On May 28, Bethpage High School celebrated a milestone in its performing arts program with the first-ever induction ceremony of its new chapter of the International Thespian Society (ITS). Held in the school auditorium, the event marked the official founding of Chapter 665 and honored 21 student-performers for their outstanding dedication to theatre.
The ceremony opened with a warm welcome from Mr. Brent Chiarello, Director of Fine and Performing Arts, who spoke about the importance of the arts in education and applauded the students for their hard work and creativity. He emphasized that the launch of an ITS chapter at Bethpage is a significant step in recognizing the talents and achievements of student artists. Mr. Zach Levy, ITS faculty advisor, followed with heartfelt remarks about the students’ commitment to the school’s theatre program, both onstage and behind the scenes.
The evening continued with reflections from the chapter’s student officers - Ava Mirabelli (president), Ben Maciel-Seidman (vice president) and Haley Flaherty (secretary/treasurer) - who spoke about the history and mission of the International Thespian Society. Their remarks were followed by a candle-lighting ceremony, during which each officer symbolically lit a candle representing one of the core ITS values.
The highlight of the ceremony was the formal induction of the chapter’s first members. Each student was called to the stage, presented with a certificate and invited to take the official ITS pledge, committing themselves to upholding the ideals of the society and continuing their growth as theatre artists. The newly inducted members are: Luke Baumbach, Julianna Botosk, Ashdon Chadwick, Haley Flaherty, Konstantina Gavalas, Kaylee Khan, Ben Maciel-Seidman, Stacy Martinez, Anderson Maziero, Katherine McHugh, Hailey Medrano, Ava Mirabelli, Amber Nargentino, Grace Rojas, Joanna Scharen, Amanda Schneider, Abby Scully, Jamie Soto, Matthew Tusa, Melissa Vaquerano and Allyson Yalbuzdag.
Congratulations to the new members of ITS Chapter 665!
