_____________ ROCKVILLE CENTRE ____________
June 26, 2025
HERALD Fun in the sun at village event
Meet the
GRADUATES 2025
Vol. 36 No. 26
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Graduation Keepsake Edition
Page 10 JUNE 26 - JUly 2, 2025
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With love from the Bronx to Rockville Centre By JANE BAGATTA Herald Intern
Courtesy New York Yankees
The Yankees donated $10,000 to Love, Nana on the first day of HOPE Week, June 16.
Love, Nana, a beloved community organization in Rockville Centre, was honored at the New York Yankees’ June 16 game against the Los Angeles Angels. The ceremony at Yankee Stadium kicked off the team’s HOPE Week, which stands for Helping Others Persevere and Excel. Love, Nana has been helping those in need since 2020, and its storefront on Seaman Avenue has become a fixture in the village. Founded by Joan Hyland, who’s known as Nana, the nonprofit assembles bundles of new and gently used clothing, books and toys for infants and babies up to age 2 for families in need. Backyard Players & Friends, a nonprofit founded by Hyland’s daughter, Ellen White, is connected to the organization, and provides skills training for teens and young adults with intellectual disabiliCONTiNuEd ON PagE 11
Track star breaks South Side High records at states By KElSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
Victoria Daniel, a graduating senior from South Side High School, wrapped up her high school track and field career as one of the most accomplished sprinters in the school’s history, earning AllState honors and breaking a school record that stood for over two decades. Daniel placed fourth in the 100-meter dash and third in the 100-meter hurdles at the New York State Spring Track and Field Championships, on June 13 and 14 at Middletown High School. She clocked a time of
14.95 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles finals, surpassing the previous South Side record of 15.4 seconds set in 2004. Her semifinal time of 14.97 had already broken the longstanding record, which she then topped again in the finals. Daniel joined spring track during her freshman year, initially hesitant to compete in any sport. She said her mom made her join the spring track team, and after noticing that it came naturally to her, she went on to compete in both winter and spring seasons throughout her sophomore, junior, and senior years. Though joining track was
V
ictoria was a key member to the success of the team.
KEITh BoSch Head track & field coach, South Side High School not her original plan, Daniel said the experience of running and seeing her natural talent emerge is what made her stay with the sport. “I didn’t realize I was going to be so good at it,” she said. “I liked seeing me progress and get better. And I liked what
other people were saying about my performance.” Her path to the state championship included winning her division, conference, and county titles in both the 100 meters and 100-meter hurdles this past spring. She also met the state standard to qualify for the championships, a benchmark that allows athletes to advance
based on time, not just placement. Daniel qualified for the state meet as a sophomore but had not reached the finals until this year. “I never placed before,” she said, “so the fact that I made it to the finals the second day, I had more confidence, and I was just surprised that I made CONTiNuEd ON PagE 13