The Wheatley School 2026 Mock Trial Team

Bottom Photo - Back Row - R-L - Nassau County District Court Judge Maxine Broderick; Wheatley Social Studies Teacher Justin Portente, the teams faculty advisor (considered the “General Manager”); David Schwartz, the team’s outside attorney advisor (considered the “Coach”); Art Engoron (1967)

The annual Nassau County Bar Association Mock Trial Awards Dinner was held at the Nassau County Bar Association building in Mineola, NY, June 3, 2026. In the tournament for the academic year that just ended, the Wildcat mock litigators came in second to the team from Massapequa. In May, Massapequa represented Nassau County (District Seven) in the state finals in Albany, which Hunter College High School, in New York City, won.

Donna Kenton (1963) Writes - “Hi Art, I remember the North Side fire vividly. I assume that sirens awakened me. I opened my bedroom blinds and could clearly see the huge flames going up to the sky. We were only about a block or two away. I can’t say I liked school. I was extremely shy. So I was very surprised to find myself crying. I woke my mother and brother (Gary Kenton, 1968), and we stood at my bedroom window watching the whole thing. Then, the next day, we went to see the charred remains, which was so sad. I was in the sixth grade, and Mr. Foerschner was my beloved teacher. Our classroom was gutted. We spent the rest of the school year at Wheatley and then began the seventh grade there.

I have another interesting story about North Side. I believe I’ve mentioned that I volunteer at the Innocence Project. At one of its gala’s, I was talking to the husband of one of my friends there, and I learned that he was a retired corrections officer. He was young enough to have started his second career and it turns out that he is part of security at North Side School! He loves it there. Small world!

Donna Kenton’63

Rebecca Consolo Freer Freedman (1968) Writes - “I was a second grader at North Side School, and I still have vivid memories of the fire. I was to recite a poem that day. I was terrified. I was worried I wouldn’t remember it and most of all terrified to recite it in front of others. The night before, I prayed with all my heart that somehow I would get a pass. When I awoke that morning and found out that my beloved school burnt down, I thought I was responsible. But also so relieved. My belief in the power of prayer was born that day. Since that day, over the years, I have come very close to dying. Prayer and my belief that I was saved for a reason gives me peace and a strong desire to help make the world a better place.”

Graduates

1960 - Linda Sue Beattie Koole - Deceased

Ken Martin (1960) Writes - “Art, My good friend, Linda Sue Beattie Koole, passed away on June 2, 2026. She is survived by her husband, Peter, of 60 years; two sisters (June Beattie Hilton,1964, and Beverly Beattie Schell, 1969), two children; four grandchildren; and two great-children. There will not be a funeral service, but a memorial ceremony is being planned for the fall.”

1961 - Camille Napoli Cannizzo - “I am the very proud Aunt of Professor Philip Napoli.”

1965 - CORRECTION - Lorraine Gallard (1966) notes that Roger Nierenberg (1965) was misidentified in a recent Newsletter as “Rodney.” His formal name was “Roger”; He went by “Roddy”; he was not known as “Rodney.”

1972 and 1973 - Let’s Party!

1975 - A Fun Evening at Silvana, 300 West 116th Street, New York, NY, Featuring The Wildcats, Wheatley’s Classic Rock & Roll Band, Composed (mostly) of Members of the Class of 1975

L-R Front Row - Mark Lubin('75) on guitar, Susan Rotholz('75) on flute,Michael Sadowsky ('75) on drums, Toni Buckner Lapietra('75)on keys, and Joe Spallina(non-Wheatley) on bass.

Other Photos from the event follow:

2027 - Sunidhi Ajmera

Sunidhi Ajmera (2027) and Art Engoron (1967) at the annual Nassau County Bar Association Mock Trial Awards Dinner at the Nassau County Bar Association building in Mineola, NY, June 3, 2026. Sunidhi aspires to be a lawyer, and she is well on her way!

Fan Mail

1961 (Camille Napoli Cannizzo) - ❤️

1964 (Richard Ilsley) - ❤️

1966 (Lorraine Gallard) - “Thanks for the Newsletter.”

1968 (Leslie Wolowitz) - “Art, I look forward to reading the alumni notes every week. Thank you.”

1972 (Sheri Nathan) - ❤️

1978 (John Mazlish) - ❤️

1996 (Joshua Effron) - ❤️

The Usual Words of Wisdom

All underlined text is a link-to-a-link or a link-to-an-email-address. Clicking anywhere on underlined text, and then clicking on the text that pops up will get you to your on-line destination or will address an email.

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first xxyyzz Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at our website:

The Wheatley School Alumni Association Website

Also thanks to Keith is our search engine, prominently displayed on our home page: type in a word or phrase and, wow!, you’ll find every place it exists in all previous Newsletters and other on-site material.

I edit all submissions, even material in quotes, for clarity and concision, without any indication thereof. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of what people tell me, as TWSAA does not have a New Yorker style Fact-Checking Department.

We welcome any and all text and photos relevant to The Wheatley School, 11 Bacon Road, Old Westbury, NY 11568, and the people who administered, taught, worked, performed, and/or studied there. Art Engoron, Class of 1967

Closing

That’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 271. Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.

Art

Arthur Friedrichs Engoron, Class of 1967   WheatleyAlumni@aol.com   ArtEngoron@gmail.com   www.wheatleyalumni.org   +1 (646) 872-4833