LBHS student Gabriella Klein named L.I. Scholar Artist

Long Beach High School senior Gabriella Klein received an Award of Merit in Dance from the Scholar Artist Program. The program, which is sponsored by the Long Island Alliance for the Arts in cooperation with Newsday, recognizes talented students in the fine and performing arts. She was one of only 20 Long Island students to be honored with this award.

Gabriella was invited to a kickoff event at the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, at which she and her fellow scholar artists attended a welcome reception, dinner and photo shoot. They also met with representatives from the arts programs of local colleges. She will also be honored at an end-of-the-year reception at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

Gabriella was nominated for this honor by Long Beach High School dance teacher Christianne Donohue. As part of the application process, Gabriella was required to submit an audition tape and write an essay about how her involvement in dance has shaped her life.

“We recognize that you are dedicated to your art and that you are a very valuable asset to your school district,” said John J. Gallagher, Chairperson of the Scholar Artist Committee. “We commend you for your hard work, excellent scholarship and accomplishments.”

A student of Irish step dancing for ten years, Gabriella has competed with the Hagen School of Irish Dance in five world championships, and will be competing in this year’s World Championships in Belfast, Ireland in April 2012. Gabriella has also studied modern dance in the Long Beach High School dance program, which was introduced in the fall of 2010. She is a member of the National Honor Society and National Foreign Language Honor Society, and plays first violin in the High School Chamber Orchestra. Athletically, she is a member of the Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field teams.