SWE-NY News

October 2010

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SWE-NY Happy Hour at West 3rd Common

by Mackenzie Reide

Another great night was had Wednesday, October 20, at the SWE-NY Happy Hour at West 3rd Common. Seven engineers got together for networking and friendship over beer and munchies. Some new faces, including myself, were there as well as old friends. New connections were made and it was a great opportunity to swap stories with other women engineers.

SWE-NY Pitches In for New York Cares Day

by Jennifer Millard

On Saturday Oct 23rd, 16 SWE college members volunteered at New York Cares Day. New York Cares Day is the largest day of volunteer service in NY metro area. Volunteers paint colorful murals, refresh classrooms, organize libraries, and brighten up playgrounds at more than 100 public schools. The members were assigned to PS 317Q (Waterside Children's Studio) in Rockaway Park. The Waterside Children's Studio School's mission is to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where creativity and artistic expression are integral to the academic and emotional success of every child. The school serves nearly 300 students in grades PK-3.

The day started at 7am where students from Stony Brook University loaded in a car and drove to Hofstra University to pick up more students and another car, making a caravan. The two cars arrived at theschool just after 9am where the members signed in and choose which project to work on for the day. The group preferred on painting games on the school playground. Before they started the project, the playground looked very plain and would defiantly benefit from the painting of the games!

During the day the group painted two 4-square games, a chess/checkerboard game, an area for jump rope, a bocce ball court, a basketball court, a shuffle board, hopscotch, and a area to draw chalk on. Other projects that were going on at the school were: planting of bulbs, cleaning out a closet, and painting a huge ocean themed mural that flowed around the entire length of the playground.

Everyone that participated in New York Cares Day had a amazing time doing the projects to beautify the school and also stated that they would be back to take part in next year’s NY Cares Day!!