Seaford Students Tapped For HOBY Leadership Virtual Conference

SEAFORD, NY — Four Seaford High School sophomores — Will Cascio, Taylor DiFondi, Billy Kind, and Taylor Purcell — have been chosen to attend a virtual format of the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference in June, school officials announced in a recent press release.

Cascio, a triple jumper on the varsity track and field team, is known as someone who motivates his teammates and is always willing to help everyone else out, according to school officials. He is a member of the Best Buddies Club, which pairs general education and special education students, and hopes to be a leader in organization in the future, the press release stated.

DiFondi was a winner of the Lions Club Award in eighth grade for her work with a peer tutoring program which not only provided academic help to other students but also assisted with organizational skills and last year she was a captain of the junior varsity cheerleading squad and was a captain of her middle school softball team, the press release stated.

Kind was a captain on his middle school football, basketball, and wrestling teams and treasurer of the National Junior Honor Society, school officials stated. After suffering an elbow injury before his freshmen year, he still joined his junior varsity football and basketball teammates on the sidelines to provide encouragement, the press release stated. He is also involved in Best Buddies and Key Club, school officials stated.

Purcell, a volleyball and basketball player since seventh grade, was involved in several service events with the Key Club including making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the needy and participating in a cleanup of the Tackapausha Preserve and a breast cancer awareness walk in her freshman year, the press release stated.

The four students plan to take what they learn in June and share that knowledge with others, because there are so many leadership opportunities at Seaford High School within clubs, sports, and student government, according to school officials.

“That’s how you live your life, you learn it, you do it and you hand it down so other people can do things with your knowledge,” stated Cascio in a press release, adding that he recognizes he was chosen for a reason and wants to deliver on those expectations.

Billy hopes to be the same role model that older students were for him and hopefully lead projects that will make a positive difference at the school and DiFondi has always been inspired by how students in the grades above her have made a great impact through their leadership responsibilities, according to school officials.

“It’s a great honor to be picked for HOBY,” DiFondi stated. “I am determined to be a great leader. I won’t let my fellow students down.”

Purcell is looking to connect with up-and-coming student leaders from all over the region and hopefully get some ideas she can bring back to Seaford High School, school officials said. She is also thankful for the opportunity and is honored that teachers and other students see her leadership potential.

The four students have already been tasked with a leadership role as they, along with past HOBY attendees, comprise a committee to plan virtual events to make the 95 full-time distance learning students feel more connected to the school, according to the press release.

Assistant Principal Nicole Schnabel says that the students have already come up with some ideas including a virtual escape room team-building event and a Flashback Friday featuring elementary and middle school teachers.