Two of Wilton’s High School stage productions were recognized at the Halo awards this week. The Halo Awards honors high school students’ achievements in all aspects of theatre. Over 60 high schools from across the State of Connecticut participated in the 16th Annual Halo Awards this year!

The Fall play ‘Witness for the Prosecution’, based on the Agatha Christie play, directed by Kevin Slater, sets by Christian Planton, produced and costumed by Marty Kozlowski. The play won the award for Best Performance by a cast in an Ensemble production. It was also nominated for:

• Best Costumes -Peyton Matik
• Best Specialty Ensemble - Nick Furst, Lily Mikita, Andrew Tsantilas, Alex Meyers, Olivia Vitarelli
• Best Performance by a Couple or Dynamic Duo in a Play Nick Furst, Lily Mikita
• Best Male Standout in an Ensemble Production - Nick Furst
• Best Classical Play.

The spring musical, directed by Meredith Walker, produced and costumed by Marty Kozlowski, sets by Christian Planton, was nominated for eight Halo Awards and won the prestigious Best Musical award. Other nominations were for:

• Best Performance by a leading actress in a musical – Sarah Bates
• Best Performance by a featured actor in a musical - Michael Biondo as Crutche
• Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical - Jack Parrotta as Jack Kelly
• Best Performance By a Supporting Actor in a musical – Ryan Lynn as Davey
• Best Featured Dancers - Jessica Olin, Olivia Vitarelli, Quinn Lupton, Jenna Bonafide, Emma Driver, Abby Seaman, Sasha Sypher & Taylor White.
• Best Orchestra
• Best Dancing

This is the first year that Wilton High School spring musical has been eligible for consideration in the Halo awards. This is because the musical is performed very late in the school year. This year, the Halo award committee extended the eligibility window to allow Wilton to compete for the awards, which are the High School equivalent of the Tony Awards. Monday, June 3 saw a bus full of excited WHS students attend the event at the Palace Theater in Waterbury.

The Halo awards are the cherry on the top for producer and artistic director Marty Kozlowski who is retiring from the school district this year after over 23 years of working on productions for the High School. She is so proud of the achievements of the students and will miss her Wilton theater family when she relocates to North Carolina next year.  She strongly believes that there is a place in the theater for all kids who want to participate. Ms. Kozlowski encourages kids to ‘Just give it a try! I’ve seen many shy kids get bitten by the bug and then blossom and become a part of our Theater family’.

Speaking of the Halo awards, Kozlowski said ‘It was so exciting; it was a huge honor to be recognized in this way. As well as awards, nominees get to perform, we opened the show with a number from Newsies’. On winning two awards, she reported ‘Winning Best Ensemble in a play was a huge win, since it was for the overall production and all the kids involved. Then when the award for Best Musical was announced, the kids were ecstatic, they all flew out of their seats and charged the stage to accept the award.  Best Musical was the grand finale of the evening, we'd been holding our breath all night to see how it would go.’

Newsies cast member and nominee for Best Performance by a leading actress in a musical – Sarah Bates had this to say about the night ‘The energy on the bus on the way there and especially on the way back was completely electric, everyone felt like celebrities, complete with formal dress. Watching the other groups perform was fantastic because of how supportive everyone was of each other.’ On learning that Newsies had won best Musical, she said ‘People were screaming, laughing and crying. The collective energy was so high that everyone ran up the stairs and onto the stage while still clinging to each other. Right in that moment, we were one family, holding each other up and so loving and supportive of each other’

No two productions are ever the same and the theater department relies on a dedicated network of parents, students and alumni to put on the shows each year. Newsies needed two dance choreographers and a fight choreographer ‘A lot of times my old students come back and are my loyal helpers, the fight choreographer was a school alumnus’. Ms. Kozlowski feels that the kids really connected with this play and gave it their all, something that fills her with gratitude. ‘They were off the charts with enthusiasm and energy for this production’

The Theater program was recognized last week by the Wilton Board of Education in their ‘Salute to Excellence’ award. Ms.Kozlowski received a standing ovation from students and board members as she accepted the award on behalf of the department. Superintendent Kevin Smith spoke of the high quality, exemplary programs that the department runs as he thanked her for all the work she has done in support of our students over years.

