Thursday, October 1, 2026
“We really have the best of both worlds in Valley Stream,” District 24 Superintendent Ed Fale told an audience of more than 1,000 Valley Stream parents, students and school administrators from all 14 Valley Stream schools on April 27 at Memorial Junior High School.
Fale was referring to the fact that Valley Stream has small elementary school districts and a large central high school district. That night, each of these school districts showed off their students’ work as part of the 56th-annual Lights on for Education — an educational festival that originated in New York State in 1962 as a statewide PTA project. “Lights On” refers to the various PTA groups that would meet at night in the schools to coordinate efforts to promote the passage of what they believed to be vital education bills in the state legislature.
Students from District 24 performed instrumental music, while students from District 30 showed their parents and colleagues what they learned this year as part of the district’s focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and music) education.
“We have a sub-theme of ‘Full STEAM Ahead,’ which you will see a focus on STEAM education and helping our children to see the possibilities that lie ahead for them in the field of engineering,” said District 30 Superintendent Nicholas Stirling.
Officials from District 13 decided that they would showcase the work that their students have done in art and academic displays. Some of these students even dressed up as the influential figures that they did a report on.
“Some of the work was artwork, some was writing samples,” said John Squadrito, assistant principal of Memorial Junior High School and the coordinator of the event. “It’s an array of subjects.”
But elementary school students were not the only ones showing off that night. Per tradition, students from Central High School’s culinary program prepared and served dishes that they learned to make in class and students from South High School’s cosmetology department painted nails free of charge.
“I decided to get involved with Lights On because one, I was missing out, and two, because everyone said it was super fun and I like helping the parents and their kids get their nails done,” said Hailey Anacacy, a junior at South, who added that the annual event is a good way to teach the elementary school students about the program.
Memorial Junior High School students also sang and had their artwork on display. “I did one of the drawings over there,” said seventh-grader Mia Diaz. “I drew like a Volkswagen and then my friends drew flowers and butterflies, and I think it’s amazing and I compliment them.”
Squadrito said he believes Valley Streamers should see the quality of work that is coming out of every school. “Sometimes I believe we’re a hidden gem,” he said of the Central High School District. “ … And when you showcase every single school in the district at an event like this, everyone gets to see what’s going on and how it’s going on, and be proud of all our students.”
He also said he has already begun to brainstorm ideas for next year’s Lights On for Education.
