On Wednesday May 20th and Thursday May 21st, Mr. Portuese hosted BHS’s annual Maritime Festival, where third graders from the district’s elementary schools have the opportunity to participate in a fun-filled day learning about Long Island’s Maritime history.

Under Mr. Poruese’s guidance, BHS seniors ran several stations involving the old fashioned way of making rope, a “touch tank,” and a scuba demonstration by Mr. Hack, wherein kids threw rings in the pool and he swam down and retrieved them. Another station consisted of a “Gyotaku” fish-print project.

“I was most impressed by how much the kids already knew about our waters,” said Marine Biology teacher Ms. Rankin, “They knew things that some of my students didn’t know.”

A fish dissection was also conducted. Three students cut up and demonstrated the different parts of a fish for the fascinated eight and nine-year-olds.

Mr. Portuese said, “there are three rules: the most important, to have fun; second, to be safe; lastly to try to actually teach them something.”

As seniors finally running the festival, memories flooded back to when our grade was in their spots, learning about sea life. Mr. Portuese has always done a great job making these days fun experience for everyone.