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Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
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Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz

By William Stieglitz

Approximately 300 students from 17 local high schools and at least one middle school gathered April 4 for the first Long Island Youth Climate Summit at Stony Brook University. Organized by Students for Climate Action and Renewable Energy Long Island, the event centered on environmental education and advocacy, with students encouraged to get involved with grassroots.

“It’s really important that students remember that they have a voice, that they have power, that there’s a lot they can do locally,” said Harrison Bench from S4CA. “We are teaching students about the science behind climate change, the science behind renewable energy, but we’re also giving them practical tools in advocacy. … They go back to their towns, their communities, their schools, and they have the actual skills necessary to continue to push for change, where change matters most.”

Speakers at the event came from a variety of organizations. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, taught how to distinguish misinformation from environmental fact. Energy and construction organizations, such as the Haugland Group and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, spoke on the benefits of offshore wind and solar projects, while also encouraging careers in climate and energy. And Monique Fitzgerald, a climate justice organizer at Long Island Progressive Coalition, shared information on New York’s 2019 Climate Act, which aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions but has not been fully funded, and encouraged calling on Governor Kathy Hochul (D) “to double down on investments in New York State.”

Additionally, there was a panel with six elected officials — Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R), Suffolk County legislators Steven Englebright (D, Setauket) and Rebecca Sanin (D, Huntington Station), Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski (D), East Hampton Town Deputy Supervisor Cate Rogers (D) and New York State Senator Monica Martinez (D/WF, Brentwood) — who all spoke on the importance of advancing clean energy. Bench expressed that he would have liked an even larger turnout of representatives, saying “it would have been really great to have more Republican elected officials on the town board,” but also that he hopes to increase the number for next year.

The student response to the event was positive, with the teens saying they especially appreciated learning about offshore wind and hearing from keynote speaker Christopher Gobler, from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. “I like that it brings attention to a lot of the issues right now,” said a student from Westhampton Beach High School. “It’s super, super important, especially in our political climate, with the pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.”

“I feel like it was very empowering,” said another student, who does local beach cleanup each summer. “Before, I thought that maybe I wouldn’t have had as much of a difference, like, just one person at a time. Now I’m hearing that there’s 300 other students here that are all here for the same reason. We can all go out together and all make an impact and that together, I feel like, [we] can really make a difference in the world, which is what I really care about the most.”

After about 4 hours of learning, students took a break for pizza and to meet with exhibitors from organizations such as PSEG Long Island, the New York League of Conservation Voters and Drive Electric Long Island. They then reconvened for action items, starting with making postcards to send to their congressional representatives. Students wrote letters on one side and got creative with designs on the other. Among the colorful images of wind turbines and the globe were messages such as “Only One Planet Earth,” “Use your brain power! Support wind power!” and “Please support renewable energy before we go under water.” Afterward, the students started petitions to bring back to their schools, focusing on crafting their asks, arguments, methods of distribution and timeline.

Melissa Parrot, executive director of ReLI, said the summit “exceeded our expectations.” She wanted the event to be solution oriented rather than just restating the problems. “We know we wanted climate science. We know we wanted action. We know we wanted careers. We know we wanted elected officials to be part of this process. So it kind of just figured itself out.”

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Smithtown Town Hall. File photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

An application for a controversial Kings Park waste management rail project was withdrawn by CarlsonCorp, a local developer, at the end of March. 

Townline Rail Terminal LLC, an affiliate of CarlsonCorp, proposed a new commercial rail terminal in Kings Park to the federal Surface Transportation Board in January. Elected officials that supported the project, including Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim  (R) and Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R, Fort Salonga) cite a desire to take trucks off of the roads as a main purpose for the project. 

In a previous interview with TBR News Media, CarlsonCorp head Toby Carlson also cited the closure of the Town of Brookhaven Landfill as an important reason to build the rail yard. At a public meeting in January, proponents of the plan, including Carlson, claimed that a more efficient system of waste management is necessary and that replacing garbage trucks with freight trains would reduce road congestion and environmental impact. 

