratulations Dr John bchuk and thank you to the Farmdale High [Music] School Dr bchu please come up and accept this plaque on behalf of the entire Farmville School community [Applause] I talked to uh Jim earlier and he said he had a short speech and I thought I was definitely going to be longer than his but I don't know I think he's going to have to beat so good evening everybody I'm uh humbled and honored to stand here in front of you today I want to thank my good friend Jimmy capuano for nominating me we've been sharing laugh since Miss Hartman's kindergarten class at North Northside Elementary School he brought Wishes the school allines were drawn differently back then or he was born a year earlier said he wasn't subjected to our friendship for the last 37 years Jimmy is a fellow class 2000 graduate to form the high school and a very successful professional father and role model and I'm grateful for our friendship thank you principal Carl Stillwell for organizing the wall of fame ceremony the committee for inducting me and to the students involved in this ceremony we all hope to see up here down the road I attended Farmdale School District from kindergarten through my senior year and I cherished the memories and Lessons Learned my parents who are here tonight still live in Farmingdale my parents instill in me my work ethic and the importance of education but most importantly being a good person and a role model my mom was a valid torian of of our high school and registered nurse for many years so I enjoy sharing stories at the profession with my dad obtained every degree very imaginable his first job was working on the Luna module so NASA could send a few guys to the Moon then he engineered nuclear subs during the Cold War while getting his judicial doctorate so yeah I felt pressured to do really good on those Regents exams down the block from my parents live my in-laws who are also here with us tonight in attendance thank you for all your support and encouragement I met my wife Lori class of 2001 back at Northside bus seven although we were only acquaintances back in high school um she did toilet paper in my parents house before homecoming because I was a bity football player and she was a dorette but it's because of being once a dor always a dor we were able to reconnect through mutual form no friends 11 years at high school and now we share our wonderful life together with our son Joey and our daughter Juliana who you've all been hearing Lori thank you you started dating while I was in nursing school and you've been my support and a huge reason why I've achieved success in my academic and professional career there's a quote that says beside every successful man there's even better woman that is you thank you so the truth be told I wanted to be a teacher here at Farmingdale I earned my bachelor degree in health and physical education and even completed my student teaching requirements right here and was also a substitute but there was a different plan for me and I had to change course and at that time I reflected on the tough lesson I learned right here I thought about Educators that I had Mr Peter mallori Mr Buddy krumanaker was also now on the he's on I'm with him on the wall and thought about our 1999 Nassau County championship football team which was ranked number one and the large favorite to win it all and what happened is we lost our first two games I was a starting offensive guard and one of the strongest players on that team though Mali like to point out I could bench press a but couldn't squat myself off the toilet I was benched the second half of that second game and I was devastated what malan kumaka told me the day after was that no one's going to give it to you kid you got to earn it so me and everyone on that team worked harder and then we went on to Pummel the rest of Nassar County conference one including masaba and I played every snap I drew on that experience and guidance and support from my parents and siblings Joe class of 1994 the wall Fame induct 2011 and Christine my sister class of 1997 I made the decision to change directions and pursue a career in nursing changing from health promotion prevention and education as a public school teacher to a clinical professional and Healthcare was a challenge nurs nursing is a hard profession I tell all the new graduates nurses I work with that stress is an inherent part of the job and no one goes into this profession or better yet no one lasts in this profession who does not want to truly help people and has an extremely high work ethic I've Incorporated my passion for educating others and my athletic background into nursing I completed my masters in nursing education from mon Island University my doctor nursing practice where I focus my work on the professional transition of new nurses from student to Independent practitioner I currently am a clinical nurse educator and have been an ading Professor everywhere else C Bing now along with I played Ice Hockey baseball even track and field here I threw shot no run heavy objects no R I actually started playing the Over the Hill Gang at Allen Park this year just to be back in Farmdale playing with many alumni and of course to point out where the old hockey rank was where I brought J C's NOS playing roll hockey after school it was accident I wasn't mad at [Applause] him I'm still playing ice hockey and for the last few years have been volunteering with the New York Rangers and Islanders playing alongside professional alumni to raise money for various Healthcare initiatives I look back on my 14 years as a nurse and although it went quickly I'm enamored with all that I've experienced working as a trauma nurse taking critically injured patients off Choppers leading a hospital through a pandemic being looked at uh to make the difficult decisions during very un certain times working ex year during CO as a supervisor nursing home to do anything I could could for those who cannot see their loved ones advocating so that New York Department of Health would change their