Bethpage High School

10 Cherry Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714
PRINCIPAL: Mr. Michael Spence
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: Mr. Kevin Healy, Mr. Ralph Tocco
Main Office: 516-644-4100 (Phone) 516-644-4192 (Fax)
Extra Help: Monday/Wednesday: Art, Business, Music, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies Tuesday/Thursday: English, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health, Math, Reading, World Languages

In the News

Mardi Gras

On February 13, the French classes celebrated Mardi Gras, though actually it was Vendredi Gras (fat Friday) since the schools were on vacation for the actual Mardi Gras. Various foods were enjoyed, such as homemade crepes, quiches, creole rice, king cake, Madeleine cookies and many other delicious treats. Of course, Madame Ciarniello was in full regalia and Mr. Healy was quite festive in his purple, green and gold Mardi Gras colors. It was une fête très amusante.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Visit

Members of the Spanish Club visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC to see special exhibits celebrating the works of El Greco and Pablo Picasso. After the museum visit, we ate authentic Spanish tapas for dinner.

21st Century Guidance Career Corner: Featuring Michael Martin

Our students learned from Mr. Martin himself about his METEORIC RISE IN broadcasting, from college intern to sports anchor and programmer for SNY’S Geico Sportsnite, COVERING the Mets, Jets, and UConn Sports, among others.

Cartwheel for a Cure

Bethpage Gymnasts joined forces with Cold Spring Harbor to raise over $2,200 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Congratulations to both teams for their work for a very worthy cause!

Cabaret Night

Congratulations to all the talented performers at the Bethpage High School Tri-M Music Honor Society Cabaret Night held on January 22, 2015. It was a fun filled evening emceed by Tri-M President Lauren Conway as students performed their favorite songs from Broadway. Thank you to the BHS Tri-M advisors, Mr. & Mrs. Stehlik along with Ms. Kovacs, Mrs. McGrath and Mrs. McCarthy for accompanying the performers.

American Museum of Natural History

On Saturday, January 17th, 35 students joined Ms. D'Alleva and Mr. Fazio on a city trip to the American Museum of Natural History. Our day began in the Rose Center for Earth and Space where we viewed actual meteorites, images of stars and were treated to a film inside the domed planetarium entitled the Dark Universe. We learned about the origins and possible future of our place in space. After a café lunch, we spent the afternoon touring the museum's vast collections of artifacts depicting mammals, endangered species, ocean wonders and of course prehistoric life. All agreed that it was a GREAT outing!!

Poetry Out Loud

On December 9, Bethpage students took part in a school competition of Poetry Out Loud. Participating students had to memorize and recite two poems. The winners of the school level competition will go on to the regional level competition in February. Congratulations to winners Greg Llinas and Smiti Shah! Thanks to all the participants and those who showed up to cheer them on.

21st Century trip to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum

On Saturday, December 6th, a group of 38 students from Bethpage H.S. and J.F.K. Middle School attended a 21st Century trip to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. Although it was a somewhat somber and emotional day for the students, they were able to gain a greater understanding towards the tragic events which occurred on September 11, 2001. The students were able to see the ‘Footprints’ of the North and South towers and the Memorial identifying the nearly 3000 innocent people whose lives were lost on 9/11. They saw the spectacular ‘Freedom Tower’ and gained a better understanding related to its relevance and symbolism signifying the freedoms and values that we as Americans are afforded. In addition, we took an extensive tour of the 9/11 Museum. The museum was a central focus of the trip. The exhibits and displays within the museum, gave our students a historical and educational perspective of the events in and around September 11. The students also spent an extensive period of time within the ‘Memorial’ section of the museum, where they viewed photographs and researched information provided for each victim. Mr. Fenster directed and facilitated this trip. Ms. DelVecchio, Ms. DeTillio, and Ms. Bellairs accompanied our students during our visit.

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Italian Trip - NYC

Driving with the coach bus through Downtown Manhattan, most of the kids from Bethpage High School's Italian Club Trip were agog with lights, the hustle & bustle of the holiday feeling as trucks unloaded crates of food and wire-wrapped Christmas trees stacked thin and straight against chainlink fences, waiting for someone to take them home to decorate. Kids are usually totally caught in between the dazzling lights and the excitement of the season. Today was no different.