To pass, the proposal would have required amendments to local zoning and waste management laws alongside a town environmental review. The proposed construction would have extended approximately 5,000 feet off the Long Island Rail Road Port Jefferson Branch line, and would have been used to dispose of incinerated ash and construction debris with diesel freight trains. 

However, the proposal was met with firm community discontent. In particular, residents of Smithtown and surrounding areas revived the Townline Association, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to fighting the project. 

In a Change.org petition with more than 3,200 signatures, the Townline cited health risks, noise concerns, potential water pollution, a negative impact on home values and a lack of public notice for their opposition. The project was also opposed by the Commack Community Association and the Fort Salonga Association. 

While this project may have been canceled, the landfill’s closure still presents a major issue for waste management across Long Island. Nicole Garguilo, a public information officer for the Town of Smithtown, clarified that the town is still looking for solutions. 

“But while this specific proposal is no longer moving forward, the underlying issue — the urgent need for sustainable waste management solutions — has not gone away,” Garguilo wrote to TBR News Media. 

Garguilo also emphasized that the Town of Smithtown is looking for a larger-scale process in the future. 

“The rail line project was set aside by the applicant until a broader, regional plan involving both Suffolk County and New York State could be established to address the growing solid waste crisis,” Garguilo told TBR. “Addressing the waste crisis will require thoughtful

planning, strategic research and coordinated action at the highest levels of government. Meaningful solutions must be rooted in comprehensive federal, state and county legislation, with sustained support and funding at the core of any long-term strategy,” She added. 

That being said, she also affirmed that the Town of Smithtown would be more open to public comment in the future on such matters. 

“This experience has reaffirmed a vital lesson: that early, transparent and consistent public engagement is essential, even when the Town’s role is limited by federal or state jurisdiction, or by constitutional and zoning laws. Residents deserve to have their voices heard and their concerns acknowledged — especially on issues as impactful as infrastructure and waste management,” Garguilo wrote. “As we move forward, we are committed to full transparency. The public will be kept informed in real time, and every proposal will be subject to rigorous review and community input. We know there are no easy answers — but we also know that inaction is not an option.”

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Caption: Professor John Pardon. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University Professor John Pardon is a co-recipient of the New Horizon in Mathematics prize which is part of the Mathematics Breakthrough prizes that are awarded annually. This award is given to early-career researchers who have already produced important work in their fields. The prize will amount to $100,000.

Professor Pardon was recognized for his research that has produced a number of important results in geometry and topology, particularly in the field of symplectic geometry and pseudo-holomorphic curves, which are certain types of smooth surfaces in manifolds.

The Breakthrough Prize honors an esteemed group of the world’s most brilliant minds for impactful scientific discoveries, including a subset responsible for substantial progress in the understanding and treatment of major diseases. The Prize – popularly known as the “Oscars® of Science” – was created to celebrate the wonders of the scientific age by founding sponsors Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Julia and Yuri Milner, and Anne Wojcicki.

“That John has received this honor so early in his career is a testament of course to his own commitment to unraveling some of the mysteries of geometry and to the incredible research that is going on at the Simons Center and in the math department in the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost. “John is an exemplary of what makes Stony Brook the state’s top public university and a flagship. I sincerely congratulate him on his Breakthrough Prize.”

“John Pardon has produced a broad spectrum of outstanding results in various areas of geometry and topology including as an undergraduate and PhD student. He co-created effective algebraic machinery for computation of symplectic invariants, which brought many new applications. Most recently, John proved a conjecture of Maulik, Nekrasov, Okounkov, and Pandharipande for a large class of complex three-dimensional manifolds, including all Calabi–Yau threefolds.” said  Luis Alvarez-Gaume, director of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics.

