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Vol. 29 No. 14
APRIl 2 - 8, 2026
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GUS LAFKAS
Bellmore man brings the fun to the high sea forming at bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet 16s and corporate events. That was his first taste For Todd Evans, the journey of the stage — and first time from growing up as a quiet kid connecting with an audience. From there, Evans in Bellmore to entertaining thousands aboard cruise ships immersed himself in the indusaround the world didn’t follow try, working with the company a straight course — it just hap- into his early 20s. A breakpened to set sail that way. through came for Evans when A graduate of Wellington C. he appeared on NBC’s Fame, a Mepham High reality television School in North Bellshow led by Debbie m o r e, E v a n s h a s Allen, an experience spent the past 16 he said “changed my years working at sea, life forever.” The first as a lead singer opportunity opened and now as a cruise doors to off-Broaddirector with Carniw ay p ro d u c t i o n s, v a l C r u i s e L i n e. c o m m e rc i a l wo rk Today, he serves as and live performancthe face of the ship, es across New York ove r s e e i n g e n t e rCity. tainment and help- ToDD EVANS But his eventual ing create memora- Bellmore native career at sea came ble vacations for unexpectedly. anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 While auditioning for variguests at a time. ous roles, Evans submitted “I am the captain of the materials through an online fun,” Evans said. “I don’t drive casting platform without paythe ship — they won’t let me do ing much attention to the listthat — but my job is to make ings. One submission led to an sure you’re having the most offer with a cruise line in unforgettable vacation.” Europe — an opportunity he Evans’ path into entertain- initially thought was a scam. ment began early, rooted in his “I sent the contract to my hometown. At age 15, he landed cousin, who’s a lawyer,” he a job with a Bellmore-based said. “He told me, ‘No, this is entertainment company, per-
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
Courtesy of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.
Art teachers Nancy Scott and Gary Solorzano-Ruiz, and students Ellie Tzaras and Chloe Dujardin.
Calhoun High students use art to connect with children in Honduras By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
Students at Sanford H. Calhoun High School are using art to build connections that stretch far beyond their community. Through their participation in The Memory Project, a nonprofit initiative that pairs students with children around the world who have experienced hardship, 76 Calhoun students and staff created 82 portraits and identity-based artworks for children in Honduras. The effort, which ran from November through March, was led by sophomores Ellie Tzaras and Chloe Dujardin, who organized workshops, coordinated materials, tracked progress and led fundraising efforts to support the initiative. “We wanted to do something that not only would make a community impact, but would make a global impact,” Tzaras said. “We really wanted to make a difference.” The idea began when Tzaras and Dujardin approached art teacher Nancy Scott about starting an out-of-school service proj-
ect. Scott introduced them to The Memory Project, which she had previously incorporated into her classroom years earlier. This time, the students took the lead, transforming it into a voluntary, after-school effort. Weekly workshops, held two to three times per week, provided students with guidance as they worked on their pieces. Scott, along with fellow teacher Gary SolorzanoRuiz, supported the program by staying after school for extended hours to assist students. “Art is a powerful tool. It can cross borders — and it will. It can change a person’s life,” Scott said. “This was a sheer act of selflessness and love for a stranger.” Participation was strongest among freshmen, many of whom found both a creative outlet and a sense of belonging through the program. “At first, they were a bit scared, they were intimidated,” Tzaras said. “But the more they kept coming to these workshops, they were building friendships. By the end, there wasn’t a single person in the room who wouldn’t go up to someone and say, ‘Hey, CoNTiNuED oN pAGE 2
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’ve been everywhere, but Bellmore is still number one.
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