34 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • JULY 15, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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Maspeth High School buys celebrity cameo videos for class of 2021
Early registration begins for annual Totten Trot 5K
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@schnepsmedia.com
@jenna_bagcal
A Bayside 5K event is back in person
for its 20th year and organizers are inviting
participants to get their running shoes
and costumes ready.
The Bayside Historical Society
announced early registration from now
through midnight on Aug. 14 for its annual
Totten Trot 5K run/walk on Oct. 31,
2021. As in the past, runners are encouraged
to don their best Halloween costumes
as they traverse EliteFeats’ USATF
Certifi ed Course.
Open to both kids and adults, the 5K
passes through Little Bay Path to the
Th rogs Neck Bridge and Fort Totten
Park’s Historic District, giving runners a
view of preserved buildings dating back to
the late 1800s. Th e start and fi nish is at the
landmarked Offi cers’ Club building home
to the BHS since 1984.
Th e 5K kicks off with a 7:30 a.m. check
in, followed by the 9 a.m. race. Children
ages 12 and under will be broken up into
age groups and are invited to participate
in the kids’ fun run at 10 a.m. All kids will
receive a cookie “medal” for participation.
Following the race, the BHS will host
an award ceremony and reception at the
“Castle’s” historic ballroom. Th e top three
overall male and female 5K winners will
be awarded cash prizes and trophies: $100
for fi rst-place fi nishers, $75 for second
place and $50 for third place. Trophies will
be awarded to fi rst-, second- and thirdplace
winners in nine separate age groups:
14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49,
50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80 and over.
Th is year’s special guest is the 501st
Legion’s Empire City Garrison, a worldwide
“Star Wars” costuming organization
based in New York. Since 1999, volunteers
from the organization have attended various
events as “Star Wars” villains to promote
people’s love for the franchise.
All proceeds from the event will support
BHS programming.
Early registration costs $25 through
midnight on Aug. 14 and then $30
through midnight on Oct. 16, $35
through Oct. 30 and $40 on race day. Th e
fi rst 150 who register are guaranteed a free
T-shirt. Register at events.elitefeats.com/
tottentrot21.
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Maspeth High School purchased seven
celebrity cameos for the graduating class
of 2021 to honor their accomplishments
aft er missing out on a normal senior year.
Th e Cameo App allows people to purchase
short personalized videos of their
favorite celebrities.
Th e following celebrities were featured:
Anthony Anderson from “Black-ish,”
David Henrie from “Wizards of Waverly
Place,” Kat Graham from “Th e Vampire
Diaries,” Pete Alonso from the New York
Mets, James Maslow from “Big Time
Rush,” Kevin Chamberlin from “Jessie”
and Brian Baumgartner from “Th e Offi ce.”
Th e seven celebrity cameos were
released each day the week leading up
to the graduation ceremony in June.
Students were completely surprised when
the cameos were posted on the school’s
Instagram page.
‘Th e responses were amazing. Th e kids
were shocked to see celebrities shout
out the school,” Maspeth High School
Assistant Principal Jesse Pachter said.
“Th ey seemed to really like the celebrities
that were chosen.”
Pachter interviewed 11th-graders to ask
what celebrities the seniors would like
to see.
Th e cameos ranged in price. Some were
under $100 and others were priced at over
$200. Th e school’s PTA had chipped in as
a going-away present for the seniors.
Pachter pointed out that this graduating
class lost an entire normal senior year
compared to the class of 2020.
“Th ey were robbed of a senior year,
and I think it was important to acknowledge
all that they’ve done,” Pachter said. “I
could tell them how proud I am but hearing
it from a celebrity may make them feel
even more accomplished.”
Th e ceremony was held at St. Johns
University on the Great Lawn.
Pachter said that this is something he
will continue to do for graduating seniors.
“Regardless of pandemic or not pandemic,
it was a creative and fun way to
celebrate the graduates,” Pachter said. Courtesy of Maspeth High School
Photo courtesy of BHS
Bayside Historical Society’s Totten Trot is back in October.
/events.elitefeats.com
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