guidelines so I can Implement a hospital-based CNA training program to provide PID training and opportunities for those wanting to work in healthcare who just needed the opportunity to do so promotions or positions lost setbacks in progress each experiences some joyful some upsetting all difficult but all Everlasting and impactful I'll leave you with my advice to the class of 2024 whatever you decide to do college trades whatever it is choose something hard be uncomfortable challenge yourself because as Jimmy Dugan said the hard is what makes it great if it wasn't hard everyone would do it thank you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you Dr bchuk and congratulations now I would like to introduce to you I would now like to introduce you to Ethan agnetti our paper line journalist who will introduce to you our second honor Mr Bob Robert [Applause] waganda ladies and gentlemen esteemed guests and honores it is my distinct honor to introduce a truly remarkable individual one who has made made significant contributions to his field and whom we proudly induct into the Farmingdale Hall of Fame Mr Robert Bob bagunda Bob's Journey Bob's journey is a testament to the power of inspiration and mentorship he often speaks of Coach Snider as the most influential teacher in his Farmingdale career coach Snider inspired Bob to always strive for his best instilling in him the confidence and determination that would become the Hallmarks of his career as a mentor coach and teacher coach Snyder set an example that Bob had always cherished and sought to emulate Bob's time at Farmingdale High School is filled with fond memories particularly of his athletic Endeavors as an athlete and wrestler he thrived on competition and the camaraderie of sports these experiences laid the foundation for his later career as a high school and college wrestling coach his time in football track and basketball at Farmingdale High School set this standard for what he believed a good coach should be one of his most Treasured Memories is his high school graduation a moment not of leaving the past behind but of stepping into a future full of possibilities with confidence and ambition academically Bob's favorite class was high school English this class not only sparked his love for reading and poetry but also provided him with the essential skills needed for his business ventures the ability to write effectively was crucial in his career particularly when he authored the Great American Balloon book published in 198 81 by Prince Hall in New Jersey his English education was instrumental in his ability to communicate write proposals and deliver speeches throughout his career Farmingdale itself has had a profound impact on Bob's life growing up in this supportive community and attending its excellent schools provided him with the perfect environment to develop his potential he places great value on education and has ensured that his four children have had every opportunity for an outstanding education as well one of the most defining moments of Bob's life was the Great American Balloon Adventure at the age of 26 he embarked on a solo transcontinental fight Across America in a vintage 1960 hot air balloon this incredible journey saw him flying over iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge the Grand Canyon Mount Rushmore and the Rocky Mountains it was an experience filled with hard work and Unforgettable memories marking the beginning of his professional life in a truly spectacular way tonight we honor Robert wunda for his dedication achievements and contributions to his field his life and career are a testament to the power are following one's dreams with passion and perseverance it is with great pride that we welcome him into the Farmingdale Wall of [Music] Fame Mr Robert Bob waganda was nominated by Mrs Glee Shay Baker please welcome her to the [Applause] [Music] stage everybody hear me okay uh thank you very much for the introduction good evening to the school administrators present faculty students Community leaders Farmingdale High School friends and invited members of Bob's family I'd also like to give a very special shout out to Bob's invited guest coach Don Snider I don't know if he's here tonight I haven't seen him uh I hope he is I understand he's 98 years young and he was Bob's football and wrestling coach while attended uh high school here at the school um I'm honored to be standing here this evening to speak about my good friend and 63 classmate Bob waganda who has had an extraordinary life filled with many outstanding achievements before I speak to you and highlight some of Bob's major accomplishments both personally and professionally I would like to share one of Bob's very favorite quotes which sets the stage all that he has accomplished in his life and the quote fits Bob to a tea the quote is by Leonardo da Vinci and says for once you have tasted flate you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards for there you have been and there you will long to return as a young boy Bob faced serious life-threatening health issues and spent enormous amounts of time in hospitals in and around farmal but even as a child he was a dreamer he was filled with awe of all things that fly he would gaze into the sky at airplanes that flew overhead and would imagine that someday he would be able to Pilot his own aircraft eventually his health uh improved and his spirit for adventure his passion for flight and his enthusiasm for Life fed his desire to learn to become a pilot as a young teenager teenager at Farmingville High School Bob focused his attention to Aviation by working towards his six wi pilot's license by joinning the Civil Air Patrol he was involved in many sports here at the high school wrestling football track basketball as was one of the top wrestlers in our class in our school in Nassau County and on Long Island he became an all American wrestler at Springfield College and was a runner up in the US College Wrestling Championships he attended Springfield College and earned his