High School East’s Turf Field Damaged by Teen’s Memorial

Smithtown parents are asking school officials for extent of damage done to High School East’s astroturf field by candles lit at a student’s memorial.

Pam Farino, a Smithtown parent, raised questions about how badly the astroturf field was damaged when hundreds of students and community members gathered an impromptu memorial for late classmate Liam Armstrong on March 28.

Armstrong was struck and killed by a New York City train while allegedly crossing the tracks on March 26.

“How big of a square footage area was ruined or affected by the bonfire? How many man hours were put in the removal  of wax and debris from the affected area?,” Farino asked school officials at Tuesday’s board meeting.

She referenced a video shot by NBC New York that shows scenes from the vigil, which can be viewed on their website. NBC said the vigil took place on the school's lacrosse field.  

Smithtown Superintendent Anthony Annunziato said the school’s astroturf field was not damaged by a bonfire, but rather wax dropped from candles lit during the memorial. He did not give any details on size of the area affected or describe the extent of the damage.

“We are waiting obviously until the spring season is over to repair the damage. It will be repaired,” Annunziato said.

Farino said she was surprised Board of Education trustee Grace Plourde made no mentioned of the damaged field while presenting a facilities committee report to fellow board members and the public on Tuesday night.

Smithtown Superintendent Annunziato has not responded to requests from Patch for more information on the damage done and potential repair costs.