Comprised of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island offers a large number of schools which include a full spectrum of education programs from pre-school through college. The area is home to 125 public school districts which employ nearly 30,000 teachers providing education to over 400,000 students. Approximately 88.4 per cent of Long Island high school students continue their education in post-secondary schools.

Additionally, there are more than 4,800 teachers and close to 54,000 students in the area's private school sector. These include religion-oriented schools which, in addition to an educational curriculum, offer their students guidance in the traditions of their various faiths.

Among these institutions are Catholic secondary schools and various Christian academies such as the good Shepherd Lutheran School, the Academy of St. Joseph and Our Lady of Mercy Academy among many others. Several Hebrew Academies are well represented in Nassau and Suffolk Counties as well such as the Hebrew Academy of Suffolk, the Torah Academy of Long Island and the Yeshiva of South Shore.

The growth of ethnic and religious diversities have emerged on Long Island over the years and as an answer to the various cultural requirements of the numerous groups, the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum was founded. This organization was established in 1994 as a joint initiative of the Long Island Council of Churches and Auburn Theological Seminary and is supported by a grant from the Long Island Universalist Unitarian Fund.

The goal of this organization is to promote understanding among the varied religious heritages of the region through its' educational programs, publications and multi-faith festivals.

Although Christianity and Judaism have long been the dominant religions in the Long Island area, the arrival of students from many foreign lands has brought attention to the need for recognition of a number of new dietary requirements and religious holidays by the school districts.

Parents of school age children can be assured that Long Island schools will offer an educational environment that can easily equal and possibly surpass those found anywhere else in the United States.

· To research specific schools, Long Island Schools can help you identify the school districts that will meet the educational needs and goals of your children.

Scholarship programs specifically geared toward Long Island students and schools are available such as:

· Women Economic Developers of Long Island - www.wedi.org
· United Way of Long Island - www.unitedwayli.org/dreamsasp
· The Long Island Educators Cup - www.rideforlife.com/archives/001376.html

Annual scholarships in the field of Journalism are awarded by the Press Club of Long Island, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists - www.journalism.neu.edu/scholarships.html.