A walk around a still-quiet Little Italy gave our students a taste of cappuccino at Ferrara's and a pashmina or two on sale from the street vendors. Arriving at Carmine's after a brief visit downtown and the usual holiday traffic in Midtown and up the West Side, students began to feel the twinges of hunger as the Italian perfumes of garlic, tomatoes and warm bread swept outside with the opening of the front door. Everyone was seated, glasses were tinkling being filled with water, pitchers of soda, trays of thickly-sliced bruschetta and the pasta platters and then the chicken parmigiana and chicken francese made their way to the table. Smiling waiters, eager kids, a festive atmosphere, a lit Christmas tree, gentle music and simple, good home-style Italian food all served to make the day memorable.

On to the Metropolitan Museum - the "presepio" and the Christmas tree there, the Medieval Gregorian chants and the masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods enlightened students in a festive way. Then on to Midtown for the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, St. Patrick's Cathedral and shopping in a variety of directions. Some groups did Fifth Avenue, others Times Square and still others the small shops at Bryant Park. By the time the students piled into the bus on the return trip home to Long Island, every kid's range of friendship had swelled as much as their smiles, as well it should not just during the holiday season, but throughout the years. Definitions like friendship, love, giving and receiving can and must take on a new perspective as we grow and learn more about life and the differences we can make for the better .

And in the middle of a "no-school" day full of new experiences and adventures of friendship, education, travel, food, culture and just plain fun, there was an added bonus. That bonus was the awareness that the delicious leftover food unable to be finished by one hundred people will grace the table of those who have none. That gift of awareness will undoubtedly over time, prove to be the most worthwhile gift of all!

Interstellar

On December 4, 40 Science (and other interested) students met Ms. D'Alleva, Mr. Granieri and Mr. Pollatos at the newly renovated Loew's movie theatre on Hempstead Turnpike to view the space thriller "Interstellar". Treated to comfortable recliners and an incredible newly installed sound system, all found the 21st century outing to be a great experience! Especially at the bargain ticket price of $5!!!

Our thanks to the Loew's Theatre management team for all of their help in accommodating us and for offering us this terrific opportunity!

United For Thanksgiving

Bethpage High School Student Civic Key Club joined with LIFNB at Hempstead Train Station on a bright Sunday afternoon, 23 November 2014 for a Thanksgiving Banquet and Food Share. Along with all the good volunteers of Long Island Food Not Bombs, college fraternities and sororities, the young and not-so-young, Civic members past and present served hot foods to throngs of people who would have otherwise been a little or a lot more hungry. BHS graduate 2014 and former Civic president Deena Hadhoud joined the current Civic Executive Board, Civic members and Child Psychology teacher Mrs. Theresa Schneider to give of their free time in a gesture of gratitude. Giving to others is the first step in the full realization in counting our own blessings. Civic members and their parents who attended the event remarked on its scope and magnitude.. And to think that the LIFNB Food Share is done weekly...gives pause and consideration that this is just one of many small "miracles" of noteworthy goodness. Thanks for the participation and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Honor Society Trip

The Bethpage Chapter of the National Honor Society recently visited Washington D.C. 48 seniors and five chaperones had a truly memorable trip. The group enjoyed the Newseum, including a moving look at the events of 9/11 and seeing parts of the Berlin Wall. Later in the day seeing the Space Shuttle and numerous Grumman planes,built right here in Bethpage, excited everyone. Visits to the National Zoo to see the pandas, all the major monuments, and Ford's Theater were fantastic. At Arlington Cemetary the group was honored to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For many the highlight of the trip was a visit to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. A great time was had by all!

Father of the Bride

Congratulations to the Masquer’s Guild for their outstanding production of Father of the Bride! Kudos for a superb performance! The acting, the stage design and the lighting/sound were all quite professional. Thanks to everyone involved and to Mrs. Stehlik for her excellent direction.

