The artistic talents of students at Amityville Memorial High School and Edmund W. Miles Middle School will be on full display to shoppers and motorists passing through the Village of Amityville this holiday season. For the second consecutive year, students painted holiday scenes on the windows of several local businesses.

Under the guidance of art teachers Jennifer Dibble, Jayne Grasso, Heather Pickard and Nicole Scoca, more than 20 students spent the morning of Dec. 4 creating the festive holiday displays. The windows of The Cheesecake Spot, Family Dollar and Gerald’s Market on Broadway were covered in designs created by students, as well as the Marks of Excellence child care center on Albany Avenue in North Amityville.

Teachers outlined the designs with white paint a day in advance before students arrived to add color. The displays featured Christmas lights, holly, ornaments, snowmen, wreathes and more. Participating students include members of the National Art Honor Society at the high school and interested art students from the middle school.

Director of Fine Arts Dr. Fran Fernandez and high school transition coordinator Karen Gross partnered with the Amityville Chamber of Commerce to beautify the community for the holidays. 

Northwest Elementary School students talk about the books that are exciting them.

 

A trio of musicians from Amityville Memorial High School joined their peers from across Suffolk County at Day of Tuba, an annual exhibition that provides opportunities for students to learn from professionals and each other, and to hone their music skills. 

High school band members Christina Cross, Brandon Dennis and Scott Friske were among more than 200 students at the event, hosted by the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association. They participated in music workshops at Central Islip High School in early November. One of the highlights was attending a performance by guest artist, Lauren Veronie Curran, euphonium virtuoso from the U.S. Army Field Band.

Christina, Brandon and Scott shared their musical talents as members of a mass tuba ensemble as the evening culminated with a student performance. Amityville band director Jolene Maccarone accompanied the three students at Day of Tuba.

Two art students from Amityville Memorial High School had their work selected for the Advanced Visions 16: High School Artists of Excellence exhibition at LIU Post.

Senior Ash Dixon and junior Kaya Branscum completed their projects in their Advanced Placement Studio in Art class under the direction of teacher Jayne Grasso. Ash completed a mixed media painting using colored pencils and acrylic painted titled “Culpability.” Kaya’s three-dimensional mixed media piece, “J3NN1,” combined sculpture with photography.

The Advanced Visions exhibition, sponsored by the LIU Post Art Department, features the work of talented art students from across Long Island in advanced level art programs. The exhibition runs from Dec. 9 to Jan. 22 at the B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library, with a closing reception and awards presentation on the final day. 

Amityville Memorial High School students strengthened their bonds with each other at Awareness Weekend in November, an annual tradition that includes a sleepover in the school. Warrior Awareness Club adviser Jason McGowan, who coordinated the event, said that 115 students participated in addition to 19 teachers and staff members. 

After bringing in their sleeping bags and suitcases following the end of the school day on Nov. 8, students gathered in the auditorium for opening remarks and the first of three guest presenters. Steven Prescod performed his inspirational one-man show. The following day, students welcomed tap dancer Carter Williams and Harlem Wizard basketball player Jack “Blackjack” Ryan.

Students were split into small family groups and participated in team-building activities throughout their 30-hour stay in the school, along with discussions led by the group facilitators.

There was also a student panel in which participants shared their difference experiences. The experience allowed students to get to know each other better and many left having formed new friendships. Several students said that the weekend was a transformative event filled with valuable life lessons, such as the importance of supporting each other. 

“Words can’t even express the love I felt at this event and how closer I felt with kids that I didn't even know before,” student Jamarie Henry said about her first time attending Awareness Weekend. “Those nights taught me a lot, which include not to judge someone because of their outside appearance, but what’s really inside their heart.”