NYC foster teens celebrate graduation and dance group performs for mayor
NEW YORK (PIX11) – From a celebration of foster teens who have defied the odds and are now getting support and thriving, to a youth dance group that had the chance to perform for the mayor, PIX11's Monica Morales has the updates.
It was a special celebration for some incredible graduates at Hunter College School of Social Work. More than 100 young people who beat the odds in a big way got special certificates.
More Local News
It's thanks to the city and several non-profits who helped make it happen.
Damon Dunbar,17, from the Bronx, says his certificate proving he completed high school means the world to him.
It's been a rough road to get here for Dunbar. In foster care since last year, city officials say Dunbar is not letting his circumstances define his future.
With a positive mindset, Dunbar is now on his way to the Borough of Manhattan Community College to study business.
Ina Mendez, the Deputy Commissioner at the Administration for Children's Services. She says it's important to celebrate this milestone because it represents a victory over struggles and now success.
Mendez says the city is now proud to invest in these students on their exciting journeys to college, thanks to ACS in partnership with NYC Public Schools, the Center for Fair Futures, and the nonprofit called NY Foundling.
Each teen takes the stage with determination to succeed despite obstacles. With support from the college choice program and Fair Futures, each young adult will now receive a stipend to cover housing and tuition costs.
A game changer.
There's an exciting update about one of our favorite Bronx dance groups.
Milteri Tucker Concepcion, the founder and director of the Bombazo Dance Company, says her children had the performance of a lifetime.
They performed for Mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion during the Puerto Rican Heritage celebration.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Local ‘Subway Doodles' artist displays works at the Banksy Museum
SOHO, Manhattan (PIX11) — You never know what you'll see on the train. There are definitely some unique creatures. A big blue monster is making a name for itself on the subway and the creator has an exhibit with one of the most famous street artists. Things To Do Around NYC Commuters can draw a lot of inspiration from the ride or a walk around the city. An artist who uses an IPad to create multi-media art in transit is known as 'Subway Doodle.' 'I started drawing on the subway commuting everyday and I challenged myself to draw something during the commute,' he said. The artist says the pieces reflect life as a New Yorker, the things he observed, and the shared experiences. Subway Doodle is up at the Banksy Museum along Canal Street at Broadway. It features work by the famous street artist. A curator saw some potential in the space and invited Subway Doodle. The image took form in 2014 on Instagram. He has are also painted street murals. The larger than life cartoon characters and media display at the museum are his first solo exhibition. Keep your sense of humor. The commute can be a beast. 'Inspiration happens in many ways. Sometimes it's when I take the photo or I browse through them later. It reflects how I'm feeling on the inside. I take about 100 photos for every doodle I do,' he said. The Subway Doodle exhibit is free and on display through Aug. 24 at the Banksy Museum, which is billed as the world's largest collection of replica Banksy art. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Long Island restaurant frees 110-year-old lobster weighing 21 lbs.
A Long Island lobster who's been alive for more than a century is tasting freedom this weekend thanks to the Hempstead eatery that set him free. Peter's Clam Bar owner Butch Yamali told Pix11 it was time to put the 21-pound crustacean back to the Atlantic Ocean from whence it likely came 110 years ago. 'Some of these lobsters just don't live that long, and this one did. So we figured what better way to celebrate Father's Day than by freeing Lorenzo,' said the restaurateur, who noted that Sunday is also National Lobster Day. Yamali said Lorenzo 'kind of slipped through the cracks' and wound up in his fish tank, where customers photographed themselves with the eatery's oldest resident. Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin posted photos of Lorenzo's 'retirement' party on Facebook Thursday afternoon. 'After more than a decade at Peter's Clam Bar in Island Park, this local celeb is trading tank life for sea life and we couldn't be happier to give him his freedom,' he wrote. Clavin credited Legislator John Ferretti with helping give Lorenzo 'a one-way boat ride, sirens and all, to the peaceful waters of the Atlantic Beach Reef.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Lorenzo, the giant NY lobster, gets a second chance at life
NEW YORK (PIX11) — A giant lobster with a long history is now making waves in a different way. Thanks to a special celebration and the big-hearted people behind it, Lorenzo—the 21-pound, 110-year-old lobster—is swimming free once again. More Local News On Thursday, Peter's Clam Bar in Hempstead, Long Island, marked National Lobster Day and Father's Day with a heartfelt gesture: setting Lorenzo free. Butch Yamali, owner of Peter's Clam Bar, shared how Lorenzo became part of the restaurant's story. 'Lorenzo just kind of slipped through the cracks and ended up in our tank for years,' he said. Yamali explained that Lorenzo had become a fixture at the establishment. 'Some of these lobsters just don't live that long, and this one did. So we figured what better way to celebrate Father's Day than by freeing Lorenzo. He became like a pet. People would come see him and take pictures with him, and he was just an object of the store.' The celebration gained official support when Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and Nassau County Legislator John Ferretti joined forces to pardon and release Lorenzo back into the wild. This event echoes a similar story with Lenny, another giant lobster the restaurant famously freed, continuing a tradition of giving these ancient crustaceans a second chance at life. When asked if Lorenzo would be missed, Yamali said, 'He's gonna be missed, but I think it's better like this. If he passed away here, it wouldn't be a good thing, and I couldn't have the heart to sell him.' And just like that, Lorenzo was returned to the Atlantic Beach Reef—back to the open sea, his home once again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
