Half Hollow Hills had 16 students named finalists in the prestigious 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program academic competition.
They are: Hills West’s Jason Bruckner, Simran Chaudhry and Kyra Ramonetti, and Hills East’s Victoria Albanese, Benjamin Goldfried, Michael Han, Kevin Hoxha, Juliana Josinsky, Dylan Keskinyan, Sumaiyah Khwaja, Richard Lin, Jennifer Sachs, Suraj Sharma, Ashna Shetty, Sohan Shetty and Gianna Tantillo.
Literacy in Elwood
John Glenn students have recorded themselves reading books for students at Harley Avenue Primary and James H. Boyd Intermediate Schools.
The videos are meant to help further literacy both in-person and virtually in the elementary school classrooms. Afterward the reading, the older students suggest short and simple activities for the younger students to complete.
As part of the program, first and second grade students in Jessica Jantzen’s class at Harley Avenue listened to “Hey, Wall,” by Susan Verde, read aloud by John Glenn High school student Braden Gastaldi. The story got students talking about Verde’s messages of peace, mindfulness and community. Students then engaged in creating walls of their own.
Honors Ensemble
Northport High School students Amelia Semple, Alexandra Weber and Alison Crosley have been selected for the 2021 NAfME Virtual All-Eastern Honors Ensemble. The students are three of only 719 high school musicians selected across the Northeast.
They will participate in the virtual ensemble in April. Before the performance, the students will meet for a program of rehearsals, masterclasses and sectionals in March. For the performance itself, all students will be recording videos of themselves singing for the submission, a change to years past.
“We’re incredibly proud to have not one, not two, but three students selected for this honor,” said Director of Fine and Performing Arts, Dr. Izzet Mergen. “These students have shown incredible dedication to their craft and we are proud to have them represent Northport High School at this year’s virtual ensemble.”