44 Uniondale scholars selected for All-County music festival

Uniondale is home to some of the most talented people from across the entire Island, being home to celebrities like Busta Rhymes and Sheryl Lee Ralph, alumni like Donya Taylor — who appeared on season 22 of Hell’s Kitchen — to athletes like Chica Akazi, who is currently ranked first in the state for the 55 meter dash and Jomani Wright, one of the best basketball players in Long Island who tragically died in a car accident in 2021.

But Uniondale’s greatness goes beyond just excelling athletes and performers. The school district has been on an incredible surge the past few years, with Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil leading the charge in what residents call an "incredible turnaround” for the district. The District has set ambitious goals for this school year, including the goal to “enhance literacy and numeracy while promoting creative arts,” according to the district.

This week, Uniondale announced that 44 talented students from their music programs were selected to participate in the prestigious 2024 Nassau Music Educators Association All-County Music Festival, which took place on Jan. 7 at the Tilles Center.

This incredible concert showcased the musical prowess of the top student musicians from across all of Nassau County. According to the Nassau Music Educators Association, their mission is to “enrich school music programs by nurturing student musicianship and empowering our members through collaboration and professional development,” something that rings home for the district.

“The selection of our scholars for the NMEA All-County Music Festival is a testament to their talent and the quality of our music education,” said the Superintendent with pride. “We are proud to see such a diverse representation from our District.”

The 44 selected students were nominated based on participation in either the school’s band, orchestra or chorus, their musical achievements and New York State School Music Association, or NYSSMA scores — with the NMEA selection committee making the final choices out of thousands of nominees.

Uniondale’s selected students are in various grades and come from all over the district, with students from California Avenue, Grand Avenue, Northern Parkway, Smith Street, Walnut Street, Turtle Hook and Lawrence Road, and Uniondale High School being selected.

“It’s an honor to have our scholars from various schools participate in this prestigious event,” said Director of Fine and Performing Arts Kelvin Jenkins. “This achievement by our scholars highlights their dedication and the exceptional training provided by our faculty.”