Hats off to the Class of 2009!

AUGUST 2009—Nearly 30 high school students graduated on Friday, August 14, from Middletown High School in a ceremony held in the school's theatre. Click here to view the list of graduates and here to view a photo gallery.

JUNE 2009—More than 450 students graduated on Friday, June 26, from Middletown High School in a ceremony held at SUNY Orange. The gymnasium, filled with family, friends, and other well-wishers, cheered on members of the Class of 2009 as students received their high school diplomas. Click here to view the list of 2009 graduates and here to view photos.

Students earn $62,820 in scholarship money

JUNE 2009—Middletown High School students were honored on June 25 at the annual Scholarship Awards Dinner. This year, graduates received a total of $62,820 in scholarship money. Click here to view the list of scholarship recipients.

High schoolers honored with academic awards

MAY 2009—Middletown High School students were honored on Friday, May 29, at the annual Academic Awards Ceremony—which celebrates students' achievements in art, English, literacy, science, math, technology, business, foreign language, music, and more. Click here to view the list of students recognized.

Top graduating seniors honored at Student Recognition Dinner

MAY 2009—Education and business communities joined together May 27 to honor the top two graduating seniors from each of the school districts in the Orange-Ulster Supervisory District at the 14th annual Outstanding Student Recognition Dinner. This year's honorees from Middletown High School were Amber Plant and Nora Strunsky. Congratulations!

High schoolers graduate from ART
JUNE 2009—On Tuesday, June 9, six Middletown High School students graduated from the Aggression Replacement Training (ART) program—which seeks to replace aggressive behaviors with more constructive responses. The ART program is a joint effort by Orange County Probation and the Dispute Resolution Center (both partners of the Safe School/Healthy Students grant), in partnership with the high school. Click here to read more.

School gets state recognition for blood donations
MAY 2009—Students and staff at the high school donated more than 260 pints of useable blood this school year thanks to the many blood drives coordinated by the student council and advisor Patrick Woods. As a result, the school has been honored with the Most Improved Award for all of Orange, Ulster, Rockland Counties from the New York State Blood Center. In addition to the award, students received 30 tickets to the June 8 New York Yankees game where they were recognized for their efforts.

Students share love of reading
MAY 2009—Students in Jayme Steven’s tenth grade English class had one thing on their minds on May 18—reading. The group has been hard at work over the past month writing and illustrating children’s books for kids at Truman Moon Primary Center, and on Monday high schoolers got the chance to read their original works to students. Click here to read more.

Academy kids applauded for their hard work and efforts
MAY 2009—More than 70 graduating Middletown High Schoolers enrolled in the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) and the Academy of Finance (AOF) were honored on May 18 at the annual recognition ceremony held at SUNY Orange in Middletown. Click here to read more.

Students inducted into the National Honor Society
MAY 2009—Thirty Middletown High School students were inducted into the Middletown chapter of the National Honor Society on May 14. Click here to read more.

Middletown grad receives Chancellor's Award for Excellence
MAY 2009—SUNY Orange student Patrice Wiley, a graduate of Middletown High School, was among 238 State University of New York students selected to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence this May. Click here to read more.

Students recognized for making honor roll/high honor roll
MAY 2009—Middletown High School students are achieving academic excellence and the school’s Renaissance Program is recognizing and rewarding them for it. More than 535 high schoolers were honored at the May 6 Renaissance Ice Cream Social for making the honor roll and high honor roll. To make honor roll students had to earn an 84.5 percent or higher. An 89.5 percent or higher was needed to make high honor roll at the school. Students with the highest grade point average in each class were also announced as part of the festivities, they were: Vivek Sood, Shivani Sharma, Michael Di Nunzio, and John Larosa.

College Fair gives students choices
MAY 2009—It’s never too early to start thinking about college. And students at Middletown High School were doing just that on May 6 thanks to the second annual College Fair, put on by the school’s College & Career Center.  Admission counselors from more than 60 schools were on hand to help high schoolers make one of the most important decisions of their lives—which college to attend. Click here to read more.

