_____________ ROCKVILLE CENTRE ____________
HERALD
516-889-1067 (Down The Block
Program provides scholarships
Martello leads BC to victory
Page 3
Page 10
Vol. 35 No. 24
JUNE 6 - 12, 2024
land Park
From Peter’s Clam
Bar)
Half Day: $450 Full Day: $800
1258927
2 Empire Blvd, Is
$1.00
Long Island Champs! Eric Dunetz/Herald
South Side High School’s boys’ lacrosse team captured its first Long Island title since 2004 on May 29, beating East Islip, 12-9, for the Class B crown at Hofstra University. Story, photos, Page 6.
Centre Stage celebrates sights and sounds of Broadway By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com
Centre Stage, the inclusive drama program at South Side High School, recently celebrated the wonder of musical theater with a Broadway-inspired original production. This year’s perfor mance, “Centre Stage Goes Broadway,” featured a cast of nearly 50 students from South Side High S ch o o l , t h e C e n t re S t a g e Squared program at South Side Middle School, and the Centre Stage Junior program at William S. Covert Elementary School. The show featured a medley of Broadway tunes
from such timeless classics as “Annie” and “Newsies” to more contemporary Tony Awardwinning shows like “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” and “Waitress.” Founded in 2008 by South Side High School alumni Catherine Mackey and Brian Nesdill, the Centre Stage program provides a platform for students of all abilities to showcase their creative talents, while making new friends and having fun. Ellen White, co-founder of the Back yard Players and Friends, helps coordinate the program and performance. “It’s an inclusive club that combines general education and special education students,” White
I
t is one of the most miraculous things we do here. JEN MoNsoUR teacher and Centre Stage advisor, South Side Middle School said. “It’s pretty easy to do, if you just do it.” The Backyard Players are a nonprofit that provides inclusive arts-based community programming for participants 14 and up, designed to help those with disabilities develop physically, socially, emotionally, and
creatively. “It is one of the most miraculous things we do here,” said Jen Monsour, a teacher at South Side Middle School and one of the Centre Stage advisors. “The performances are tailored every year to meet the needs of our kids. It’s an opportunity for all people to share their talents and feel valued
and appreciated.” The program’s advisors also include Ryan Delaney, a teacher for the visually impaired in the district, and Meaghan Healey, a physical education teacher and the middle school choreographer, who will be retiring in June. Assistant Director Natalie ContInUEd on PagE 16