Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Oceanside High School seniors Ameerah Maignan and Abigail Medouze and Valley Stream North High School seniors Adaobi Okammelu and Richmia Erisnor were awarded scholarships for their college education by the United for Change Association on the Oceanside Schoolhouse Green on June 11.
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in 2020, during a nationally televised memorial service on June 4, the president at North Central University Scott Hagan, challenged viewers to take meaningful action against systemic inequalities. Lifelong Oceanside resident and former School Three Principal Tom Capone was moved by the call, and immediately reached out to his former colleagues.
Capone, along with a group of retired Oceanside educators, including retired teacher and Oceanside historian Richard Woods, former district math chair Rhonda Eisenberg and retired administrative assistant Michelle Cadogan, formed what they called the Say Their Names Association, which has since transformed into the United for Change Association.
“When things were very tumultuous in our country, I began to think about, what can we do to try to bring about some kind of a change ourselves, because there seems to be a disparity or a shift or a gap that exists between one segment of our population and another segment,” Capone recalled. “The Black and African American segment of our population seems to be not in the place where they should be right now, and how can we try to bridge that gap or minimize that gap?”
Since 2020, the organization has expanded its reach from just Oceanside to a total of 21 school districts in Nassau and Suffolk County, creating a scholarship program to recognize and support Black and African American students making positive changes in their communities. It awards $1,000 scholarships, and the team of educators has given out over $86,000 in scholarships since 2020. It presented them to 16 students this year.
“Giving them a check is one thing,” Capone said “but acknowledging and celebrating in front of their parents or classmates and friends, that’s something that we think they’re going to hold on to for a long, long time.”
The acknowledgment has not, however, taken place in front of Oceanside honorees’ peers. Since the scholarship’s inaugural year in 2020, the presentation has been held on the Schoolhouse Green, separate from the school district’s annual honors awards night, at which students are presented with scholarships from over 100 groups and organizations.
“We go to all the other schools that submitted, and where schools where students were selected, we were invited to present these awards at their awards program,” Capone said. “We’re not invited here in Oceanside. The good news is that these kids are being recognized for their contributions to the Oceanside schools through their work of doing something in a positive way to promote the well-being of the community, but it’s not in front of the community. The school district is not recognizing this as something that they want to get behind.”
The district’s legal counsel argues that to sanction the scholarship would violate Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act by discriminating in the giving of scholarships. That provision of the 1964 act prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
“Valley Stream North likes to pick their scholarship winners, but we would rather pick the scholarship winners, so that’s why they come here,” Woods said of the Valley Stream students, referring to the schoolhouse green ceremony. “Oceanside felt that they didn’t want to recognize one group of people, so they told us we could have it out here, feel, but not during their honors night. When I went to Lynbrook to present there, they gave an award to an Irish kid. It was the Ancient Order of Hibernians award, and they gave it to a kid named O’Connor. They didn’t have any problem with giving an award to an African American or black student, either, at their ceremony.”
The Ancient Order of Hibernians presents various awards to recognize members and those who contribute to the Irish-American community and the broader cause of peace and unity.
“We have received legal advice that it is a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to discriminate in giving scholarships,” said Donna Kraus, Oceanside school districts communications director.
This year’s recipients represent the scholarship’s core mission. Each student has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, from founding a cultural club to organizing community service initiatives.
Ameerah Maignan, Oceanside High School
Maignan will attend Morgan State University in the fall. She was vice president of the school’s African American Culture Club, which provides a space where students can celebrate their roots, talk about their history and traditions, and lift each other up like a family. The club welcomes everyone, no matter their race or background. There students learn from each other, growing together and sharing love for African culture in a positive way.
Maignan also founded a small business selling beauty products. And she is president and captain of the school’s step team, and makes the most of her involvement in these activities to uplift and unite students.
“I began in Oceanside in 1993,” Cadogan said, “and I was the only one of color, and it’s difficult, but with the man upstairs we’re able to make it. Ameerah has decided to attend Morgan State in Baltimore, which just happens to be my alma mater.”
Abigail Medouze, Oceanside High School
Medouze will attend St. John’s University in the fall. Being a member of Student.Lead.Act.Teach.Empower, or SLATE, has helped her build a sense of community, belonging and unity in her school. Being a member of the African American Culture Club has helped her to understand the beauty of different cultures and the importance of coming together, no matter the backgrounds.
“Abigail’s approach to bring about positive change everywhere, little by little, that is something that we should all strive for,” Capone said.
Despite facing resistance from the Oceanside school district, which argues that its scholarships are too narrowly focused, the United for Change Association has persevered. It has expanded its reach to 21 school districts, presenting scholarships to students who exhibit empathy, social responsibility, and a commitment to positive change.
“When I retired, people asked, what are you going to do?” Capone said. “At the time, seven years ago, I said, I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I’m going to find meaning in whatever it is that I do. I like to think that
