More than 80 dedicated West Islip student-musicians ranging from fifth graders to sophomores were honored by the Suffolk County Music Educators Association with selection for the 2020 SCMEA All-County Festival.  

Chosen from Bayview were Chloe Bellini (All-County Band); James Aspetti and Madeline Curley (All-County Chorus); and Natalie Aspetti and Emily LaManna (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from Bellew were Ben Delanoy and Leo Mastroberti (All-County Band); Lucy Agoglia, Giavana Diaz, Kerrigan Fallo and Dylan Green (All-County Chorus); and Jeremy Duffy and Cassandra Hyland (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from Manetuck were Tessa Lamirata (All-County Band); Alexis DeLorenzo and Emily Peppin (All-County Chorus); and Julianna Locrotondo (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from Oquenock were Adam Lavelle (All-County Band); Savannah Walsh (All-County Chorus); and Ace Lerasan (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from Beach Street were Emily Dean, Leah Gallagher, Sean Koerner, Patrick Heron, Amanda Lopez, Kevin Mauri, Amy McCann, Ryan Northorn and Gavin Pollock (All-County Band); April Allegretto, Alyssa Barbieri, Skyla Becker, Caitlin Fallon, Piper Loveland, Sophia Marker, Teagan McGuire, Mason Solomon, Cara Thaxter and Francesca Tofano (All-County Chorus); and Daniel Clarke, Anthony DeMaio, Vivian Gallagher, Nicholas Locurto, Kevin Ryan and Sophia Stehlik  (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from Udall were Bruno Basile, Robert Govier, Madison DiMaggio, Evan Fogarty, Michael Harbord, Daniel Pipitone, Nicholas Soulos  and Michael Tronolone (All-County Band); Marissa Beyhl, Carlie Brunengraber, Reese Connors, Isabella Grimaldi, Giordana LaFemina, Lucas Scourtos and Aaron Tomasello (All-County Chorus); and Emma Crisafi, Dean Miller, Savannah Nelson, Braden Pritchard and Dana Shi (All-County Orchestra).

Chosen from the high school were Sophia Bahm, Drake Castonguay, John Denning,  Dylan Latargia, Jack Locurto, Christopher Palazzo, Mark Peragine and Michael Woss (All-County Band); Warren Auty, Ruth Boucher, Jack Dyer, Robert Jensen, Isabella LaBarca, Lauren McCann and Grace Mineo (All-County Chorus); and Kaitlyn Caragiulo, Taylor Davies, Timothy Hantzchel, Alexander Lee and Emma Musial (All-County Orchestra).

Bayview student Gianna Baldo won first place in the fourth-grade competition at the 34th annual Town of Islip Sharp Shooter Basketball Contest on March 7. Sponsored by the Islip Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the Islip Elks, the Sharp Shooter “Just Say No to Drugs” program provides local fourth- and fifth-grade students with a challenge to score as many baskets as possible in one minute.

Fourteen West Islip student-artists were selected for the 22nd annual “Colors of Long Island” student art exhibition at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, which highlights outstanding visual art created by students from Nassau and Suffolk counties. Their work will be on display through March 22.

Chosen were Bayview second graders Annabelle Saccante and Anna Weir, Bellew fourth graders Benjamin Constantine and Lola Gonzalez, Manetuck fourth graders Madeline Carman and Nina Oliveri, Oquenock fourth grader Julianne Hall and fifth grader Savannah Walsh, Beach Street sixth graders Julianne Arcoleo and Finn McGowan, Udall sixth grader Sofia Raucci and eighth grader Cassidy Scheben, and high school junior Connor Henry and senior Heidi Hudson.

All district elementary classrooms from kindergarten through fifth grade recently began using the Keyboarding Without Tears program, a curriculum resource that teaches typing, general computer readiness, and digital citizenship using grade-level content.

Fourteen of West Islip’s finest young orchestra musicians were selected for this year’s Long Island String Festival Association concerts, based on competitive New York State School Music Association ratings as well as teacher recommendations. The LISFA secondary concert was held Jan. 12 at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip, while the LISFA intermediate concert took place Jan. 26 at Northport High School.

The chosen students were Natalie Aspetti of Bayview; Jeremy Duffy and Madison Howley of Bellew; Jacqueline Grande and Daphne Vaughan of Manetuck; Ace Lerasan of Oquenock; Anthony DeMaio, Vivian Gallagher and Keira Johnson of Beach Street; Emma Crisafi and Mason Plouffe of Udall; and Emma Musial, Taylor Rakovic and Kyle Tran of the high school.