The Wheatley School’s 5th Annual Fine Arts Gala took place on April 30, 2025. During this evening, the East Williston school community came together to celebrate students of musical and artistic talent. The event was a display of the excellent work being accomplished in both the performing and visual arts across the district, bringing some of Wheatley’s most beautiful and colorful minds together for one fine evening.
At this event, student’s artwork from grades K-12 was displayed throughout the lobby, the cafeteria, and room 450. From meticulous drawings to imaginative mixed-media pieces, the gala represented the wide spectrum of creative skill developed throughout the curriculum. Family and friends were invited, which made this night extra special! They were able to admire the work and accomplishment of student artists.
Beyond art, there was also live music! Student musicians from North Side, Willets Road, and Wheatley entertained guests with live performances. These performances demonstrated not only skill but also the hard work the students and East Williston School District put into the music programs.
To begin, Ana Castro played Chopin Nocturne in B Flat Minor, a beautiful solo performance to kick off the night from such a talented person! With the electric piano, the audience got to see her countless hours of rehearsal and musical mastermind.
Next, Jacob Ferraro and Willow Grosskopf performed “Jason’s Song” by Ariana Grande. Between Willow’s enchanting voice and Jacob’s awesome accompanying music, it was truly a special duet!
For the third performance of the night, Ali Ahmad, Lauren Shin, Azelle Kim, Pavithra Eswar, Mr. John Watts, Ella Zhong, and the inspiring Mr. Stan Orlovsky played “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone. Surely so much practice was spent in harmonizing with everyone and learning all of the parts of the song. These performers should be so proud of all of the hard work they put in to engineer this teamwork into beautiful music!
And finally, a performance stemming from the lead actor and singer of Wheatley’s “Mamma mia” musical and an outstanding teacher, Alexa Herson & Mr. Watts, with “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA! If you missed seeing the musical this year, you truly missed out on something incredibly spectacular. Alexa Hersons performance embodies all of the lovesick and heartbroken emotions that this song and the whole musical encapsulates, down to her mannerisms and tone when she sings. Her powerful voice moved the whole audience, and it was amazing!
The Fine Arts Gala is a very special night for many people in the East Williston School District. This is the 5th Annual Fine Arts Gala so it is a relatively new tradition; however, this event has already become a treasured part of many students’ and teachers’ school years. It is a beautiful tradition and reminds us of the importance of creativity in learning. As families and students socialized and students proudly pointed at their work, it was clear that the Gala was more than an exhibition; it was a celebration of imagination and expression. If you did not attend The Fine Arts Gala, make sure to attend it next year! Seeing all of your peers perform is unforgettable, and being there to support each other is all the more amazing!