This is the fifth Breakthrough Prize for Stony Brook University’s faculty. Previous to Professor Pardon, winners include C.N. Yang/Wei Deng Endowed Chair and Professor Alexander (Sasha) Zamolodchikov in 2024, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Peter van Nieuwenhuizen 2019, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy Chang Kee Jung and his group in 2016 and Professor Sir Simon K. Donaldson in 2014.

 

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The historical structure at Tesla Science Center after the fire on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo courtesy Tesla Science Center

By Sabrina Artusa

After the 2023 fire, the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham is on its way to rebuilding. In November 2023, the center was in the process of a $20 million restoration: the culmination of fundraising and a grassroots effort to turn the historic and dilapidated property into something educational and productive. 

While the fire poses an unfortunate hurdle to the center’s reopening, the board of directors are continuing to move ahead to offer at least a part of the center to the public: the Visitors Center. 

Marc Alessi standing in front of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham before the 2023 fire. File photo

“It is the beginning of the whole property, but right now it is everything,” said Marc Alessi, executive director. “It is the advertiser of what this will be. There is going to be one exhibit and a classroom and they can hold events and field trips.”

He expects to get the Visitors Center to open in 2026, having already secured a contractor to work on the building at the end of April. 

The nonprofit has already raised $14 million from across the country, in addition to federal grants that they will receive once the work those grants are designated for is complete. The fire, however, added $3.5 million to their original estimate of $20 million, as well as another year, at least, to their timeline until reopening. 

The Tesla center’s history has been spotted with difficulty. It took over a decade for the property to be secured, and then several years before enough money was raised to hire engineers and apply for permits. 

The historic nature of the buildings as well as the fact that it is situated on a brownfield, a property that could be contaminated by past use, contributed to making the center “the most complicated museum project in the country right now.” 

The site is not ideal, but in order to honor the 120-year-old building and the significance of the location to Tesla’s legacy, the complicated construction is worth it to Alessi, the rest of the staff and the board of directors as well as over 30,000 people who donated to the cause. “If it wasn’t Tesla’s historic lab, it wouldn’t be happening on this site…This is hallowed ground and a historic site in the making,” Alessi said. 

To honor the historic nature of the buildings, Alessi said they had to find a contractor with expertise in historic renovations. Their last contractor fell through and denied the insurance claim after the fire, he said. 

Now, the center has recently appointed four new board members with diverse backgrounds in an effort to expand the center’s mission. Matt Inman, one of the initial advocates for the center, cartoonist and creator of the popular card game “Exploding Kittens” is bringing “a new way of thinking“ and “a network we wouldn’t have known of,” said Alessi.

Kara Cannon, CEO of Enzo Biochem; Matt Domo, an innovator with a background in technology; and Romain Murenzi, a professor of physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute with experience in science policy, joined the board of directors last month. 

“[Murenzi] has experience setting up science programs in nations across the world. If we want to be a global science center we have to get people like this involved who have that reach; and it will be an international board eventually,” Alessi said.

The center is expected to bring international visitors – perhaps tourists who are visiting New York City but make the trip to Long Island to visit the site of Tesla’s abandoned lab with all the exhibits and technologies it has to offer. Board members expect 180,000 visitors a year. 

Once the museum is established, they would like to employ traveling exhibits in the future, where other museums borrow from their niche collection. The museum will tell Tesla’s story but will be equally focused on new ideas and technologies. Alessi said, “[Tesla] was a ‘futurist. That is the kind of thinking we want to embrace and celebrate.”

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Eleven international students’ visas have been terminated since March 28,  Stony Brook University officials confirmed. The University’s Office of Global Affairs notified the students. 

“We want to assure you that our Global Affairs team is exceptionally knowledgeable in advising our international community and are working around the clock to provide individualized support to our international students, faculty, and scholars,” reads a letter written by Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl W Lejuez, Graduate School Dean Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker. “They are leveraging their extensive network of partners, including SUNY, to gather up-to-date information on resources and guidance.”

