Locust Valley High School celebrated students’ achievements in music and the visual arts with inductions into the Tri-M Music Honor Society and the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) on Nov. 5.
Students and their families enjoyed musical performances by Maxwell Bamba, Harry Fraser, Stella Fraser, Maya Karagiannakis, Scarlett Modlin, Gianna Moreano, Alex Rivas, Skylar Seele, Julia Velez and John Zatwarnicki, accompanied by music teachers Brianna Blake and Brian Fong.
Tri-M co-presidents Scarlett Modlin and Liam Reilly reflected on the role music plays in their lives.
“For me, music is not just a pastime or a form of self-entertainment. Music is self-expression,” Scarlett said.
“Music is a way of life. An escape from reality. The structure of being. To many, music is life,” Liam said.
Humnaa Abid, president of the LVHS Art Club and NAHS, spoke about how creating art can lead to self-discovery.
“I think one of the most beautiful things about creating is that you don't always have to know what you're trying to say before you begin,” Humnaa said. “Sometimes, you sit in front of a blank canvas without a clear direction, and slowly, through every line, every color, and every mistake, something begins to take shape. And somewhere along the way, you begin to understand what you were feeling all along.”
Co-vice presidents Katelyn DiLorenzo and Kali Frazer also shared reflections titled “What Art Means to Me.”
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AnnMarie Buonaspina, the district’s coordinator of instructional technology and the fine and applied arts, praised the honorees for their creativity and leadership.
“The students being honored tonight truly embody what it means to lead—through creativity, collaboration, and integrity. They take initiative, support one another, and bring out the best in those around them,” Buonaspina said. “In many ways, they reflect the habits we hope to see in all our learners: thoughtful, reflective, and ready to make a positive impact in their school and community.”
Guest speaker Lori Horowitz, a visual artist, sculptor and curator with deep ties to the Long Island arts community, encouraged students to embrace curiosity and possibility.
“Tonight is about more than artistic achievement. It is about recognizing a particular way of seeing the world and looking beyond what is immediately visible by asking questions, taking risks, and imagining what might be possible,” Horowitz said.
Tri-M Music Society inductees:
Madison Barlow
Isabella Bartolotto
Christina Boz
*Katelyn DiLorenzo
Harlow Gaffner
Michael Giovanniello
*Mohammed Hashmi
Aria Hassan
Melody Kim
Penelope Novack
Alina Perei
Henry Pisciotta
Jenna Rafiy
Elisa Tan
*Maya Valderrama
Claudia Weiss
National Art Honor Society inductees:
Dila Agir
Anya Aman
Sofia Harrison
Haley Jankowski
Layne Kalenderian
Alison Kelly
Baileigh Parsons
Stefano Reeves
Lilly Ricketts
Natalie Smith
*Morgan Sullivan
Jannat Zahid
*Minahil Zahid
*Denotes seniors
