Meet the Winners of the

May 5, 2026

Meet the Winners of the

Annual GFWC Cultural Arts Awards

On March 30, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ (GFWC) Island Metro District Cultural Arts Competition was held at Patrizia’s of Hicksville. Students K-12 from the Farmingdale School District participated by submitting their hand-crafted art and crafts and creative writing stories for judging.

Listed below are Farmingdale School District Student Winners sponsored by the Women’s Club of Farmingdale (WCF) and the Junior League of the Women’s Club of Farmingdale:

ARTS & CRAFTS categories:Kaidoo Mann, 1^st Pl, Oil; Corey Chandler, 1^st Pl, Ink; Erin Finkel, 1^st Pl, Pencil; Lily Cutter, 1^st Pl, Photography B; Payton Livingston, 1^st Pl, Mixed Media; Lillian Brewster, 1^st Pl, Misc. Bird Paper Sculpture; Danna Preza, 2^nd Pl, Oil; Naifa Tasnia, 2^nd Pl, Acrylic; Jillian Sharp, 2^nd Pl, Computer Generated; Sarah Aliendro, 2^nd Pl, Ceramics; Muntaha Afag, 2^nd Pl, School Project; Jumaima Hossain, 3^rd Pl, Paper Mache Butterfly; Sarah Aliendro, 1^st Pl, Ceramics Rose; Kimora Morris, 1^st Pl, School Project Deer; Christopher Hill, 1^st Pl, Small Woodworking Multi Cutting Board; John Andriopoulos, 1^st Pl, Large Woodworking Wooden Burnt Flag; Sydney Luckman, 2^nd Pl, Misc. Paper Mache Bark; MacKenzie Andersen, 3^rd Pl, Ceramics Facing You; Courtney Supino, 1^st Pl, Acrylic Blueberries; James Petrillo, 1^st Pl, Cut Paper Landscape on Illustrator The Forest; Veronika Zakaliuk, 2^nd Pl, Still Life Pastel Malbec; Kayleen Villatoro, 2^nd Pl, Digital Photography & Photoshop Paradise; Jillian Sharp, 2^nd Pl, Photography Enhanced advertising Chips Ahoy; Alyssa Hartney, 2^nd Pl, Print Making & Oil Pastel Seasonal Overflow Fall; Madison Ramos, 3^rd Pl, High Fashion Monster; Audrey Boch, 3^rd Pl, Acrylic Audrey.

The Women’s Club of Farmingdale (WCF) also sponsored creative writing entries from Farmingdale School District K-12 students.The WCF Creative Writing Committee, which reviewed each entry, included Debbie Podolski, Chair, Edie Allen, Margaret Barrett, Gayle Garthwaite, Linda Hayes, Anna Ievolo, Joanne Restivo, Cathy Sewell, and Agatha Vitale. This contest is open to amateur students in grades K-12, requiring original, unpublished short stories written within the contest year. The following students were recognized for their imaginative, articulate and creative stories:

SHORT STORY:Mariscal Melendez, Gr. 2, 1^st Pl, Journey; Giana Tyas, Gr. 4, 2^nd Pl, Labubu; Lila Monaco, 3^rd Pl, The Wedding; Cameron Barrett, Gr, 4, 1^st Pl, The Discovery Planet; Gabriella Hanna, 2^nd Pl, No Pets for Me; Robert Humann, Gr. 3, 3^rd Pl, Gobble’s Day of Disguise; Kayla Petersen, 1^st Pl, The Symphony of Friendship; Abida Faizy, Gr. 6, 2^nd Pl, A Strange Day in July.

POETRY:Ariana Rossi-Feng, Gr.2, 1^st Pl, My Husky; Henry Feng, 2^nd Pl, Brown & Peach Together; Charlotte Macy, Gr. 5, 1^st Pl, The Owl; Valentina Roura, Gr. 8, 1^st Pl, The Cenotaph of Stasis.

Photos of some of the FSD student winners may appear in a later issue.

The following clubwomen were Arts and Crafts winners from both clubs: Lynda Leone, 1^st Pl, Mesh Wreath; Cheryl Parisi, 1^st Pl, Small Quilting; Joanne Restivo, 1^st Pl, Large Knitting and 2^nd Pl, Jewelry Set; Barbara Hoerner, 3^rd Pl, Small Quilt; Mary Ann Gross, 1^st Pl, Jewish Star; Susan Edelman, 1^st Pl, Multiple Beads w. Seashells; Dianne Gianfelice, 2^nd Pl, Chunky Blanket Pumpkin.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!

The Women’s Club of Farmingdale, a local 501-C-3 non-profit organization, is always interested in welcoming new members.For more information, please email: lyndaleone@gmail.com or jude523@aol.com.#IAMGFWC

submitted by Maria Ortolani, WCF Publicity Chair

Photo #1:Members WCF Cult. Art Winners:L-R:Lynda Leone, President, Cheryl Parisi, Joanne Restivo, Barbara Hoerner