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BaBylon _______________
HERALD BEaCon
Also serving Babylon, Bay Shore, Copiague, Deer Park, Farmingdale, Lindenhurst, North Babylon, West Babylon, West Islip and Wyandanch
BHS holds Color Run fundraiser
W.I. remembers George Iwasiuk
Picasso comes to W.B. schools
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VOL. 60 NO. 28
AUGUST 12-18, 2026
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A heart for civic service By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald
Cory Keith, with proclamation, is honored for his extensive community service by the Village of Babylon board. From left, Trustees Jeffrey Szabo, Frank Seibert, Dominic Bencivenga, Anthony Cardali, Mayor Mary Adams and Cory’s mother, Rose Keith.
A Babylon High School student whose volunteer work has benefited local families, seniors, animals and nonprofits was recognized by the Village Board on July 28 for his commitment to community service. Mayor Mary Adams honored Cory Keith, a village resident and soon-to-be senior at Babylon Junior/Senior High School, for a year of volunteer efforts that have touched organizations both in the village and beyond. “We have a very special young man with us this evening,” Adams CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Babylon graduate earns historical society scholarship By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
Courtesy Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society
Aiden Michael Shek, center, was joined by his parents, Michael and Ling Shek, and members of the Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society after receiving the organization's Scholarship for Excellence in Social Studies. Pictured with Shek are Historical Society President Judy Skillen, Village Historian Wayne Horsley, Town of Babylon Historian Mary Cascone, Gilda Gricka, Marsha Collock, Kevin Conley, Steve Loudon, Karen Petz, Carolyn Romaine and Donna Consola.
Babylon resident Aiden Michael Shek has been awarded the Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society Scholarship for Excellence in Social Studies. The scholarship recognizes the top-performing senior social studies student who resides in the Village of Babylon. Eligible applicants included graduating seniors from Babylon Junior/Senior High School, West Babylon Senior High School, North Babylon High School, St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School and
St. Anthony’s High School. “I’m always proud to present our scholarship for excellence to a student who displays all those qualities of excellence, and it’s our honor and privilege to be able to do this,” Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society President Judy Skillen said. “Our scholarship is for excellence in social studies, which is appro-
priate because we are all about history here at the historical society.” A 2026 graduate of Babylon Junior/Senior High School, Shek will attend the University of Virginia this fall, where he plans to major in mechanical engineering. He said he hopes to pursue a career in the aerospace industry. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4