Bachelor and master's degrees he wrote his Doctorate disertation while pursuing his doctoral degree in guidance and Psychological Service through the college it was there at college that he saw his first hot air balloon in person and from that moment on his life was changed forever he began training the very next morning with the excitement of a new adventure in flight after graduation he taught school for two years and at the same time with a dream in his heart and AE for business Bob founded his own balloon business balloon Enterprises doing businesses Sky promotions headquartered in Springfield Massachusetts and then Princeton New Jersey this this uh would grow to become the world's largest balloon marketing and management company with impressive clientele of national accounts his company would eventually create design and Implement corporate balloon marketing programs for many Fortune 500 companies he did this in an upscale and professional manner allowing the Fortune 500 companies to see the promotional value of a floing billboard Bob went on to become a master pilot Pioneer balloonist in the late 60s because of his leadership and impressive achievements in his Field Sports Illustrated magazine deemed him to the titles of the dean of American balloonist and the most renowned aerostatic Aviator in America he was Hil on the floor of the United States House of Representatives for his extremely courageous solo hot air balloon flight across the Continental United States in 1971 and was written up in the Congressional Record on December 3rd of the same year this FL is known as the Great American Bloon adventure and was a nationally televized 1-hour documentary special directed and produced for Time Life films the film opened with a solo flight across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco California and P many know uh well-known uh monuments in the United States and culminated in his Landing in Central Park in New York City a model of Bob's well-traveled hot ear balloon named America and other artifacts of his life have been on display in the past at a Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC Bob is also the co-author of the Great American Balloon book and he took great pride in the fact that a copy of this book was given to every school library in the United States he has been featured in Life Fortune science mechanics Illustrated and many other uh Publications Bob was also the originator and producer of many major balloom races throughout the country in the 70s he created and organized the first world hote balloon championship in Albuquerque New Mexico in February 73 and then created and organized the conducted Derby Festival balloon race near Louisville Kentucky in April 199 April 1973 within the last three month spoke of these continuously running balloon races celebrated their 51st year anniversaries Bob never forgot his naal County Roots though in our bis Centennial year 1976 at the end of July and the early uh days of August he organized the Spirit of 76 Air Show great by Centennial balloon race to celebrate the history of aviation in naso County known at the time as the Cradle of Aviation in the first half of the 20th century Bob's Bob's company had eight Balloons including Bicentennial balloon partici participating in the event which was held around Nas County veterans memorial coliseum Bob was around the oldest and largest full service balloon company on the East Coast featuring up andway Airlines the world's only balloon Airline and provided a complete balloon piloting training facility and FAA for certified repair station from training balloon Flyers to recruiting celebrities to the sport Bob has been involved in every aspect of ballooning he organized balloon events to highlight the profession and further highlighted the profession by starting the international professional balloon Pilots Racing Association where he was an instructor and an FAA flight examiner there was no one else living today who can give you chapter and verse of the early history of ballooning on a personal level robob has been involved with the Make A Wish Foundation quietly providing Last Wish dreams of balloon rides to children and their families he supports many Char charities near and dear to his heart such as the JDRF diabetes foundation for type 1 diabetes among others he has coached wrestling on a high school uh high school and college level presently he's assisting the New England air museum in Connecticut to showcase the history of ballooning in America America he is now completing a book written privately for his children and is Clos to finishing another book on the early years of sports ballooning to document the history of the sport for those who will follow in his footsteps ballooning has been a true passion for Bob almost his entire life he has lived his life well and enjoyed every moment of it in the process I can sum up Bob's passion for life and who he is in 12 words dad pop pop Adventurer pilot balloonist author Optimist entrepreneur businessman philanthropist believer and dreamer I do believe that Bob is shown everyone that if you can dream it you can do it and you can with it it has been 61 years since Bob graduated from Farmingdale High School and it is truly an honor for him to be inducted into this school wo of Fame perhaps there will be another farmel high school graduate who will look at WS black on the wo of Fame and be inspired to follow his or her dream uh to reach for the stars I would like to close my comments with a quote that is near and dear of my heart and especially IO this evening for all of us that are here the quote States life becomes more meaningful when you realize the simple fact that you will never get the same moment twice thank you for listening enjoy the rest of your [Music] evening Mr waganda please come up and accept this plaque on behalf of the Farmingdale School community first um my deepest sympathies go out to the peler and ferar Ferrari families as well as to the students uh and their families affected by the uh