William Floyd Elementary School recently hosted its sixth “Forget Me Not” Spelling Bee and fundraiser, collecting $4,100 to benefit the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center in Bay Shore. The Resource Center focuses on seeking a cure, and providing care and support for families with loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s. The six-year total now exceeds $15,000.

For this effort, students took a spelling test in their classroom and secured sponsors who pledged 10 cents for each word spelled correctly. Then each classroom’s winner competed against their peers to decide the overall grade level winners.

This year’s overall winners by grade level include: Thomas Mitola, kindergarten; Kwelisa Fraser, first grade; Habiba Barrie, second grade; Irina Vallejo, third grade; Warren Graham, fourth grade; and Jibreel Barrie, fifth grade. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants for raising funds and awareness for this worthwhile cause. Additionally, Ms. Strull’s second-grade class ($680) and Mrs. Dorsa’s third-grade class ($537) won ice cream parties for raising the most money.

William Floyd alumna Krista Cusimano, Class of 2022, started the “Forget Me Not” Spelling Bee at William Floyd Elementary School when she was in fifth grade, in memory of her grandfather, Raul “Pa” Vosgerichian, who passed away from Alzheimer’s at the age of 66.