Students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School drew inspiration from Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in becoming problem solvers.

During their advisory period, students took part in personalized writing activity focused on problem-solving. Each student was asked to think of a short-term or long-term goal he or she would like to achieve. They wrote about these challenges and possible remedies, and included specific details on why solving that problem was important to them. 

Students first learned about Dr. King and the peaceful ways in which he inspired change. They studied his accomplishments and analyzed the impact an importance of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Additionally, students took a virtual reality field trip to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, D.C. 

Several students from the Amityville Union Free School District were selected to All-County Music Ensembles by the Suffolk County chapter of the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education and the Suffolk County Music Educators Association. Although all of the festivals for the 2020-2021 season have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these students have achieved this honor through their hard work and dedication to their music studies.  

NYSCAME All-County Ensembles:

Amityville Memorial High School – Yaneli Amaya, flute, Division 4 Band; Alexander Diaz, viola, Division 4 Orchestra; Keiry Martinez, vocals, Division 4 Chorus

SCMEA All-County Ensembles:

Amityville Memorial High School – Aysia Francis, trumpet, Division 2 Band; Destiny Harding, vocals, Division 2 Chorus; Katya Ramos-Rojas, baritone horn, Division 2 Band; Madeline Shingleton, cello, Division 2 Orchestra; Melissa Fearrington, vocals, Division 3 Chorus; Kenneth Garcia, clarinet, Division 3 Band; Daniella Henriquez, vocals, Division 3 Chorus; Messiah Marshall, flute, Division 3 Band; Justin Mohan, alto saxophone, Division 3 Band; Kemar Porche, vocals, Division 3 Chorus; Aaliyah Precil, vocals, Division 3 Chorus; Bryant Rivas, vocals, Division 3 Chorus.

Edmund W. Miles Middle School – Kaleb Rivera, vocals, Division 1 Chorus; Aurora Morales, vocals, Division 1 Chorus.

Please enjoy our districtwide virtual art show and our winter concert performances from Amityville Memorial High School, Edmund W. Miles Middle School and Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School. 

"The students have worked extremely hard under very difficult and different circumstances and, as you will see, they continue to thrive within the arts," said Director of Fine Arts and Music Dr. Fran Fernandez. "Special thanks goes out to all of our district’s art and music teachers for putting all of these presentations together."

Districtwide Winter Art Show

High School Orchestra

High School Chorus

High School Band

Park Avenue and Middle School Chorus

6th Grade Orchestra

7th and 8th Grade Orchestra

E.W. Miles Middle School 6th Grade Band and 7th/8th Grade Band

As part of their study on energy, eighth graders constructed and tested bottle cars in their STEAM class at Edmund W. Miles Middle School. The hands-on activity allowed them to see for themselves how potential energy turns into kinetic energy.

Teacher Natasha Lim gave each student an empty plastic water bottle to use as the car’s body. Other supplies included metal and wooden rods as axles and bottle caps for the wheels. Students could choose either a low-tech or a high-tech option to power their cars – a straw connected to a balloon or a small, battery-powered motor. 

Students began the engineering challenge by doing research on their Chromebooks to explore potential solutions, then sketched out their designs before building. 

To mark Veterans Day, students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School and Amityville Memorial High School learned about the brave men and women who served in the United States military and why their sacrifices are important.

At the middle school, social studies teacher Frank O’Brian and hall monitor Sykes Reese spoke to students through a Google Meet videoconference about their experiences in the Navy. They each presented a slideshow with photos and video clips, then participated in a virtual question and answer session with students.

Middle school students also wrote letters to veterans or current members of the military. They had the option of writing a thank-you letter to Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Reese, Amityville graduates Esteban Idrovo and Rene Idrovo who are presently serving in the armed forces, a veteran they know personally, or a generic letter to be sent through SupportOurTroops.org.

At Amityville Memorial High School, three current servicemen participated in a half-hour videoconference with students during their seminar period on Nov. 12. All classrooms tuned in and students learning remotely could also watch from their Chromebooks. 

The speakers included both active duty military personnel and reservists. Assistant Brian Suckle, who coordinated the program and facilitated the discussion, said they talked about their reasons for enlisting, the branches of the military they belong to, their military experiences and career opportunities in the armed forces. They also took questions from students and teachers. 

Earlier in the week, high school students learned about the six core principles of the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious personal military decoration, and watched videos about past medal winners.