HAUPPAUGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PINES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 22 Holly Drive , P.O. Box 6006 Hauppauge, New York 11788 Claudine DiMuzio, Ed.D ​ Principal ​ “I want people to try things out and see what they’re passionate about. My message isn’t ‘Start climbing,’ it’s ‘Find something you love and keep doing it.’” Ashima Shiraishi ​ October 2020 Dear Pines Students, Staff, and Families, It’s a great pleasure for me to say that we have experienced a wonderful start to this new school year. As we have pulled together to create the best possible scenario for our students, staff and entire school community, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank everyone for their time and energy as we have accomplished what may have seemed unlikely just several weeks ago. I understand that some of the outcomes tied to this situation may still be beyond our control; yet, I am #PinesProud of what we’ve been able to do together, in-person as well as virtually, as an entire school community. Who better to teach us about embracing new challenges while growing stronger outside of our comfort zones than Ashima Shiraishi, the author of our October Book of the Month, How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and ​ ​ ​ Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion? Ashima Shiraishi, started climbing at Rat Rock, a boulder 15 feet high ​ ​ and 40 feet wide, located at the south end of Central Park when she was 6 years old. When the New York weather got too cold in late fall/winter, she honed her talents indoors at gyms in Manhattan and Brooklyn. By the time she was 14, she became the first female climber and the youngest person to climb V15—the second-hardest grade level in climbing—on Horizon at Mount Hiei, Japan. She won three consecutive International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) world youth titles in both bouldering (climbing without rope or harness) and lead climbing (climbing with rope and harness) from 2015-17. In a recent article with Forbes magazine, Shiraishi stated, “What I fell in love with was the movement of it ​ ​ because it’s very therapeutic, and when you’re focused you’re just flowing up the wall,” she said. “It obviously requires a lot of physical strength but also a lot of mental strength. I think climbing is hugely mental and in order to keep pushing past your boundaries you have to believe in yourself.” Through the writing of her first children’s book, she shares with readers not only the secrets to her success, ​ but also how readers can apply what she has learned to the various situations in their own lives. Readers will be inspired to think about how to tackle the boulders in their own lives as well as how to rise to greater heights than they would have ever thought possible. “I want people to find something they love and follow that passion,” she said. I’d love to know how our readers will find ways to tackle and solve the problems they are facing in their own lives! With regards, Dr. DiMuzio Dr. DiMuzio (631) 543-8700 • Fax (631) 543-3632 • Email: [email protected] ​ “A NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE” .