Thursday, October 15, 2026
Three students from Locust Valley, Glen Cove and Bayville are making the most of their summer vacation, trading leisure time for spotlight moments through a prestigious arts training program — thanks to full scholarships from the Joel Foundation.
Stella Fraser, 15, of Locust Valley; Rose Sullivan, 14, of Glen Cove; and Jack Kelly, 13, of Bayville were among 14 Long Island students awarded full scholarships to attend the Long Island High School for the Arts’ Summer Arts Academy, a four-week intensive program that offers pre-professional, conservatory-style training in Syosset. The Joel Foundation, co-founded by legendary musician Billy Joel and his wife, Alexis, has made it possible for these students, and many others, to access high-quality arts education without the financial burden that often limits access to programs of this caliber.
“My husband and I want young people on Long Island to have access to high-quality music education,” Alexis Joel wrote in a statement. “They should not have to leave Long Island to supplement their passion and career path. Programs like LIHSA’s Summer Arts Academy give students a place to grow, be challenged, and find their voice. Nassau BOCES, along with our foundation, have worked to pair world-class artists, dancers and professional musicians with LIHSA students at the Syosset campus. This access is game-changing for children. We are so proud of this collaboration as we prepare our students for success in any path they pursue.”
The Summer Arts Academy serves as both a skill-building opportunity and a trial run for those considering LIHSA’s year-round programs. With 89 students enrolled in the 2025 session, the academy offers tracks in musical theater, music performance, visual art, film, scene-construction and game design. Students spend nearly six hours a day immersed in their disciplines, culminating in live performances.
Kelly, an incoming eighth-grader at Locust Valley Middle School and a pianist, took part in the Art of the Band program. Though he didn’t play piano during camp, he brought his keyboard skills to life alongside vocalists and guitarists — something he had never experienced before.
“My mom found the program while looking for summer camps,” he said. “We saw the scholarship and thought it would be good for me to go here.” His group performed “Fly Me to the Moon,” by Bart Howard; “Pressure,” by Billy Joel; and “Santeria,” by Sublime. “I think my improvising skills greatly improved,” Kelly added, noting that students began each morning by jamming to a new chord progression. “We were taught more about music theory, and every day we had to build on it.”
Sullivan, an incoming freshman at Glen Cove High School, joined the musical theater program, and will perform in a production of “Beetlejuice” at LISHA during the academy’s final week.
“Ever since I was very little, I would always sing,” Sullivan said, recalling how listening to Taylor Swift with her family sparked her love of music. She sings at St. Patrick’s Church, in Glen Cove, and has been part of school and community choruses since third grade. “I do whatever I can to keep music part of my life,” she said.
Sullivan, a mezzo-soprano, said the fast pace of the program has been challenging but invigorating. “We come in around 8:30 a.m., do physical and vocal warmups, and then split into groups to block scenes or learn choreography,” she explained. “After lunch, we either continue rehearsals or run the show. It’s really professional.”
She plays Maxie Dean in “Beetlejuice,” and takes part in group numbers like “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).” The experience has affirmed her desire to pursue theater long-term. “This program solidified that I want to do theater in high school,” Sullivan said, “but I probably already knew that.”
Fraser, a rising sophomore at Locust Valley High School, already has years of musical theater experience under her belt, including performances in “Once Upon a Mattress” and cabarets at Don’t Tell Mama, in Manhattan. But LIHSA’s program, she said, raised the bar. “My mom was looking for a more professional-level camp where I could do a full production,” she said of the musical theatre program. “I knew some students already here and thought it would be a great opportunity.”
Fraser, a soprano, said the biggest difference was the program’s intensity. “During the school year, we usually have months to prepare a show. Here we’re doing it all in four weeks — set-building, choreography, vocals. It’s a lot in a short time,” she said. “But everyone here is so good, and it’s so nice to work with a group that’s this talented.”
LIHSA Assistant Principal Lindsay Rogan said that the goal of the Summer Arts Academy is to challenge and nurture students while preparing them for professional careers or advanced academic training. “Rose and her colleagues are getting the experience of working at a professional pace and level,” Rogan said. “It stretches them as artists and prepares them for competitive college programs and life in the arts.”
She emphasized the impact of the Joel Foundation’s funding. “The full scholarships make it possible for students who otherwise would not be able to attend,” Rogan said. “And when they come here, we see them grow as artists. They return to their home schools in the fall with new skills, greater confidence and a passion for the arts that stands out.”
With enrollment still open for LIHSA’s 2025-26 academic year, staff members hope that programs like the Summer Arts Academy will inspire more students to apply through their school districts. “We believe that arts education is life-changing,” Rogan said. “Whether our students pursue careers in the arts or not, the discipline, creativity and collaboration they develop here will serve them for life.”
