Seven Long Island students are in the ranks of the nation’s most accomplished young artists.

The teens were among 734 nationwide recently selected by the Miami-based nonprofit YoungArts to receive 2026 YoungArts Awards for their “exceptional talent” and “pursuit of a professional life in the arts,” according to the organization. Nearly 13,000 students applied, and winners received $250.

Long Island’s winners, their high schools and artistic disciplines: David Bernstein, Great Neck South, photography; Ethan Borda, Paul D. Schreiber in Port Washington, jazz/piano; Yeewan Melody Chen, Syosset, design; Mia Frohlich, Ross School in East Hampton, theater/musical; Gary Han, Syosset, classical music/viola; Chloe Hu, Jericho, visual arts; and Elizabeth Lee, Roslyn, classical music/violin.

“We are thrilled to recognize the extraordinary creativity, imagination and talent of this year’s award winners,” YoungArts President and CEO Clive Chang said in a statement. “The YoungArts Awards not only affirm their interests and talents, but give them the support networks and resources that allow them to envision a long-term path and sustain it.”

The winners were selected by “esteemed artists in a rigorous adjudication process” and demonstrated “exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry and an extraordinary commitment to developing their craft,” according to YoungArts.

“We are all so incredibly proud of Elizabeth [Lee] for earning this prestigious recognition,” Douglas Aliano, Roslyn’s orchestra director, said in a statement. “Musicians like her give us great confidence in the future of the arts.”

BALDWIN

‘Water Wise’ ART CONTEST

Steele Elementary School students recently swept all 12 spots in Liberty Water’s “Be Water Wise” art contest, which invited children in the company’s service area to submit artwork reflecting the theme “Be a Water Saver.” For winning, their pieces are featured in the company’s 2026 “Be Water Wise” calendar.

The winners were Genesis Vanessa Aguilar, Jada Marie Cervantes, Joseph Cespedes, Steve Feeney, Rochaurd George Jr., Ireland Hall, Ariana Mustapha, Valentina Portillo-Maravilla, Micaela Romero, Daniel Sewnarine, Sumayyah Yahmalik and Elizabeth Zaluaga.

“This is our second year participating . . . and I was delighted to see a significant increase in student participation,” Steele Principal LaTrace Finney said in a statement. “I was even more thrilled that all of the winners were from Steele.”

EAST ISLIP

New courtroom

East Islip High School recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil a new in-school courtroom, which is a dedicated space for the school’s mock trial team and its trial and debate class.

The room was designed as a “flexible learning environment” that can be used across many disciplines to promote “engagement, critical thinking and real-world learning,” according to school officials. It was funded with help from the For the Kids Foundation in East Islip.

“The biggest motivating factor for creating this space was seeing our mock trial team in action,” East Islip School District Superintendent Paul Manzo said in a statement. “Their passion, preparation and commitment made it clear they deserved an authentic space that mirrors a real courtroom.”

NORTHPORT

Math champions

Northport High School was a first-place winner this past fall in the 2025 Math Madness National Championship. The event is coordinated by American Mathematics Competitions in partnership by AreteLabs, a Chicago-based company that creates “research-driven online games and events,” according to its website.

The bracket-style championship, which consisted of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, was the culmination of 10 weeks of collaborative and individual rounds that began with more than 300 high school teams nationwide. In the finals, Northport defeated a team from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.

“This victory represents the culmination of weeks of dedication, problem-solving excellence and teamwork,” Naomi Edlin, Northport’s Mathletes faculty adviser, said in a statement.