________ Franklin square/elmont _______
Edition Graduation Keepsake
June 22, 2023
HERALD
G R A D U A T E S Graduates
LOOK InsIde
the C L A S S
OF 2023
the best and brightest
Celebrating the
Class of 2023 VOL. 25 nO. 26
Rallying for a fireman in need
Rent hike plan sparks protest
Page 3
Page 8
JUne 22 - 28, 2023
BAL
$1.00
Meet Sean, the 15-year-old salutatorian By ReI WOLFsOHn Intern
Joanna Bishop/Herald
Commemorating a historic day Members of the Elmont Memorial High School Key Club celebrated Juneteenth at the third annual festival in Elmont last Saturday. Story, more photos, Page 10.
At just 15 years old, Sean Andrade is not only set to graduate from Sewanhaka High School, but has been named the salutatorian of the Class of 2023. Sean will attend Stony Brook University in the fall, majoring in mathematics and participating in the Simon Scholars Program in STEM. At Sewanhaka, Sean was involved in the robotics club, mathletes and jazz band. With the support of his parents, he skipped fourth and eighth grades. For Sean, however, it was never about graduating early —
he just didn’t want to be bored in school. “It feels normal, because my friends are seniors, and I’ve been with them for so long that this just feels like the next step,” he said. “It’s, of course, surreal to suddenly be changing schools and to be moving away, but it feels like I’m on the normal path.” He and his mother, Kelly, said they never faced any pushback when he wanted to skip grades. They said the school was always supportive, and his parents helped Sean get through the meetings and interview process to move ahead. “We didn’t have to do much in Continued on page 4
Franklin Square & Munson F.D. Engine Co. 1 turns 100 By AnA BORRUTO aborruto@liherald.com
The 1923 Kalb Hotel fire marked the beginning of rapid suburban growth in Franklin Square and the birth of what would become the Franklin Square & Munson Fire Department Engine Co. 1. A century later, the company is celebrating its centennial of serving the residents of Franklin Square. The first fire company — the Franklin Hook and Ladder Co. #1 of Munson — was established in 1907, which consisted of a horse-drawn cart with ladders and buckets.
Fast-forward 16 years, a turning point for the humble firehouse was the devastating Kalb’s Hotel fire in January of 1923. Strong winds contributed to the blaze and residents came to the hotel to help build a bucket brigade. Although their efforts were strong, they were no match for the elements and the hotel burned to the ground. “It was the main business in town,” said Paul van Wie, of the Franklin Square Historical Society. “So after that fire, people who lived around New Hyde Park Road and Franklin Street decided to form a fire company.”
The locals held a meeting at the Monroe Street School and began organizing the fire company themselves by raising money, getting incorporation and buying fire equipment. Some of the organizers traveled to Suf folk County to acquire an old fire hose and materials to build a vehicle The firehouse was built on Hempstead Turnpike, just west of Madison Avenue, which still stands today, van Wie said. “They did it all without the help from government, these were real volunteers,” van Wie said. “It was really something the way they did it.” Fire Chief Joseph Gerrato
said the firehouse recently hosted a casino night fundraiser at the firehouse to raise money for the official July 23 centennial celebration at the Plattduetsche Park restaurant in Franklin Square. Former members, current members, their families and elected officials are welcomed at the event. Gerrato said there
are senior members flying in from other parts of the country for the special evening. “It’s amazing knowing that we were the originators of the community,” Gerrato said. “We got to try to keep some traditions alive and teach the new people coming in because a lot of people don’t understand the Continued on page 16