__________________ SEAFORD _________________
HERALD
When other property tax “experts” give up, that’s when we get goin g.
Trusted partners. Every step of the way.
DEADLINE APRIL 1ST
Sixth place in Regeneron
Sign up today. It on ly tak Apply online at mptrg es seconds. .com/heraldnote or call 516.715.1266
Page 2 Vol. 73 No. 12
MARCH 20 - 26, 2025
$1.00
Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Grou p, LLC 483 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 Hablamo
1291734
THE LEADER IN PROP ERTY TAX REDUCT ION
s Español
Cheer coach goes out on top Seaford squad wins its first national title in Lisa Ferrari’s final season I n D e c e m b e r, S e a f o r d claimed the New York State Public High School Athletic Lisa Ferrari capped off her Association’s Division II Small impressive 17-year career as Varsity championship, markhead coach of the Seaford High ing the team’s second consecuSchool varsity cheer team by tive state title. The team comwinning its first-ever national prises 21 athletes who spend championship last month. three hours a day, six days a Ferrari’s tenure has been week, perfecting their routines. defined by a dedication to push- Competing at the Visions Vetering her team to new ans Memorial heights. This year, Arena in Binghamthe Seaford team ton, the Vikings reached the pinnadelivered a domicle, taking the Tranant performance ditional Division II in the finals, edging Small Varsity title out top-ranked at the Universal squads, including Cheerleaders AssoSachem East and c i at i o n N at i o n a l West Genesee, to High School Cheersecure back-to-back leading Championwins. ship, held Feb. 7-10 In Florida, Seaat the ESPN Wide HAylEy KERN ford competed Wo rl d o f S p o r t s Seaford High School against 96 teams in complex in Walt varsity cheerleader its division, conD i s n e y Wo rl d tinuing the annual Resort in Florida. tradition of appearFor Ferrari, winning nation- ing at nationals under Ferrari als was a surreal experience, since 2012. After placing second especially after securing a state last year, the Vikings secured c h a m p i o n s h i p j u s t a f e w first place in their preliminary months earlier. bracket, allowing them to “It’s like that elusive dream bypass the semifinals for the — something you always hope first time in program history. for and reach for,” Ferrari said, They advanced straight to the “but you don’t know if it will finals, where they delivered a ever actually happen.” Continued on page 7
By CHARlES SHAW
cshaw@liherald.com
Holden Leeds/Herald
Scouts on parade Seaford Cub Scout Pack 581 marched down Wantagh Avenue during Wantagh’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday. Story, more photos, Page 3.
Science academy expands with new lab Wantagh students dive into research with high-tech resources By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Students at Wantagh High School who want to learn how scientists conduct research now have the opportunity, thanks to a new state-of-the-art science research classroom. Located on the second floor of the high school, the room features updated equipment to support students in the Science Research Academy, a four-year program, introduced in the fall of 2023, in which they conduct research with the goal of submitting their work to science competitions. The classroom was funded with a $250,000 grant from the State Senate. Christopher Kozak, the district’s director of STEM programming for grades six through high school, said the new room is a fully functional lab equipped with weight scales, pipettes, centrifuges, gas connections for Bunsen burners and fume and vacuum hoods to aid students in their research. “We’re just trying to give students variations
of different kinds of experiments that they can conduct within the constraints of what we can have in our K-through-12,” Kozak said. Teachers, parents, administrators, and Board of Education trustees attended the classroom’s grand opening on Feb. 26. Before it was built, Science Research Academy students worked in the high school’s chemistry classrooms. Kozak said they began using the new research room the following day. The program launched in the 2023-24 school year with 18 freshmen, and has grown to 32 students this year, Kozak said. More than 60 students are enrolled across freshman to junior courses for next year, according to the district. Principal Paul Guzzone said the program has been growing in popularity since its inception. “How it has exploded far exceeds what we could have ever thought,” he said. Guzzone added that he looked forward to seeing the first group of Academy students become seniors in two years, and compete in high-level Continued on page 10
C
ompared to other teams, we looked like we were genuinely having fun.