 

On Thursday June 6, two Wilton High School students were among 800 teen artists and writers from across the country who were recognized at Carnegie Hall as National Medalists in the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards-the nation's longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12, presented by the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

The ceremony was opened by actress and writer Tina Fey who said: "Having the experience and achievement of what you've already done, the great thing is that no matter what you end up doing, you've already accessed the creative part of your life and of yourself. You have all had the experience of making something where there once was nothing, so you know that anything is possible."

The ceremony also featured awards alumnus and fashion designer Zac Posen, actress Rose Byrne and the Poet Laureate of the United States Tracy K. Smith. They each presented awards and congratulated students for their accomplishments in the arts.

Julianna Russo, a senior at Wilton High School, won her award for her ceramic ‘Useless Tea pot’. Her teapot and tea cups were both made on the potter’s wheel.  She threw a large ring without a bottom, cut and formed the shapes.  She left throwing rings in the piece to communicate to the viewer that it was make on the potter’s wheel.  She thought it would be fun to make something that is usually functional into something nonfunctional, making the piece a sculpture, therefor titling the piece "Useless Tea Pot". After graduating WHS, Julianna will continue to develop her skills in ceramics as she works towards a degree in art therapy.

Caroline Luciano is a sophomore at Wilton High School created her photograph in her advanced photography class this fall. Her photograph ‘Ella Rose’ was taken with an Infrared converted camera as well as a regular DSL camera. Speaking on how she composted the picture, Caroline said ‘This photograph was created by combining two images. One image was captured using an infrared photograph taken behind the school and the other image was captured using a DSL Photograph taken of my sister at home, the photograph was then further enhanced with an iridescent silver and pearl paint to increase the surreal quality.

 

Accompanying the students at the award ceremony were two Wilton High School art teachers Suzanne Brandt, who teaches photography and Michelle Currier who teaches ceramics.  “I have never had a student win at nationals before. I am very excited that we won two national awards at Scholastic Art Awards’ said Brandt.

More than 200 of the winning artworks were showcased at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery in the exhibition named Art.Write.Now.2019. Further artworks were displayed at the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons School of Design at the New School. After the summer, selected works from the exhibition are going on a nationwide tour to art galleries around the country. Further details on the tour are available here.

Each year, Wilton High School recognizes graduating seniors in the art, music and theater departments, presenting awards and scholarships for achievement in each field. This year’s Fine and Performing Arts (FAPA) Awards ceremony took place on May 22, and nearly 50 senior student artists, musicians, and performers were honored.

The AP art show reception kicked off the evening with a display of the incredible examples of fine art produced by the seniors. These photographs, paintings and sculptures would look at home gracing the walls of any professional gallery.

This is a moving evening for all involved as the teachers celebrate how far the students have come and what they have achieved. It was clearly evident that the teachers are going to miss this group of seniors that they have watched blossom over their four years in High School. English and theater teacher Heather Delude summed up what many of the teachers felt. In a display of happy emotion, she shared how proud she is that one of her students – Ava Kaplan is following in her footsteps and attending the University of Florida on the same course that she graduated from twenty years ago. The first of her students ever to do so.

Awards were given to students by teachers and representatives from town organizations including Wilton Children’s Theater, Weir Farm, The Greens at Cannondale and the PTSA.

The teachers presenting awards all echoed the message that none of this would be possible without the support of our district and administration, and their appreciation for the arts and the role it plays in the lives of our students.

“Every year lives are changed by this program thanks to them” Said Marty Kozlowski, who produces the stage productions at WHS “We also are blessed with a dream come true in our professional staff –passionate, committed and talented people who are able to create art on our stage’

‘It is wonderful to see all these students who chose to make the arts a part of their educational program’ said Nick Loafman, Instructional Leader for Music at the High School,  ‘In a place like Wilton they have so many good choices about how to spend their time, so the fact that they all lived such a devotion to the arts is a great thing. As educators, we are all so happy that parents and families supported these choices, as their support is integral to these experiences as well’

Each year, one student is awarded the prestigious Fine and Performing Arts Award scholarship, for demonstrating exemplary dedication, leadership and passion for the arts for all four years. In order to win the sought-after FAPA Award, the student must be involved with at least three separate arts departments at WHS. The 2019 Fine and Performing Arts Award was presented to Alex Killian.

