At a recent Board of Education meeting, Ward Melville High School student Violet Fortner was recognized for her extraordinary bravery and quick thinking that helped save a life in the Three Village community.

On June 2, while driving home from school, Violet noticed two men on a front lawn, one of whom appeared to be in medical distress. Trusting her instincts, she turned her car around and immediately acted. The man in need was part of a father-son contracting team working in the neighborhood, and the son was unprepared to respond to the emergency.

Drawing on CPR and First-Aid training she received at both Ward Melville and Gelinas, Violet sprang into action. She called 911, relayed medical history to dispatchers, called on neighbors with medical backgrounds for help, and performed high-quality CPR until first responders arrived. EMTs and the Setauket Fire District later commended Violet for her calm leadership and the effectiveness of her compressions – something they noted is rarely seen outside of trained professionals.

Remarkably, Violet had spent that school day reviewing cardiac anatomy in her Honors Human Physiology class and had attended her very first EMT training class that same evening.

Violet’s quick response and selfless courage exemplify the power of preparedness, compassion and community spirit. The district is proud to honor her incredible actions and looks forward to all she will accomplish in the future.

Date Added: 6/25/2025

Despite rainy skies, the Ward Melville High School music department delivered an energetic and memorable performance during its annual Pops Concert on Monday, June 9.

Performing to a full house, students from across the department entertained the crowd with an array of pop hits, film scores and more. Several ensembles incorporated choreography into their sets, adding an extra element of flair to the show.

The evening concluded with a grand finale that brought together the entire music department, including band, orchestra, and chorus, for one final performance.

As the school year closes, the concert served as a send-off to graduating seniors and a welcome to the incoming ninth and 10th grade musicians who will join the department in the fall.

Date Added: 6/16/2025

This spring, Ward Melville High School students stepped beyond the classroom and into the community to take a stand against underage drinking. As part of their health curriculum, students participated in the Sticker Shock Campaign, an annual initiative led by the Town of Brookhaven’s Drug Prevention Coalition.

The campaign challenges students to create impactful sticker slogans and designs reminding adults of the legal and ethical consequences of providing alcohol or vape products to minors. From the many creative submissions, the coalition selected three standout designs to be printed and used in the campaign.

Students then visited several local businesses, including 7-Eleven on Old Town Road, Setauket Beer & Beverage and Luigi’s Pizzeria, where they placed the stickers on cases of alcohol, vape products, pizza boxes and bags. The goal: to “shock” the community into awareness and spark conversations about prevention.

This youth-led effort empowers students to take an active role in promoting safer, healthier choices in their community and serves as a powerful reminder of the impact young voices can have in driving positive change.

Date Added: 6/11/2025

Ward Melville High School held a heartfelt celebration recognizing 10 outstanding students and 10 influential staff members as the first-ever recipients of the Green and Gold Award.

The award was created to honor students who have made a meaningful impact at Ward Melville by fostering school spirit, uplifting others and contributing positively to the overall school environment. In turn, each senior selected for this honor invited one staff member who played a significant role in shaping their high school experience.

In a moving ceremony attended by family and friends, students and staff members took turns delivering brief speeches about one another, sharing personal stories and heartfelt gratitude. The evening was filled with laughter, smiles and touching moments of appreciation.

Congratulations to the 2025 Green and Gold Award recipients:

Student Honorees

* Isabella Caracci
* Christopher Christian
* Brandon Giambalvo
* Ella Ignacio
* Jake Kunzler
* Yu Xuan Liu
* Araju Patel
* Peyton Phillips
* Matthew Stein
* Jason Stiles

Staff Honorees

* Terri Etheridge
* Brianna Gobetz
* Vinny Oliver
* Walter Olsen
* Lisa Primerano
* Stacey Russo
* Cheryl Taborsky
* Kim Taliercio
* Vinny Tunkel
* Janine Verdi

This inaugural event set a new tradition at Ward Melville, celebrating the connections and community spirit that define the Patriot experience.

Date Added: 6/10/2025

Ward Melville High School proudly celebrated the achievements of its graduating seniors at the annual Senior Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding academic, artistic and leadership accomplishments across a wide array of disciplines.

The ceremony highlighted exceptional student performance in English, mathematics, science, history, business, world languages, technology, the arts and more. Notable honorees included National Merit Scholarship Finalists, Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars, and recipients of prestigious distinctions such as the Attorney General Letitia James Triple C Award and the Thomas DiNapoli State Comptroller Student Achievement Award.

