______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
HERALD Fundraising with Bluey
Student receives scholarship
Arts in the spotlight
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VOL. 36 NO. 23
JUNE 5 - 11, 2025
$1.00
Dueling dishes at LIJ hospital ‘Chopped’-like hands-on event exposes students to preparing meals modalities and dif ferent careers that you can have in a hospital, coupling those together, really, really, I feel like will Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hosted Academy Char- solidify what they want to do in ter School seniors from the the future.” During each visit, students U n i o n d a l e a c a d e my fo r a spend about two and a half hands-on event that had the students to exploring the hospi- hours at the hospital. While most are on a t a l ’s Fo o d a n d healthcare track, Nutrition Services many are already d e p a r t m e n t certified in areas through a sensory such as phlebotomy, tasting and a cookelectrocardiogram ing competition and medical assiststyled after a popuing, that Thursday’s lar television show session was a for mat as part of departure from the the MedVoyage proclinical focus. gram. Instead, students T h e L I J p r o - JOE DOBIAS explored the role of gram, developed in Director food and food and nutrition collaboration with nutrition services within a hospital the Center for setting. Lear ning InnovaStudents are able to explore tion, be g an at the Valley Stream hospital in December. It different roles within the hospiprovides students with month- tal beyond the usual clinical ly immersive experiences in settings. By connecting their various hospital departments. classroom knowledge and certiPast sessions have included fications with real-world activiimaging, respiratory and peri- ties, they got a clearer picture operative services. The goal is of how teamwork plays a vital role throughout healthcare, to expose students to a range of healthcare careers and give including areas like food serthem a clearer idea of their vices. Director of Food and Nutrifuture professional paths. “They’re prepared for the tion Services Joe Dobias, who future, which is something that has appeared as a contestant on the school has done an amazing the “Chopped” a reality TV job in investing in them,” Tatia- show, organized the event. He na Rodriguez, project manager designed the activity to be at LIJ Valley Stream, said at interactive and team-driven, the May 29 event. “Then us introducing the students to the doing the part where we’re kind of collaboration and sen-
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO
azingariello@liherald.com
Holden Leeds/Herald
Commemorating 100 years of Valley Stream Valley Stream residents gathered at the Pagan-Fletcher Restoration for a vibrant evening of art, community and local history to celebrate the village’s 100th anniversary. Story, more photos, Page 3.
Young painter builds artistic business with big league flair By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
Evan Taveras, a ninth grade student at Memorial Junior High School, is one of Valley Stream’s youngest entrepreneurs. His clients are famous athletes such as Yankee outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and boxer Amanda Serrano. He offers a creative service: he adds colorful paintings to athletes’ hats, cleats and other accessories. Shoe painting is Evan’s main trade. He first began painting shoes for his friends after watching YouTube videos about similar artists at 11, during the Covid pandemic. “I wanted to make shoes as well,” he said. “I
asked my mom if I could get a pair of shoes, I got some markers and painted my first pair for my best friend.” After posting images of the shoes on Instagram, a surge of orders flooded his inbox. “I’m so honored to be doing this because I never thought that this would be this big,” he said. “I always thought that I was just gonna do that one pair for my friend, and then, and then I was not expecting, like, for me to blow up and for a bunch of people to start asking for a pair. “I’m super happy to have worked with all these like customers, MLB players, Foot Locker and all that stuff,” he continued. “I’m thankful for those opportunities, and I hope to collaborate Continued on page 10
T
here are tons of communication going on all the time.
showing them the different
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