The other students who received awards were:

FINE ART AWARD WINNERS:

AP Student Portfolios:

Phoebe Satterwhite, Zareen Reza, Yashika Nana, Eleanor Imrie, Victoria Andrew, Jayne Guglielmo, Flynn Crowther and Emilia Romo

Scholastic Art Award Winners:

Zoey Araquel, Emma Caldwell, Davis Cote, Megan McNamara, Julianna Russo, Maud Seymour, Caroline Luciano, Christopher Shaw and Giana Zaccone

Stamford Art Association Award:

Mixed Media - Zareen Reza

Photography - Theo Laflamme

Sculpture / Ceramics - Megan McNamara and Zoey Araquel

The Festival Logo Design: Christopher Shaw

The Greens at Cannondale / Wilton Meadows Holiday Card Contest : Phoebe Satterwhite

Ambler Trust Scholarship in honor of Rusty Hurd : Zareen Reza and Elizabeth Yoon
Friends of Weir Farm Award : Zareen Reza
Paint Brush Award: Emily Johnson
Open Art Mural Award:  Elizabeth Yoon, Zareen Reza and Leah Moore
Richard Brandt Video Award : Alex Killian
Echelon Awards :   Max Schwartz and Victoria Andrew
Charles A. Dana Award : Phoebe Satterwhite
PTSA Book Awards:  Emmanuel Bazile, Yashika Nana, Flynn Crowther  Phoebe Satterwhite and Zareen Reza

Band Awards

• Director’s Award for Band: Julianna Fastiggi
•  Louis Armstrong National Jazz Award: Sean Carlson
•  John Philip Sousa National Band Award: Adam Harley

Orchestra Awards

• Director’s Award for Orchestra: Connor Adams
• National School Orchestra Award: Mona Sinha

Choir Awards

• Director’s Award for Chorus: Jayna Gumins
• National School Choral Awards: Hannah Mikita and Grant Jones
• Wilton Singers Scholarships:  Alex Myers and Davis Langhoff

Theater Awards

• Wilton Children's Theater : Lily Kepner, Jayna Gumins, Dylan Pojano and Taylor White
• Golden Curtain Award:  Hannah Mikita
• Director’s Award:  Alex Myers
• Producer’s Award:  Dylan Pojano
• Improve Awards: Ava Kaplan and George Murphy
• TAPS Awards: Taylor White and Jessica Olin 
• Little Theater Company Award: Rachel Wilson and Ava Kaplan 
• Rookie of the Year: Riley Luchetta
• PTSA Theatre Arts Book Award : Dylan Pojano

 

 

On Saturday Evening 63 members from the Wilton High School chorus performed on stage at Carnegie Hall. The singers were all members of the Mens, Womens and Madrigal Choirs at Wilton High School. They were invited to perform as part of the New England Symphonic Ensemble. The students joined two other choirs on stage and performed with a professional orchestra.

‘Any time singers have the opportunity to collaborate and share in their joy for singing, it's a wonderful thing’ Said Kevin Cotellese, choral director at Wilton High School ‘This was a surprise and an honor to be invited. In Wilton, we strive to create authentic experiences for our students. And, simply put, it doesn't get more authentic than performing Haydn and Mozart at Carnegie Hall’

The students worked very hard for this experience and for the two days preceding the concert they attended rehearsals in New York with the other choirs and performers they shared the performance with.

‘It was a labor of love to prepare for this challenging repertoire’ continued Cotellese, ‘Performing in front of a gracious audience that truly appreciates their work has provided a positive reinforcement that is invaluable, and provides credible evidence of the value we place on music education in this district’

The Wilton High School music department provides a variety of performance experiences both in the curricular (Clune) performances and those outside of school (Adjudication Festivals, etc.). In all of these venues, they are hearing from people other than their teachers, that their work, and the passion they have for music are valued. ‘It is very rewarding for me to see all their work appreciated’ concluded Cotellese.

The High School Choir shared the stage with the Vancouver Bach Choir, and the Cal Poly Choir. They performed Mozart’s Missa brevis in C major, K. 220 "Sparrow" and Haydn’s Te Deum for the Empress Maria Therese, Hob.XXIIIc:2

 

This student application form is available here. To access this google Form, your student must be logged into their Wilton PS google account.

At the Board of Education Meeting on Thursday May 9^th Two Middlebrook Students were awarded CABE (Connecticut Association of Boards of Education) Student Leadership Awards.

