Submission by Narragansett High School graduate Ryan Field. This May marks the Narragansett, Rhode Island chapter of the FFA’s 25th annual plant sale since its induction in 1987. The students of the Narragansett FFA are inviting you to come celebrate on May 18 at the Narragansett High School. FFA advisors and agriculture teachers Greg Breene and Meredith Ashworth, along with their students, are planning an action packed day that is sure to appeal to everyone who drops by. In addition to the general public, the Narragansett FFA is extending the invitation to its alumni from the past 26 years …

Narragansett Elementary School students helped gather 415 food items for the Johnnycake Center with a recent food drive.  Special Education teacher Karen Festa and her student teacher Olivia Zaleski hosted the drive for the kids. Zaleski organized the drive as part of a service learning project for Salve Regina University, where she is studying. All NES students were encouraged to contribute nonperishable food items, which included cereal, pasta, and soup. Fourth grade students helped to organize the food for delivery to the Johnnycake Center as part of a three-day lesson on compassion. The …

The third issue of The Mariners’ Catch, the official paper of the Pier School, is now out! This edition is 16 pages. The paper is produced by The South County Independent, and overseen by Cheryl Butler. Got questions about the paper or contributing to it? Send an e-mail to Cheryl at cb091987@aol.com. Want to be e-mailed when a new issue is published? Click the "keep me posted!" button below.

In a star-studded ceremony on Friday, March 8, Narragansett High School senior Dillon Sheridan took home the prestigious honor of Mr. Narragansett. By doing so, Sheridan followed in the footsteps of luminaries like Francis Castrovillari, Mike Herchen, Jack Durkin and Brian McGreen. The honor is indeed only given away once a year, as the event serves as a fundraiser for the senior class. Sheridan, besides being a swell guy, is also a Division III football standout. In his junior and senior years, he was named to First Team All-Division for his work on Narragansett’s offensive line. Sheridan …

To the editor, On Monday, March 25, the SKHS music department had a visitor.  Famous band composer and arranger Robert Sheldon spent a class period with students from the SKHS band program to conduct and talk about the composition of three of the band students’ pieces that he had written and were performed at SKHS during the last two years.  Sheldon had been the Guest Conductor for the Rhode Island Music Educators All-State Senior Band over the weekend.  He currently serves as the chief editor for Alfred Publications while actively composing commissioned works from his home in Normal, IL.  He…

Students and staff at Narragansett Elementary School enjoyed yogurt parfaits while listening to school nurse-teacher Marianne Adams read Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? by local author Joy Feldman. This was all part of Reading Week at NES, the focus of which was Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. The yogurt parfaits were funded through a grant obtained through a program called "Fuel Up to Play 60," a nationwide program founded by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, in collaboration with the USDA. The program is designed to help students, working with adults, make themselves and their …

Release courtesy the Washington County Coalition for Children. Know someone who has been particularly important for children in Washington County? Nominate the, for the 2013 Champion for Children award – but hurry, the deadline is Tuesday, April 30. This will be the 10th year the Washington County Coalition for Children has honored someone who has promoted, secured, and/or delivered quality services to children and families in an exemplary fashion. Past winners include: Olympic Physical Therapy, Community Health & Fitness Programs Pediatrician Celeste Corcoran, Coastal Medical: Narragansett …

Release courtesy of the University of Rhode Island Transportation Center. The University of Rhode Island Transportation Center will be offering free summer programs to middle and high school students. These programs will allow students to gain further knowledge in a variety of career fields including transportation, construction, business, engineering, landscape architecture and maritime services. The URITC summer programs involve field trips, hands-on field experience and classroom exercises instructed by University of Rhode Island professors, students and industry professionals. Most …

With the choice and variety of summer camps available in New England in 2013, boredom won't be an option. Organizations, from the YMCA to your local parks and recreation department, offer dozens of camp choices for recreation, science, reading, sports, music and more. Whether you're looking for an all-around experience or a more focused camp, this list can easily launch your camp search with examples in your town and surrounding areas. Not included in the below lists are the local town government’s summer camp options. The Narragansett Parks and Recreation website is here, and South Kingstown…

Today marks the 101st anniversary of Girl Scouts of the USA. At the March 11 meeting of the South Kingstown Town Council, the Council proclaimed the week of March 10 to March 16 Girl Scout Week in the Town of South Kingstown.   To celebrate, Girl Scouts from South Kingstown presented the Town Council members with Girl Scout cookies. Still looking to feed your cookie fix this year? To find cookies near you, visit www.gsri.org or download the free Girl Scout Cookie Finder App for iPhone or Android from www.girlscoutcookies.org. Girl Scouts will sell cookies at the following local booth sales: …