High School teacher receives Outstanding Science Teacher award
MAY 2009—Kaci Duffy, Middletown High School science teacher, recently was named "best new teacher" by the Science Teacher’s Association of New York State Southeast Section. Duffy, along with seven other winners in categories of administrator, intermediate level, elementary, chemistry, environmental science, earth science, and forensic science, will receive the award on May 27 at a reception held in New Windsor, NY.

High schoolers serve as County delegates
MAY 2009—High schoolers Fabiola Reyes and Marisol Galicia recently represented Middletown High School as Albany County delegates in the Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute program. As delegates, students researched various assembly men and women, learned about state bills, and got to meet their local Assembly Person. Students also learned about Legislative Committees and, while they were in Albany, they participated in a Mock Assembly.

Kids win Dutchess County Community College Regional Theatre Awards
MAY 2009—Middletown High School students won four Dutchess County Community College Regional High School Theatre Awards this spring. Students will be honored at an awards ceremony on May 27 at the college. Winners included:Best Actor in a Musical: Jack Rifkin as "Mark" in "Rent," Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Gabrielle Campbell as "Joanne" & Norma Martine as "Maureen" in "Rent," Best Cameo in a Play: John D' Alessandro as "Bellboy" in "Lend Me a Tenor," Honorable Mention for Best Featured Actress in a Play: Sydney Lockhart as "Maria" in "Lend Me a Tenor."

Students inducted into Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
MAY 2009—On April 30, 20 Middletown High School students were inducted into the school's chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). New members joined thousands of high school and college students in the largest Business student/ professional business men and women's organization in the U.S. Click here for the list of students honored.

Softball field and track get inaugurated with ribbon-cutting ceremonies
APRIL 2009—The new high school softball field and track were recently inaugurated with ribbon-cutting ceremonies on April 29 & 30. Student-athletes, coaches, parents, district administration, and Board of Education members were on hand for the events, which took place prior to the teams’ home-openers against Newburgh Free Academy and Kingston. Click here for a photo gallery.

Students participate in Career Day
APRIL 2009—Professionals from various fields met with high schoolers interested in starting careers in engineering, education, law and government, the Arts, among others, on April 21 as part of Career Day, hosted by the school's guidance department. For a list of professional attendees, click here.

Varsity athletes recognized for academic and athletic achievement
APRIL 2009—Middletown High School seniors Amber Plant and Roshane Williams are working hard both on and off the field and they’re getting recognized for it. The Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) has named them Scholar Athletes for the 2008-09 school year.

“We are all incredibly proud of them and extremely pleased to have them represent Middletown this year,” said Athletic Director David Coates. “Throughout their high school careers they have exemplified what Middie Pride is all about.”

Students were selected based on their athletic, academic, and extracurricular accomplishments and were honored on April 29 at the Scholar Athlete Awards Banquet at Kuhl's Highland House in Middletown.

Clean sweep in Middletown
APRIL 2009—Police officers from various local agencies assisted the City of Middletown Police Department with two drug sweeps on April 7—one at Middletown High School and one at Monhagen Middle School. Both sweeps turned up nothing and were conducted randomly and not in response to a tip or any suspicions—instead they were conducted in an ongoing effort to help keep school buildings drug-free.  Click here to read more.

High schoolers bring Rent to the stage
MARCH 2009—Rent, which tells the story of a group of young artists and musicians struggling to survive and ‘make it’ in New York's Lower East Side, made its debut at Middletown High School from March 27-29 as students brought the cast of Mimi, Roger, Mark, Maureen, Angel, Tom, Joanne, and Benny to the stage.

Middletown is one of just a handful of schools in New York State to perform the Broadway hit and co-directors, Greg Bennett and Kathryn Lucas, couldn't of been prouder as more than 50 students were involved with the production—from acting, dancing and singing to lighting, scenery, and sound.

Track team runs for hope
MARCH 2009—Members of the high school track team laced up their running shoes on Wednesday, March 18, and ran a little over a mile to Saint Teresa's Nursing & Rehab Center to deliver daffodils to residents as part of the American Cancer Society's Run for Hope program—a national initiative to raise awareness about cancer and bring hope to patients and survivors. The team participates in the event annually, and delivered a few dozen daffodils to residents and got countless smiles in return.

