The district recognized 75 talented student-artists at its annual Districtwide Art Show, held on Feb. 12 at the high school’s auditorium lobby. Selected for exhibition were Brianna Altman, Leo Bacelli, Samantha Christiansen, Lilianna Colon, Megan Colwell, Nina Del Re, Madison Gremli, Tatum Hardekopf, Janae Lindsay, Madelyn Marinelli, Sara Mecozzi, Matt Miller, Gabrielle Nicolae, Anna Rahner, Micah Ruiz, Amanda Sayles, Trixie Sherry, Jade Valentin, Riley Wallace and Emily Wirth of the high school; Tiana Arroyo, Matthew Breslin, Gavin Connell, Addison DeFalco, Erica DeLapi, Tansley Desrosiers, Abby Dieumegard, Aidan Files, Sabrina Frazer, Alexis Hand, Carly Herrington, Keira Jantz, Shylah Kerry, Samantha Krut, Amanda Mardones-Miranda, Lauren McSweeney, Luna Mendoza, Jaci Narducci, Joette Olds, Andrew Owens, Jakeline Romero, Cole Rudner, Juliana Sclafani, Gianna Trojcak and Katalina Villalba of the middle school; Kayla Baker, Abigail Butler-Lentini, Emirson Canales, Daniela Capolongo, James Infante, Elise Lettieri, Julianna Pepitone, Griffin Roche, Laytin Veith and Alyssa Williams of Commack Road; Tillie Ancipink, Max Carminio, Emily Gowen, Brooke Lemanczyk, Aimee Rich, Keela Salerno, Charlee Semple, Amelia Touhey, Oscar Villatoro and Murphy Wallace of Sherwood; and Makenzy Covelli, Jason Farrell, Bruce Hart, Maisie Howe, Frankie Kaatsiz, Kendall Loud, Aliyah Pazmino, Katrina Petersen, Julia Sanchez and Anthony Wade of Wing.
After the artists’ proud families had a chance to view the displayed artworks, they moved to the auditorium for a performance by the high school’s chamber orchestra, directed by Zachary Butterfield, and an introductory address by Dr. Jeff S. Dailey, Islip’s interim director of fine and performing arts.
“Every artist gets to experience the miracle of creation,” Dailey said. “A straight line can become a giraffe or a dinosaur or the most beautiful flower ever created. A lump of clay, dug from the ground, can – in the right hands – become a vase, a sculpture or a cookie jar. The goal of art education is to prepare students for a lifetime of creativity. By learning to be creative and resourceful at a young age, the students here in Islip can go forth into the future with the ability to solve problems, to adhere to deadlines and to bring beauty into a world that desperately needs it. These students have generated – out of nothing but their own imaginations – aesthetically pleasing art which helps the viewer leave the cares of life behind and invites us to enter into a world of fantasy and beauty. We thank them for this invitation and congratulate them on their achievements.”