_______ Lynbrook/east rockaway ______
HERALD Also serving Bay Park
Residents sport ugly sweaters
Students play in winter concert
Update on Sands casino project
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Vol. 31 No. 51
DECEMBER 12 - 18, 2024
$1.00
College admissions’ new norm for testing By Ainsley Martinez Amartinez@liherald.com
Skye Margies/Herald
High school guidance counselors emphasize the importance of standardized testing, even though test scores remains optional for many colleges. The East Rockaway High School Class of 2024 tossed their caps at their graduation ceremony in June.
With the rise of the test-optional movement before the coronavirus pandemic, and its growing popularity in the wake of Covid-19’s widespread impact, high school seniors now have more flexibility in deciding whether to submit SAT or ACT scores with their college applications. John Madden, counseling director at East Rockaway High School, said that there was a push toward test-optional policies before the pandemic began, but it remained limited to a small group of colleges. ConTinuEd on pagE 4
Teen earns Gold Award for promoting equine-assisted therapy By Ainsley Martinez Amartinez@liherald.com
Brooke Boccio, a 17-year-old Kellenberg Memorial High School senior and Lynbrook resident, has earned the highest honor in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award, for promoting equine-assisted therapy for veterans and first responders. “Veterans are a group that don’t always get a lot of recognition and the resources that they deserve,” Boccio said. “Equine-assisted therapy isn’t well known, and a lot of people don’t realize this even exists, but it really does help.” Boccio, a Girl Scout since kindergarten and a member of
Lynbrook’s Troop 2570, worked alongside several equine therapy providers on Long Island, including Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, in Islandia; Warrior Ranch, in Calverton; Spirit’s Promise, in Riverhead; and the New York Equestrian Center, in West Hempstead. Her Gold Award project focused on educating the public about the mental health benefits of working with horses, a resource that remains underutilized despite its availability to veterans and first responders at no charge. Boccio has loved horses since she began riding when she was young, but the hobby was expensive. Volunteering made it possible for her to stay
involved in the equestrian community, and at the New York Equestrian Center, she does maintenance work, like cleaning stalls. The experience, she said, has proved invaluable to her understanding of the therapeutic process, and became an inspiration for her project. Boccio organized outreach events and educational presentations about equine-assisted therapy. She made presentations at Oktoberfest, in Lynbrook, as well as Wounded Warrior and American Le gion events. She created informational materials, including a poster board, to share with attendees. Her great-grandparents served in World War II,
which gave her a deeper connection to veterans and their needs, she said. Her project required more than 80 hours of work, but she said she received strong support from the Lynbrook community. “She is a tremendous asset to Pal-O-Mine,” the facility’s director, Lisa Gatti, said. “What makes Brooke stand out is her maturity and sensitivity, which
is unusual for her age.” Boccio dedicates many Sundays to volunteering at Pal-OMine, where horses play a critical role in therapy. They are trained to interact with people who have emotional and psychological challenges, including veterans, first responders and those with disabilities. Horses have the ability to sense human emotions, which ConTinuEd on pagE 10