band camp tragedy last September I'd also like to extend my condolences to the families of Susie Kar and Sam Cohen graduates for the trag tragic accident in Washington state in early may as a former student of Farmingdale I know that we are all Dale of strong I'd like to thank Carla and the wall of fang committee and ukle for nominating me and I'd also like to recognize my C cousin Jenny um and a special shout out to uh my mentor and Coach Don Snider full circle it all started here at Farmingdale High School I followed in coach Snider's footsteps and went to Springfield College and received all American wrestling owners and coached the Springfield College wrestling wrestling team in 1968 I went on for my Master's Degree and wrote my doctoral thesis in guidance and Psychological Services teaching school for several years while simultaneously starting my balloon business in 1968 with a dream coach Snider and all my coaches albon MacArthur mad Mulligan inspired me to be the best that I could be my teachers encouraged me to always strive for excellence thank you Farmingdale High School for this honor for the honor which would be not be possible without the nurturing the support the encouragement and the inspiration in believing in myself instilled by these masterful Educators you can be anything you want to be if you only believe with suffi with sufficient conviction and act in accordance with your faith for whatever the mind mind can conceive and believe it can achieve words of wisdom from Napoleon Hill to the Future student body my message is simple strive not only to be what you want to be but be the best at it here are some guiding principles for our future students develop a positive attitude think positive be positive stay positive remember the words of Helen Keller optim optimism is the faith that leads to achievement nothing can be done without hope follow your dreams live the life of your dreams faith is the bridge to all dreams always reach for the unreachable star use your imagination as Albert Einstein said imagination is more important than knowledge knowledge is limited imagination can encircle the world logic will take you from A to B imagination will take you everywhere choose to be curious blessed are the Curious for they shall have Adventures as John Lock stated curiosity in children is but an appetite for knowledge believe in yourself you are braver than you think more talented than you know and capable of more than you can imagine believe in yourself and you will be un set up smart goals remember that a goal without a plan is just a wish write down your goals set milestones and revisit them on a daily basis stay focused consider and limit your distractions such as social media your frame of mind the your environment and your willpower always try don't be afraid to fail be afraid not to try try and fail but never fail to try be grateful it is not happiness that brings us gratitude but gratitude that brings usiness happiness develop an attitude for gratitude leave no regrets live life to the fullest in the end the only regret are the chances we didn't take have the courage to persevere embrace the fear of failure courage creates confidence a headful of fears leaves no place for dreams and aspirations fear is a reaction courage is a decision you are your only limit and lastly be happy life is better when you're laughing these are the principles that have guided me and I hope they will inspire you future students on your journey thank you thank you Mr Randa and congratulations now I would like to introduce you to Haley Timberman our paper lion journalist who will introduce our Honore Mr Greg [Applause] babski it is not every day that one can say they have influence the lives of those around them and that is what's so special about our community here at Farmingdale we are here tonight to honor three of these influential people as they are added to our wall of fame here at Farmingville High School our wall of fame is a way of recognizing and honoring those who have touched the hearts of the fitale community it is my honor here tonight to speak about the incredible Greg morowski Mr wowski is not only a lifelong deer but is Farmingdale High School's director of fine and Performing Arts he worked for 14 years as a middle school band director and 16 years as a high school band director he has touched the lives of countless children throughout his years in our community Mr Wow's most Monumental moment as a student student in Farmingdale was during his senior year when he had the opportunity to organize rehearse and lead the pit band for the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat as conductor and pianist without any teacher involvement he valued his consistent involvement in farmingdale's music program as a student he was involved somehow with almost every music Ensemble our school had to offer he played saxophone in the bands an electric keyboard for the jazz band he sang for the chorus as well as accompanied the chorus and orchestra playing on piano he played piano piano for numerous fellow music students as their nisma solos recital and competitions if there was music involved you bet Mr ornowski was there but at the end of the day what makes Mr wowski so important is his connection with those of the lives he's influenced he says the greatest part of his career is simply seeing his impact he's had countless former band students write to him explaining it was because of his influence that they became music teachers themselves his love for music radiates through all that he does and even those he teaches making their love for music even stronger his career has come full circle in 2020 as he received the honor of becoming the director of performance and Fine Arts here at farming High School where he is able to give back to the school community that gave that gave him so much when he was a student and is able to teach in those same classrooms which grew his own love for music and soon me to his undeniable influence and success [Music] congratulations Mr Greg