Thursday, October 1, 2026
As students pour back into the halls of East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School, the buzz of a new school year carries more than the usual excitement.
It’s a season filled with purpose: from decorating lockers to chasing state championships and mapping out futures in medicine and media.
Sean Smith, 17, will enter his senior year, and said he needs to cherish memories and chase final dreams.
Sean Smith will enter his senior year of high school.
Ainsley Martinez/Herald
“I like to call this my last dance,” Smith said, referring to his final year with childhood friends. “I've known people for 15 years at this point, and now we’re going to be together graduating.”
A long-time athlete, Smith is deeply invested in making the most of his last basketball and baseball seasons.
“Don't take high school for granted,” he advised. “Keep those who are closest to you, keep them with you.”
Smith sees his future behind the mic. He plans to pursue sports media, adding onto his established skillset in photography. Over the summer, he received a Congressional Art Exhibition award, hosted by Congresswoman Laura Gillen, which earned his photography piece a spot in the U.S. Capitol.
Now, with a camera in hand, he’s ready to capture East Rockaway’s fall sports, from football to volleyball and soccer.
“There are nights where I literally just sit around that kitchen table with my dad, my grandfather and my mother. All we do is just random sports facts.”
Smith will attend Nassau Community College next fall to embark on a new journey.
“Saving money is the best thing that I could do,” he said, noting the comfort of staying local. “Being able to eat my mom’s cooking and sleep in my own bed — that’s a big plus.”
For Mackenzie McCabe, 12, this year marks excitement for new routines and new spaces.
Claire Harvey, left, and Mackenzie McCabe will focus on science studies and other creative electives this school year.
Ainsley Martinez/Herald
Seventh graders have the chance to use lockers for the first time, which she said heralds a new chapter of autonomy.
“It’s nice having your own personal space and decorating it,” McCabe said.
And, she’s already thinking about the future with plans to build a career as a pulmonologist.
“My grandpa was on 9/11 and he suffered from lung cancer and passed away last summer... I wanted to try and help people like that.”
She recently donated a scholarship award to a lung cancer facility in his memory.
Claire Harvey, 15, is energized by a full schedule of AP classes and electives.
“I chose culinary, drawing, and painting for the first half of the year,” Harvey said.
For the second half of the year, she’ll dive into theater and a coveted science research course, where she’ll explore complex topics with a new teacher and under the guidance of a chairperson program. Harvey also thinks she’ll major in a science-related field, such as work with genetic and vaccine research.
Time management is an essential skill for both students. McCabe runs cross country, plays volleyball and basketball and is considering joining track. Harvey juggles volleyball and lacrosse — and finds time to study with friends on the bus.
Harvey is also a proud member of the Superintendent’s Student Council.
“Our school is really good at seeing the perspective of students,” she said. “Teachers and staff members all listen to us and like our opinions and our points of view.”
McCabe agrees: “If somebody finds a problem in the school and they go ask the principal or superintendent, they will find a way to fix the problem.”
As the 2025–2026 school year begins, the students of East Rockaway bring more than notebooks and schedules. They carry ambitions, memories and a clear sense of who they are becoming.
