Art Honor Society Inducts New Members
Twenty promising young artists were inducted into Huntington High School’s Art Honor Society during a recent ceremony. The new class swells membership in the organization to 51.
The new members include Gabriella Bartley, Arianna Bauer, Lois Choi, Shannon Contino, Ariella Danziger, Katy Dara, Heather Forster, Claire Hannon, Mia Idler, Melissa Ingle, Brianna Jones, Tateana Khokhar, Sarah Kitzen, Jean Miller, Ellaha Nadi, Brianne Neira, Mary Pulizzotto, Zaida Ramos, James Smoot and Natasha Wagner.
The ceremony included the traditional lighting of candles, knighting and solemn pledge. Faculty advisor Kasmira Mohanty and Director of Fine and Performing Arts Sarah Gill spoke during the ceremony along with guest artist Lisa Hock Mack.
The organization is led by executive board members Anna DiNardi (president), Ekaterina Koulakova (vice president), Anna Goldenbaum (corresponding secretary), Jillian Lentinello (treasurer and recording secretary) and Aaron Feltman (historian).
In addition to the officers, continuing members include Krista Angeliadis, Charles Beers, Nora Buchholtz, Leah Butz, Elizabeth Corrao, Katilin Dayton, Tommy Dayton, Alyssa Devoe, Ryan Goldsmith, Hillary Hardardt, Caitlin Knowles, Jamie LaSorsa, Ripley Mars, Shannon McGovern, Elisa Medina-Jaudes, Justin Meyer, Michal Nemaric, Jamie Paragallo, Kiara Roman, Joe Saginaw, Mary Sheehan, Marina Siegal, Anna Tesoriero, Marygrace Trousdell, Kristin Walsh and Lana Ziegler.
The evening included a performance by Huntington’s chamber orchestra under the direction of Nicole Castaldo.
Art Honor Society members have been busy, working on a number of interesting initiatives, including an ongoing high school beautification project. “This is a project I started with the Society members when I took over as the faculty advisor,” Ms. Mohanty said. “The project entails replacing and putting up new student artwork in a variety of mediums throughout the high school to showcase the vast array of talents and current art trends that are taking place.”
Two new beautification pieces have been installed so far this year. A work of art created by Aaron Feltman has been put in place in the art wing while another by Ekaterina Koulakova was affixed to a wall in the cafeteria.
This marks the third year that Art Honor Society members are participating in the Memory Project. “It’s a unique initiative in which art students create portraits (drawings, paintings, digital art, etc.) for children and teens around the world who have been neglected, orphaned or disadvantaged,” Ms. Mohanty said. This year’s focus has been children from India.
New to the Society this year is the Sno-Haus project. Upon a request by the manager of the Sno-Haus, a ski shop located on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station, a sebsational diorama of a snowy landscape comprised of recycled materials was created and is still on display. “It was very well received,” Ms. Mohanty said.
Finally, the Society has been engaged in a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Several members have donated their artwork for the purpose of being raffled off at a benefit for those who will be recipients of housing erected by Habitat for Humanity. “The donated work will go to the winning families for them to place the pieces in their new homes.”