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Merrick
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HERALD Vol. 27 No. 14
Super Smash Bros. tournament at JFK
‘out of this world’ Purim celebration
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Page 3 $1.00 $1.00
MARCH 28 - APRIl 3, 2024
Balloon Mission continues to set the bar ‘high’ harmful. In particular, Seibold has emphasized the dangers of Since Balloon Mission, a “balloon releases,” in which nonprofit environmental orga- people send hundreds of balnization created by North Mer- loons into the sky for celebrarick resident Cynthia Seibold, tions like birthdays and annilaunched in December 2022, its versaries. efforts to combat a relatively The org anization is not simple but nagging problem “anti-balloon,” Seibold emphahave taken off, so to speak. sizes, but rather stresses the During the coronavirus pan- importance of using and recydemic, Seibold, like cling balloons many other people, responsibly. spent a lot of time Throughout outdoors in Long 2023, she worked on Island’s parks and building partnerpreserves and on ships and affiliaits beaches. Among tions with dozens all the litter that of organizations, built up in these like the National places, one variety CyNtHIA SEIBolD Oceanic and Atmostood out: balloons. spheric AdminisFounder and director, tration, and ACDS. Improperly disp o s i n g o f b o t h Balloon Mission Fo r m e rl y t h e nylon and latex balAssociation for loons can have devastating Children with Down Syneffects on the environment, drome, ACDS, which has faciliSeibold explained. Balloons are ties in North Merrick and Plaa leading cause of pollution in inview, offers a wide range of the oceans, because they break services to people with disabilidown into microplastics and ties. nanoplastics. Recently, the work Seibold She founded Balloon Mis- has been doing extended a step sion with the goal of collecting further, to the Bellmore-Merballoons before they were dis- rick Central High School Discarded on land and in the trict. ocean, and also to educate sociContinued on page 5 ety on why they can be so
By JoRDAN VAlloNE
jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
St. Baldrick’s event raises $56K The Bellmore-Merrick school community gathered on March 20 to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, at the annual Chop Your Locks for charity event. Brahim Alam, one of the event’s hosts, interviewed a volunteer ahead of his head shaving. Story, more photos, Page 10.
Music in Our Schools Month has students and staff feeling the beat By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
In the North Bellmore School District’s elementary schools, students and staff embraced National Music in Our Schools Month, celebrated in March. Created by the National Association for Music Education, the nationwide event raises awareness of the importance of children’s access to a quality music education. Students at the district’s five elementary schools, one in North Merrick and four in North Bellmore, beginning in kindergarten. Some of the teachers shared what children have been learning throughout the year, and the spe-
cial things that took place in March. “For Music in Our Schools month, we talk with all the students about why we have music education, the way that it develops our brains and helps us get stronger in our thinking,” Alexander Roff, the general music and chorus teacher at Martin Avenue and Newbridge Road elementary schools, said. “It is a way that we express emotion and create music with feelings or intention. Students are making and singing music and assessing or relating what they are sing to how they feel and the impact it has on their education” Younger children begin their music educaContinued on page 9
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e have had phenomenal growth.