Thursday, October 1, 2026
What began with a promise to a grieving brother in the weeks after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, has become one of Seaford’s most enduring traditions.
Nearly 300 people gathered at Crest Hollow Country Club on June 22 for the Seaford High School 9/11 Memorial Committee’s 25th annual Patriot Award Dinner, recognizing both the 25th anniversary of the attacks and a quarter-century of recognizing the values of service, character and commitment in the community.
Despite torrential rain, families, alumni, students and community leaders came together to honor the memories of Thomas “Tommy” Haskell, Timothy “Timmy” Haskell, John Perry, Robert “Rob” Sliwak and Michael Wittenstein — the five Seaford High School graduates who lost their lives on Sept. 11.
For Committee President Tom Condon, the anniversary brought him back to where it all began.
“When I looked around the room, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, 25 years,’” Condon said. “This Patriot Award is stronger and stronger each year. The message really works — service, character and commitment.”
The program traces its roots to October 2001, just weeks after the attacks, when firefighter Ken Haskell, Timmy and Tommy’s brother, approached Condon, the longtime football and track coach at Seaford High School. He was a guidance counselor at the time but ultimately served as Seaford’s Athletic Director.
“He said, ‘Coach, I want you to do something for my brothers,’” Condon recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do something.’ Little did I know that saying yes would become 25 years.”
At the first Patriot Award ceremony, Condon made a pledge that continues to guide the committee today. “I promised that as long as there’s Seaford High School, there would be a Patriot Award,” he said.
Since then, the committee has presented Patriot Awards to 129 graduating seniors and awarded more than $275,000 in monetary awards while honoring the legacy of Seaford's five fallen alumni.
This year's Patriot Awards, which include a monetary award, were presented to graduating seniors Emily Brown, Michelle Evangelista, Brian Falk, Paiten Haskell, Matthew Kind and Valerie Martin. Honorary Patriot Awards were presented to Dawn Haskell Carbone, Robert "Bob" Powell and Bob Valvano. The annual Honorary Patriot Award recognizes individuals nominated by the community who reflect the spirit of Seaford's five fallen alumni, have made significant contributions to the Seaford community, schools or 9/11 Memorial, or are Seaford graduates who have achieved distinction through service to society.
Unlike many scholarship programs, Patriot Award recipients are not selected based solely on academics. “The beauty of the Patriot Award is that all students are eligible,” Condon explained. “We’ve had A students, C-average students and students in special education receive it. It’s about who you are and what you’ve done over time.”
Applications are reviewed anonymously, with committee members evaluating students based on their service, leadership and character before conducting interviews with references and the finalists themselves.
“It’s not a popularity contest,” Condon said.
The award’s guiding principles originated from conversations with the families of the five men who died on 9/11. “They said, ‘They weren’t all great students. We want something that mirrors their lives,’” Condon recounted.
That led to agreement on the award’s guiding principles: service, character and commitment.
“The essence of patriotism is giving back and looking out for each other,” Condon said. “Character is something you can’t give away. It takes a lifetime to build, and it only takes one act to destroy it. Commitment means staying strong when life challenges you.”
While today’s high school seniors were born years after Sept. 11, Condon believes that committee members have found ways to keep the program’s message relevant. They visit Seaford elementary schools to introduce students to the concept of service. Middle school social studies classes connect the history of Sept. 11 to its impact on the hamlet, and incoming freshmen learn about the Patriot Award during high school orientation.
“We’ve developed a process that builds it,” Condon said. “Nothing happens by accident. You’ve got to work at it.”
That work extends well beyond the annual dinner. More than 40 volunteers contribute to the committee's efforts, and past Patriot Award recipients remain involved through what Condon calls the “Patriot Association.”
Standing beside him at this year’s dinner were Michael Kern, one of the original award recipients from 2002, and Michael Interrante, the first Honorary Patriot Award recipient — a reminder of how the tradition continues to grow.
Looking ahead, Condon said he hoped the program’s impact would only deepen.
“I hope the message is even stronger 25 years from now,” he said. “I hope it continues to bring the community together, and that more and more kids at Seaford High School live the values of service, character and commitment.
Lynda Schachner, a former Honorary Patriot recipient who now serves the committee in a variety of roles, including social media, journal design and communications, said the organization's impact has extended beyond preserving the memory of Sept. 11.
"I am incredibly proud of all that our Seaford High School 9/11 Memorial Committee has accomplished over the past 25 years to ensure that Tommy Haskell, Timmy Haskell, John Perry, Rob Sliwak and Michael Wittenstein will never be forgotten," Schachner said. "It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to help ensure their legacy of service, character and commitment continues to inspire future generations."