University representatives did not disclose why the visas were revoked and referred questions to SUNY. On March 21, Interim President Richard McCormick released a letter addressing unrest among international students. The letter came amidst an increase in visa terminations across New York and the country.

In January, President Trump reversed a policy that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making arrests in schools and places of worship. 

According to Inside Higher Ed, more than 700 international students have had their visas revoked across the country as of April 11. In New York, at least 62 students across eight public and private universities have had their visas terminated. 

“As you know, this is a time of heightened uncertainty for international students on the nation’s college campuses. I am writing to emphasize that you are a valued member of our campus community,” McCormick wrote in the March letter. 

Students with questions regarding their visa status are directed to Stony Brook University’s Visa and Immigration Services, the office of International Student Success,Counseling and Psychological Services or the Student Support Team.

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Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

As sexton of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Yader Salgado has a lot of responsibilities and just as many keys on his oversized key ring to manage them. 

But as he ambles through the venerable building on Main Street in Northport early on a rainy Monday morning, he’s able to unlock every door he needs to, barely glancing at the massive collection of brass jangling from his belt. 

Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

Despite being in the job for less than a year, Salgado has quickly learned how to take care of the church and its grounds as if he has been doing it for decades. Since returning to Northport in June 2024 from his native Nicaragua, he has become a beloved member of the church and the community.

But in late March, Salgado received a letter from the United States Department of Homeland Security informing him that his enrollment in the United States humanitarian parole program had been revoked and he, his wife and two children would have to leave the country by April 24. Many of the participants in this program, which allowed half a million people from countries like Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua to live in the United States temporarily but legally, are receiving these revocation letters.

The soft-spoken Salgado, who is from a town called Chacaraseca, about 50 miles northeast of the capital of Managua, was shocked when he received it.

“We were not expecting this letter,” said Yader (pronounced YAH-ther). “We’ve been trying so hard to do things right, writing letters to our sponsors and making sure that everything was fine with the immigration department. Then suddenly I just get this letter asking us to depart. We didn’t know what to do and we were very scared and afraid.”

Yader Salgado first came to the United States in the 1990s on a student visa sponsored by missionaries, one of whom was Peter White, a retired Northport High School teacher. Salgado then graduated from Northport High School in 1998 and went to Belmont Abbey College on a full scholarship. Upon graduation, he traveled back to Nicaragua, where he met his wife Sayda. The couple with their son Jesse, 20, and daughter also named Sayda, who is a current Northport High School freshman, came back to the United States this past summer on the two-year parole status. 

However, the letter from Homeland Security prematurely nullified the parole status after 10 months.

Father Andrew Garnett, who is the rector of Trinity Church, sprang into action upon hearing of this letter, initially taking to social media.

“Yader is the American Dream,” Father Andrew’s Facebook post read. “He and his family waited, worked and prayed for the chance to legally come to this country. From day one, he has been nothing but the best. His family is a shining example of what it means to be an American. He embodies the values of faith, family and hard work. To send him and his family away is not justice. It is a betrayal of the very principles upon which this nation was built.” The post ended with the hashtag of #saveyader. 

Father Andrew’s parishioners feel the same.

“This is a human who, with a leap of faith in our country, needed safety, and we offered it to him in Northport — both as a high school student and as a member of the Trinity community,” said Nadine Palumbo, a longtime educator in the Jericho Union Free School District and member of Trinity Episcopal Church. “As a teacher for 30 years, I stood and did the Pledge of Allegiance every day and that meant something to me. I know people have political differences, but when we talk about our basic principles, I think everyone can agree that this letter felt wrong on so many levels.”

Artists Bob and Nancy Hendrick, who are members of the church and also run the Trinity Community Art Center attached to it, have formed close bonds with the Salgados who live in the apartment above the art gallery.

