A team of students from Staten Island Technical High School in New Dorp captured top honors in Staten Island's 21st annual Academic Olympics competition. [full story]

Marking April as Autism Awareness Month, Assemblyman Lou Tobacco and Barnes & Noble will host a series of workshops for parents and kids at the New Springville book emporium beginning next week, with Tobacco kicking things off tomorrow with an afternoon read-a-thon. [full story]

With weeks left in the spring 2008 semester, almost 700 CSI students were recently informed the Peter F. Vallone Scholarship, a City Council-funded tuition award for those maintaining a B average, has been cut by $160 and they owe the school that amount for this term. [full story]

CSI and the Staten Island United Youth Soccer Leagues have formed a partnership, allowing youth leagues to play and practice on the new fields on the Willowbrook campus this year at a discounted rate.

While the deal benefits the SIYSL, which serves over 8,000 families, Oddo said that the partnership has more than one benefit. [full story]

These days, Pasha Buyanov can't seem to turn around without bumping up against his newfound celebrity. The 24-year-old College of Staten Island freshman from Novosibirsk, Siberia, can't go to class, or to practice, or to meet with his coach without his own image staring back from the posters plastered on the entrance to CSI's Sports and Recreation Center, celebrating Buyanov's double triumph at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships in Oxford, Ohio. [full story]

Five outstanding educators who have had a profound effect on the lives of Staten Island students have been named the winners of the borough's third-annual Excellence in Education Awards. As the chairman of all programs in education at CSI and as an associate professor of education, Kenneth Gold is one of five honored. [full story]

Former Clinton administration press secretary Dee Dee Myers will give the keynote address at a daylong leadership conference being held Friday at the College of Staten Island. [full story]

Dr. Ann Kirschner, author of "Sala's Gift: My Mother's Holocaust Story," will be the guest speaker at the Friends of the College of Staten Island (CSI) Annual Spring Literary Brunch, April 13 at 11 a.m. in the Campus Center Park Café. Tickets are $60 ($30 of which is tax-deductible) and will help support student scholarships and programs. Reservations should be made by calling the Advancement Office by Tuesday at 718-982-2365. [full story]

The College of Staten Island (CSI) Alumni Association will host "A Special Celestial Evening," April 11, 8:30 p.m. (rain date April 12) at CSI's Astrophysical Observatory, Willowbrook, (Campus Loop Road, near the athletic fields). The event is free, but donations are welcome. [full story]

The Richmond County Psychological Association (RCPA) will hold its Annual Brunch on April 13, at 11:30 a.m. in the Staaten, West Brighton. Tickets cost $40 per person; $25 for students. For more information, call Dr. Jeanne Ottaway, public relations chairwoman, at 718- 370-9068. [full story]

The College of Staten Island will host its annual Willowbrook Memorial Lecture this week, on the campus where the state school for the developmentally disabled made international headlines for its ill treatment of patients. [full story]

Beethoven and The Blues are holding down two-thirds of the upcoming Richmond County Orchestra program. Fair enough. [full story]

Pavel Buyanov made history for the College of Staten Island at Miami University, winning the NCAA Division III men's 100-yard breaststroke to give the school its first national championship in any sport. [full story]

The intermediate school slated to open in September in New Springville will accept students who live anywhere on Staten Island, the city Department of Education has announced. [full story]

"He is going to be one of the university's great presidents," said a smitten Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer of CUNY Allan Dobrin, noting that Tomas Morales was very relaxed and confident during his first-ever CSI public hearing. He said CUNY is "impressed with President Morales and the quality of faculty and the students and the work they are doing."   [full story]

The stunning demise yesterday of a premier Wall Street bank leaves the bleak economic landscape very clear: No one is immune to the subprime implosion rocking real estate and stock markets. [full story]

A nascent study to determine why women on Staten Island die of breast cancer at a higher rate than women in any other borough -- one of the highest rates in the state, in fact -- is getting attention from City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who met the author of the proposed study on a tour of the College of Staten Island yesterday. [full story]

"You don't have to be Jewish to love the Garners."

So says Rabbi Eliezer Garner who, with his wife, the "Rockin' Rebbetzin" Michele Garner, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of their first broadcasts on WSIA , 88.9 FM, the radio station of the College of Staten Island. [full story]

"It's a very emotional time. For almost 50 years we lived with a reality that has been set by one leader [who] changed the personal histories of the millions of Cubans," said Francisco Soto, dean of humanities at the College of Staten Island, who was 5 years old when his family left Cuba in 1961. "His presence affected the course of my destiny."  [full story]

Students at PS 35 in Sunnyside are growing more than plants in their greenhouse, thanks to a collaboration with the College of Staten Island and Con Edison.

After receiving a $20,000 grant from Con Ed, CSI's Discovery Institute and its Teaching Scholars program have enlisted CSI students to go to PS 35 and help the children and their teachers run the greenhouse.

