Graduation Keepsake
Edition
June 25, 2026
INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON
GRADUATES
Meet the
2026
VOL. 76 NO. 26
Celebrating Juneteenth
Knicks honored by fans, city
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JuNE 25 - JuLY 1, 2026
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Recognizing L.I. businesses By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
Photo courtesy Stephen Sullivan
Sameera Rampertab was previously awarded First Place Overall and a $1,000 prize at the 2026 Long Island Youth Summit, held April 17 at St. Joseph’s University, for this research.
Local teen to present research at high-level sociology conference By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
Sacred Heart Academy junior Sameera Rampertab will take part in an academic discussion typically reserved for college-level researchers when she presents her work at an American Sociological Association conference in New York City on Aug. 8. The 17-year-old Valley Stream resident has been invited to present her paper, “The BAS Model: Analyzing the Impact of Excessive Social Media Usage on the Mental Health and Neurologic Reward System of Female Adolescents,” during Roundtable 9: Social Media and Digital Culture. The session will bring together undergraduate and graduate students to discuss research related to social media and its effects on society.
For Rampertab, the opportunity represents a chance to share her work with a broader academic audience while participating in a professional research setting that is uncommon for high school students. “I’m not completely sure if they know that I’m a high school student,” Rampertab said. “They just looked at the quality of my project and accepted me, as far as I know.” The conference serves as a forum for sociologists, researchers and students to share findings, discuss emerging topics and connect with others in their fields. Participants attend presentations, exchange ideas and build professional relationships with scholars who share similar research interests. Rampertab originally planned to present a poster, a format she had become familiar with COntInUed On PAge 5
Long Island’s small-business community gathered June 16 at Optimum’s Bethpage headquarters for the third annual Small Business Summit, where Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation honored 40 recipients of the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants, including Uniondale-based Special Treasures Childcare. Each recipient received a $5,000 grant through the program, known as “Lifting Our Community Businesses Across Long Island.” The initiative supports businesses with 10 or fewer employees across Nassau and Suffolk counties and aims to provide entrepreneurs with funding, networking opportunities and access to business resources. Jay Guy, vice president and general manager of Optimum New York, said supporting small businesses strengthens local communities and the regional economy. “Small businesses play such an essential part in the strength of the local community and the economy,” Guy said. “$5,000 goes a long way, especially when you think about having to pay rent, a portfolio of customers and people rolling into the business,” he added. “It will definitely help business thrive and succeed.”
Among this year’s recipients was Special Treasures Childcare, which recently opened a childcare center in Uniondale, sharing a building with Grace Cathedral Inter national on Jerusalem Avenue. Founder Linda Anderson, of West Hempstead, plans to use the funding to invest in equipment, educational materials and program enhancements as the center establishes itself in its new location. “Special Treasures Childcare is honored to receive this grant, which comes at a pivotal time as we establish our new childcare center in Uniondale,” Anderson said in an email. “Opening a new childcare center requires significant investment, and grants such as this play a critical role in helping small business owners create safe, nurturing, and enriching environments where children can learn and thrive.” The center recently expanded from a home-based program in West Hempstead to a standalone facility in Uniondale. According to Optimum Business officials, the expansion will allow the center to serve up to 68 children. Anderson said quality childcare supports working families and helps strengthen the local economy. “Our employers in the region can’t attract or retain their COntInUed On PAge 9