Art Honor Society Inducts New Members
Nearly three dozen promising young artists were inducted into Huntington High School's art honor society during a recent ceremony held in the School Heritage Museum. The new class swells membership in the organization to 55.
The induction festivities included the traditional lighting of candles and knighting of new members. Artist William Low addressed the crowd along with several of the society's officers.
"Each one of our inductees has had to go through a series of challenges in order to become a full-fledged member," said Kasmira Mohanty, a Huntington art teacher and the society's faculty advisor. "I commend you all on your follow through, participation, ideas and enthusiasm that got you here today."
The new members include Wilmarie Aviles, Alyson Baker, Charles Beers, Kira Bergman, Megan Boyce, Leah Butz, Bianca Cadet, Andrea Cerini, Anna DiNardi, Jane Donovan, Anna Goldenbaum, Sara Goldenbaum, Gilda Golden-Stoecker, Judy Greco, Samantha Guzman, Hillary Hardardt, Caitlin Knowles, Courtney Lawrence, Jillian Lentinello, Emily Maggio, Sarah Mosden, Daniel Moya, Michael Nemaric, Soyeon Park, Christine Powers, Melissa Rosenberg, Joe Saginaw, Emily Saltman, Xiomara Scarpati, Maria Sorrentino, Anna Tesoriero, Sara Totura, Kristin Walsh and Jason Yanes.
"These students, in the tradition of the art honor society, will not only produce aesthetically pleasing images and objects to look at, but use those items to comfort, heal, inspire and most of all provide hope," Ms. Mohanty said.
Society officers Kylee Kiesel (president) Josh Toor (vice president), Anna Wertheim (secretary) and Alexis Weitzner (treasurer) played various roles in the induction.
In addition to organization's officers, the society's continuing members include Julianna Barca, Zach Burden, Emily Goldman, Nicole Giambrone, Francesca Gray, Julie Gray, Amber Linder, Emily McGoldrick, Ben Nikodem, Michelle Pechar, Dannielle Schultz, Robert Scott, Nicole Smoot, Kara Talve, Angelica Tome Radigan and James Walsh.
The evening included fine performances by Huntington's chamber orchestra under the direction of Lisa Leonardi. The group included Brian Gilbert, Jennifer Polster, Jesse Feldman-Stein, Katherine Gerdes and Ben Nikodem.
Society members have been very active around the building and in the community. "This year we introduced our holiday fundraiser that included hand-made scarves and original holiday cards that helped raise nearly $500," Ms. Mohanty said. "Our bakes sales raised nearly $400, which provided aid to some of our members applying to art colleges."
The society is in its second year of working to upgrade the hallway artwork found throughout Huntington High School. Ms. Kiesel penned two consecutive grant requests that the Huntington Foundation approved to provide the materials necessary to pull-off the hallway art project.
"We are also participating in the internationally acclaimed Memory Project for a second year," Ms. Mohanty said. "It is a unique initiative in which art students create portraits in the form of drawings, paintings, digital art, etc. for children and teens around the world that have been neglected, orphaned or disadvantaged."
One of the society's larger projects will see members working to complete a mural at the Huntington YMCA. "I look forward to a productive and exciting rest of the year," Ms. Mohanty said.