Every community has a hidden gem in their own backyard just waiting to be discovered.  Here in beautiful Narragansett we are surrounded with the picturesque landscape of incredible beaches, charming seaside parks, historical landmarks, and the warmth of a close-knit community. Our school system is small, therefore making it possible for a real “hometown” feel when it comes to the support of our academics, sporting events, and other extra-curricular activities where we all come together to rally our youth and students in these various areas. Students all have their own niche when it comes to …

Release courtesy of Sara Delmonico, on behalf of the Southgansett girls’ scouts. Community support helps spread the word that buying Girl Scout cookies is about the skills and learning a girl gains from interacting directly with her customers.  It's about the experience of running her own cookie business, working with others, and so much more.   To find cookies near you, visit www.gsri.org or download the free Girl Scout Cookie Finder App for iPhone or Android from www.girlscoutcookies.org. Girl Scouts will sell cookies at the following local booth sales: Saturday, March 9 at URI Ryan Center …

Release courtesy of Sara Delmonico on behalf of the Southgansett Girl Scouts. Community support helps spread the word that buying Girl Scout cookies is about the skills and learning a girl gains from interacting directly with her customers.  It's about the experience of running her own cookie business, working with others and so much more.   To find cookies near you, click here or download the free Girl Scout Cookie Finder App for iPhone or Android from here. Girl Scouts will sell cookies at the following local booth sales: Wednesday, February 20 at University Spirit 99 Fortin Road, Kingston …

Thanks to dominant performances in the pool at Brown University’s Coleman Aquatics Center on Saturday from sophomore twins Jackie and Kristin Karpowicz, the South Kingstown Rebels are state champions in girls’ swimming. According to The Providence Journal, the Rebels beat North Kingstown 310-225. Barrington took third place with 217 points, and La Salle was fourth with 216. ABC 6 has some highlights of the event here. The entire event is available for free here, with DVDs also available to purchase. (To skip ahead to the team celebration, go to 3 hours, 14 minutes in.)

Boy Scout Troop 1 of Narragansett held an important event in late January 23 at the Narragansett Community Center – On that frigid night, more than 100 people attended to witness the Eagle Ceremony of Gregory Hamilton. As with all Eagle Scouts, Greg had to complete a minimum of 21 Merit Badges (12 of which had to be Eagle Merit Badges) and an Eagle Project. Below are some details of his project: “Each Eagle Candidate must plan and supervise an Eagle Service Project. This service demonstrates a Scouts’ capacity and willingness to exert his leadership ability in activities that are constructive…

Release courtesy of the Rinaldis and the Pier School listserv. A banner-raising has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 23 during halftime of the boys’ basketball game. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and the banners will be raised at about 4 p.m. We hope to see student athletes, family and friends to recognize the boys’ state championship for track and field and a Southern Division championship for cross country. ***** By the way, that Pier School boys’ basketball team is currently undefeated, with a 15-0 overall record and a 8-0 mark in Southern Division play. They will be hosting …

Letter originally printed on the South Kingstown High School listserv. I am down in Washington D.C., currently working with the Presidential Inaugural Committee planning the National Day of Service on Jan. 19.  For the National Day of Service, we are planning service events in all 50 states. You can find a list of events in Rhode Island here: http://2013pic.org/service.   Our New England team is trying to reach out to high schools in Rhode Island to get their students involved in National Day of Service events.  I was thinking it might be something that South Kingstown students would be …

Release courtesy of Stonehill College Athletics. Freshman Kirsti Toegemann, a native of Narragansett and a graduate of The Lincoln School, has been named the Northeast-10 Conference’s Rookie of the Week for women’s tennis by the league office this afternoon. Toegemann, who earns the first weekly honor of her career, helped lead Stonehill to a key in-region win and then had a strong showing at the ITA East Regional in Philadelphia over the weekend. She was a combined 10-2 in singles and doubles play for the week as she reached the B-Singles final at the ITA’s, and also combined with senior …

This Week’s Whiz Kid Name:  Adam Betts Age: 17 School:  Narragansett High School Accomplishment: Winner of this year’s 1-mile Lifeguard Swim at Narragansett Town Beach.   Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness:  Narragansett High School senior Adam Betts strives for perfection in all areas of his life – not to please others, but solely to challenge himself to always set the bar higher.  He has been swimming since 11 and shares that when he was a child, he was heavy, so his parents encouraged him to find a physical activity that he liked.  “I was not good at any ball sports, so my parents put me in the…

The Narragansett boys’ and girls’ soccer programs are hosting a pancake breakfast by the water at the Mettatuxet Yacht Club on Sept. 22. The fun starts at 7:30 a.m., and runs until 11 a.m. Bicycle kick your way down there for some good eats! (Sorry, I couldn’t think of a good soccer-related pun.) Tickets are $7 – Make checks payable to NHS. For more details, contact Kathryn Mahoney or Adam Reis at the high school, or Ryan Kanaczet at the Narragansett Pier School. Release courtesy of the soccer programs and Narragansett High School.