Kids off to America's Best High School Chef Competition
MARCH 2009—Middletown High School seniors Jarel Flores, Chauncy Thompson, Patrick Washburn, and Rachel Williams are ready to take on the competition. Their menu is set, their techniques have been perfected, and their knives are packed and ready to go. Click here to read more.

Students recognized for making honor roll/high honor roll
MARCH 2009—Middletown High School students are achieving academic excellence and the school’s Renaissance Program is recognizing and rewarding them for it. High schoolers were honored at the March 3 Renaissance Breakfast for making the honor roll and high honor roll. To make honor roll students had to earn an 84.5 percent or higher. An 89.5 percent or higher was needed to make high honor roll at the school. Students with the highest grade point average in each class were also announced as part of the festivities, they were: Viran Ramdharry, Shivani Sharma, Michael Di Nunzio, and Kevin Fiero. Click here to view the complete list of students that were recognized.

Honor Society raises cash for Hospice
FEB. 2009—Dinner and a Movie, the Middletown High School Honor Society’s fundraiser for Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, was a rousing success this February. The effort—a Valentine’s Day dinner prepared by high school instructor and Culinary Institute grad Victoria Ingrassia, followed by a screening of "Hitch"—raised $1,100 for Hospice.

Boys Track & Field team wins Section IX Class A Championship
FEB. 2009—Congratulations to the Middletown Varsity Boys Track & Field team. The team won the Section IX Class A Championship, held at West Point, on February 21-22.

 

“Congratulations to our athletes and coaches on an outstanding job,” said Athletic Director David Coates. “The team battled through much adversity this season and came out on top.”

 

This is the school’s first Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Varsity Boys Track & Field team won its last championship in 1995.

Thirty-three Middletown students graduate
FEB. 2009—Cameras clicked as students smiled for family, friends, and other well-wishers during commencement, held Wednesday, Feb. 4 at Middletown High School.

Saying graduates should be proud of their accomplishments, Lynne Perkins, former Board of Education Vice President, along with Dr. Kenneth Eastwood, Superintendent, and Alan Gonzalez, Executive Principal, addressed students, wishing them well and congratulating them on their achievement.

"I feel like a proud parent today," said Gonzalez. "Each graduate has shown the desire and determination to succeed."

Winter commencement, held annually in February, is for those students who earned enough credits to graduate early and for those who needed an extra semester to fulfill graduation requirements. Click here to read more.

Students selected to New York State Band Director's Association Honors
FEB. 2009—Emily Korth and David Turken have been selected to the 2009 New York State Band Director's Association Honors Band.  They will be participating in the annual Symposium, which was held in Syracuse, New York, during the weekend of March 5.

High schoolers participate in  OCMEA festival
FEB. 2009—Twenty-three Middletown High School students performed at the Orange County Music Educators' Association's (OCMEA) Festival on Jan. 30-31, and according to Gregory Bennett, Fine Arts Chair, he couldn't be prouder. 

"The students were very fortunate to have been selected to participate in OCMEA," said Bennett. "They were able to work with some of the leading conductors in our area."

According to Bennett, 17 students took part in the chorus, while 6 students participated in instrumental/orchestral ensembles. In addition, high schooler Alexandra Haines (pictured) was also honored—OCMEA selected her as the recipient of their 2009 Vocal Music Scholarship. Haines will receive a $1,500 scholarship to use towards her pursuit of a post-secondary degree in music.

Students earn Hudson Valley Regional Art Awards
JAN. 2009—More than 400 art submissions from 201 local students in Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, and Dutchess Counties were received for the first-ever Hudson Valley Regional Scholastic Art Awards. At the Jan. 16 ceremony, hosted by Middletown, five students were selected as the region's American Vision nominees. In addition, 38 students were awarded with Gold Key Awards, 46 were awarded Silver Key Awards, and 86 were selected for Honorable Mention Awards. An additional 192 pieces of artwork were given Participation Awards. Click here to read more.

Performance teaches lesson in civil rights
JAN.2009—Carolyn Evans, a highly spirited poet, actress, and motivational speaker, performed "A Mother's Cry for Justice" for high schoolers in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Portraying Mamie Bradley-Till—the mother of Emmett Till—Evans recounted Till’s tragic death, which sparked the Civil Rights Movement and spread the message of equality to all Americans.

"The performance was intended to give students a snapshot of an important historical event which played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement," House Principal Tanya Davis said.

