Huntington High School’s Art Honor Society welcomed 33 new members during the organization’s recent annual induction ceremony in the School Heritage Museum.
The new inductees include Kelly Alfaro-Alvarez, Brooke Biernacki, Christina Brillante, Anna Crockett, Elizabeth Dugan, Emma Farrell, Josie Fasolino, Natalie Furman, Nataly Giron-Vincente, Olivia Hannigan, Molly Kessler, Angelina Larkin, Bianca Lella, Emely Lopez, Angela LoScalzo, Lauren LoScalzo, Samantha Maixner, Karley Mathews, Alexandra McKenzie, Jeraine Nieves, John O’Brien, Isabella Orguela, Rosa Rivera, Nicholas Rowley, Jay Schmitt, Julia Segal, Kaitlyn Smith, Alyssa Sorensen, Natalia Stamatatos, Aniyah Toro, Andy Ulloa, Brandon Varady and Holly Wright.
The group is led by President Quinn Blackburn, Vice President Katie Giambrone, Secretary Christina Varady, and Treasurer Thomas Edgar-McNerney. Art teacher Jane Judson serves as the faculty advisor
The evening was made even more festive by four person chamber orchestra, consisting of Maggie Giles, Nicole Arenth, Kyle Perea and Hannah Bailin, which played a delightful selection of music as the crowd filed into the School Heritage Museum room.
The organization’s officers illuminated three candles on the stage during the induction ceremony, including a purple candle “to foster excellence and a dedicated spirit to the visual arts,” an orange candle “to further creative abilities among art students” and a pink candle “to bring art to the attention of the school and community.”
The incoming members recited the following pledge during the ceremony: “I will in my life, to the best of my ability, through my talents in art, help to create a more beautiful world for myself, for making and all living things.”
In addition to the organization’s officers, continuing members include Lars Drace, Xavier Edgar-McNerney, Maggie Giles, Sarah Glascock, Rachel Moss, Katarina Obermaier, Sam Sgrizzi, Christina Varady, Erica Vazquez, Colette Barron, Erin Bonitz, Katie Burton, Sophie Dellecave, Irtana Deslouches, Yasmin Khilji-Neal, Shaye O’Beirne, Erika Varady, Kelly Warren and Christina Nigro.
“The purpose of the Art Honor Society is to inspire and recognize those students who have a profound love or art and demonstrate creative talent,” Ms. Giambrone told the induction ceremony crowd. “Students in the Art Honor Society work to promote art in the school, community and internationally through various activities and service projects. Its members help one another to achieve the highest standards and share the importance of art education throughout the district, the community and beyond.”
District resident Peter Siegel was this year’s guest speaker. He is the founder and director of Digital Transitions, a division of Cultural Heritage. The company designs and manufactures its own camera bodies, lens panels, reprographic copy stands and accessories in the United States. Clients include the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, Google, Getty Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Walt Disney Co., Morgan Library & Museum and many others.
Mr. Siegel told the new inductees about his college art studies and how he used them to transition into a career that has also included stints as the head of digital imaging and photography for Harvard Art Museums and Fine Arts Gallery and as director of digital imaging at the American Museum of Natural History.
District Director of Fine and Performing Arts Eric Reynolds also addressed the crowd. Principal Brenden Cusack sat among the audience, taking delight in welcoming the new members to the Art Honor Society’s ranks.
Contact Mr. Reynolds at ereynolds@hufsd.edu for more information about the department’s offerings and programs.
