NAMM Foundation names 72 LI districts Best Communities for Music Education

Seventy-two Long Island school districts have been recognized for their commitment and access to music education.

The districts are among 975 nationwide named Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation, which strives to advance music participation by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. The award celebrates efforts to make music part of a well-rounded education.

The selected districts are Amityville; Bay Shore; Bayport-Blue Point; Bellmore; Bellmore-Merrick; Bethpage; Carle Place; Central Islip; Cold Spring Harbor; Commack; Comsewogue; Connetquot; Deer Park; East Hampton; East Islip; East Meadow; East Moriches; East Rockaway; Elwood; Farmingdale; Franklin Square; Freeport; Garden City; Glen Cove; Great Neck; Half Hollow Hills; Hampton Bays; Harborfields; Hempstead; Herricks; Hewlett-Woodmere; Hicksville; Island Trees; Jericho; Lawrence; Levittown; Lindenhurst; Locust Valley; Long Beach; Longwood; Lynbrook; Malverne; Manhasset; Massapequa; Merrick; Miller Place; Mineola; New Hyde Park-Garden City Park; North Babylon; North Shore; Northport-East Northport; Oceanside; Oyster Bay-East Norwich; Plainedge; Plainview-Old Bethpage; Port Jefferson; Port Washington; Riverhead; Rockville Centre; Rocky Point; Sayville; Seaford; Shoreham-Wading River; Southampton; South Country; South Huntington; Syosset; Valley Stream 13; Valley Stream Central; Wantagh; West Islip and William Floyd.

“This recognition is a testament of our community’s commitment to music education and our dedicated music educators who have continued to inspire our talented students,” said Chad Wyman, supervisor of fine arts for the Hicksville school district, which earned the designation for the ninth consecutive year.

BETHPAGE/SYOSSET

Japan Center essay winners

Two Long Island students — Anderson Maziero of Bethpage High School and Marisa Yamamoto of Syosset High School — were among the winners of the Japan Center at Stony Brook’s 19th Annual Japan Center Essay Competition, which received 233 entries and required the discussion of one or more aspects of Japanese culture based on personal experiences.

Maziero placed second and won $1,500 for his essay, “The Sound of Drums Behind a Stage,” while Yamamoto won the $1,000 Uchida Memorial Award, dedicated to former Canon U.S.A CEO Kinya Uchida, for her essay, “Sparks of Identity.” Winners also received products from Canon U.S.A., whose Canon Americas headquarters is in Melville.

In his essay, Maziero wrote of playing Japanese percussion instruments: “Being a relatively soft-spoken and shy person, I never had an interest in the stage, but the push that taiko gave me helped me take the chance and explore what once felt impossible to me.”

GREAT NECK

Jewish knowledge champ

Naomi Cohen, a fourth-grader at Elizabeth M. Baker Elementary School in Great Neck, won the top trophy in April at the International Jewish Knowledge Championship, a spelling bee-style competition that covered topics related to Jewish tradition and culture. It was coordinated by CKids: Chabad Children’s Network.

To win, Naomi first competed in regional semifinals before advancing to the championship in Connecticut. In total, she outlasted more than 4,000 students from 25 countries.

“Naomi’s mastery of the material . . . is not just a personal milestone but a source of immense pride for our entire community,” said Rabbi Zalman Baumgarten of Chabad of Great Neck Hebrew School, which Naomi also attends.

WESTHAMPTON BEACH

Top business plan

A Westhampton Beach High School team placed fifth nationwide and was the top-placing team statewide at Virtual Enterprise International’s National Business Plan Competition, which challenged teams to present proposed business plans. Westhampton Beach’s team had presented plans for a cybersecurity training business, Soteria.

The competition, held in April, featured 40 teams at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

To reach the national level, the team was among 133 groups to showcase their businesses in January during Virtual Enterprise International’s Long Island Regional Conference and Exhibition. Semifinals were held in February.

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.