Evans, who received her dramatic training at Syracuse University, performs her one-woman series "Women Who Could Have Sung the Blues But Didn't,” throughout the state. The series transforms Evans into six unforgettable, strong African-America women including: Mamie Bradley-Till, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hammer, Bessie Coleman, and Stage Coach Mary.

Students speak out with poetry
JAN.2009—Thirty-eight Middletown High School students took to the stage on Jan. 15 during the second annual Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest. One by one, students recited two poems of their choice from the list of 200, ranging from medieval to contemporary literary pieces. In the end, Sheila Surita was named the winner. Surita was invited to attend the Regional Competition, held Feb. 10, along with second and third place winners which included: Antonia White (second place), Michael Alvarado and William Dennis (tied for third place).

School seeks businesses interested in advertising jobs
JAN. 2009—Middletown High School is seeking local businesses interested in advertising job positions (suitable for high school students) on the school's message board. According to Executive Principal Alan Gonzalez, businesses should submit their posting/s to agonzalez2@ecsdm.org or to: 24 Gardner Avenue Extension, Middletown, NY 10940. Please note that advertising is free.

Chamber Singers perform with Tim Janis at Carnegie Hall
DEC. 2008—Members of the Middletown High School Chamber Singers not only performed at the high school with composer/arranger Tim Janis, but they also performed with him at The Egg and at Carnegie Hall.  

High schoolers helped sing the choral parts for each of Janis' song selections during all three December performances and Gregory Bennett, Music Department Chair, sang a duet of, "We Adore You," with Janis' lead singer, Wendi McPike, at high school and Carnegie Hall performances. Chamber Singers were also invited to sing “The Prayer,” for Janis’ TV special to air this spring on PBS.

Accomplishment of excellent attendance celebrated with a sweet treat
DEC. 2008—More than 1,250 students at Middletown High School were honored for having excellence attendance (95 percent attendance or higher) with an ice cream social on Dec. 11-12, 2008. Teachers, members of the Middletown administration, and Board of Education members were on hand for the event to congratulate students on their accomplishment. Click here for a list of students recognized for excellent attendance.

Rachel's Challenge leaves lasting impression on kids
DEC. 2008—The Rachel's Challenge program, which came to Middletown from Dec. 10-12, 2008, challenges students to create a chain reaction of kindness and compassion in their school and community.

The program, based on the writings and ideals of Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999, asks students to continue Rachel's message—to treat others with words of kindness and compassion in an effort to make the world a better place.

Students learned about Scott's life as part of the program and were asked to take Rachel's 5-step Challenge, which asks students to eliminate prejudice, dare to dream, choose positive influences, take part in simple acts of kindness, and to start a chain reaction of their own. Pictured are MHS students accepted Rachel's Challenge by signing a banner.

Middletown Kiwanis Club donates $1,000 to "Not One More" campaign
DEC. 2008—The “Not One More” campaign, launched by the Times Herald-Record in 2006, educates students about safe driving habits. As part of the campaign, driving simulators are being provided to Orange County school districts to give students a first-hand look at the dangers of driving.
 

Driving simulators feature a steering wheel, floor pedals that simulate acceleration and braking, and computer screens that display all types of driving conditions. Each simulator costs about $6,000-$10,000 depending on the simulator type.

Thanks to donations, about $30,000 has been raised to purchase three driving simulators for use in Orange County schools.

“We want the best for our kids,” said Middletown High School Executive Principal Alan Gonzalez. “Every child that gets the chance to try out a simulator will be grateful.”

According to Gonzalez, Middletown students must pass a simulator driving test before obtaining a parking pass at the school once simulators become available. Currently, high schoolers must attend a safe driving presentation with a parent or guardian to be eligible for a school parking pass.

Recently, Gonzalez was presented with a $1,000 check from the Middletown Kiwanis Club to help in the purchasing of more driving simulators. Simulators will be rotated throughout Orange County schools for student use.

Pictured above from left to right are: Pat Flynn (Kiwanis member), Lee Gerow (Kiwanis President), Gregory W. Townsend (County Legislator & Kiwanis member), Alan Gonzalez (Middletown Executive Principal), and Gef Chumard (Kiwanis Vice President).