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Uniondale Herald 06-27-2024

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UNIONDALE _____________

HERALD BEACON

paterson among those honored

Celebrating cultural heritage

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JunE 27 - JuLy 3, 2024

FREE

Uniondale seniors receive alumni scholarships of around 50 options for them. “We have different students of all different socioeconomic Five graduating Uniondale statuses, so we understand that High School seniors have got- any scholarship is beneficial to ten a jump-start on paying for them and helps them to achieve college: Milvia Aavilar Chin- their post-secondary goals,” chilla, Christian Auguste, Brown said. The alumni association and Savannah Hope, Kenyeli Leiva and David Ramirez were pre- scholarship are particularly meaningful to the sented with $1,125 school, she added, Uniondale Alumni because they set a Scholarships on good example for June 4. All five stuthe students. dents will be attend“We just love ing college in the fall. the fact that the Duane Shippey, alumni (are) conthe organizer of the nected to the scholarships and the school community chair of the Unionstill,” Brown said, dale Alumni Associa“and it’s just a tion, said he sees the good example for awards as a way to our students, give back to his comwhen they get into munity. DuAnE ShIppEy their careers, to “This is all about Chair, Uniondale give back to those us just letting these Alumni Association who come after yo u n g k i d s k n ow them.” that we were in their This is the sixth year the shoes at one point, and we do care,” Shippey said. “We want alumni scholarships have been to pay it forward, and hope that presented. Shippey created they remember that and can do them in 2018, enlisting donations from his fellow members the same.” Rochelle C. Brown, Union- of the Class of 1993 and alumni dale High’s assistant principal from other years. To qualify for the awards, and the chair of the scholarship committee, compiles a students must have a gradebooklet of scholarships given point average of at least 79, and to graduating seniors, with the they are required to submit a alumni scholarship being one CONTiNUed ON pAge 15

By KELSIE RADZISKI

kradziski@liherald.com

W

Courtesy Uniondale High School

Chika Akazi, who is set to graduate from Uniondale High School, with her medal and champion sign after winning the 100-meter hurdles at the New York State Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Cicero-North Syracuse High School earlier this month.

Track star Chika Akazi is now a state champ By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Senior Chika Akazi ended her stellar track career at Uniondale High School with a bang, including winning the 100-meter hurdles at the New York State Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 8. She finished the race with a time of 14.07 seconds. “It was truly a blessing from God, and I really thank my coaches a lot for helping me persevere,” Akazi, who also competes in indoor track and field, said. This past indoor season, she won the 55-meter hurdles at the New York State Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 2. Even though she was the last qualifier in the event, Akazi defied the odds and won the finals

in 8.21 seconds. “Chika’s continued success in meets speaks to her incredible determination and work ethic,” Uniondale Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said in a news release. “She is a remarkable athlete and an excellent student. We wish her nothing but success in all her future competitions.” In preparing for the outdoor state meet, Akazi said she had to run on grass, because renovations of the Uniondale High track weren’t completed until June 3, just four days before her race. She said she appreciated the support she received from her coach, Leigh Pollet. “I want to thank him a lot for helping me persevere during the conditions we had to CONTiNUed ON pAge 4

e want to pay it forward, and hope that they remember that and can do the same.


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