County Recognizes Smithtown Artists And Activists

Nine Smithtown students were recognized by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and the Shanti Fund of Long Island for their contributions in celebrating the renowned freedom fighter and peace activist Mahatma Gandhi.

On Oct. 2, declared the International Day of Nonviolence, students from Smithtown, Patchogue-Medford, Freeport and other Long Island school districts celebrated Gandhi’s birthday and his existence by participating in a peace walk, peace songs, pace dances and an art exhibition of student works promoting peace at the county offices in Hauppauge. Bellone and Shanti Fund volunteers Dr. Panna Shah and Arvind Vora presented students with special awards during a recent ceremony, also held in Hauppauge.

The following Smithtown CSD schools and students were honored:

Zachary Goldstein – First Place Elementary Art Award (Smithtown Elementary School)

Paige Meyer – First Place High School Art Award (Smithtown High School East)

Shrey Thaker – “Youth for Peace” Moderator (Smithtown High School East)

Shannon Dowson – Yoga demonstration and peace in her life presentation (Mills Pond Elementary School)

James Funaro – Youth Presentation Essay Award (Mills Pond Elementary School)

Julia Esposito – Peace Perspective Presentation (Smithtown High School East)

Caicee Harrigan – Peace Perspective Presentation (Smithtown High School East)

Christian DeMarzo – Peace Perspective Presentation (Smithtown High School East)

Maria Impastato – Peace Perspective Presentation (Smithtown High School East)

“It was impressive to see all of the different ways Smithtown students contributed to the Shanti Peace Celebration,” said Michael Mastrangelo, the Smithtown CSD Director of Fine Arts.

Since 1999, Volunteers of the Shanti Fund have embarked upon a project entitled “Promoting a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for Youngsters on Long Island,” in which each year a peace related theme is selected, presented to the school administrators across Long Island and discussed. Teachers, students and parents are invited to participate.

Photo by Smithtown Schools: Smithtown administrators, teachers and students were recognized by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and volunteers for the Shanti Fund for their participation in the International Day of Nonviolence in celebration of peace activist Mahatma Gandhi.

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