“Yader and his family are a shining example of what it means to be part of our church family, where we support and uplift each other and their love and devotion inspire us to spread love and kindness wherever we go,” Bob Hendrick said. “We believe in treating each other with kindness and respect, embracing everyone in our community and beyond.”

Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

The sentiment started to snowball — at first within the confines of the church, then in the Village of Northport. It then began to radiate across Long Island and into New York City, as News12 and the other major local news outlets learned of the Salgados’ story. Yader and Father Andrew were on television all week and the unassuming sexton, who also works behind the deli counter at a local supermarket, was now a media sensation. 

With the publicity, a church connection to gain legal support and help from the Northport Mayor’s office, Yader was able to attain temporary asylum until his case is heard by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which could take up to three years. While the Salgados’ immigration journey is not over, they are out of immediate danger.

“These are the kind of people who we should be rallying behind,” Father Andrew said. “It’s not a left or a right or a center thing. It’s the correct thing.”

The Salgados appreciate the love and support.

“Everybody has been so warm and welcoming to my family and me and I like Northport a lot,” Yader said.  “A lot of people have supported me and a lot of people just really like me even if they don’t know me, they want to know who I am. I’m happy to be part of this congregation of this church and part of this in a church family. I’m happy to be part of Northport.”

And Yader and his family would love to add one more key to his ring — the one that opens the door to permanent residence in Northport and the United States. 

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Centereach High School Student of the Month Meaghan Grieco
Newfield High School Student of the Month Charlotte Farrugia
Dawnwood Middle School Student of the Month Aurelio Luna
Selden Middle School Student of the Month Emily Makiani

The Middle Country Central School District recently announced the recipients of the March 2025 Students of the Month honors. The award recognizes students for their exceptional academic achievements, leadership, and contributions to their school communities. This month, four outstanding students were selected: Meaghan Grieco from Centereach High School, Charlotte Farrugia from Newfield High School, Aurelio Luna from Dawnwood Middle School, and Emily Makiani from Selden Middle School.

Meaghan Grieco is a standout athlete, musician, and student leader whose GPA has her ranked just outside of the top 10 percent in her graduating class. She has taken a rigorous schedule over her four years, including five Advanced Placement courses and eight college level courses. Meanwhile, she has proven herself in college courses that also span all disciplines including electives such as College Virtual Enterprise and College Business Law. She has successfully taken advantage of all that our district offers.

Meaghan has played Varsity Volleyball and Varsity Basketball since her freshman year. In volleyball, she was a four-year starter and captain who earned All-League Honors twice and All-Classification honors while leading her team to the playoffs this year. In basketball, she was voted the Rookie of the Year award her freshman year by the varsity basketball coaches in her league. Meaghan was also recognized by the coaches as an All-League player the past two years. Due to an injury she sustained in volleyball, Meaghan required surgery and had to sit out this basketball season. Nevertheless, she played an integral role to the team’s success this year. She was at every practice and game, providing the players with encouraging words and the coaches with suggestions and advice. Meaghan has been a member of the Wind Ensemble for the past two years, playing Tenor Saxophone, and a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society for the past four years, with which she has volunteered at various school and community service events. Next year, Meaghan plans to study to become a pediatric nurse at SUNY Farmingdale.  There she also plans to continue playing volleyball as she is almost all healed from her injury. 

Charlotte Farrugia is ranked 31 out of 383 seniors with a weighted GPA of 98.5370. She has the potential to graduate in June with more than 25 college credits. Through her high school career and currently she’s a member of Dr. Gerold’s leadership committee, DECA, Glamour Gals, The Environmental Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and The Foreign Language Honor Society. She also serves as the secretary of the National Honor Society, secretary of the newspaper club, vice president of the Quill and Scroll Honor Society, and secretary of the class of 2025. She was also the winner of the Middle Country Career Exploration Award last spring. In addition to her academic career, Charlotte works as a babysitter for multiple families, was a seasonal farm worker at Harbes Farm in Riverhead, is a council member on the Teen Advisory Council at the Middle Country Public Library, volunteers at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church assisting the outreach program and is a girl scout who last June earned her Gold Award. Charlotte plans to attend Stony Brook University in the fall with the plan of working toward becoming certified library media specialist or teacher.