Bowski was nominated by multiple sponsors including Miss Cheryl Emma Golds and Mrs Alisa presy we would like to welcome both to the stage at this time [Applause] good evening today we are here to honor and celebrate the three very deserving recipients of the farmo Wall of Fame award one of these recipients as you just heard happens to my brother Greg wowski aka the present music and Fine Arts director of this great school district of Farmingdale for many years when periodically getting to revisit the halls of Farmingdale High School while my two older children attended I'd walk by and stop to observe the many photographs and accomplishments of those who have previously received this award and thought what qualifies someone to be bestowed with such an honor my first thought was always well obviously you'd have to make it big or famous but what does that mean perhaps you'd have to be an inventor of something amazing become a movie actor actress or be a rock star singing and dancing on stage and be loved by millions of people Fame the word fame is defined as the state of being known or talked about by many people especially on account of notable achievements when Googling the question what does it mean to make it big Google States to become very successful or famous like any other young budding musician Greg always dreamed of becoming famous or making it big he was referred to by his professional piano instructor as somewhat of a prodigy due to his ability to play the piano classically at a very young age Greg has spent nearly his entire life bringing the joy of music to others his love of playing the piano began when he was the young age of five throughout his years as a student here in the Farmingdale School District he often accompanied musical performances and plays and he even directed The Pit Orchestra for the high school play Crafters growing up my sister and I had the joy of listening to him play anything from a classical piece to singing the singing and playing the many songs of Billy Joel his passion for music and his natural ability for playing the piano continued as he attended itha College as a music Major in performance and education while there his love of being a classical penis grew while he continued to perform and be recognized for his remarkable Talent it was at this time that he also realized the importance of music education in children it is proven that music reinforces language skills strengthens memory and attention and builds and improves reading ability just like it did for him my sister for me and our children it helped with self-confidence a sense of self- accomplishment forced teamwork provided us a safe social setting to make friendships and most importantly gave us a feeling of belonging very soon after graduating college his journey into music education began when our mom made him made him on March 13th 1990 put on a suit grab copies of his resume and go District to District to see if any were in need of a music teacher while at the light on hemp Turnpike and wter Avenue in lown he noticed the school to his left and decided to drop in he had never heard of the district Island Trees he went in and asked if they were hiring the Middle School wasn't but they referred him to one of the elementary schools in the district that was he immediately went there and inquired about it there he handed out the first copy of his resume to the school principal little did he know that this first stop would land him a job Greg and I worked together in Island Trees so I heard first hand how he got his first teaching job the principal at the time often told me and others that when Greg came in that day asking about a job 3 qus into the school year and fresh out of college she doubted he would be a candidate based on his lack of teaching experience she then told him it was a general music physician and he'd have to be able to play the piano to teach chorus she brought him into the cafeteria and asked him to play something on the piano for her she said that when he broke out playing chikosi Sonata in G major she nearly fell off the bench she was sitting on listening in disbelief teachers began entering the room to hear who was playing clapped and said hire him well she hired him right there on the spot that's where his career in music education began for the next 30 Years to the day March 13th 2020 Greg taught in the island tree School District his time as a general music teacher was shortlived only the remaining four months of that school year he spent the following years there as the middle school band director and then the high school band director there he brought the music department to life not only for the students but for the Island Trees Community with faculty concerts that rais money for the music department there the music educators of the district displayed their talents for all to enjoy during that time he was part of NASA music educators Association on various levels including president there he led over 1,000 Nasa County music educators to help provide All County experiences scholarships workships for educators and more at the same time he spent those 30 years as a professional musician pianist performing nearly every every weekend Greg loved his career as a band director like most teachers the rewards of our position as teachers far outweigh the challenges making the decision to leave Island Trees was very hard for him he knew he'd be leaving the job he adored and most of all the day-to-day connections he had with his students teaching and sharing the joy of Music he finally made the decision to accept the position as Fine Arts and Music director here at Farmingdale his career has come full circle being given a chance to come back to where it all started to lead this incredible high level music and art program in just a few years here at Farmingdale Greg has proved that he embodies the qualities looked for when receiving such an honor Alisa prey the fine and Performing Art secretary witnessed such quality as while navigating with Greg in the entire