Seaford Herald 03-12-2026

Beyond academics, Seaford senior Matthew Kind has also formed meaningful connections through community involvement, including with 99-year-old veteran Gabe Grenci, of Babylon.

Seaford High valedictorian is also National Merit Scholarship finalist

By lUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

Seaford High School senior Matthew Kind has been named a finalist in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program, placing him among the nation’s top high school students.

The competition recognizes exceptional achievement on the PSAT exam, which students take in their junior year. Each year, the program recognizes about 50,000 students nationwide, including roughly 34,000 Commended Students and 16,000 semifinalists, nearly all of whom become finalists. The winners of just under 7,000 scholarships will be announced beginning in April, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Kind, Seaford High’s valedictorian this year, scored 1510 out of a possible 1520 on the exam. “That qualified me to pursue the next step,” he said of an application process that required support from school administrators and a personal essay.

“I talked about the difference between significance and success,” Kind said when asked about the subject of his essay. “Living a significant life — impacting others rather than just focusing on yourself.”

That idea, he said, has shaped his outlook both in and outside the classroom. “Significance is making an impact on others,” while success is more individualistic, he explained. His guidance counselor, Suzanne Cosenza, said that mindset reflects the type of student

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St. Patrick’s parade set to step off Sunday

By lUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to line Wantagh Avenue on Sunday as the Wantagh Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of the largest celebrations of Irish heritage on Long Island.

The parade, now in its sixth year, draws spectators from across Nassau County and beyond. Chamber officials expect attendance to be similar to previous years, when the crowd of marchers, officials and spectators has grown to an estimated 50,000 people, and filled the streets of Wantagh.

That’s my town. That’s where I grew up, and I love Wantagh with all my heart.

GUS T SioRVAS Owner, Embassy

Diner, Bethpage

The parade will step off from Wantagh High School and head south on Wantagh Avenue before ending near Park Avenue, where post-parade festivities typically continue with live entertainment.

“We’re expecting it to be on par with prior years,” Marilynne Rich, the chamber’s first vice president, said of the expected attendance.

This year’s collective grand marshal is the entire Wantagh Fire Department, in recognition of the volunteer department’s longstanding service to the community. Founded in 1899, the department now has about 200 members and operates out of five firehouses, responding to roughly 2,000 ambulance calls and more than 1,000 fire calls each year.

At the chamber’s Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day celebration last September at Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall, where the parades grand marshal is annually announced. Then Chamber President Kathy McGrory Powell said the decision to honor the entire department, reflected the collective dedication of its members. The department was represented at the dinner by Assistant Chiefs Bill Stevens, Paul Krussmann and Chris Dolley, and Stevens called the department’s selection an honor.

“We’ve worked hand in hand

Continued on paGe 11

Student credits mentors, service experience

Kind has been since he arrived at the high school.

“From the moment I met Matthew in ninth grade, I knew he was someone truly exceptional,” Cosenza said. “While his academic achievements are remarkable, what stands out even more is his character. In my 28 years as a guidance counselor,” she added, “Matthew is among the most genuine, sincere and respectful students I have ever had the privilege of working with.”

Principal Nicole Schnabel echoed that sentiment, describing Kind as a student whose leadership comes from lifting others up. “Matthew is a rare individual who not only does all the right things to lead from the front, but just as powerfully, leads from behind,” Schnabel said. “His leadership is rooted not in a desire for recognition, but in an instinctive understanding that true influence comes from elevating others.”

Beyond academics, Kind has also formed meaningful connections through service and community involvement. Last year he took part in Soaring Valor, a school program that took stu -

dents and 14 World War II veterans to New Orleans to visit the National World War II Museum, an experience that he said left a lasting impression.

On the trip, Kind was paired with 98-year-old World War II veteran Gabe Grenci, of Babylon. The two bonded quickly, talking throughout the plane ride and the three-day visit. “It was about a three-hour plane ride,” Kind recalled, [but] to me it felt like 10 minutes. It was just talking to him the whole time.”

The connection continued long after the trip ended. Kind said he still speaks regularly with Grenci, and recently attended his 99th birthday. “I still am in constant communication,” said. “I’m still talking to him, texting him each day.”

The experience, he said, reinforced his belief in the importance of learning from others and giving back to the community. “For me, hearing his personal accounts and having the honor to then bring them to others is incredible,” Kind said.

Growing up in the Seaford School District helped shape his success, Kind added, crediting the support of teachers, administrators and classmates. “I

think it’s the network and the family they build,” he explained. “They make you feel comfortable. You really have the opportunity to do whatever you want.”

