Massapequa Vocalists Named To Regional Ensemble

The Massapequa School District is proud to announce that two music students will perform at the 2023 Eastern Division Honors Festival in Rochester, N.Y. from April 13-16. Massapequa High School senior Arianna Surrow and junior Cooper Arbisi, both chorus students, were selected for this prestigious honor.

The event is sponsored by the National Association for Music Education and hosted by the New York State School Music Association. Arianna and Cooper will be among the more than 200 students selected from school music programs across the state. Approximately 700 students will participate from schools across the east coast. Students will rehearse and perform with renowned conductors. Arianna and Cooper were selected for the All-Eastern Mixed Chorus, which will be led by Jason Max Ferdinand. They will also get to take part in a variety of music workshops.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Arianna and Cooper, two incredibly talented singers,’’ said Vincent Greene, Massapequa’s director of fine and performing arts. “They

Massapequa High School chorus students Cooper Arbisi and Arianna Surrow were selected for the All-Eastern Mixed Chorus and will travel to Rochester, N.Y. in April.

(Contributed photo) will work collaboratively with other young musicians from schools outside of New York and gain valuable experience by working with notable master conductors.”

—Submitted by the Massapequa School District

Recently, Senator Steve Rhoads recognized the accomplishments of two of Optimum’s FIRST Robotics sponsored teams: the POBots from Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School and the JBirds from Hicksville High School.

Rhoads was joined by Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz at Plainview-Old Bethpage, and by Assemblyman Charles Lavine at Hicksville. In addition to sponsoring both teams, Optimum organized these visits to give students the opportunity to showcase their robots and educate the officials on this year’s competition and their strategies on building. Students shared their progress and experience, the knowledge and skills they are gaining through their participation in the FIRST Robotics program, and how they are preparing to compete for this month’s regionals to qualify for the World Championship in Houston this month.

FIRST Robotics is a mentor-based program that fosters STEM and business skills for high school students as they prepare to compete in an international high school robotics competition this month. Optimum has been a longtime supporter of the program, and part of company’s annual commitment includes team sponsorships, including sponsoring the POBots and JBirds teams to help support the students for this year’s competition.

—Submitted by Altice