music and art Department the many difficults that unbeknownst to him he would face while undertaking this new position due to social distance requirements Co demanded many modifications and brought challenges to running the department he did this with Grace while reassuring his faculty that their job could still be done with the many restrictions in place then while our Farmingdale family was stricken by the unimaginable event that occurred this past September despite feeling the loss himself he ensured that his faculty and students received the comfort and support they needed while still making sure with the help of his incredible staff that the program continued to run smoothly with the same Excellence that it always has he did this with compassion and empathy while at the same time being a true leader when taking on this role he never imagined he' become somewhat of a public figure whether it he speaking with television news people newspapers or government officials he always represent Farmingdale in a way we could all be proud of under Greg's leadership the music and arts programs continue to excel the department has again received the Nam Foundation Award for best communities for music education and they've continued to have an above average number of students selected for All County All State and all National Music In addition to Art honors for state and local contests you see Greg you did make it famous big your notable achievements fit the definition of Fame you are recognized and talked about by others including M you have met with success in various forums of the music industry you have many followers enjoy listening to you your Jimmy Buffett tribute band and the numerous musical groups you are a part of there are countless brides and grooms whose weddings were made memorable due to the Quality entertainment you provided them on their special day you made it big in the eyes of the thousands of students you've inspired and brought the love of music to many of them found a safe place to belong and learn in your band room Greg your profound influence has encouraged many to become music educators and performers themselves this of course us being the greatest Accolade there is you are an integral part of this community you've kept the music playing here in Farmingdale and continue to use your talent and love of music to bring joy to others thank you Mr Greg Bowski please come up and accept this plaque on behalf of the entire Farm [Music] [Applause] so I first like to say thank you for making me 10 years younger I know I I don't look my age right this uh class of 19 95 said before but it is indeed class of 1985 and um I am so honored and thrilled to be here uh thank you to our wonderful students Daniel doy Sarah alandro and Haley Timmerman for speaking on my behalf great job tonight uh thank you to Cheryl Emy Holtz uh for those incredible words I hope that I can speak half as well as hug just did you made me sound pretty good and I I really appreciate that um and Alisa prey for both of you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to nominate me for this incredible honor uh I am so so appreciative and the musicians that were performing here can can we have a round of applause so much tonight and and seeing so many of my staff my music and art featers here uh during this very busy season for music and art in the fin Performing Arts it's like we have something nearly every evening um in excuse me in May and June so this just really warms my heart to have all of us together in one room thank you so much to Carlo Stillwell and all the members of the wall of fame committee who spent so much of their time reviewing applications and tasked with a very difficult job job of selecting many uh from many Farmingdale graduates with that I congratulate my fellow inductees tonight Dr Don Dr John btru and Bob waganda uh I am honored to be inducted alongside two exceptional individuals well I I better be honored because we will be right next to each other on that wall for eternity so that's a pretty cool Bond we just met to I like that but tonight I am humbled I am honored and thrilled to be inducted to the Farmingdale Wall of Fame as a student I didn't realize how lucky I was to be involved with a music department that is second to none and one of the best on Long Island if not New York State okay maybe I am just a little biased but I bet that many people would agree with me and that statement when I was a student I just assumed every school district had an extensive highlevel music program like this during my school days at Woodward Parkway M Lane Junior High School yes for the young kids here Saltzman Elementary School used to be at Junior High School that I attended as a seventh grader and then I went to howt as an eighth grader in Farmingdale High School from 9th through 12th grade so many of my music teachers from elementary through high school went out of their way to afford me incredible musical opportunities I I would love to speak about all of my teachers who inspired me but it literally would take hours the musical training I received during my high school years at Farmingdale prepared me very very well to go on to become a professional musician and music educator there were two teachers who were most influential to me who gave me opportunities to grow into a performer and a musical leader my high school band director Mr Brad De Milo and playcraft the director Ken o who I am so honored to say are here this evening Brad and Ken would you to please give a wave to [Music] everybody I'd like to begin with Brad I played outo saxophone in band marching band and Jazz Band I still remember like it was yesterday sweating at band camp which back then was held at Camp Al eria as Mr demo taught us the marching band drill and then it seemed like just Weeks Later freezing to death at the news day marching band festival at hopster I remember vividly auditioning for Mr demo to play the solo with a new hit tune back then I'm dating myself but Africa was a big hit by Toto where I got to