Ethan Greenidge Visits Phillips Ave. to Make Donation
On Friday, September 12th, former NFL Offensive Tackle and Riverhead High School graduate Ethan Greenidge visited Phillips Avenue Elementary School. Since 2021, Greenidge and CAP Board President and local businessman Brian Stark have donated school supplies to Phillips Avenue School, where Greenidge attended as a child. The initial $2,000 donation was Greenidge’s idea, who says that “kids shouldn’t have to stress about having school supplies.” Since then, the annual donation has grown, and this year the two men donated a combined $5,000 toward the supplies.
Stark was Greenidge’s high school basketball coach, and the two have remained close. Riverhead Community Awareness Program, Inc. (CAP) coordinates the annual donation and coordinated this first-time visit.
Ethan Greenidge graduated from Riverhead High School in 2015. After playing for the Blue Waves he played for the Villanova Wildcats for four seasons. He then played for the New Orleans Saints from 2019 to 2022 and for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.
Giving Back to His Community
“I want to give back to my community, I want to be a giver,” said Greenidge. “I learned that from my parents and at church. It’s good to help kids, and their families, so they don’t have to worry about the little things and kids can just be kids. They can enjoy themselves and grow up and have opportunities. I think it’s such a beautiful thing.”
Although he has been donating since 2021, this was the first opportunity that Greenidge was able to personally visit with students, who were thrilled. He told them it was a blessing to be able to walk through the halls of Phillips again and encouraged them to chase their dreams. He also visited with his former 5th-grade teacher, Jaimie Draskin, who now teaches at Phillips. Draskin shared a class photo from when Ethan was her student.
Joining Together
Dr. Stephen Hudson, Phillips Avenue principal, said, “We truly feel blessed to be continually supported by our amazing community and our relationship with CAP. That’s one of the greatest things about Riverhead. Everyone supports each other and it’s wonderful. Our students benefit from that and are going to have everything they need to learn and excel.”
Superintendent Dr. Robert Hagan added. “I just love that in this community, people come together to help and support kids. For that, I’m so grateful.”
“This is a great day because we have community and alumni giving back to the school,” said Brian Stark. “I love doing it because it’s a small community, and that’s what we should do.”
“We love coordinating this annual donation every year,” said Felicia Scocozza, CAP executive director. “And watching it grow so substantially is a testament our community and to these two generous men.”
Riverhead CAP has provided prevention and counseling services at Phillips Ave. Elementary School since 1990. CAP has a social worker placed there three days a week.
