The Liberty Wall of Fame Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2020 induction ceremony.

The Wall of Fame provides a wonderful opportunity to honor and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of Liberty alumni. 

The distinguished men and women previously named to the Wall of Fame represent an extraordinary range of personal and professional achievements and serve as role models to our students.  Their personal accomplishments in an array of careers and endeavors exemplify what can be attained through initiative and commitment.

The 2020 inductee will be invited to a reception held just prior to the Liberty High School 2020 graduation commencement and will be introduced during the graduation ceremony. A plaque for each inductee is on permanent display in the Liberty High School lobby.

Nomination Process

Anyone may nominate a Liberty alumnus for this distinction by submitting a Wall of Fame nomination application. The deadline to submit nominations has been extended until Feb. 29.

The Wall of Fame Selection Committee will review the nominations and determine the new inductees to the Liberty Wall of Fame. All information discussed is kept confidential. A deceased alumni may also be nominated.

The selection committee is made up of five to nine volunteers representing the Liberty community, including school district staff, alumni, and community and board of education members.

The new year has brought with it a spike in flu cases, and health officials warn that this flu season could be the worst in years.

In New York, there was a 74 percent increase in confirmed cases of influenza – “the flu” – over the recent holidays, with 9,200 cases reported to the New York State Department of Health for the week ending Dec. 28, bringing the statewide total to 22,800 cases this season.

Infants and young children are at greater risk for getting seriously ill from the flu. That’s why the Department of Health recommends that all children 6 months and older get the flu vaccine.

What is the flu?

The flu, or influenza, is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. The flu can spread from person to person. The flu comes on suddenly. Most people with the flu feel very tired and have a fever, headache, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sore muscles, and and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. The cough can last two or more weeks.

Most people with the flu are sick for about a week, and then they feel better. But, some people, especially young children, pregnant women, older people, and people with chronic health problems, can get very sick

Protect your child

Flu shots can be given to children 6 months and older.

Health experts advice that parents and guardians should get the flu vaccine for themselves and encourage thier child’s close contacts to get the flu vaccine, too. This is very important if your child is younger than 5, or has a chronic health problem such as asthma or diabetes. Because children under 6 months can’t be vaccinated they rely on those around them to get an annual flu vaccine.

Wash your hands often and cover your coughs and sneezes. It’s best to use a tissue and quickly throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. This will prevent the spread of germs.

Tell children to:

• Stay away from people who are sick
• Clean hands often
• Keep their hands away from their face
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or to cough into their sleeve, not their hand
• Throw tissues in the trash after they are used.
• Proper hand washing
• Wash your children’s hands with soap and water. Wash them for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
• If soap and water are not handy, use hand sanitizer. It should be rubbed into hands until the hands are dry.

How does the flu spread?

People who have the flu usually cough, sneeze and have a runny nose. The droplets in a cough, sneeze or runny nose contain the flu virus. Other people can get the flu by breathing in these droplets or by getting them in their nose or mouth.

Most healthy adults may be able to spread the flu from one day before getting sick to up to 5 days after getting sick. This can be longer in children and in people people with weaker immune systems.

What if my child seems sick?

Contact your doctor if you think your child is sick.

Seek emergency care or take your child to a doctor immediately if your child has any of these warning or emergency signs:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids (not going to the bathroom or making as much urine)
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
•  Symptoms improve, but then return with fever and worse cough

Can my child go to school with the flu?

No. Children with the flu should be isolated in the home, away from other people. They should also stay home until they have no fever without the use of fever-control medicines and they feel well for 24 hours.

To learn more visit  www.cdc.gov/flu/

For 47 years, Asst. Cook Dottie Davison has been a welcoming face on the lunch line, serving an estimated 4.5 million meals (and countless from-scratch peanut butter cookies) to our students.

Tuesday,  Nov. 26 was her  last day, and staff and students gathered in the high school cafeteria to wish here a happy retirement and present her with her very own Liberty letterman jacket. The High School Honor Chorus also serenaded the beloved Mrs. Davison.

“Many, if not most of those gathered here were not even born when Dottie started her career in September 1973,” said School Lunch Manager Dara Smith. “Many historic events have happened over the course of time that Dottie worked here, good things and bad, fashion trends, up and down economies, you name it, but one thing that we have always counted on is a hot meal from the folks in our school kitchens and this Lunch Lady right here.”

A plaque honoring Mrs. Davison will also be hung in the cafeteria honoring her limitless commitment to our students.

The Liberty Cookie Recipe

Generations of Liberty students and staff will tell you that few cookies can compare to Mrs. Davison’s Famous Liberty Cookie, a classic peaunut butter cookie she often baked for students. She generously shares the recipe here:

Liberty Cookies
(Makes about 7 dozen)

4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
3 cups sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add a little bit of oil if the peanut butter is dry. Roll in 1 1/2 inch balls. Flatten with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes.