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Southwest Elementary Dedicates Tree to Jack Curio’s Living Legacy
Southwest Elementary Dedicates Tree to Jack Curio’s Living Legacy

Southwest Elementary School in Brentwood honored retired physical education teacher Jack Curio on June 1 with the planting of a sugar maple tree as part of Suffolk County’s Planting It Forward to 2276 initiative, a program tied to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. 

Curio, whose impact on generations of Brentwood students includes helping establish the district’s Junior Olympics and Leader Corps programs, attended the ceremony with family members – high fiving students and hugging staff members on his way to the stage. Brentwood school officials, staff, students and both Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Clerk Vincent Puleo attended the ceremony. 

Carlos Restrepo, a former student of Curio’s and current teacher at Southwest, shared heartfelt remarks about the significance of the day, and Curio’s continued community engagement. 

“Mr. Curio had a gift for making every gym day and activity feel special,” Restrepo said. “He brought personality and creativity to everything he did … Today, we are all proud to dedicate this beautiful tree in honor of his extraordinary career and lasting impact. Mr. Curio is truly one of a kind. May this tree stand as permanent tribute to his passion, dedication and the countless lives he touched.” 

The tree will become part of Suffolk County’s Living Legacy Tree Registry, a countywide effort encouraging residents to plant and dedicate trees that will be documented and preserved through the county clerk’s office. The initiative is part of Suffolk County’s Suffolk 250 celebration commemorating America’s semiquincentennial. 

Unprompted, at the close of the ceremony, a line of students formed in front of Curio. One by one, they handed him handmade cards thanking him for all he has given to Brentwood throughout his career. 

Children in patriotic attire sit on blue mats in the foreground, while a school building and a crowd of people form the background under a bright sky.
A stage decorated with balloons and flowers for a Southwest Elementary School event stands in front of a grassy field with a soccer goal in the background.
A group of people in the foreground are seated and smiling, with a balloon arch in the background.
In the foreground, two people are shaking hands at an outdoor event, while in the background, a school building and playground are visible.
Children in the foreground are sitting on mats with American flags, while a larger group of children and adults are gathered in the background on a grassy field under a sunny sky.
A group of people in formal attire stand with shovels in front of a newly planted tree, with a grassy field and trees in the background.
A smiling man in a teal shirt and gray cap cuts a green ribbon with large scissors in front of a young tree adorned with a large green bow, while a festive arch of green and white balloons stands to his right against a backdrop of a wooden fence and lush green trees.
A woman speaks at a podium on a stage decorated with balloons and flowers, while a crowd of children watches from the foreground, with a school building and trees in the background.
A group of adults and children stand in front of a tree and balloons, with a soccer field and trees in the background under a blue sky.
A group of six people stand in front of a balloon arch and a newly planted tree, with a grassy field and trees in the background.
Three smiling people pose in front of a brick building with trees and a fence in the background.
A young girl in a red shirt receives a certificate from an older man in a teal shirt, while other people stand around them in a grassy outdoor area with a wooden fence.
A large group of students and adults are gathered on a grassy field in front of a brick school building under a bright blue sky.
A man and a group of children stand in front of a newly planted tree, surrounded by balloons and a wooden fence, with a grassy field and trees in the background.