Brentwood, Mineola marching bands are state champions
Brentwood’s Green Machine marching band won first place in the Large School 2 class at this year’s New York State Field Band Conference Championships. Pictured here, band director Joseph Sitler hoists the band’s trophy at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse. Credit: Brentwood Union Free School Dist
Marching bands from Brentwood and Mineola high schools were among the first-place winners at this year’s New York State Field Band Conference Championships.
The annual competition included bands from about 50 high schools statewide performing roughly 10-minute acts evaluated on factors such as music performance and visual presentation, according to the conference. It was held in October at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.
Mineola’s Mustangs marching band scored 95.050, which beat out eight other bands statewide to win the Small School 1 class, while Brentwood’s Green Machine marching band scored 92.000, besting 10 other bands statewide to win the Large School 2 class.
“From our first rehearsal in June to our final performance in October, our members showed grit and determination and strived to be the best version of themselves,” said Mineola’s marching band director, Kenneth Kamping. “This season was really a special one, and I could not be more proud.”
Brentwood’s marching band director, Joseph Sitler, also expressed pride for his band’s accomplishments.
“Winning the championship is just the cherry on top of what’s already been a truly special journey,” he said.
Other top-performing local schools were Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, which placed second in the Large School 3 class with an 80.950 score, and Roslyn High School, which placed second in the Small School 1 class with a 93.000 score.
GREAT NECK
Telly Awards
Students in the Great Neck Union Free School District won two silver awards at the 46th Annual Telly Awards, which honors “excellence in video and television across all screens,” according to its website.
The district’s Great Neck Public Schools Television (GNPS/TV), available on the district’s website as well as on Optimum and Verizon FIOS in the Great Neck area, won for a video that included drone footage of more than 800 students and staffers standing in the shape of a peace sign. They formed the symbol during Lakeville Elementary School’s World Kindness Day activities in November 2024.
The other winning video was a short suspense film called “The Echoes of Elara,” created by Great Neck South High School students Jagger Cardinale, Maisyn Cardinale, Michelle Harris, Jessica Tamari, Sophia Voicu and Raymond Zhang.
HAUPPAUGE
App design winners
A team of fifth graders from Bretton Woods Elementary School won first place this fall in an app design contest coordinated by Tata Consultancy Services’ Go Innovate Together program, which strives to help youth “develop digital innovation and career-readiness skills,” according to its website.
This year’s contest encouraged participants to use technology to help promote physical and emotional wellness by focusing on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No. 3, Good Health and Wellbeing, according to competition officials.
Bretton Woods’ team, titled “Don’t Be Dangerous,” designed an app to help users “stay informed about air and water quality and educated about local diseases,” school officials said.
MANHASSET
Presidential Citation Award in music
The Manhasset School District is one of only two winners statewide of the Presidential Citation Award from the New York State School Music Association. The award recognizes districts “that act as models for music education programs,” according to the association.
To be considered, districts must undergo an evaluation process requiring them to demonstrate “the depth and excellence of their music education programs across all grade levels,” district officials said.
“This award acknowledges not only the visible achievements of our students . . . but also the countless daily moments of dedication in our classrooms that make our program exceptional,” said Joseph Owens, the district’s director of fine and performing arts.
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.
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