go up front on the field at Newsday and play the solo Mr demo selected me to play piano for the Jazz Band beginning freshman year which led to my parents buying me my first electric keyboard and I thought I was so cool because it had some cool sounds on it I seem to remember Mr demo even thinking it was pretty cool as my dad would help me lug that heavy keyboard into the band room for those evening rehearsals and as a senior Mr demo chose a piano cero just for me to perform with the Wind Ensemble I'll never forget having the baby grand rolled out on stage and Performing Slaughter on 10th Avenue by Richard Rogers accompanied by my peers in the Wind Ensemble do you remember some of these things Mr de it's been about 35 years I don't know it's been a long time these are only a few examples of experiences that prepared me well for my studies in music school as a performance major and music educator when I became a band director myself I remember thinking back to how Mr demo ran rehearsals how he conducted and what band literature he would choose and it helped me succeed as a new band director however the best part was when I visited Farmingdale High School for the first time since becoming a band director and I said hi Mr Deo and he said well now that you are a fellow band director I guess you are going to have to start calling me Brad well 35 years later I finally got comfortable with that so thank you Brad very much Ken or wow we do have a lot of stories to tell considering I was involved in all eight play crafter Productions and we practically lived in that Auditorium for those few months before each show although I was a very young 14-year-old nth grader when I became rehearsal pianist for my first show Oklahoma Ken always treated me as though I was a professional pianist and we worked well together rehearsing the musicals although very strict when rehearsing to keep the shows on a high level which they were he would joke with everyone in the cast and give out nicknames and I remember him calling me broken fingers the Polish Prince and others that only you could get away with in the 1990 1980s 1980s in fact I remember how I used to leave the piano to socialize with my friends Whenever there was dialogue and a music break and Ken would be yelling for me trying to find me to get back to the piano well one day he played a joke on me and had the stage crew come out with rope and whatever they could find and they literally tied me to the piano again stuff you could only get away with in the 1980s and we all laughed about it in my sophomore year Ken decided for the spring show to do a drama Dracula I was disappointed it wasn't a musical well he found a way to include me in this show there was an organ in the auditorium back then and Ken had me open the show by playing the part of the medad organist where I wore a tuxedo with Tails a powdered wig and I walked into the auditorium with a lit candleabra in the dark as I dragged my left leg across the entire pit making my way to the Oregon like in one of those spooky black and white movies and I began the show by playing box stotta and fug in D Minor junior year somehow Ken got the rights to put on the US premiere of a Tim Rice musical called bondell and I actually played a dancing and singing Monk on stage just trying to do something different what an experience it was to have Tim Rice himself pull up in a limo and watch our show and give us notes afterwards but it was senior year that truly changed my life I'll never forget when Ken told me we were going to put on a rock musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat he offered me the opportunity to not only be a rehearsal pianist but put the pit band together be the conductor and musical director as a student I have to say that experience working with and directing my fellow student musicians and actors on stage was a pivotal moment when I realized I had the confidence to be a leader in the music world so thank you Canen can we have a round of applause with I also need to thank someone who was not my teacher but I have known her since I was in high school read a pattern talk about fith one day my wife and I decided to go see my nephew play with the farming High School marching band at the football halftime show we're sitting in the crowded stands and I see Rita P Patton sitting on the track standing on the track excuse me she turns around and somehow notices me in the crowd and waves to me and then tells me come over I got to talk to you she then confides in me that she is retiring as the Fingal director of Fine Arts and has told no one yet but she saw me she said she was worried about who might take over for her and who will truly care enough about Farmingdale when she leaves she told me I was that person I will never forget that day I was so honored that Rita would thank that highly of me and trust that I could lead this incredible apartner I am so thankful to you farita for believing in me and always there to help if needed thank you there were also so many farming Bill staff members some here tonight who I was friends with as fellow music educators who also believed in me and put a good word in for me to become the next director one of those people was my friend Gina Peli when R told her I was interested in the job she would see me at various musical events around Nassau County and say dude you got a C of Farmingdale that would be so cool and I remember her saying to me later after we worked together for a while you are truly a daer through and through we got to get you up on that wall of fame someday well Gina it happened and I certainly I could feel your spirit here tonight with all of us it certainly has been a very difficult year for everyone in farming Hill thank you to our superintendent PA be beanie for always supporting me in our fine and Performing Arts department whether it was navigating covid somehow keeping a 300 member marching band 12 ft apart or dealing with the unimaginable EV that occurred this past September we could not have gotten through these