As he prepares to graduate, Kind said he is looking forward to the next chapter of his life while taking time to appreciate his final months of high school. “I’m excited to really take in the last moments here with the friends I grew up with since kindergarten,” he said.

He is currently deciding between two colleges — the University of Richmond and Ohio State — where he plans to pursue a pre-law track and then go on to law school.

His long-term goal is a career as an attorney, and to continue focusing on leadership and service. “One of my major things with pursuing law school and being a lawyer is I want to lead,” Kind said. “I want to lead a team of my own and to serve.”

School administrators agree that that commitment to others is what sets him apart. “It has been one of the great privileges of my career to know, and learn from, Matthew Kind,” Schnabel said. “A student who is truly one of a kind.”

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Seaford High School hosts annual blood drive

Students at Seaford High School rolled up their sleeves to help save lives during the student council’s annual blood drive on March 6 in the school gymnasium.

The event, held in partnership with the New York Blood Center, drew more than 80 student donors throughout the day. Several teachers and staff members also stopped by during free periods to support the region’s blood supply.

Student council members helped run the drive under the direction of advisers Tania Cintorino and Savannah Weilert. Juniors and seniors signed in donors while freshmen and sophomores served as escorts, guiding students to donation stations and later to a snack table with water, juice, cookies and chips.

Students were eligible to donate if they were at least 17, or 16 with parental permission.

At the donation stations, participants could give a pint of blood, while specialized machines separated some donations into components. The machines collected two units of red blood cells while returning plasma and platelets to the donor.

This year’s theme was “Raise a green flag on saving lives,” using green — the color associated with “go” — to encourage people to stop making excuses and take the step to donate blood.

“The blood drive brings people together who want to help the community,” student council President Olivia Anzelone said.

Senior Carmelo Riccobono donated blood for the second time, motivated by a personal experience after his father needed blood following an injury about five years ago.

“That’s why I donate,” he said. “I recognize the importance of it. It’s just something good to do for people who need it.”

Senior Brian Falk said donating blood gives him a chance to help others.

“I donate blood because it’s special to me that I have the opportunity to save lives,” he said.

for a

Town seeks bay constable for summer patrols

Hempstead Town is accepting applications for a seasonal bay constable position as officials prepare for the busy spring and summer boating season along the South Shore waterways.

Supervisor John Ferretti and the town board announced the hiring initiative as part of an effort to enhance boater safety and strengthen enforcement of local maritime laws.

“While the Town of Hempstead employs a highly trained and dedicated staff of full-time bay constables, we are seeking to add a seasonal team member to further enhance boater safety and code enforcement,” Ferretti said in a news release. “We urge qualified candidates to apply today.”

The seasonal bay constable will help enforce boating safety laws and regula-

tions, protect local waterways and wetlands, and respond to emergencies on the water, according to town officials.

Under New York state law, all operators of personal watercraft are required to possess a boater safety certificate. Bay constables monitor compliance with that requirement and patrol local waters for unsafe operation, including boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The seasonal hire will also assist fulltime officers with public education efforts, including town-sponsored boater safety classes offered in the coming months.

Applicants may apply in person at the town’s Department of Human Resources, located at Hempstead Old Town Hall, 350 Front St., Hempstead. — Jeffrey Bessen

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Awards of

Crowds expected to line Wantagh Avenue

with the chamber the past few parades,” Stevens said at the time. “We’re just honored to be recognized as grand marshals.”

McGrory Powell described the department as the unsung heroes of the community. “You may not notice them,” she said. “But you know you want them there when you need them, and they’re there.”

In addition to honoring Irish culture, the event has become a major gathering for local organizations, first responders, marching bands and businesses. Fire departments from nearby communities including Seaford, Levittown, Bellmore, Merrick and East Meadow usually participate, along with veterans groups and Irish cultural organizations.

The parade’s popularity, according to Rich, stems in part from Wantagh’s walkable downtown and strong community support. “We have a great downtown area, she said, where there’s lots of restaurants and bars for people to go to afterwards.”

The parade’s route and the chamber’s year-round promotion have helped fuel its growth, with local businesses also benefiting from the influx of visitors, Rich added. “Obviously, the bars and the restaurants are getting a lot of people coming to eat, to drink, to sample things,” she said. “The other businesses tell us that they get a lot of exposure from it.”

