Congratulations to the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Science Olympiad A Team for earning a spot at the New York State Science Olympiad Competition after an outstanding performance at the Eastern Long Island Regional Competition.

Teams from across the region competed on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Hauppauge High School. Port Jefferson was represented by three teams—A, B, and C—among a total of 65 competing teams. The Earl L. Vandermeulen High School A Team placed an impressive 2nd overall, securing advancement to the state level.

The regional competition featured 24 STEM-based events, with medals awarded to the top ten teams in each event. The team’s success reflects months of preparation, collaboration, and dedication across a wide range of scientific disciplines.

The New York State Science Olympiad Competition will take place on March 20–21, 2026, at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. Only eight teams will represent Eastern Long Island at the state competition. Along with Port Jefferson, qualifying schools include Ward Melville, Half Hollow Hills East, The Stony Brook School, Bayport-Bluepoint, West Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown West.

The Science Olympiad teams are coached by high school science teachers Amanda Perovich and Melissa Garcia. “I was stunned and absolutely impressed with all three of the teams this year,” said Coach Perovich. “Their tremendous success demonstrates the amount of teamwork and preparation each person put into their events to contribute to such a successful team.”

Coach Garcia added, “This group of students has worked so cohesively and so hard all year preparing for this competition. We are so proud of their success and cannot wait for the States.”

Science teachers Mr. Maletta, Mr. Gorniok, Mr. Bouchard, Ms. Janusz, and Ms. Fedler accompanied and supported the students throughout the competition. Earl L. Vandermeulen High School congratulates all participating students and coaches on their remarkable achievement and wishes the A Team continued success at the state competition.

Students

Anatomy and Physiology- 7th (A) Isaac Rubenstein & Ronan Moore
Astronomy- 2nd (A) Samuel Perez-Flesler & Kevin Hon

Circuit Lab- 5th (A) Jonah Boerboom & Kevin Hong

Codebusters- 2nd (A) Kenshin Sugimoto, Joshua Kwon, & Jonah Boerboom

Designer Genes- 8th (A) Dasha Zakharova & Narin Karakurum

Dynamic Planet- 2nd (A) Lucas Smirnov & Jonah Boerboom

Electric Vehicle- 4th (A) Mari Fukuto & Ronan Moore

Entomology- 7th (A) Samuel Perez-Flesler & Kenshin Sugimoto

Forensics- 1st (A)Jonah Boerboom & Avery Eisaman

Helicopter- 10th (A) Kieran Casey & Mari Fukuto

Hovercraft- 10th (A) Kieran Casey & Kevin Hong

Machines- 3rd (A) Kevin Hong & Kenshin Sugimoto

Remote Sensing- 1st (A) Lucas Smirnov & Samuel Perez-Flesler

Robot Tour- 5th (A) Tucker Stanton & Kieran Casey, 4th (B) Talin Bajaj & Rowan Casey

Rocks and Minerals- 6th (A) Chris Nam & Tucker Stanton

Water Quality- 3rd (A) Lucas Smirnov & Narin Karakurum, 6th (B) Marco Puopolo & Deia Colosi

The Port Jefferson School District is proud to announce the appointment of Craig Perrino as the new head coach of the Port Jefferson Royals varsity football program.

Coach Perrino is no stranger to the Royals community. He previously served as a varsity assistant coach during the 2025 season, where he quickly made an impact through his leadership, football knowledge, and commitment to student-athletes. Before joining Port Jefferson, Coach Perrino brought his passion for the game to Smithtown West, serving as a varsity assistant football coach.

In addition to football, Coach Perrino has demonstrated a strong dedication to athletic development across multiple sports. His coaching experience includes girls' flag football, wrestling, and baseball, reflecting his belief in developing well-rounded student-athletes and fostering teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. Beyond the field, Coach Perrino is a dedicated health and physical education teacher at Port Jefferson Middle School/High School. In this role, he continues to positively influence students by promoting healthy lifestyles, character development, and academic success.

Coach Perrino’s athletic background includes a distinguished collegiate playing career at Plymouth State University, where he was a three-year starting offensive lineman. He played a key role in leading his team to a Conference Championship in 2017. His leadership and dedication were recognized at the collegiate level when he earned the prestigious Wharton Award in 2019 and was elected to the university’s Leadership Council the same year.

With a strong foundation of leadership, coaching experience, and Royal pride, Coach Perrino is poised to lead the varsity football program into an exciting new chapter. The Port Jefferson School District looks forward to the continued growth and success of Port Jefferson Football under his direction.

 

Date Added: 2/12/2026

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School seniors Mari Fukuto and Isabela Thomsen were recently selected to participate in the prestigious New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Winter Conference, held in Rochester, NY.

Mari Fukuto performed violin with the NYSSMA All-State Symphonic Orchestra, while Isabela Thomsen was selected as an alto vocalist in the All-State Mixed Choir. Selection for the All-State Conference is a significant achievement, as students are chosen through a rigorous audition process that recognizes the highest levels of musical excellence across New York State.

Mari and Isabela had the opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside some of the finest student musicians in the state, working under the direction of renowned conductors and music educators. Earl L. Vandermeulen High School congratulates Mari Fukuto and Isabela Thomsen on this outstanding accomplishment and for representing their school music program with pride.