really tough times without Paul Dr Jen Olen Sam Thompson Michael Fetti all of our Central Administration the Board of Education principles directors we all pull together as one Farmingdale family I work with such an incredible group of colleagues administrators and teachers alike I am so proud of my my music staff and my art teachers and all that they have accomplished despite so many obstacles I am blessed truly blessed to have all of you in my life and I am so honored to stand up for this program thank you to all my teachers who are here tonight to support and celebrate with me I would be remissive I didn't mention that our department could not have achieved all that it did this year if it wasn't for two absolutely incredible administrative assistance Alisa pry and Jennifer [Music] spaco their actual titled should be organized chaos advisors that's kind of what it should be and and I even got the uh coffee mugs that that say that because it really is organized chaos in the music and art world but it's it's a good chaos I am so truly blessed to work with both of you you are always one step ahead of me in running this very large department and you're always there for not only me but every single one of our art and music teachers and Alisa thank you again for nominating me for this honor and finally I must thank the most important people in the world world to me for their unconditional love and support and that's my family many of them are here tonight to celebrate with me my mom and Dad are here who never ever missed a school concert or sporting event and always found a way to pay for private music lessons for me and my twin sisters Cindy and Cheryl thank you Mom and Dad we really appreciate all that you've been to all have youve done to support us my sister Cheryl who is an amazing Elementary teacher who I was so proud to work within the same Island Trees school district for 27 years again years again I thank you so much for nominating me and always being there for me and my equally supportive sister Cindy who could not be here tonight because she is a busy doctor of Pediatrics in Rochester New York mom and dad you did good my brother-in-law nieces and nephew my uncle and Aunt thank you so much for being here tonight we have Uncle John here tonight um class of 1949 right Farmingdale class of 1949 right there Uncle John uh so it is really wonderful to have everyone here tonight thank you to my three amazing children Kristen Katie and Greg who have grown into incredible adults for always understanding standing when I had to miss so many of your Milestone events because I had a performance or School event that I had to attend in fact Kristen who I am proud to say is the Beth Page High School band director could not be here as she has a mandatory rehearsal with the Long Island wind typical in our family and my daughter Katie now lives in Pennsylvania working as the assistant director of enrollment marketing for the University of Scranton and my son Greg is here tonight and I'm proud to say just graduated May 18th from Maris College suum L and finished number one academically in his degree of Finance so proud yes I am a very proud dad and lastly thank you to my beautiful wife Lori a fellow 1985 classmate who I D who I actually didn't meet until after college the classes were quite big back then but that's a story for another time and was a Woodward Parkway Elementary teacher for 8 years before staying home to raise our children well Lori you did a hell of a job I can say with un with certainty excuse me I can say with certainty not uncertain with certainty that I would not be standing here tonight if it wasn't for all of your undying support and sacrifices as you never held me back and always allowed me to pursue my professional aspirations I love you and I thank you for the bottom of my heart ladies and gentlemen thank you for this incredible honor and thank you all for being here [Applause] [Music] tonight thank you so much Mr wowski and congratulations I don't think the night would be complete unless we honor all your work with the find and Performing music and our art Department we have our brass quintet here tonight to pay tribute thank you [Music] [Applause] [Music] all [Music] oh [Music] h all [Music] I [Music] h [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] wasn't that wonderful thank you so much thank you so much to all of our speakers first of all I I want to thank and if we could get up and get an Applause for Sarah alandro and danela Dy they are they have been part of this whole process since the beginning so they were part of the wall of fame committee um their vote were instrumental in you three being inducted tonight so and I thank you for co-hosting the event and you did a wonderful job thank you so much also to our paper lion journalists Haley Timberman Jenna bin and Ethan netti I am confident that all five of you have all the characteristics to one day be on the wall of being yourselves thank you to all of the honores on this wonderful and well-deserved recognition thank you for participating in this event some of you have come from quite the distance and we appreciate the ability to recognize all of your achievements to our Board of Education and Central Administration many of which here are here with us tonight thank you for supporting this important event that highlights the DOR spirit thank you most of all to the community who believe in the power of the wall of fame and take the time to nominate deserving individuals of this very special honor congratulations to all of our inductees and their families we are so pleased to add individuals to our wall of fame that have taken what they have learned in these hallways in these classrooms on these Sports fields and have I'm sorry in all these Sports field and have have impacted the world we will share your inspirational stories and me messages with our students this concludes this evening's presentation thank you for joining us have a good night enjoy some refreshments and safe travels thank you so much