Meet the Islanders Community Service Scholarship Winners

The Islanders awarded scholarships to five high school students who demonstrated excellence on the ice and in their communities. Each winner received $5,000 toward their college education, as the seniors are nearing their college decision.

Elyse “Lessy” Berger – HAFTR High School

Elyse “Lessy” Berger has been a sensational leader who consistently sets the example of community service to those around her. She has taken on roles in several community initiatives, including the Friendship Circle program, which supports families who are raising children with disabilities, and the Shalom Task Force Purple Fellowship Ambassador Program, which further teaches students about domestic abuse in the Jewish community. In these programs, Lessy has exemplified curiosity, selflessness and dedication to creating positive impacts on those around her. At school, she served as the School President and Head of Community Service Programming. Lessy has done all of this while remaining committed to her studies in the classroom, which has translated to a 4.0 GPA. She is planning to attend Stern College, also known as Yeshiva University, to pursue early childhood education.

James DiCerbo – Wantagh High School

James DiCerbo has showcased a great interest in business throughout his high school years, even in the rigorous honors and AP-level classes he took as soon as his sophomore year. In these classes, he has exemplified immense levels of enthusiasm, especially encouraging his peers when coursework becomes difficult. James has also served in critical roles within his student government and has been asked to take on leadership positions for fundraising campaigns. Outside the classroom, he led a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) fundraising team, where he raised over $118K. James is committed to Fairfield University to pursue higher education in accounting.

Reese Gallinaro – Long Beach Senior High School

Reese Gallinaro has battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) not once, but twice in her young life. Instead of getting down on herself, she remained positive and hopeful through the building of LEGOs. Reese then turned this into hope for those who are going through similar situations she had experienced, donating hundreds of LEGO sets to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which was the place she was treated during her battle. Additionally, as a 10th grader, she also began her own online store, selling shirts and sweatshirts, where all the proceeds were donated to the Maui Food Bank during the devastating 2023 Hawaii wildfires. Inside the classroom, Reese remained just as dedicated, shown through her membership in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Long Beach Senior High School. Even through her recovery from a double hip replacement, Reese has maintained a 4.0 GPA and was awarded the Nassau County SHIELD Award for her Service, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership and Duty each day. Reese wants to continue serving her community and will be attending the University of Vermont to study nursing. 

Kaede Urso – Ward Melville High School

Kaede Urso has been dedicated to serving her community since the early years of her education. Kaede was an active member of student government in elementary school, building her way up to President of the Student Government at Ward Melville High School. She also was a member of the Girl Scouts since second grade, and held the title of 2nd Lieutenant in the Setauket Junior Fire Department since the 10th grade. In the world of athletics, Kaede worked hard at ballet, focusing on technique and performance to work her way up to Principal Dancer, which is often regarded as the highest rank within a dance company. Kaede will attend Barard College, where she previously participated in a three-week summer intensive program, to pursue a degree in business.

Dylan Wong – Huntington High School

Dylan Wong has taken on dozens of community service opportunities, focusing on environmental conservation. He began volunteering with Friends of the Bay, an initiative that seeks to protect the Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor watersheds, in 2022, and participated in nearly 30 events in 2025. Dylan also volunteered with the Seatuck Environmental Association, who works to protect wildlife throughout Long Island, conducting over 20 hours of data collection in a two-month period in the spring of 2025. In his time with Seatuck, Dylan ranked as the top volunteer of the season with the most survey reports (44) submitted. Beyond his wildlife conservation efforts, he has also been a food drive ambassador and is responsible for nearly 5,000 non-perishable food item donations. Dylan is also a competitive fencer but has paid his learnings forward as a patient and encouraging coach for junior athletes who are looking to enhance their skills in the sport. The Huntington native became the Long Island Fencers’ Club’s first three-time Academic All-American, a direct representation of his dedication and individual accomplishments both in and out of the classroom. Dylan is between MIT and Northwestern to study biomedical engineering in college.