Counselor And Benefactor Help Corona-Affected Students

BRENTWOOD, NY — A guidance counselor at Brentwood's Freshman Center has enlisted the help of local business owners to support students who have lost parents or guardians during the coronavirus pandemic. Brentwood is one of Long Island's hardest hit areas, and Antoinette Shervington told Patch that many of the students she serves have suffered family losses as well as been economically affected.

Shervington, who has been a guidance counselor in Brentwood for 28 years, saw the impact the COVID-19 crisis was having on the community and sent out a letter appealing for support for the impacted students. She was "overwhelmed" by the response from a local business owner.

Vic Picone is the CEO of AP Sports Venture Group and owns the Long Island Junior Ducks baseball team. He launched a campaign to help the Brentwood families with his charity Strength Heals which has raised $4,000 so far. Shervington expressed her gratitude for the gesture.

"Mr. Picone is an unsung hero with a heart of gold and this is not the first time that he has come to the aid of needy families in Brentwood. This past Christmas season, Mr. Picone altruistically adopted a needy family, who had just suffered the loss of the mother. The student was assigned to my caseload and totally devastated by the prospect of facing such a significant holiday, after just losing her mother two months prior."

According to Shervington, six students have lost a parent so far from the virus.

"Many of our students are first generation college-bound students and are able to break the oppressive chains of poverty by becoming self-sufficient, educated and productive citizens. It is a transforming phenomenon that I am fortunate to observe each year at graduation and one that I do not take lightly," she wrote in her letters to the community.

"Since school is closed, we are faced with the challenge of remotely providing support and I am turning to entities who are able to assist with the donation of food or a gift card that can be delivered these families who are faced with unforeseen hardships at this critical time."