Mercy Inn Kitchen

BHS Student Civic Key Association spent Veterans' Day 2014 in service offering a hot, nutritious meal to one hundred guests at Mercy Inn Kitchen from 10 am to 1:30pm. BHS students joined forces with students from Wyandanch High School and helped prepare the meals, made sandwiches to take home, helped set-up and clean-up for lunch. Students were surprised to hear that this procedure takes place by all volunteers from Monday through Friday lunches and serves approximately one hundred people every day. As psychologist Carl Jung said, "“You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.” and on Veterans' Day 2014, Long Island high school students showed that they are committed to making a difference in the world. Thank you to all for your participation and continued service for others!

A Day in the Arts

Members of the new BHS Theater Arts class attended "A Day in Arts" at Adelphi University on Friday, October 17th. The students took workshops in musical theater, classical voice, prop design, lighting, acting with accents, improvisation, dance, stage combat, painting, and stage makeup. The students heard several musical theater selections along with a question and answer session with actor Christopher Sieber, currently starring in Broadway's "Matilda." The students learned a great deal and had a terrific experience.

Ripley's Believe it or Not!

On Saturday, 10/25/14, an adventurous group of Bethpage High School students made their way to the weird and wonderful at the Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum in New York City. Led by high school teachers Ms. D'Alleva and Mr. Fazio, all were amazed and intrigued by the displays, exhibits, anecdotes and features in this unique 21st Century outing. The museum fun was followed by a choice of lunch stops before the bus ride back to Bethpage.

Safe Halloween

Lupus Walk

On a beautiful autumn Sunday morning, BHS Student Civic met at Eisenhower Park to participate in the annual Walk-A-Long for Lupus. Civic members Ailin Yu, Kate Walker, Anndrika Bhatia, Lyana Sayilar and Amy Zheng walked with crowds of other high schools from Long Island and Queens to raise awareness and funds for this auto-immune disease. Raffles, lunch, live music and Z-100 celebrities were on site to complete an inspiring day of exercise, consciousness-raising and togetherness together for a good cause. Much appreciation to everyone.

Hunger 101

Thursday October 16th at 2:40pm, BHS Student Civic and BHS Family and Consumer Science hosted Christina Brown from Long Island Cares - Harry Chapin Food Bank to present a workshop for interested Bethpage High School students. The workshop was entitled, Hunger 101 and introduced important causes and questions concerning hunger on Long Island. Student learned about the economic and s

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Jazz Combo at Enviable Life Ball

On Thursday, October, 9th the BHS Jazz Combo volunteered their time and talent to perform at the Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities (ACLD) annual "Enviable Life Ball" fundraiser held at Oheka Castle in Huntington. It was a fantastic evening and the students received many compliments on their performance. After performing, they dined on filet mignon and checked out the castle.

Aviation Fair

In coordinating this trip, we afforded 40 of our students the opportunity to learn about STEM careers associated with aviation through speakers and hands on experiences at Republic Airport. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are the foundation of industry and commerce across the nation. Careers in S.T.E.M. related industries are vital for our economy, therefore early exposure, inclusion and encouragement should be a high priority in education. The future of American economics rests on the success of our S.T.E.M. education efforts in schools across Long Island. The educational foundations laid in middle and high school are critical to the interest levels, proficiency and test scores of high school students preparing to enter the work force.

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21st Century Sailing aboard the “Christeen”

On September 23rd students from both the middle and high school sailed aboard a nationally registered historical landmark. The weather was spectacular and Oyster Bay harbor was breathtaking. Participants were educated about the local history, President Theodore Roosevelt, the Spanish-American war and local marine life. As a special treat, our students had the unbelievable opportunity to see a wild seal. Harbor seals are usually not seen in the area until the winter. This one arrived early to gorge itself on the abundant supply of fish and to claim a choice basking rock. Our students had a memorable afternoon experiencing a truly unique corner of the world so close to home.

Welcome New Students

BHS held an ice cream bash welcoming new students to our great school! Lots of people helped out, but special thanks goes to our Social Worker Ms. Kennedy for making the arrangements. It was great to meet everyone!

