Art and music were in the spotlight at the Massapequa School District’s Board of Education meeting on April 16. More than a dozen students were celebrated for their achievements in the arts throughout the school year.
Five students had their work selected for the New York State School Board Association’s art exhibit. The showcase, sponsored by the New York State Art Teachers Association, was held during NYSSBA’s annual convention. Massapequa students featured in the show included Luciano Casella, Adrianna Driscoll, Brooklyn Gottlieb, Massimo Randazzo and Madison Swaby.
The Kindred Spirits art show, which took place at the Firefly Gallery in Northport, featured artist pairs who share common interests. The exhibition focused on the bond of art, and the work of four Massapequa elementary students was displayed along with a piece from each of their art teachers. The recognized students were Maverick Moravec from Birch Lane Elementary School, Emma Forni from East Lake Elementary School, Giuliana Contreras from Fairfield Elementary School and Violeta Ziegler from Unqua Elementary School.
Massapequa High School senior Ginger Russo had her piece featured in the Long Island’s Best exhibit at the Heckscher Museum. The annual show encourages students to think outside of the box as they work in a broad range of media styles and subjects. This year, only 84 pieces were chosen for display from among more than 400 submissions.
Senior Gerrit Dabovich and junior Sophia Rose Alfieri were the district’s representatives at the New York State School Music Association’s annual All-State music festival in December. The process began with a NYSSMA solo audition the year prior, during which students performed for certified adjudicators. Gerrit and Sophia were among 825 high school musicians chosen for the All-State festival, which is about 12% of the total number of students who auditioned. Gerrit performed with the All-State Wind Ensemble and Sophia Rose sang with the Mixed Chorus.
The honored students were announced by Director of Fine and Performing Arts Vincent Green, and the night also featured congratulatory remarks from Board of Education President Kerry Wachter and Superintendent Dr. William Brennan. They noted the importance and value of the arts in a district that provides its students with multiple pathways to success.
Four students were also recognized for their logo design efforts. Zachary Mark created the logo for Parent University, an evening educational program for parents and guardians that took place in March at the Ames Campus. Hailey Gerula, Aiden Nilsen and Lily Rothwell created logos for the upcoming Special Olympics. Hailey’s design will be featured on T-shirts for volunteers, Lily’s designs on shirts for the athletes and coaches, and Aiden’s design on program covers.