This year’s parade also has a hometown title sponsor: Gus Tsiorvas, owner of the Embassy Diner, in nearby Bethpage. “It means everything in the world to me,” Tsiorvas, a chamber member and longtime Wantagh resident, said of

the chamber’s recognition. “That’s my town. That’s where I grew up, and I love Wantagh with all my heart.”

Tsiorvas said that sponsoring the parade was especially meaningful because his family remains deeply connected to the community. “My kids are

going to go to school there,” he said. “They go to Mandalay Elementary now — they’re going to go through the Wantagh school district. It’s home. It’s my home. I never left there.”

For many participants, the parade is as much about community pride as it is about celebrating Irish heritage. State Sen. Steve Rhoads said the event has become a local tradition that brings neighbors together.

“The Wantagh Chamber St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of those special traditions that truly captures the spirit of our community,” Rhoads wrote in a statement to the Herald. “Each year, neighbors, families, local businesses and first responders come together to celebrate Irish heritage and the strong sense of pride we share here on Long Island.”

Rich said that one of her favorite moments comes when she steps onto the parade route and sees the throngs of spectators. “When we see the crowds on the street, we know that we’re doing something really special,” she said. “We’re bringing life to the community.”

While the parade celebrates Irish culture, organizers say its appeal reaches far beyond that. “Whether you’re Irish or not, this parade is for everyone,” Rhoads said. “It’s a chance to come together, celebrate our community and enjoy a great Long Island tradition.”

SPORTS

Garden City denies MacArthur coveted title

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Top-seeded MacArthur’s perfect season and county championship dreams were dashed last Saturday afternoon in the Nassau Class AA girls’ basketball title game by No. 2 Garden City, which used a strong second half to hand the Generals their only defeat after 22 consecutive wins, 63-45, at Farmingdale State College.

The Trojans pulled away over the final 16 minutes after holding a 28-27 lead at intermission, thanks in large part to a three-headed offensive monster (Kennedy Palmer, Grace Brantuk and Marissa Patrissi) and a stifling defense from senior Elizabeth Gaffney

“Defense, defense, defense,” said Patrissi, who had 11 points before fouling out with 4:01 remaining and Garden City holding 53-42 advantage. “MacArthur has some great players that we knew we had to stop,” she added. “We made some halftime adjustments to fix the little things and had a great second half.”

Palmer scored a game-high 24 points and Brantuk added 12 points and 18 rebounds for the Trojans (19-4), who won their first county title in 13 years and advanced to face Westhampton (212) for the Long Island Class AA title Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Stony Brook University.

Senior Meghan Campbell led MacArthur with 17 points and senior Gabby Nicolini added a dozen. Campbell’s free throw to open the second half pulled the Generals even for the final time at 28 before Garden City scored 11 of the next 13 to build a 39-30 lead.

“It’s not the way we wanted the best season in program history to end,” MacArthur head coach Dave Radtke said. “It was an incredible season really. Garden City plays a physical game and gave us a hard time on the boards. We also had a tough shooting game.”

The Generals, who eliminated Jericho in the quarterfinals and Manhasset in the semis, trailed the Trojans by as many as five in the first quarter but responded with their best surge that resulted in their largest lead of the game at 23-20 late in the second.

Campell and Nicolini scored four points apiece to lead an 11-3 run that was capped by senior Ysabelle Perillo’s jumper in the lane. But Garden City regained the lead with treys from Patrissi and junior Lia Costa and never trailed thereafter.

“We focused on defense all week in practice:” Garden City head coach Steve Bilello said. “The girls really turned up the pressure in the second half to get it done.”

The Trojans, who knocked out Calhoun in the quarterfinals and South

Side in the semis, flexed their muscle after halftime and closed the third quarter with three important points to regain momentum after the Generals inched within 39-34.

Gaffney, who Bilello credited with containing Nicolini, beat the third-quarter buzzer with a layup for a 42-34 lead.

“She did an amazing job defensively today and also had some key baskets,” Bilello said of Gaffney, who had 8 points.

MacArthur was seeking its first-ever county title. It reached the semifinals in each of the past two seasons and got over the hump into the finals but was unable to get to the top of the mountain.

“We had 10 seniors who were a big part of the program and they’re going to be deeply missed,” Radtke said.

Meaghan Campbell capped an

celebrating women’s history month

Empowering and assisting the county’s libraries

By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com

The Nassau Library System is a cooperative of 54 libraries throughout the county. While each one is supported by local taxes and governed by its own board of trustees, the NLS provides services, materials and programming to all member libraries.

