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Page 20 Vol. 73 No. 13
MARCH 27 - APRIl 2, 2025
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Fundraiser for sports complex set for April 3 honoring Joshua’s life, according to Michael Byrne, a committee member and a friend of A memorial committee is the Encarnacion family. “People can expect a really preparing to host its final fundraiser to support the creation good night remembering a kid of a memorial complex in who touched a lot of people,” honor of Joshua Encarnacion, he said. “It’ll be a good night to a student at Mandalay Elemen- come out and celebrate this last tary School in Wantagh who ‘Fight to the Finish.’” died in September 2023 after Early last year, the commitbattling cancer. tee contacted the The “Fight to the Wa n t a g h S ch o o l Finish” fundraiser District to propose will be held on renovating the outApril 3 at Mulcahy’s door basketball Pub & Concert Hall court at Mandalay in Wantagh, where and renaming it the attendees can enjoy Joshua Encar naan open bar, food, cion Memorial live music, and rafCourt to pay tribfles, while contrib- CHRIS ute to his memory. uting to the cre- ENCARNACIoN Joshua was a popuation of the Joshua Joshua’s father lar student at ManEncarnacion dalay and had a lot Memorial Spor ts of friends who Complex at Mandalay. miss him, according to Byrne. Joshua died at age 11 after Byrne said the committee battling alveolar rhabdomyo- has raised around $500,000 for sarcoma, a rare cancer that the project and needs another affects soft tissue. In the wake $100,000 to cover the estimated of his death, his family, Want- $600,000 cost. The original plan a gh PTAs and community for the memorial court has members united to form the expanded to include an 11U committee, dedicated to build- turf field and two basketball ing a space that will honor his courts, reflecting Joshua’s pasmemory and love for sports. sion for sports. He was a fourThe event is shaping up to be sport athlete who loved basketa community-building event
By CHARlES SHAW
cshaw@liherald.com
Charles Shaw/Herald
The Seaford School District’s 2024 Teachers of the Year were honored at the American Legion’s annual ceremony on March 19. From left were teachers Christine Caserta, Roman Wojcik, Maureen Dolan and Jillian Copius.
Celebrating dedication to education Legion honors students and teachers at annual ceremony By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Continuing a decades-long tradition of fostering patriotism in younger generations, the Seaford American Legion honored local students for their patriotic essays last week while also recognizing the winners of the 2024 Teacher of the Year awards. The Legion hosted its annual Americanism essay contest on March 19 at Edwin Welch Jr. Post 1132, in memory of George Murphy, a past commander who died in 2015. In partnership with the Seaford School District and St. William the Abbot School, the contest invites fourth- and fifth-graders at Seaford Harbor and Seaford Manor elementary schools and St. William the Abbot to reflect on America through their writing. According to Legion chaplain and essay contest chair Charles Wroblewski, the com-
petition has been a Seaford tradition for over 50 years. This year’s theme was “Why I am proud to be an American.” Students gathered at the post with their family members and friends for the awards ceremony, at which the top three essayists in each grade from each school were presented with trophies. At Seaford Harbor, the fourth-grade honorees were the winner, Jake Galofaro, Anastasia Stambolis, in second place, and Eva Taylor, in third. The fifth-grade winner was Emerson Hutchinson, with Ashley Jiang in second place and Hudson Schneider in third. At Seaford Manor, Danny Cronin finished first among the fourth-graders, with Emma Palumbo in second and Matthew Calvacca in third. In fifth grade, Michael Sagnelli, Samuel Englert and Jack Fagan finished first through third, respectively. At St. William the Abbot, the fourth-grade ConTinueD on pAge 4
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