Pep Rally

On Friday night, a huge crowd gathered for BHS's Pep Rally on the Athletic Field. Mr. Franchi greeted the crowd and then introduced Lauren Conway to sing the National Anthem. Captains of each team spoke, all excited for the upcoming year. BHS Cheerleaders and Kickline performed outstanding routines. At the conclusion of the Pep Rally, many faculty members participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for this worthy cause. Students were selected from the audience to come down to the field to douse their teachers. A great time was had by all in attendance. Best of luck to all of our teams for a very successful season.

French Club Car Wash

On Saturday, Sept. 13, the French Club held its annual car wash. In spite of a cloudy day, with impending rain, many people came out to support us.

Bethpage Welcomes New Staff

Welcome to the newest staff members in Bethpage! An orientation day was organized by Ms. Lavelle and featured a bus tour of Bethpage with Mr. Clark as the tour guide and it included a stop at Cablevision. We wish all our new teachers and teaching assistants the best as they join a terrific faculty and staff!

The Alice Young Hoffman Young Writers Retreat

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Skyler Paccio, Junior in Bethpage High School. His Teen Literature teacher Maria Whalen entered one of Skyler's creative writing pieces to The Alice Hoffman Young Writers Retreat at Adelphi University in July for 1 week to work with professional writers. It was an amazing opportunity. Out of a couple of hundred Nassau County applicants, only 30 Juniors were selected. Skyler was 1 of 30 selected student and he earned a full scholarship (all expenses paid). Way to Go Skyler!!!

College Visit

On August 5th and 6th over 60 seniors jump-started their college search process with the help of Mr. Kenny, Director of Guidance and Mr. Lynch, Senior Seminar teacher. The "Summer College Prep Workshop" at BHS explored the college search process, discussed the application essay and included demonstrations about the Common Application and Naviance. The rising seniors were even able to begin their applications. A visit to SUNY Albany and Siena College took place the next day. Information sessions, campus tours and even lunch on campus helped the group discover what colleges have to offer.

French Club Dinner

On June 11, the French Club, along with advisor Madame Ciarniello, held its end of year dinner at the Cassis Brasserie French Restaurant in Plainview. Everyone enjoyed "une salade, soupe à l'oignon, steak-frites or poulet (chicken)" along with a most delicious dessert--"profiteroles"--a tasty pastry filled with vanilla ice cream and covered with chocolate sauce. (See picture!) It was a lovely way to end the year.

Pentecost

On Sunday, June 8, Pentecost Sunday, at Saint Martin of Tours in Bethpage, current Bethpage students (Madeline Kuhlke, Jillian Leavey and Jillian Perota), former students (Kelly Ryan and Lianna Perota) as well teacher, Ronny Ciarniello, spoke at different masses in various languages. All spoke beautifully in French, Italian and Spanish.

Music in the Garden

BHS Tri-M Music Honor Society "Music in the Garden", Spring Chamber Music Recital. All the students had the opportunity to perform and showcase their talents. The evening was led by Tri-M Music Honor Society advisors, Mr. & Mrs. Stehlik. It was an amazing evening filled with beautiful classical pieces performed by talented students.

Skyler Wins Award

Congratulations! Skyler Paccio, Bethpage HS Junior. His entry was chosen as the only Nassau County 11th grade winning selection in the Nassau Reading Council’s 2014 Young Author’s Contest. His family and friends attended the Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 2nd at 7:00 PM in the theatre at the Wilbur Arts Center at Molloy College. Each winner K-12 read his or her entry to an enthusiastic audience. Skyler, along with other Nassau County winners went on to attend a reception following. Way to go!

Speaking Competition

Congratulations to Charlie Bachmeier and Chris Dane, who competed in the finals of Theodore Roosevelt Speaking Competition last Thursday. 44 students across schools from Long Island competed in this contest and participants were charged with creating an original speech focusing on some aspect of the life of Theodore Roosevelt. Students then had to recite the speech in front of an audience without using any notes. Both Charlie and Chris did an exceptional job and were recognized for their public speaking efforts when they were selected as finalists for the contest. Charlie focused on Theodore Roosevelt's efforts at conservation while Chris spoke about Roosevelt's role as Police Commissioner. BHS is proud of both Charlie and Chris!