“One of the largest services we provide are delivery services five days a week,” NLS Director Caroline Ashby said. “We enable libraries to share resources with one another. So when a patron in Levittown wants to use a book only owned by the Elmont library, we’ll pick it up from Elmont, sort it in our facility and send it to Levittown the next day for the patron to check out.

“We save Nassau taxpayers thousands of dollars a year,” Ashby added, “by resource-sharing this way.”

Ashby, a native of Port Washington, began her library career with the New York Public Library while studying for a master’s in library and information sciences at the Pratt Institute. “I was a volunteer in the adult literacy center as a tutor,” she recalled. “These were people from their 40s to their 70s who’d made it that far without real literacy skills.”

At the center, Ashby built relationships with patrons and learned about the challenges they faced, such as a lack of technology skills. She decided to teach those as well, helping with internet browsing, setting up emails and teaching them Microsoft.

“Because to be able to work,” she said, “you need to have a resume, submit your application over email, and know how to use Word.”

After finishing her degree, she worked at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, in Manhattan, part of a nationwide network that provides reading materials to patrons who are blind or visually impaired. Ashby, who worked with patrons by phone and email, and suggested braille and audio materials, credits this experience for broadening her perspective of library services.

In 2014 she was hired as assistant director of the NLS. “I wanted to come back home and serve a community closer to my heart,” Ashby said. In 2019 she was promoted to director.

NLS delivers more than materials to local libraries. Technology is a major aspect of its service, as it provides libraries with broadband internet service and organizes the shared-material catalog. The online catalog allows any cardholder in the county to view materials available at system branches.

NLS offers continuing education for library staff. “We provide training to library trustees on their governance responsibilities, we provide training to library administrators on management and legal compliance topics, and training for public-facing staff on outreach and best practices,” Ashby explained. Through its networking opportunities, she added, the NLS encourages librarians to “learn from one another so the service provided at public libraries in Nassau can be as consistent as possible.”

She also leads NLS’s advocacy work, connecting with local and state elected officials to ensure that libraries receive the funding and support available.

“The more NLS can do to support member libraries,” Ashby said, “the more freedom those libraries have to serve their communities in close, responsive ways.”

Opening doors for the next generation of women

By ALLYSON FERRARI aferrari@liherald.com

A leader helping Long Island girls find their voices traces that mission back to a childhood shaped by an immigrant’s perseverance and a belief that girls deserve the same opportunities to lead and succeed.

Now, as executive director of Girls Inc. of Long Island, Patricia Charlemagne works to expand opportunities and leadership pathways for girls across the region.

Charlemagne, 52, grew up in Queens before her family moved to Baldwin when she was 11. Now she lives in Baldwin with her husband of 15 years, Frank, and their two children, Alix, 13, and Taylor, 11.

Her parents, immigrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic, prioritized education above everything else. Growing up in a working-class immigrant household, Charlemagne said she was surrounded by opportunities that helped shape her interests and ambitions.

“Education continues to be the most important thing to my family,” she said. “They were very committed to my education.”

Despite her family’s modest means, she took part in activities including ballet and piano lessons, afterschool sports and school programs focused on the visual and performing arts. At the time, she said, she didn’t fully realize the sacrifices her family made to provide those opportunities.

Those experiences later reinforced her belief that all children — regardless of economic background — deserve access to activities that help them grow and thrive.

After graduating from high school, Charlemagne attended Wesleyan University, where she earned a

bachelor’s degree before following it with a law degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and a doctorate in educational and organizational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. During her studies, she developed an interest in how laws and workplace systems treated women differently, particularly women of color — which eventually led her to a career in nonprofit leadership.

Girls Inc. offers girls mentorship, leadership development and exposure to career pathways often dominated by men. Industries such as the trades and technology still have a relatively low representation of women, she said, something she hopes to change by introducing girls to those fields early.

“My journey to Girls Inc. of Long Island has been a full recognition that when girls are given resources, when girls are given opportunities, when girls are made to feel safe and a sense of belonging,” Charlemagne said, “there is no limit to what they can do.”

In addition to youth programming, the organization has begun partnering with companies working to diversify their workforces. The goal, she said, is to help businesses create environments in which women feel supported and encouraged to pursue careers in under-represented fields.

Charlemagne believes women and girls should be included when decisions are made, rather than having programs and policies created for them without their input. Her perspective has been shaped by challenges she has faced as a woman in the workforce, including disparities in pay and having her ideas overlooked.

