At a candle-lighting ceremony, the National Junior Honor Society held its annual induction on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 for fifty-five high-achieving Sayville Middle School students.

In his welcome, Middle School Principal Dr. Joseph Castoro first thanked the parents in the audience for their support and their encouragement that has uplifted the Middle School students being honored that evening. To the students on the stage, Dr. Castoro praised them for their hard work and reminded them that their work ethic, good character, and kindness towards each other will take them far.

Remarking that this induction was “a prestigious honor,” NJHS Advisor Mrs. Dawn Lloyd-Matthews acknowledged that each of the students had earned this National Junior Honor Society membership through their hard work, beginning in the sixth-grade. She also thanked the families “for supporting their children to reach this milestone.”

To achieve NJHS membership in an organization that recognizes exceptional middle-level students, each inductee must have successfully demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character throughout their Middle School years. In addition to demonstrating these exemplary qualities, each student had to maintain an average of 95 or above for four quarters in the five subjects of Social Studies, English, Science, Math, World Languages, and was required to submit a letter of application.

As the ceremony continued, select NJHS Eight-grade members provided descriptions of the five attributes: scholarship (Paige Manning), service (Emma Burns), leadership (Alexandra Menechino), character (Sara Stewart), and citizenship (Kayleigh Hillery), while Morgan Farrell lit the corresponding (electric) candle. Other NJHS members (Carly Cangelosi, Katelyn Cunningham, Dylan Lutz, Henry Reiss, and Julia Sack) announced the names of the inductees who were called in alphabetical order to receive their certificates from Dr. Castoro. Once the certificates were awarded, NJHS member Ella Ryan led the inductees in the NJHS Pledge.

Closing the ceremony with parting words, both Dr. Castoro and Mrs. Lloyd-Matthews expressed their confidence in the inductees’ examples of words and actions to help make the Middle School “a better place for all who attend.” Congratulations to the following students (see Program).