________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD
Hard to Reach Savings?
Trust the Experts to Go the Distance.
John Street honors veterans
Holiday fun at Belmont Park
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Vol. 27 No. 47
NoVEMBER 20 - 26, 2025
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13-year-old in need of a kidney Franklin Square’s Elias Manolis battling lifelong disease and seeking organ donor Elias takes seven medications in pill form, which helps maintain his bodily functions, A Franklin Square family is like blood pressure and calcium searching for a donor for their levels. His mother also adminisson, who currently has Stage 4 ters an injection once a week, kidney function and will need a which helps regulate his hemoglobin levels. The eighth-grader new kidney within a year. also has to catheterElias Manolis, iz e four times a who turned 13 earliweek because his er this month, was bladder retains born with a ureterourine — something ve s i c a l j u n c t i o n he’ll have to do for obstruction — a the rest of his life. blockage between When he was the kidney and the younger, Elias visitb l a d d e r. U n t i l ed a nephrologist — recently, his kidneys a kidney specialist functioned at Stage — every six months. 2 and Stage 3, terms The frequency of used to describe the his visits has since ability of the kidincreased to once a neys to regulate promonth. cesses in the body. MARgARET He is a student at Their function has MANolIS H . F. C a re y H i g h now worsened to Elias’s mother School, where he is Stage 4, which active in the Be a means they are moderately or severely dam- Buddy Club, whose members aged and not properly filtering connect with autistic children, helping them with activities waste from his blood. Manolis has been a patient at like drawing and playing Long Island Jewish Children’s games. Outside school, he loves Hospital, in New Hyde Park, playing videogames with his younger brother, Kosta. Elias since he was born. “They’re like family,” his also enjoys spending time outmother, Margaret Manolis, said doors, riding his bike and swimof the hospital staff. Continued on page 5
By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY
Correspondent
Photos courtesy Elmont Union Free School District
Students celebrate their heritage at Alden Terrace Alden Terrace School celebrated its first schoolwide Hispanic Heritage Month assembly last month, highlighting the rich traditions of Hispanic and Latin American communities. Each grade researched and presented a different country through performances and creative video projects. The event showcased both learning and the diversity within the Elmont community. Acting Principal Sonia Rodrigo and Interim ENL Director Rita Johnson also shared their own roots in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Above, students performed at the Hispanic Heritage Month assembly. Right, classmates shared what they’d learned with the school community.
W
e are holding onto hope, love, and the kindness of those around us.