_________________ WANTAGH ________________
HERALD Recognized for medical safety
Music students take the stage
Facebook post raises concerns
Page 2
Page 3
Page 12
Vol. 73 No. 33
AUGUST 14 - 20, 2025
$1.00
A dedication to the art of music theater
time at Queens College. While working, she overheard administrators discussing upcoming When longtime Seaford resi- summer programs and rememdent Kimberly Larkin launched bers them suggesting a musical a musical theater workshop in theater workshop. “They said, ‘If you can get 2000, she never imagined that it would grow into a decades-long the kids, you can do it,’” Larkin tradition — or that it would said. “It required a lot of word touch the lives of hundreds of of mouth.” aspiring perfor mers across That first summer, nine chilLong Island and beyond. dren enrolled, and by the third Celebrating its 25th year, the year, she had 20. In 2019, the program is not just program had a professional milereached capacity. stone for Larkin — “ I n eve r we n t it’s a personal one, into it thinking it deeply rooted in her would be a longcommunity. term project,” LarLarkin is known kin said. locally for her work The three-week as a vocal teacher workshop now and musical theater draws students ages educator. But each 9 to 17 from across summer, she directs KIMBERly lARKIN Long Island and the Musical Theatre Vocal teacher New York City. ModSummer Workshop eled on a conservaat Queens College’s tory setting, the Eisman Center for Preparatory program includes voice trainStudies in Music. The program ing, group harmonies, acting, celebrated its silver anniversa- monolo gue work, audition ry on July 24 with a showcase coaching, dance, and ensemble at the LeFrak Concert Hall, in development. Broadway profesQueens, where current students s i o n a l s o f t e n g u e s t - d i re c t and alumni gathered to honor scenes or choreograph numLarkin’s lasting impact. bers. When Larkin started the One of them is Victoria camp, she was a graduate student at NYU and working partContinueD on Page 16
By IRIS WIENER
Correspondent
Steve Sachs/Herald
For 20 years, the Seaford Recreation summer program has offered affordable, creative activities that bring the community together each summer, thanks to the efforts of the staff and its founders, Ralph Pascarella, third from right, and William Dietz, center.
Seaford camp celebrates milestone Summer program marks 20 years of fun and community By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
For two decades, the Seaford Recreation summer program has offered a fun space for children from kindergarten through sixth grade to enjoy a variety of activities, and its founders continue to help kids to make the most of their summer. The program takes place on the football field at Seaford High School, and this year children gathered for three hours each day from July 14 to Aug. 8 to take part in a variety of activities. Designed to offer something for those of all interests, whether sports or education, this year’s lineup included a sign language class and sports such as kickball and basketball. Other activities included bingo, bowling, wiffle ball and soccer. Founded by Seaford teachers Ralph Pascarella and William Dietz, the program is now in its 20th year, and has become a fixture in the community. Pascarella, a phys. ed. teacher at Seaford High, and Dietz, a
sixth-grade teacher at the middle school, have both been part of the Seaford community for more than 20 years. They launched the summer program as a way to give back, offering an affordable camp experience for local families, Pascarella said. “It’s a way for the community to have an inexpensive four to five weeks of camp,” Pascarella added. Roughly 200 children took part in this summer’s program, according to Pascarella, with roughly 60 volunteers — a mix of middle and high school students, adults and district faculty members — helping to coordinate events. The program accepts kids from other communities as well, including Wantagh and Massapequa. While it is not officially part of the Seaford School District, the district supports the program by helping to advertise it and providing access to its fields. For the program’s 20th anniversary, Pascarella organized a VIP Day on July 31 to thank the community for its years of supContinueD on Page 10
I
never went into it thinking it would be a long-term project.