The CABE Student Leadership Awards Program is designed to honor Connecticut High School and Middle School students who exhibit exemplary leadership skills.  Two students from each school in a CABE member district, are eligible to receive the Student Leadership Award.

School staff nominate students who exhibit leadership skills that include:  willingness to take on challenges, capability to make difficult decisions, concern for others, ability to work with others, willingness to commit to a project, diplomacy, ability to understand issues clearly, ability to honor a commitment.

Principal Lauren Feltz Introduced the two Middlebrook eighth grade winners and spoke of their accomplishments.

Carly Pierson is an effervescent young lady who brings joy to those around her--teachers and students alike. She is a member of Team Change, a group that promotes positive change in the school environment. Carly was also one of the founding members of the Upstanders club, a group that speaks out and works against bullying in our school. In her classes, Carly works very hard and pays attention to details in order to go the extra mile. Quietly and unassumingly, she is a role model for the other students. She speaks up, ask questions, and always tries her best. Her teachers love that she is not afraid to be herself and is confident in her own skin. Outside of school, Carly is an accomplished equestrian who qualified for Medal Class of Fairfield County, a very selective and challenging riding class. She successfully competes as an equestrian most weekends and is able to manage her schedule and school work well. We are very proud of Carly, and we look forward to all that she will accomplish in her future with all her kind and caring ways.

George Hahn is an exceptional CABE leader. Not only is he kind and caring with all of the members of the Middlebrook community, George is very involved in activities in the school. He is a member of the WEB Committee and Upstandards Club. George helps to create a safe and welcoming environment on the 8 Green team. He is a leader in every single class that he attends, and does so with a bright attitude and a warm “thank you” at the end of the day. George is not only a scholar, but he is also an athlete. While being a straight A student throughout his middle school career, he has been playing, football, basketball, lacrosse, and tennis. He is an accomplished member of the Wilton Lacrosse Team and also plays with the Express Premier League. We are proud to be able to present George as Middlebrook’s CABE Student Leader. 

 

 

After three years in the planning, the Middlebrook Greenhouse was officially pronounced open today in a ribbon cutting ceremony this evening at Middlebrook school. The greenhouse was generously funded by  The Wilton Educational Foundation (WEF) and Wilton Continuing Education

Brian Ladewig, Co-Chair of Wilton Education Foundation ‘Thanks, and a credit to Heather, your vision for what’s possible with students in terms of thinking about how to connect home, careers and sustainable agriculture and all that great work. It is such a credit to the spirit of Middlebrook School. Thanks for our Eagle Scouts who helped to build out the raised beds inside. WEF board appreciates that too.

Renee Cahill, Co-Chair of Wilton Education Foundation said ‘ I am so impressed , it’s as beautiful as we thought it would be, all the back and forth, it was worth it.’

Kevin Smith recalled the genesis of the Greenhouse project. “Imagine, it’s January 2016, a little snow on the ground, there were raised bed gardens all the way through (the area where the greenhouse is now), Heather was renovating her house and had brought in all her old windows to act as covers on the raised beds. ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a greenhouse? Heather asked me ‘So I wouldn’t have to bring in all my old windows, we could grow all year round, and kids who were taking Family Consumer Science in winter would have a comparable experience with those taking it in the warmer months?’

Funding for the project was secured early on through WEF and the Wilton Education Foundation. Dr Smith recounted that there were however hurdles to overcome with many other aspects of the project – ‘There was a problem with everything else, the size of the greenhouse, the location, the heat, the lights, the water, the corrugated roof, the drainage, the egress, the ingress. One by one, all the issues were sorted out and two and a half years later, in October 2018, we finally received a certificate of occupancy from the town’

Emily Dowden from Wilton Continuing Education also spoke – “We are happy to support sustainability and growing student programs like this one and the needs of our students. Thank you, Heather. This summer we will be offering a farm to table program for our students. It will be held here at Middlebrook and run by Heather.

The greenhouse will be operational during the school year. It's system of heating and fans allows the temperature to be regulated between 60F and 80F to optimize plant growth.  The greenhouse beds are already full of growing plants - spinach, kale, tomatoes are all underway. Mrs. Priest is also trying to grow squash and zucchini within the greenhouse 'I've had a real problem with squash vine borers in previous years, I am really hoping for success this year' she added.

Students will learn about the greenhouse during their quarter in Mrs. Priest's Family and Consumer Science course.