Aurelio Luna plays the cello in both the 8th grade Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra. He is always ready to help or participate in class and goes above and beyond in everything he does. Aurelio’s overall average for his sixth and seventh-grade school years is 94.2 and Aurelio’s average for the first and second quarter of this school year is 93.2. Aurelio is involved in many activities at Dawnwood. He is the president of our National Junior Honor Society, a member of the eight-grade orchestra, chamber orchestra, peer leadership club, the singing club, and the student activities club. Aurelio is also a member of drama club, where last year he played the leading role of Sebastian in our production of the Little Mermaid. Outside of school, Aurelio is part of a group that perform songs in sign language for the community. Aurelio also loves playing with his three dogs and singing karaoke.

Emily Makiani has been described by teachers as humble, hardworking, motivated, and kind. She finished her sixth-grade year with an overall yearly average of 98.3 and bested that in seventh grade with an overall yearly average of 98.4. Looking at her quarterly grades this year, she is set to have her best year yet as she had a nearly perfect first quarter report card two 99s and five 100s. Having spoken to Emily about her dedication to her studies, I am quite sure she will keep up that exceptional work. Emily is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and enjoyed her community service work where she prepared and packed lunches for those in need. She likes to write stories and is enjoying reading S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders right now.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the District’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

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Photo courtesy of TMB Model Train Club

Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club at the Upper Room Church, 722 Deer Park Ave., Dix Hills hosts a Model Train Show Open House on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come see their new 6500 square foot Come check our progress and enjoy  multiple trains from prewar to the most modern O gauge trains running at all times. Fun for the whole family. Free admission. For more information, visit www.tmbmodeltrainclub.com

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From left, Anthony Anatol, Luke Jantzen, Jon Seyfert and Andrew Senf after running the relay. Photo courtesy of David Seyfert

By Sabrina Artusa

The Ward Melville High School boys track team have proven themselves as formidable competitors repeatedly this season — the Ward Melville name consistently high on the rankings. In this year’s winter season, the Ward Melville Patriots upheld their reputation.

On March 8 senior Jon Seyfert stepped up to the line for the 1600-meter race telling himself that winning was the only option. Seyfert, usually calm before racing, was nervous. 

Jon Seyfert running his leg of the 4 x mile relay at the New Balance Nationals. Photo courtesy of David Seyfert

He knew he wanted to give his coach and parents a state championship. His goal was to secure a position in front in the first 100 meters. Having done so, he held his position, waiting for the right moment to push ahead. In the seventh lap, he took the lead: a move that did not go unchallenged. 

“Another kid comes out from [lane] three or four trying to cut off,” Seyfert said. “[He] either had to go faster or go behind me and at that point I was like, ‘I got this.’” 

The other runners were unable to catch up and Seyfert, remembering his coach’s advice to run through the line, flew past it with 13 others chasing behind, making Seyfert the state champion in the mile.

He completed the mile in 4:15:68, utilizing months of hard summer and fall training to push him past the competition. 

“[There was] a lot riding on it,” he said. “You don’t know how many chances you are going to get for a state championship.”

“From the time the gun went off, I couldn’t be more excited as a coach,” Coach Ryan DeLuca said. “He took his experiences from his past races and experiences and did everything right.” 

From the initial positioning to mid-race strategy to patiently waiting to make the final move in the seventh lap, Deluca said the race was Seyfert’s “best executed race in four years.” 

Last year, Seyfert came in second in Suffolk County’s cross-country championships. Now, he is first in the state in the indoor 1600 meters. 

Having become a state champion, Seyfert said his primary goal in every race is to reach his potential. “I just want to say I couldn’t have gone any faster. I want to finish and say I gave it my all. I really did try.”

