PROGRAM / LONG ISLAND SCHOLAR-ARTIST AWARDS
Recognizing Academic and Artistic Excellence
The Long Island Scholar-Artist Awards, presented by Long Island Arts Alliance in partnership with Newsday, honor high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in both the arts and academics.
Students are nominated by their schools in five disciplines: Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance, and Media Arts.
Each year, 40 students are selected for distinction—20 Scholar-Artist Award recipients (10 from Nassau County and 10 from Suffolk County) and 20 Merit Award recipients. Together, these students represent the strength, depth, and diversity of young artistic talent across the region.
Scholar-Artist Award recipients receive region-wide recognition for their achievements, including a half-page profile and photo published in Newsday. Each Scholar-Artist is awarded a $500 scholarship, made possible through support from the Arts Reach Fund at The New York Community Trust, and is honored at a formal awards ceremony held at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in the spring. Students also receive a professionally framed print of their published profile, with an additional framed copy provided to their school for display.
Merit Award recipients are also recognized for their accomplishments and honored at the annual awards ceremony. They are featured in a group photo published in Newsday and celebrated alongside their peers as part of this region-wide recognition.
The Scholar-Artist Awards celebrate not only individual achievement, but the vital role that arts education plays in shaping creative, disciplined, and engaged students across Long Island.
This prestigious program is proudly endorsed by:
- New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA)
- New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA)
- Nassau and Suffolk County Art Supervisors Associations
- Nassau and Suffolk chapters of the NYS Council of Administrators of Music Education
Applications for the Class of 2027 Now Open - Nominate Now!
Applications must be initiated by a teacher, school administrator, or arts educator. Students and parents cannot nominate themselves.
Schools may only put forward one student per discipline each year. The nominator begins the application in the online portal. The educator and student then work together to complete the application and upload required materials. The application can be saved and returned to at any time before the deadline.
2026 Long Island Scholar-Artists
We're thrilled to announce this year's winners of the Long Island Scholar-Artist Awards! These exceptional students have been recognized for their outstanding achievements in the arts across five disciplines: Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance, and Media Arts. Stay tuned as we celebrate their incredible talents throughout the school year in partnership with Newsday, with each Scholar-Artist featured in monthly profiles in print and online.
Scholar-Artist Arts Educator Committee:
Dr. John Gallagher | Chairman, Longwood Schools
Anissa Arnold, Herricks Schools
Shirlene Blake, New York State Dance Education Association
Dr. Judith Chen, Scholar-Artist Liason
Loretta Corbisiero-Drakos, Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Dr. Diana Cook, Middle Country Schools
Lisa Drance, North Babylon Schools
Louisa Eiermann, Bayport-Blue Point Schools, Ret.
Ava Favara, Long Island High School for the Arts, Ret.
Dr. Andrew Frey-Gould, Oceanside Schools
James Incorvaia, Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts
Dale Lewis, Long Island Arts Alliance
Dr. Susan Turner Radin, South Huntington Schools
Joanne Spencer, Nassau BOCES
Lauren Wagner, Long Island Arts Alliance
Susan Weber, Uniondale Schools, Ret.
2025 Scholar-Artist:
Mackenzie Kling
Mt. Sinai High School
2024 Scholar-Artist:
Saadiyah Proctor
North Babylon HS
2024 Scholar-Artist: Gabriella D’Orlando, Kellenberg Memorial HS
2024 Scholar-Artist: Silas Lobernstein, Hauppauge HS
Thank you to our selection committee, teachers, families, and school administrators for championing arts education across the region. And a special thank you to our media partner, Newsday, and to our sponsor, the Arts Reach Fund at The New York Community Trust, for making this program possible.