Pre-Prom Assembly

On Tuesday, June 4th, a pre prom program was held for the Senior Class. Motivational speaker and retired Suffolk County Police Officer, Paul Failla spoke to our students for 2 periods about making good decisions as they finish their high school career. Officer Failla also discussed the importance of having good character as students move on to college, the military and the world of work.

BHS Art Show

LOTE Honor Society

The LOTE Department held a very nice induction ceremony for students entering the LOTE Honor Society. Mr. Rodriguez emceed the event and everyone was impressed with Mr. Spence's Spanish! Congratulations to all the students and their teachers!

Victory Games

BHS students raised over $10,000 for the Victory Games and students in Mr. Lynch’s CORE program and Mr. Granieri’s CDOS program assisted to run the event. Everyone was amazed at the talented athletes who competed!

BHS Gymnastics

Congratulations to the BHS Gymnastics team which was named the New York State Scholar Athlete Team of the year. That means as a team, they had the highest average of any gymnastics team in the state! How impressive! It was a great season on many fronts! Congratulations to Coach Kim and Coach Vicki!

Science Symposium

BHS students in Mr. Pollatos’s Science Research Class conducted a Science Symposium to share their findings and research. It was a very impressive evening! Thanks to alumnus Chelsea Levy for coming back and sharing some of the work she is doing at MIT. It was a great evening!

Future Teacher Tina Rapaglia

Congratulations to future teacher Tina Rapaglia for winning the first ever Bethpage Retired Teachers Award. Tina will be studying to be a Special Education teacher at Marist in the fall and we thank all the retired teachers who made this scholarship happen! She is pictured with Mrs. Blau and Mrs. Axelrad.

Memorial Day Parade

Bethpage gathered to honor those who sacrificed so much for our nation. Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s Memorial Day Parade!

Democracy In Action

The Bethpage School District thanks everyone who participated in our annual Democracy in Action program. Our student performers were wonderful and their teachers and parents should be very proud! Thanks to the PTA for organizing the Book Sale and to those who contributed to the Great American Bake Sale (especially Mrs. Marcis). It was a terrific event!

Choir and Orchestra Concert

Congratulations to all the musicians and singers who participated in the wonderful BHS Choir and Orchestra Concert! It was a great display of talent. Congratulations to Mrs. Stehlik and Mr. Kay for a great performance!

Maritime Festival

Third graders from the district’s three elementary schools had the opportunity to connect with Long Island’s Maritime history. The graduating class of Bethpage High School did a phenomenal job hosting the annual Maritime Festival. The elementary students made rope the old fashioned way; learned all about the parts of a fish, saw a SCUBA demonstration by Mr. Hack, learned about plankton with Mrs. Rankin, and produced a “Gyotaku” style fish print. A Special thanks goes out to Mr. Carroll for helping acquire the rich diversity of sea life displayed in the touch tanks.

High Note Music Festival

The Bethpage High School orchestra attended the High Note Music Festival in South Hadley, MA on Friday, May 23. The orchestra earned a "Superior" ranking, the highest possible, and came in first place. The orchestra spent the day in Six Flags New England and took a walking tour of Boston on Saturday, May 24. Students had a great time at Quincy Market and saw the U.S.S. Constitution, the Bunker Hill National Monument, and Paul Revere's house.

Teaching To Give

Lessons learned come from all types of resources, but one of the best ways is through experience. Theresa Gervasi Schneider understands this and as teacher for the BHS Child Study program has put it into practice.

On Thursday May 22, 2014, Adelphi University Education Professors Anne Mungai, (Special Education) and Professor Diana Feige, (Service-Learning) visited Mrs. Schneider's classes to witness the joy and learning in her program and to accept the gifts that her BHS students made for the Mungai Orphanage in Kenya, Africa.

Mrs. Schneider's classes created babies' bibs and shoulder sacks for the children to carry their school supplies from T-shirts a concept which included recycling materials in consideration of the environment. BHS Student Civic donated pencils and supplies to fill the shoulder sacks. Professor Mungai mentioned how precious pencils were to children in the orphanage since they are very difficult to find and expensive, furthering the point that a little level of awareness can help make enormous changes. She will be bringing supplies to Kenya this summer including the handmade creations from Bethpage High School.

