Seniors honored with downtown banners

Glen Cove is honoring its graduating seniors in a unique and heartfelt way this year by displaying custom banners on lampposts throughout the downtown area. About 70 personalized banners of graduating seniors can be seen fluttering in the spring breeze around downtown Glen Cove, serving as a reminder of the community’s support and pride in its youth.
This initiative, inspired by similar programs in other Long Island municipalities, was launched by Joan Mini of the city’s Beautification Committee and Elizabeth Mestres, who is associated with the same committee as well as the Department of Public Works.
The banners, which feature the names and photos of graduating seniors, were installed by the DPW on April 29 and will remain in place until the end of June. Residents and visitors can see these banners along Cedar Swamp Road, Brewster Street, and Glen streets. This display creates a visually inspiring route through the city, showcasing student achievements and honoring the hard work of the graduating class.
“We were thinking, it would look really nice if you go through Cedar Swamp, and see the kids, and then it continues to the downtown,” Mestres said. “So we asked ourselves, ‘What can we do?’”
The project is a collaborative effort between the Department of Public Works, the Glen Cove Education Foundation, and the Beautification Committee. The main goal is to celebrate and highlight the accomplishments of the city’s students.

Glen Cove Councilwoman Danielle Fugazy Scagliola, who is also president of the Glen Cove Education Foundation, emphasized the importance of this recognition,
“There’s nothing more important than highlighting our great kids here. I’m super proud of them, and they deserve the recognition,” Fugazy Scagliola said. “It’s not really about us doing this work, it’s really about the kids doing what they did to get to this point in their life. I hope as we move forward, we grow this and it gets bigger and better.”
Superintendent of Schools Maria L. Rianna expressed her admiration for the graduating class. “The class of 2024 has shown remarkable achievement and we are thrilled that they are being honored with these banners,” Rianna said. “It’s a testament to their hard work and dedication.”
By showcasing the achievements of the graduating seniors, Glen Cove not only celebrates their hard work, but also inspires younger students to strive for similar success.
Overall, Glen Cove’s banner program is a heartfelt effort to honor the city’s graduating seniors, recognizing their hard work and accomplishments in a public and celebratory manner.