As a result, the green inhabitants of the facility are happier, but so is everyone involved, including the younger students, college students, and teachers.  [full story]

Residence halls housing 600 students may be ready in two years at the College of Staten Island, serving to lure scholars from around the nation and the globe to the school, its president told the Advance. [full story]

Joe Chin is cool. When he arrives at Port Richmond High School several times a week, students' eyes light up. Especially Adeyemi Juxon-Smith, an 11th-grader, who appreciates Chin's knowledge of quarterback skills as much as he does his explanation of Pythagorean theory.

Chin, a student at CSI, is a teaching scholar, one component of CSI's Black Male Initiative program. Because Chin excels in math, he can now act as tutor and mentor in the classroom at Port Richmond High School.  [full story]

At the end of a dead end street, in a room without windows, Dr. Alan Benimoff sits in front of a dog-eared backdrop of Manhattan. Small, friendly, and hesitant to predict the exact date of Staten Island's next assault from mother nature, the doctor waits calmly behind a desk, surrounded by a neatly-arranged bouquet of fake plants and large books, with titles like "Natural Hazards and Disasters." He is resolute. [full story]

Angelo J. Aponte, a top administrator at the College of Staten Island credited with helping improve athletic facilities and infrastructure, but whose candidacy for school president ended last year amid protest, is retiring.

The 61-year-old West Brighton resident is stepping down from his post as vice president for finance and administration to spend more time with his family, according to a message from CSI President Dr. Tomas D. Morales on the school's Web site. Aponte has agreed to stay on until his replacement is named, the Web site said. No date has been set.

"I deeply appreciate Angelo's willingness to delay his retirement, and I am most thankful for his significant contributions to CSI," Dr. Morales said in the message. . [full story]

"The College of Staten Island represents the heart of Staten Island," Ms. Strobel, a poised, articulate freshman, told a breakfast crowd of about 40. "I truly feel that CSI was the best opportunity. It's a phenomenal place to get an education."  [full story]

To succeed, colleges must not only attract students, but aid them financially.  At the same time, schools must provide diverse opportunities in scholastic, research and work programs, says Dr. Tomás D. Morales, president of the College of Staten Island. [full story]

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama last night took a major step toward becoming the first black president in U.S. history, decisively winning the Iowa Democratic caucuses over second-place finisher John Edwards and dealing a "devastating" blow to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who finished a disappointing third. [full story]

Borough President James P. Molinaro will deliver his fifth State of the Borough address Jan. 23 in the Center for the Arts at the College of Staten Island, Willowbrook. [full story]

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Well, it is for all you young, aspiring thespians. Auditions for the spring musical in your high school have already begun or will soon start up. "Research the show you are auditioning for -- that's an important thing as an actor," said Jennifer Straniere, production coordinator of the Performing and Creative Arts Department at the College of Staten Island. [full story]

Jet planes may one day run on fuel that is environmentally friendly -- thanks to the work of a former College of Staten Island student.  [full story]

They just seem to collect dust on your shelves: The novels you read once and never again reopened, the text books with math equations you promptly forgot after college and the reference collections that the Internet has recently made seem so wildly obsolete. [full story]

"I think it's a great day for higher education in New York state," said Dr. Tomás D. Morales. "By and large, the recommendations in the report could have, and will have, an impact on the prosperity in the state ... [and] it will help Staten Island residents access higher education."  [full story]

A message in a bottle landed in the hands of state Sen. Andrew Lanza yesterday, but it didn't wash up on shore.

Instead, Lanza (R-South Shore) was lobbied by students in the College of Staten Island chapter of the New York Public Interest Group, which supports the so-called "Bigger Better Bottle Bill." [full story]

Soumitri Seshadri won first-place honors at the American Society of Engineers’ International Mechanical Engineering Congress Exposition. Professor Alfred Levine says “It may be possible to use this to fuel jet planes without causing global warming.” [full story]

One word sums up the 31st annual Kwanzaa event at the College of Staten Island (CSI) last night: Infectious.  So riveting were all the African and African-American songs, dance, poetry, music and drumbeats that all that magic simply flowed off the stage and straight into the crowd, where audience members could be seen shaking, moving, clapping and dancing in their seats.  [full story]

The beauty, magic and wonder of Kwanzaa will come alive once again this year on Friday, when the 31st annual Kwanzaa celebration unfolds at the College of Staten Island.  [full story]

Simone Wegge, an economics professor at CSI, said taking money out of a retirement fund, even if it's going to be repaid over time, means the cash is not earning interest and dividends. Still, Ms. Wegge acknowledged, such a program could help some homeowners. "It's an interesting idea and it should be discussed," she added.  [full story]

A Dinner-Theater fund-raiser performance, starring Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Olympia Dukakis, will be held by the Friends of the College of Staten Island (CSI) on Saturday, beginning with dinner at 6 p.m., and performance at 8 p.m., followed by dessert and conversation with the actors. Tickets cost $100 per person and can be purchased by calling the CSI advancement office at 718 982-2365. [full story]