 

This past weekend, 60 members of the Middlebrook Debate Club participated in the final debate of the school year. These students worked very hard for this debate, arguing whether or not the United States should develop and implement human gene-editing. We wanted to share the amazing results for this final debate of the year!

Team Results
Out of 84 teams, five of our teams placed in the top ten! One of our teams placed in the top two in the tournament after three rounds. Both teams then faced off in a final fourth round in front of all the debaters, judges, and members of the association at the end of the competition on stage in front of a packed auditorium. This was the first time one of our teams has made it to the final round of any debate competition.

The team of Katie in 8R, Gayathri in 8Y, and Sean in 8G debated the proposition side of the argument in this final round. A unanimous decision from three judges determined this team to be the winners of the entire debate. Katie, Gayathri, and Sean made Middlebrook Debate Club history on Saturday by becoming not only the first team to make it to the final round, but also be the #1 team

Debate Club is advised by Mr. Panoli and Ms. Durkin.  Further information on the club can be found on the Clubs and Activities page of this website.

Author Jennifer Roy visited Middlebrook on Tuesday as part of the Wilton Reads 2019, she talked about her book ‘Yellow Star’ and the research she undertook in order to write the book, which is based on the experience of her aunt, one of only twelve child survivors of the Lodz ghetto in Poland.

Each seventh-grade social studies class heard Ms. Roy speak about her experience writing the book, she shared her research, drafting and editing process with the children as well as historical information about the Lodz ghetto and what it was like for Jewish people in Poland during the time of the second world war.

An invitation to spend lunch with Ms. Roy was extended to all other students and around 70 joined her to hear her presentation and to ask questions about the book.

This week the annual tradition of Fifth graders toured Middlebrook took place. The Fifth graders enjoyed a performance from the sixth grade chorus and our advanced sixth grade stage band, The Sixth Dimension. The visiting students toured Middlebrook led by the seventh graders who will be serving as WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) leaders next year. This complex event was pulled together by Ms. Bonnie O’Brien, the school counselor for the rising sixth grade, in collaboration with colleagues from the music and counseling departments as well as our WEB leadership.

The event is one of great excitement for the fifth graders as they learn how things will be different next year when they reach Middle School.  Students are looking forward to the increased independence of middle school – no more walking in a line. They are looking forward to switching classes and having the opportunity to meet and work with different students in every class. Gym at Middlebrook is an exciting prospect for many. There are many new games to be played and things to try – the rock-climbing wall for example.

The most exciting thing about Middle School?  Our survey reveals the same results as last year - free seating in the cafeteria and the much better lunch food options!

 

Author Jennifer Elvgren visited Cider Mill on Thursday as part of the Wilton Reads 2019, she talked about her book ‘The Whispering Town’ which is a fictionalized account of a true event that happened in the town of Gilleleje, Denmark during World War two.

Every student heard her story about the writing and illustration process she undertook for her book. She also provided a background on the German occupation of Denmark during the second world war.

Fifth grade students had the opportunity to join her for lunch and a further question and answer session in the Library Learning Commons. She shared with the students that her top tips for writers were to read, read, read; to spend time outside in nature for inspiration; to not be afraid of kind criticism and to have a group of friends to trust and help you through set-backs and hard times. 

April is Inclusion/ Diversity Awareness Month. Wilton High School’s Top Inclusion Models (TIMs) traveled to Cider Mill to put on a show for the students. They performed ‘Do the Right Thing,’ based on the book ‘Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun’ The short play celebrates kindness, courage and doing the right thing.

Top Inclusion Models is a High School Club whose mission is to promote inclusion of all students regardless of ability or differences.

When: Friday, March 22, 2019
Time: Doors open at 6:30 pm, show will start at 7 pm
Where: Middlebrook Auditorium

 Fifth Grade teacher Mr Hossler ran his Souper Bowl Challenge again this week. Returning for a fourth year, Cider Mill students were encouraged to bring to school a non-perishable item for the Wilton Food Pantry. The unique twist is that students use their item to vote for the team they want to see win the Super Bowl by placing it on one of two tables - one for the Patriots, and one for the Rams. In a surprising outcome, the Los Angeles Rams won the popular vote. Patriot fans disappointment was short lived, as the Pats. still managed to win the actual Superbowl. Wilton Food Pantry collected over 500 items from Cider Mill students.