Cutchogue East’s Whitney McKenzie Uses Her Voice to Make Change

Cutchogue East’s Whitney McKenzie Uses Her Voice to Make Change

Sixth grader’s letter to Sen. Anthony Palumbo results in No Homework Day

Cutchogue East students are consistently encouraged to use their voices to make change. Sixth grader Whitney McKenzie took this encouragement to heart and while in fifth grade wrote a persuasive letter, attached to a petition with signatures from like-minded students, asking for a No Homework Day. The letter was forwarded to New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo’s office and change was in fact made.

On June 3, Sen. Palumbo visited the elementary school and presented Whitney, currently a sixth grader, with an official state proclamation for a No Homework Day. During his visit, Sen. Palumbo read Whitney’s letter to the sixth grade students and asked them if they remembered having a day without homework on May 6, which was Whitney’s birthday.

Whitney’s letter described how homework negatively affects her in her comment that “you feel you have so much homework that your head is going to explode and feel like you’re going to overheat and faint.” She also said homework causes her to miss out on things. “Don’t you feel sad when your family is in the other room laughing without you and you feel like you’re missing out on all the fun…?”

“Whitney’s letter is an example of how your voices can make change,” Principal Amy Brennan said. “We are very proud of Whitney and can safely say all the students would like to thank Whitney and Sen. Palumbo for a No Homework Day.”

The District congratulates Whitney on this outstanding accomplishment, and the students at Cutchogue East Elementary School thanks her for using her voice to affect change.