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HERALD
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Let’s Rewrite the Story.
Homecoming for Mepham High
Street festival returns to area
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Vol. 28 No. 39
SEPTEMBER 25 - oCToBER 1, 2025
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Kennedy H.S. teams up to fight cancer cancer. The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, founded to address In a heartfelt tribute to the gaps in knowledge surrounding late mother of a varsity cheer- bile duct cancer, raises money leader, John F. Kennedy High to cure and improve patients’ School will host a game night quality of life. The foundation and clinic on Oct. 4, uniting the offers caregiver support, a mencommunity to support breast torship program, and fundraiscancer awareness and the Chol- ing research into cancer. angiocarcinoma Erica Mikhail Foundation. was diagnosed in Although OctoJanuary 2024 and ber is focused on the disease rapidly bringing attention spread until her to breast cancer, the passing. Her story school’s teams have emphasizes the decided to combine importance of this pink and green at event, which aims their home game. to honor her memoThe Kennedy High ry while raising School cheerleading awareness and supteam is spearheadpor t for cancers ing a community that are often difficampaign to raise cult to detect in awareness for bile their early stages. lINDA PuSATERI duct cancer, along “There are a lot Kennedy H.S. with breast cancer. of other charities “Having this as varsity cheer coach that focus on rare an additional initiacancers and rare tive with it can help diseases, but this carry on her fight and help o n e s p e c i f i c a l l y p r ov i d e s spread awareness to something resources to patients and famiso widespread.” cheerleader lies, it funds research, and Chloe Mikhail said of her spreads awareness altogether,” mother Erica, who passed away Mikhail said. “I think it will in November 2024 after a definitely help to give attention 10-month battle with bile duct
By ISABEllA PlANTE
Intern
I
Courtesy Chris Collora
Stevan Mena has created five films, where he has played the role of screenwriter, director, editor, and musical composer.
Local filmmaker honored with special screening of latest flick By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Stevan Mena is a master of many disciplines. He has worked as a filmmaker, a novelist, and a musical composer across various projects, executing his ideas with shrewd pragmatism. Mena was raised in East Meadow and now lives in Bellmore. His most recent film, “The Ruse,” earned him the honor of being this month’s featured filmmaker of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, which will hold a screening and Q&A in his honor on Sept. 27. “I’ve been an aspiring filmmaker my whole life,” he said. “Back in 2023, I decided that ‘The Ruse’ was gonna be my next picture. [It] premiered at the Toronto Film Fes-
tival in September of 2024. Tom Needham, the vice chairman of LIMEHOF, runs the group’s Local Filmmaker Series program. “Each month, we showcase the creativity, passion, and dedication of local filmmakers, providing them with a platform to share their work and connect with audiences who appreciate the power of storytelling,” said Needham in a statement. “This series is an important part of our mission to support the arts and highlight Long Island’s impact on the entertainment industry.” In “The Ruse,” Mena brings his experience as a veteran editor and screenwriter, in addition to his award-winning direction. “The Ruse” follows the case of a vanishing in-home caregiver, from the perspective Continued on page 13
hope people see how strong this kid is and that she’s trying to help someone else, even with what’s happened.
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