_________ Oceanside/island park ________
Graduation Keepsake
Edition
June 25, 2026
HERALD Oceanside goes gnome hunting
GRADUATES
Meet the
2026
Page 3
VOL. 61 NO. 26
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2026
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Pre-K teacher’s turtle inspires children’s book
[Myrt],” Devivo said, “but it’s done in sort of a story rhyming way.” As a teacher and administraSt. Anthony’s Preschool educator Evonne Devivo has turned tor at St. Anthony’s Preschool in a lifelong bond with her pet tur- Oceanside, Devivo frequently tle into a published children’s incorporated the turtle into classroom lessons, particularly book. Devivo, 49, recently released during activities such as “Letter her book “Myrt the Turt,” a T” week. The excitement and curiosity project inspired by her Eastern students showed box turtle and her whenever Myrt visitpassion for teaching ed inspired her to young children. develop a book that The book’s publicacombined storytelltion marks the fulfilling with educational ment of a longtime infor mation about goal for Devivo, who Eastern box turtles. said she had always “I’ve been teachhoped to create a ing for a long time, story she could share EVONNE DEVIVO bu t I n eve r eve r with her students in Author, brought him to the classroom. school until 2021,” “ I t ’ s b e e n m y St. Anthony’s dream to write a Preschool educator she said. “And so, the kids get very excitbook,” Devivo said. “I want to be in my class reading a ed.” What began as an idea quickbook to my children by me.” The book is centered on ly evolved into a complete manMyrt, a turtle Devivo has cared uscript. Rather than creating a for since childhood. Her connec- traditional narrative, Devivo tion to the animal began when structured the book around she was 8 years old and contin- Easter n box turtles with a ued for decades. After spending designed to teach young readers years with her parents, the tur- in a fun and engaging way. “It looks like a story from a tle eventually became part of Devivo’s own household and picture book, but it actually teaches facts,” she said. “The now lives with her family. “It’s all little facts about
By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN
agriffin@liherald.com
I
Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald
Students Alexis Mahler, 14, left, Julianne Repetto, 14, and Samantha Godelman, 13, presented the check with the amount raised prior to the Color Run to Michelle Nardelli, Make-A-Wish’s manager of community fundraising for Metro and Western New York during the assembly.
OMS raises $9K for Make-A-Wish By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com
Students at Oceanside Middle School have been working the entire school year to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, generating nearly $9,000 for the organization through a variety of fundraising efforts. At the start of the school year, students were given the opportunity to choose a charitable organization to support. After voting among several options, the students selected Make-A-Wish and focused their fundraising efforts on that single cause throughout the year. “I’m really proud that we were able to do this, as shared experiences are very important in schools, especially middle school,” Allison Glickman-Rogers, the school’s principal, said. Students organized and participated in numerous events, including a car wash, a three-on-three basketball tournament, pizza
and bagel sales, St. Patrick’s Day-themed green bagel sales and ice pop sales. They held their last fundraiser, a Color Run, where people raced the school’s track as colorful powder was thrown their way. The largest fundraiser of the year was tied to the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Long Beach this past winter. Many students and staff members participated in the Polar Bear Plunge, collecting sponsorships and donations from family members and friends in exchange for braving the cold waters. The school also sold special Oceanside Polar Bear Plunge sweatshirts. Together, those efforts generated more than $5,000 toward the overall fundraising total. “I’m really happy that all of our students and staff got to participate and enjoy a shared experience that was as impactful as this one,” Glickman-Rogers said. Throughout the year, students were able to see firsthand how their efforts were making a CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
t’s been a dream of mine to write a book.
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