“You share an idea and no one hears it,” she said. “Then a man repeats the idea, and all of a sudden it makes perfect sense.”

Those experiences, she said, reinforced the importance of helping girls develop confidence and learn to advocate for themselves.

For Charlemagne, empowering girls also means encouraging women to support one another and prioritize their well-being. “Take care of yourself first,” she said. “You cannot do anything for anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself.”

Congregation Beth Tikvah celebrates Purim

Families gathered at Congregation Beth Tikvah in Wantagh on March 1 to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim with costumes, music and festive activities.

The celebration began with the reading of the Book of Esther, a traditional part of the holiday, with many participants dressed in costume. Afterward, the synagogue hosted a Purim Ball where Hebrew School students, adults and guests enjoyed live music from the CBT Band.

The event featured singing and dancing, face painting for children, holiday food, raffles and prizes. Young participants also performed a children’s Purim play during the celebration.

The gathering brought together synagogue members, families and community guests of all ages.

Purim commemorates events described in the Book of Esther, in which the Jewish people were saved from a plot against them in ancient Persia. The name Purim means “lots,” referring to the casting of lots in the biblical story.

The holiday celebrates Jewish survival and is traditionally marked with festive gatherings, costumes and charitable giving.

—Luke Feeney

Confident Hofstra brings high hopes

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team fell one game short in its quest for a conference tournament spot last season and is determined this spring to be on the championship stage.

The Pride were picked to finish fifth in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason poll, which would leave it once again on the outside looking in for reaching the four-team league playoffs. Hofstra placed fifth last year with a 4-4 CAA mark to finish one game behind Elon for the final tourney spot.

“We want to do everything we can to get into the CAA playoffs to give us an opportunity to play for the CAA championship, and an opportunity to win and get into the NCAA tournament,” said 14th-year Hofstra head coach Shannon Smith. “The only way to do that is by playing a very competitive non conference schedule to prepare us for a conference play.”

Leading the charge to bring Hofstra into the postseason is red-shirt junior attacker Nikki Mennella, who tallied 99 points on the strength of 62 goals and 37 assists last year. The reigning 2025 CAA Attacker of the Year registered six goals and seven draw controls in a 14-8 win at Marist on Feb. 26.

“She is a warrior out there on the field,” said Smith of Mennella, a USA Lacrosse preseason All-American selection who registered 24 goals and 11 assists through Hofstra’s first seven games. “She’s electric and has and can shoot the ball very well but more importantly she celebrates her teammates’ success even that much more and gets so excited for their big plays and goals, which is really fun to see.”

The Pride also returned sophomore attacker Kayleigh Bender, who was named the CAA Rookie of the Year as a freshman after recording 41 points on 31 goals and 10 assists. The Huntington High School product tallied a season-

Nikki Mennella found the back of the net 62 times last spring and tallied 99 points.

high four goals in Hofstra’s 12-7 Valentine’s Day victory at Quinnipiac.

Hofstra’s offense has featured multiple scoring weapons early in the season including junior midfielder Natalie DeMeo (10 goals) and junior attacker Kristen Redding (seven goals). Freshmen Charli Joyce and Shannon Steck, a Massapequa native and Saint Anthony’s graduate, have also shown offensive potential early in their collegiate careers.

The defense is anchored by junior defender Christine Dannenfelser, who was named to the All-CAA First Team as a sophomore with 42 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers along with 58 draw controls.

“She’s everywhere on the field,” said

Smith of Dannenfelser. “She plays very inspired and with a sense of urgency.”

Dannenfelser leads a defensive unit that features juniors Evin Terzioglu and Natalie Little. Local freshmen Grace Varley, a Babylon native, and Brighid Smith, a Wagner transfer who was an All-County player at Wantagh High School.

Senior goalie Luchianna Cardello patrols the net for her final college season this spring. The former Massapequa High School standout recorded 12 saves in a 16-9 home loss to third-ranked Maryland on March 4 and eight stops in the Quinnipiac triumph.

“Lulu is seeing the ball very well,” said Smith of Cardello, who also had 12 saves in a 17-7 setback at Big Ten foe

Rutgers on Feb. 28.. “She is a senior so she has seen all sorts of different game scenarios and different shots.”

Hofstra opens up CAA play at home this Saturday against Elon at noon before hosting Ivy League Power Princeton Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The Pride conclude the CAA regular season at home on April 25 against William & Mary before what they hope will be a conference semifinal game the following week on April 30 hosted by defending league champion Stony Brook.