_________ Oceanside/island park ________
HERALD
Have a La tte Ques tions Abou t Se lling? I’ll Bring The Coffe e!
Art and culture showcased
A night with the ‘Soupranos’
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VOL. 61 NO. 11
MARCH 12 - 18, 2026
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Students shine in the spotlight thing is choreographed with the help of our student assistants,” said Laura Gallo, a theater teachThe auditorium at Oceanside er at the high school and a coHigh School was filled with director of the program with themusic, laughter and applause as atre teacher Michelle Taplin. students from across the district “Our general-education students help organize the perfor med in the numbers and work annual “Spotlight on directly with the stuthe Stars” show, a dents in the proproduction designed gram, which really to celebrate inclumotivates them. Havsion and friendship ing peers their own through the arts. age dancing alongPresented by the side them makes district’s Departsuch a difference.” ment of Media, Fine Now in its 11th and Perfor ming year, “Spotlight on Arts, the March 5 the Stars” be gan perfor mance — with an idea Taplin titled “Thank You had when she was a For Being A Friend” student at the high — featured a lineup school. She was presof musical numbers ident of the school’s performed by both Best Buddies club, general-education which connects stuand special-educadents with and withtion students. out intellectual and The songs developmental disspanned generations abilities, and enviand genres, from s i o n e d a p e r fo rDisney Channel mance that would favorites featured in HANNAH WEISS put the special-ed “Camp Rock” and Senior, Oceanside students at center “Hannah Montana” High School stage. to Broadway and “Wouldn’t it be great if we movie classics including “For Good,” from “Wicked,” and “We could do a show that features just them?” Gallo recalled Taplin askGo Together,” from “Grease.” For the students, the show was ing during her senior year. Although the idea didn’t come about much more than performing. “It’s a show where our stuCONTINUED ON PAGE 7 dents dance and sing, and every-
By ABIGAIL GRIECO
agrieco@liherald.com
G
Courtesy Island Park Public Schools
But who’s counting? Pre-K students at Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School in Island Park recently marked a milestone of 100 days of learning. They took part in hands-on activities and proudly showcased the skills they have developed so far this year. From creative art projects to counting and storytelling exercises, the 100th day was filled with laughter, learning and a sense of accomplishment for the prekindergartners.
Oceanside native wins Petite pageant By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com
Growing up near the waterways of Long Island, Lexi Christensen developed a deep appreciation for the ocean and the fragile ecosystems that surround it. The Oceanside native is now combining that lifelong environmental passion with an unexpected new platform: pageantry. Christensen, 27, recently earned the title of Ms. Atlantic Coast Petite 2026, a regional crown within the Petite USA pageant system that celebrates women under 5 feet 6 inches. She will represent the Atlantic Coast at the Ms. USA Petite national competition in Chicago in July, when contestants from across the country will compete for the
national title. Standing 5 feet 3, Christensen said the Petite system stands out for challenging traditional beauty standards while promoting community service and personal growth. “I feel like there’s not much representation for women who don’t fit the typical modeling or pageant height,” Christensen said. “This system celebrates women from all walks of life. Some contestants are married, some have children — it’s very diverse and supportive.” Christensen’s journey into pageantry began last year, when she discovered a local competition online while searching for activities on Long Island. Entering the Miss Long Island preliminary pageant in 2025, she said she had little idea what to CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
etting to interact with these students opened my eyes to how differently people learn and how differently they show their love. They’re so dedicated, and watching that is incredibly inspiring.