Among the students recognized were:

* Agata Arkhipkina – Excellence in Poetry and Creative Writing.
* Reed Bhella – Excellence in United States History.
* Eden Blatt – Principles of Engineering Award.
* Robert Boswell – Excellence in Character and Leadership in the English Classroom.
* Justine Bushman – Duke Ellington Award, English Effort and Initiative Award.
* Madison Calvanese – Best in Forensics.
* Isabella Caracci – Excellence in Law - Shirley Lynch Scholarship.
* Dhikshika Cherivirala – Graphic Arts Award.
* Allexia Chou – Italian.
* Christopher Christian – Attorney General Letitia James Triple C Award.
* Hannah Coffin – 3D Art Award.
* Hazel Cohas – Thomas DiNapoli Office of the State Comptroller Student Achievement Award.
* Lily De Bei – Excellence in Character and Leadership in the English Classroom, Excellence in Social Studies.
* Aala DeLorenzo Freidank – English Effort and Initiative Award.
* Madeline Dundon – English Theater Award.
* Katie Duong – National Merit Scholarship Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Winner, Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar.
* Nicolaus Feldmann – Mechatronics I and II Award.
* Julia Gallery – English Theater Award.
* Ash Garcia-Diaz – Graphic Arts Award.
* Kate Gmytrasiewicz – Excellence in Economics.
* Callie Goodrow – Mechatronics III and IV Award, Woodworking IV Award.
* Dylan Grant – Outstanding Business Student.
* Luca Greggo – Excellence in Overview of Calculus Honors.
* Althea Grubbs-Aubrecht – Excellence in Character and Leadership in the English Classroom.
* Katherine Hanson – National School Choral Award, NSDC Award for Academic Growth and Student Leadership.
* Khizer Hassan – Woodworking III Award.
* Kaitlyn Horn – Spanish.
* Joanna Huang – National School Orchestra Award.
* Sarah Jablonsky – English Achievement Award, Best in Chemistry Award, Excellence in AP Calculus BC.
* Aaron Karim – English Effort and Initiative Award.
* Katherine Kelton – English Achievement Award.
* Livia La Camera – Excellence in Literature Study and Analysis.
* Daniel Liang – Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar, Nefarious Nine Award.
* Remus Liff – Al Schwartz Honorary Award in Science, Excellence in Literature Study and Analysis, Social Science Scholar Award.
* Erinn Luo – Excellence in Poetry and Creative Writing, Nefarious Nine Award.
* Tyler Matukonis – Excellence in Written Composition and Rhetoric, Nefarious Nine Award, Science in Society Award, Worst Judges Survival Award.
* Collin McCabe – Al Schwartz Honorary Award in Science.
* Jack Mitrani – Excellence in Literature Study and Analysis, Nefarious Nine Award, Science in Society Award.
* Melina Montgomery – French.
* Jeremiah Moody – Video Production Award.
* Daniel Nemesure – Excellence in Psychology.
* Montanna Nemeth – Excellence in Health and Physical Education.
* Brielle Norton – Outstanding Business Student.
* Grace Pantano – Attorney General Letitia James Triple C Award, NSDC Award for Academic Growth and Student Leadership.
* Ava Perrotta – Excellence in Literature Study and Analysis, Thomas DiNapoli Student Achievement Award.
* Sophie Reed – Excellence in Pre-Calculus.
* CeJae Reynolds – English Achievement Award.
* Kate Ronzoni – Excellence in Law - Shirley Lynch Scholarship.
* Sophia Rosalia – Office of the Attorney General Civic Ambassador Award.
* Lauren Schneider – Excellence in World History.
* Ryan Scriven – Al Schwartz Honorary Award in Science, Excellence in Political Science, Excellence in Written Composition and Rhetoric, Multiple Languages.
* Annabella Segnini – Best in Sports Medicine, Excellence in AP Calculus AB.
* Alexander Singer – Best in Science Overall, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Nefarious Nine Award, Outstanding Participation on Math Team, Worst Judges Survival Award.
* Mallika Singh – Nefarious Nine Award.
* Sean Skinner – InSTAR All-Star, Nefarious Nine Award, Excellence in AP Statistics, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Winner, Robotics Award, Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar, Worst Judges Survival Award.
* Alexander Song – Excellence in Differential Equations, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Best in Physics.
* Katherine Specht – Best in Environmental Science, ASL, Excellence in AP Computer Science Principles, Suffolk County Executive Public Service Award.
* Jason Stiles – Excellence in Health and Physical Education.
* Keifer Stroff – Excellence in Written Composition and Rhetoric.
* Sophia Syritsyna – Excellence in Character and Leadership in the English Classroom.
* Maxwell Thompson – Excellence in Sociology.
* Mikaela Tucci – English Effort and Initiative Award.
* Adriana Victoriano – Best in Biology Award.
* Amit Vishnia – John Philip Sousa Award.
* Michael Wei – Excellence in Data Structures, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Outstanding Participation on CS and Coding Club.
* Oliver Wu – Excellence in AP History, Excellence in Written Composition and Rhetoric.
* Zoe Xiao – Outstanding Art Student Award.
* Shirley Xiong – Nefarious Nine Award, Math Departmental Award.
* Aimee Yang – AP Art Award, National Merit Scholarship Finalist.
* Judy Zhao – InSTAR Publication Award, Nefarious Nine Award.
* Steven Zhong – English Achievement Award, Excellence in AP Computer Science A, Excellence in Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra, Best in Environmental Science.

Congratulations to all award recipients for their remarkable accomplishments and lasting impact on the Ward Melville community. The Class of 2025 has left a legacy of excellence, and their futures shine bright.

Date Added: 6/6/2025