On March 8, running the 1600 meters, Seyfert tried and succeeded. 

New Balance Nationals

On March 14 and 15, the Patriots were back for the New Balance Nationals for the distance medley relay and the 4x mile relay. 

After not performing as well as they hoped in the distance medley relay, sophomore Andrew Senf, juniors Anthony Anatol and Luke Jantzen and Seyfert approached the 4x mile race hopeful and ready. They had trained for months, 

DeLuca told his team, ‘You guys can rebound from this in a big way. And the race that didn’t go well was a good chance to flush [your] legs.” 

“They came back with vengeance,” he said. 

Senf was the lead-off runner. As he prepared at the line holding the baton, he endeavored to set up his teammates for a good race by getting out in front and pushing the pace in the last 300 meters. With the disappointing distance medley relay behind him, he felt that there “was no pressure” and that being at nationals was itself an accomplishment.

Senf ran a personal best and “took charge” early on, according to Seyfert, who said “it was really cool to see.” He created such a large gap between himself and the next runner that, when he handed off the baton, completing his mile in 4:26, Jantzen was in “no man’s land,” as Seyfert put it. 

Jantzen, excited to race, knew that they were going to break the school’s record for this event. He visualized the race and tried to mentally prepare for the mile ahead of him. 

He handed off the baton to Anatol, who held the team’s position and, with the help of Senf and Jantzen, was able to lap some of the competition. Seyfert took the baton from Anatol and finished the last leg. The four finished with a time of 17:51:90, making them 12th fastest in the country. 

“After that night we came back the next day and we put it all together. We did what we were supposed to,” Jantzen said. 

“A lot of what helped get us to this point is that we all have such a good dynamic as a team and not just the four of us on the team but the guys that didn’t go as well,” Senf said. “Being with the coaches and the other kids is just such a pleasure. If I were on another team I don’t know if I would find the same enjoyment. The people just make it so fun.”

For more information visit the school website: www.threevillagecsd.org.

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Trinity
Trinity
Trinity

ADOPT TRINITY!

Step into a world of love, loyalty, and husky charm with Trinity, this week’s featured Shelter Pet available for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. This extraordinary young lady is ready to fill your life with joy, adventure, and unconditional affection.

Trinity is a stunning female Husky, estimated to be just under a year old. With her shimmering white coat delicately outlined in black, she looks as if she stepped straight out of a snow-covered fairytale. Found wandering as a stray, Trinity was brought to the shelter in the hope that her family would come forward—but no one ever did. Now, this beautiful spirit is patiently waiting for a new chapter to begin.

Beneath Trinity’s striking appearance is a heart as warm as sunshine. She adores every person she meets, greeting everyone with a wagging tail and bright, expressive eyes. Her sweet, affectionate nature and gentle demeanor make her instantly beloved by staff and visitors alike. One moment with Trinity, and you’ll understand why she’s impossible to forget.

Like any young Husky, Trinity is smart, energetic, and playful—a pup with a zest for life and an endless supply of curiosity. She thrives on interaction and would flourish in a home that offers an active lifestyle and plenty of mental stimulation. Whether it’s a family hike, a playful romp in the backyard, or a cuddle on the couch, Trinity is ready for it all.

Trinity is showing promising signs of compatibility with other dogs, cats, and children, making her a wonderful fit for many types of households. She’s healthy, vibrant, and brimming with potential—just waiting for the right family to help her shine.

Shelter staff and volunteers agree; Trinity is the kind of dog that leaves paw prints on your heart… She’s affectionate, lively, and endlessly loving. Any family would be lucky to have her.

If you think your home might be the fairytale ending Trinity deserves, we invite you to fill out an application and schedule a Meet & Greet. Spend time with her in the shelter’s cozy domestic spaces, the dog runs, or take a stroll on their Dog Walk Trail—you’ll fall in love before you reach the halfway point.

The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

 

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