Before the sun came up in West Hempstead, New York, a young boy was already pedaling through quiet neighborhoods with a canvas bag full of newspapers slung over his shoulder. That boy was Robert Sena, just twelve years old, and already learning what it meant to show up, rain or shine.

It was 1959 when Robert took his first job delivering for Newsday. Sixty subscribers. One paper route. And an early introduction to responsibility. This wasn’t just a morning chore—it was a small business, and Robert treated it that way. Each paper was carefully placed, especially on rainy days, tucked between screen doors and mats to keep it dry. He managed his own collections, remembered who had paid and who hadn’t, and made every delivery count.

By week’s end, he was earning ten to twelve dollars—a meaningful sum for a kid—and he put it to good use. One of his first big purchases was a $25 power lawn mower, something his family needed. It also turned into a second job: mowing neighbors’ lawns and expanding the work ethic that was already taking root.

By thirteen, he wasn’t just paying for his own clothes and school supplies—he’d opened a savings account. And that same drive pushed him to excel in Newsday’s weekly contests, signing up new subscribers and earning the title of Honor Carrier. The rewards were more than just symbolic: a brand-new bicycle and a trip to Washington, D.C. But the biggest reward came later—a second prize trip that flew him to the nation’s capital. It wasn’t just a getaway; it was the first time anyone in his family had ever been on an airplane. A moment of pride, excitement, and possibility.

Those early mornings, that sense of ownership, and the pride in a job well done stayed with Robert. He went on to pay his own way through college and built a career in sales and marketing with New York Telephone, and eventually ran his own real estate investment and management company.

And through it all, he never forgot where it started—on the streets of Long Island. That community, that work ethic, and those first hard-earned dollars shaped the foundation of his success.

Looking back, Robert sees that paper route for what it was: a beginning. Not just of work, but of character. And a reminder that sometimes, the right path starts with a well-wrapped newspaper and a determined twelve-year-old on a bike.

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