Riverhead Students Design Panels In Honor Of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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RIVERHEAD, NY— Riverhead High School students once again collaborated to participate in the annual East End Arts Council's Martin Luther King, Jr. portrait project.

This year, students in Jo-Ann Dellaposta’s and Selena Pagliarulo’s art classes created a portrait of modern dancer, choreographer, activist, and anthropologist Katherine Dunham.

"The artistic excellence of our students continues to impress me every day," said Riverhead Central School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Hagan. "This annual project not only showcases their talent but their teamwork, dedication, and creativity as well."

Each student selected for the project created one to two panels, totaling 16 panels. The panels were then brought together to produce "a remarkable portrayal" of Katherine Dunham, the district said.

Known as the "Matriarch of Black Dance," Dunham is one of the most renowned modern dancers of the 20^th century, the district said.

She was a pioneer of dance anthropology and founded the Katherine Dunham Company — the first African-American modern dance company, the district added.

Dunham received a number of accolades for her work, including Kennedy Center honors and a National Medal of Arts.

The following Riverhead High School students participated in this year’s project: Alexandra Acritelli, Genesis Arizaga-Quiros, Katheryn Avarez Guerra, Kallin Coggins, Victoria Cole, Jessie Falero, Graciela Franco Guevara, Pheyton Japa, Sage Jones, and Allison Tuba.