Hicksville students earn writing awards

From page 1 others affected have succumbed to their illness. and one memoir on my feelings of being detached and alone when I arrived here in my freshman year,” said Rai. “I’m very close to my mom, who gives me feelings of warmth as a mother-figure, and I contrasted that with the coldness I felt coming to a new country and entering a new school.”

The 9/11 Walls of Honor were constructed under an initiative led by Supervisor Saladino, the Town Board and a volunteer committee that includes retired FDNY EMS Lieutenant Bill Gleason, Retired NYPD Detective Tom Luberto, Deacon Dave White, Jericho Fire Commissioner Frank Sammartano, North Massapequa Fire Commissioner Ralph Raymond, Massapequa Fire Commissioner Justin McCaffrey and Rescue & Recovery Worker Joseph Pinto.

Applications may be downloaded at www.oysterbaytown.com/wallsofhonor.

Rai’s submissions were entitled “An Elegy to my Mother,” “l Am My Mother’s Daughter,” and “The Art of Blending In.”

Suarez was given a Silver Key award for a short story she submitted about a recent motorcycle accident she was involved in. The short story was entitled “Smile.”

“Over the summer my boyfriend and

I were involved in a motorcycle accident in the Dominican Republic, where we ended up being chased by a couple of guys,” said Suarez. “My story is a fictional take on a real-life event where I exaggerated on what happened to us in the end.”

Flay said her story is about a transgender person at a sweet 16 party, and how he tries to be accepted by his mother.

“The story kind of touches on my own personal relationship with my mom and how I don’t feel connected with her,” said Flay. “The boy in the story is trying to connect with his mom, but she still only wants to sees him as her daughter.”

Flay garnered an honorable mention by the organization for her submission.