Despite recent studies that point to potentially harmful exposures to contaminants that may contribute to illness and disease, people infrequently get tested for environmental toxins, medical and environmental experts say. Staten Islanders "very rarely" seek testing for potential toxins in their bloodstream, said Dr. Mark Jarrett, chief medical officer at Staten Island University Hospital. [full story]

"Get the biggest turkey you can find," I enthusiastically told my sister a few weeks ago. "We need to have enough for leftovers!" [full story]

Skygazers are front and center these days watching a fuzzy white object known as the Comet Holmes. It flared into visibility late last month, exploded two weeks ago and has been dazzling ever since -- making now a mind-blowing time for amateur astronomer action.  "A comet is like a dirty snowball," explains Irving Robbins, director of the Astrophysical Observatory at the College of Staten Island.[full story]

Small wooden wishing wells, symbols of any penny-thrower's deepest hopes, made autumnal centerpieces at today's 46th annual Advance Woman of Achievement luncheon held in the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield. [full story]

In a move to strengthen community relations, the College of Staten Island has named Stapleton resident and lifelong Islander Robert Huber as its chief fund-raiser and public liaison, while revamping his new department. [full story]

As 26 lined up on Staten Island last night to sound off on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal, two things were clear: Those who oppose the proposal want a promise the Island would benefit from revenues generated by the additional toll, and those who favor it want the same. [full story]

The Island's large number of smokers likely contribute to poor health statistics. [full story]

Earlier this afternoon, Staten Island Councilman James Oddo was at the College of Staten Island's softball complex to announce that he has secured $799,000 in funding for the Willowbrook school. [full story]

New York City's greenest borough is a lot less colorful this year.

Missing are the blood reds, golden yellows and bright oranges that normally dominate autumn.  [full story]

What about a tunnel?

That is the suggestion one city councilman from Brooklyn is proposing as a way to alleviate traffic congestion on Staten Island, as well as connecting the borough to the rest of the city's subway system.
[full story]

A city councilman from Brooklyn is proposing a tunnel as a way to alleviate traffic congestion on Staten Island, as well as connecting the borough to the rest of the city's subway system.   [full story]

They're aggressive, often attack in packs and, unlike most mosquitoes, bite during the day.

And they're carriers for such debilitating tropical diseases as chikungunya, yellow and dengue fever. They can carry dog heartworm and different types of encephalitis.   [full story]

She was born in Togo, Africa, and French is her native language; he hails from Brooklyn and spent 23 years working in the back office of a local bank. Both stood proud, symbolic of the very best at CSI as it recognized students demonstrating academic excellence during the 2006-07 Dean's List Recognition Ceremony. [full story]

Stella Porto's dream of having field lights installed at the College of Staten Island's softball complex appears to be inching closer to reality.  City Councilman James Oddo confirmed yesterday that $289,000 has been allocated from the city budget for the project -- a development that delights CSI head coach Porto.   [full story]

Students at the High School for International Studies at the College of Staten Island won't be attending classes on the Willowbrook campus next year -- they're getting a brand-new facility in New Springville, the city Department of Education announced.  [full story]

State Sen. Andrew J. Lanza and College of Staten Island Foundation board member Norma D'Arrigo will be honored by ISOLA, a program that supports the study of Italian language and culture by high-achieving CSI students.   [full story]

You greet a friend, a fellow local sports enthusiast, and you say, "The Dolphins won a close one last night." Chances are your friend knows you're talking about a College of Staten Island team. But when did the college adopt the marine creature as its mascot? And why? [full story]

Long-time basketball coaches Tony Petosa and Marguerite Gualtieri are among those breathing easier with the College of Staten Island's decision to re-open the school's water-damaged main gymnasium floor.  [full story]

Catherine Amaturo and Erna Gabrielson say they are as close as sisters. After all, they have known each other since 1961. Not only have they shared an apartment in Tompkinsville for the last 17 years, but they grew up together in Willowbrook State School. [full story]

It was 37 years ago; just two Saturdays spent working as a Girl Scout volunteer at Willowbrook State School. But Ellen Percoco remembers it like it was yesterday. "It was such a sad place," said Mrs. Percoco, then Ellen Zgardowski and a seventh-grader at Blessed Sacrament grammar school. "It was for a community service badge and it was one of my very first community service experiences. I think that is why it was so profound."  [full story]

The 20th anniversary of the closing of Willowbrook State School will be commemorated at an Oct. 12 conference at CSI. The public forum will focus on what the closing of the state-run facility meant to Staten Island as a community, as well as the impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and their families, organizers said.

"This event helps us remember the Willowbrook State School, and reminds us that Willowbrook holds academic and historic importance, not only to the residents, staff and families directly involved with its operation, but also the disabilities rights movement," said CSI President Dr. Tomás Morales. "We embrace the history of our campus and consider it not only a resource for remembrance, but also a source of pride and connection to the entire disabilities community."  [full story]

The College of Staten Island (CSI) will hosts The Nature Conservancy's Russell Leiman, regional managing director of the Asia-Pacific Conservation Region, in a presentation entitled "Good Environment Is Good Business: Getting the Message Out in China." [full story]