________ Franklin square/elmont _______
your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
and April 25, 2024
HERALD
with a focus on:
Senior Healthy Living
VoL. 26 No. 18
Little League season begins
Family fun at annual fair
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APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2024
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Nonprofits gave away prom attire you get to dress up and just feel yourself.” Meera Empowerment’s comThe expense for attending munity involvement features the prom can force many stu- presenting fashion shows and dents to skip the memorable hosting parties to raise money event, but a prom giveaway at for its programs. Programs Elmont Memorial High School include cooking, sewing and gave several students a chance craft lessons held at rented to be part of the great prom spaces throughout Elmont. It also takes local resexperience. idents to Ronald Nonprofits McDonald House Meera EmpowerCharities for volunment and You’re teer opportunities. Our Unity collaboTwo years ago, rated with the Meera Empowerschool’s PTSA to ment partnered offer prom dresses, with You’ re Our shoes, accessories Unity to hold these and suits to the prom giveaways at young women and high schools men who will be LeSHAWN WALkER throughout Long g r a d u a t i n g t h i s You’re Our Unity Island. Every year, ye a r f r o m h i g h t h e g ive aw ay i s school, middle school and elementary school. hosted in a different town. “We are looking to branch Donations came from local out to different communities to businesses and residents. “I love prom,” said Selene let them know that we are welFerdinand, the young high coming everyone in,” said school student who runs Meera LeShawn Walker, representing Empowerment. “I didn’t have You’re Our Unity at the givemy prom yet, but I’m really away. “You don’t necessarily looking forward to it. It’s a time have to travel every year to get to the event.” that you get to express yourself Each giveaway is directed and feel that you can do it, and it’s a milestone that you got towards outfitting students there. My favorite part is that Continued on page 5
By REI WoLFSoHN
Correspondent
Courtesy Christina Mehserle
Robert Mutarelli, a band teacher at Franklin Square’s polk Street School, conducting the school band during last fall’s Halloween parade. the district’s music educators have helped it gain recognition for music excellence in the past two years.
Franklin Square schools showcase music excellence By NICoLE WAGNER nwagner@liherald.com
Music educators in the Franklin Square school district go to work every day with a passion for the magic they and their students create in their classrooms. The district was recently recognized for its commitment to music education for the second year in a row, earning a Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. The organization recognizes districts that stand out in providing music access and education to their students. Franklin Square is one of 975 districts that were awarded the designation across
the U.S. Christina Mehserle, a vocal music teacher at Polk Street School, was inspired to become a music educator when she was young, and enjoyed music classes in the Farmingdale school district. She realized she wanted to make music her career, Mehserle recalled, when she attended an All-County Music Festival as a junior at Farmingdale High School. There she worked with the director of Hofstra University’s choral program, David Fryling, and was inspired to be a teacher like him, and make similar connections with students of her own. “It just turned my whole life around, and Continued on page 8
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his is really needed, especially in underserved communities.