Mrs. Schneider's students and children posed happily for photos and both Adelphi Professors were so impressed with the positive results of the project that they opened consideration of a mentoring program with Adelphi and Bethpage High School students. Thanks to all the students and children for participating in this project and for enriching lives in 'giving to others'.

AIDS Walk

Congratulations to the students and staff who participated in the Annual AIDS Walk. The Bethpage team under the direction of Ms. Bertolotti raised $1,785 for this great cause! Great job to all!

Mackenize Honored

Congratulations to Mackenzie Pech for being honored by the National Center for Women & Information Technology at the Bloomberg Center in Manhattan. Mackenzie was one of 29 female students recognized for their interest and ability in technology. Mackenzie is an accomplished computer programmer as well as a member of the BHS Robotics Team. She was honored with one of the Bloomberg Aspiration awards at a ceremony attended by her family and Superintendent Mr. Clark.

Jiu Jitsu

Bethpage was honored to host a Jiu Jitsu class thanks to Mr. Sagarese and his good friend former UFC welterweight champion Matt "The Terror" Serra. Lots of people came out to participate in this Fit and Fun activity. We are grateful to both of them

21st Century Oyster Bay Beach Cleanup

Rainy skies gave way to beautiful sunshine as the Bethpage armada landed on the shores of Oyster Bay Harbor. An energetic group of Middle School and High School students of the Marine Science Club removed hundreds of pounds of debris from the shoreline. For many of the students it was their first time visiting Center Island and they were impressed by its elegant beauty and diversity of wildlife. Besides improving the environment our students learned about an endangered bird, the piping plover. This tiny bird lays its eggs directly on the sand without building a formal nest. Their strategy is camouflage, the coloring of their eggs mimics the sand. Several protective zones were established to prevent people from stepping on the eggs. The group also experienced ospreys, egrets, terns, herons, cormorants and a well-deserved B-B-Q.

Congressman Steve Israel Comes to BHS

Congressman Steve Israel came to BHS to announce his sponsorship of a bill that supports a $500 tax credit for college preparation costs that include costs for AP, IB, SAT, ACT and SAT Subject tests as well as preparation courses that students take. The Congressman was surrounded by members of the Bethpage PTA and parent Len O’Donnell spoke in favor of the bill along with administrators from the district and BHS Senior Conor Nimmo who serves on the Congressman’s Youth Cabinet. The Congressman was very complimentary of Bethpage and the excellent schools we have.

NYSSMA Recital for Orchestra

Members of the BHS and JFK orchestras participated in a recital in the Little Theatre, Monday evening, April 28. These students will be attending NYSSMA at Bethpage next week. Pictured are (l to r): Ms. Yen Yen Haas (piano accompanist); Michael Coyle (seated); Mr. Kay; Drew Maggio; Emily Liang; Christopher Bello; Nichole Zacchia; David Campos; Christopher Stronstad; Antonio Bello; George Campos (seated); and Attilio Vosilla.

Bethpage High School Art Department Exhibits

Every April, the Bethpage High School Art Department exhibits selected works at the Bethpage Public Library. This year the show includes work from the AP Studio Art, Fine Arts and Sculpture classes. An opening reception was held on April 3. The students enjoyed the opportunity to show their work and receive the many guests who came to view the show.

Family Math Day

Bethpage once again hosted the County Family Math Day and over 700 people turned out for a great and exciting event! It was a day of activities demonstrating the importance and fun of math! Great job to all the teachers, students and administrators who volunteered and to Mr. Titolo for organizing the day! Thanks also to our terrific custodial crew for their hard work!

Students Get Laptops

Bethpage ELL students received laptop computers courtesy of a grant written by Mrs. Mineiro and Ms. De Napoli. Everyone was very enthused and they will go to great use!

Photo Gallery

Community Walk

The Fit and Fun initiative kicked off with a Community Walk. It was a great first event attended by almost 300 people! More events can be found on the calendar at: http://www.bethpage.ws/docs/fitness/

Join us as the entire community works together to promote health and wellness

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