Howitt Middle School hosted Genre Con on May 13, 2023. Genre Con is a celebration of art, literature, and pop culture organized by the Howitt Genre Con Committee. The day was packed with author visits, writers’ workshops, drawing lessons, contests, and photo ops.

“I am so excited to bring Genre Con back for the fifth time,” said Howitt Middle School librarian Julie Ehrenpreis. “We are thrilled to provide a fun-filled event for our students. Now, more than ever, our students need something engaging to participate in.”

The event kicked off with award-winning author Gordon Korman speaking to students about his career and how he wrote his first book when he was in seventh grade. Korman joined GenreCon virtually and took the time to answer questions from all the students. Another popular activity at Howitt Middle School was sketching lessons from Science Fiction and Fantasy illustrator David O. Miller. Students practiced drawing while Miller guided them and answered questions.

Farmingdale students were also treated to several engaging activities—scavenger hunts, costume contests, crafts, and photo ops with Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, and Troopers from the 501st Legion.

HMS Genre Con Committee, 2023: Julie Ehrenpreis, Samantha Black, Chris Blair, Audra Donroe, Maria Hallahan, Kristina Hilton, Pablo Lizana, Sue Reilly, and Yurema Torres

The Farmingdale School District Fine Arts Department recently welcomed hundreds of community residents to the annual district-wide art show! The popular event was on display in the commons at Farmingdale High School. Daler artwork from each school across the district was on display for all to see while student musicians performed for guests to enjoy.

The districtwide art show is an evening devoted to Farmingdale’s young artists, grades K-12. The artwork features drawings, paintings, ceramics, sculptures, photography, and graphic designs. A special thank you to all Farmingdale art teachers for making this possible!

Farmingdale has incredibly talented student artists. If you didn't get a chance to stop by the district art show, don't worry. Check out these amazing pieces! Keep up the great work, Dalers!

On Monday, May 1, Howitt, 7th graders, walked to raise money for a fresh-water well in South Sudan. The project is inspired by Salva Dut’s life, which the 7th graders learned about when they read A Long Walk to Water. All fundraising money will go directly to Water for South Sudan, Salva’s organization.

On March 31, 2023 the Howitt Symphonic Band, under the direction of Erica Hartmann and the Howitt Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Samuel Gelfer, performed for NYSSMA Music in Our Schools Month in Albany, NY. The students performed for local Senators and Assembly members as well as community members and family members. In collaboration with the Taconic Hills Chamber chorus, under the direction of Rebecca Miller, all three groups performed a finale of America The Beautiful. Farmingdale’s own Samuel Gelfer arranged the piece for orchestra. The day included a guided tour of the State Capital where Senator Steven Rhoads brought the groups into the Senate chamber to give them a photo opportunity in the Senate seats! Students were able to take pictures and learn the history of the Million Dollar Staircase, Governor's Reception Room, and countless pieces of artwork throughout the 1867 historical building. The State Museum offered fun exhibits of the Adirondacks, gems, Native American artifacts, New York native wildlife and so much more. It was a memorable day of music, history and culture! Mrs. Hartmann and Mr. Gelfer are proud to have brought a little piece of Farmingdale to our State Capital.

Students in Mr. Thomas Diorio's Social Studies class participated in a hands-on art workshop with visiting artist Moriah Ray-Britt and Art Teacher Ms. Audra Donroe. Similar to Ms. Patty Caracappa, Ms. Audra Donroe is a recipient of the 2022 Peace Grant! Her goal for the Grant was to help create an interdisciplinary art experience for students to apply their knowledge of Social Studies in a new and unique way through printmaking. As a result, students created three large-scale collaborative collages of the branches of government with their classmates aligning perfectly with the Social Studies curriculum.

The workshop was held over two days, where students learned the art of Gelli Printmaking, made their own papers featuring symbols that represent them, and then worked together to make each branch of government. Each collage is filled with painted papers made by each student. By doing this, students saw themselves as part of the art-making process, learned a new technique, and worked together to meet a common goal. While creating, students reflected on each branch's role with Mr. Thomas Diorio, and in order to remember their function (how the Judicial Branch evaluates laws, the Executive Branch carries out laws, and how the Legislative Branch helps make the laws) mixed in corresponding images into the collages. For example, the Founding Fathers, including George Washington, were added to the Executive Branch’s design so that students recognize where the President resides.

Thanks to the Peace Project Grant, students could create a symbolic representation of the three branches of government that made the content learning relevant to them. The Assistance in Art Education and the US Department of Education funds the grant. Ms. Donroe and Ms. Caracappa, whose workshop was previously highlighted, were selected to participate in the program’s cohort year. Throughout the year, recipients engage in various professional learning activities that enrich their understanding of using art as an interdisciplinary learning tool to empower student learners. When we correctly promote art as a learning tool, we help students actively make connections between what they are learning and what they may already know.