Long Island High School for the Arts Students Earn 2026 Long Island Scholar-Artist Honors

Two students from Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) will be recognized in the 2026 Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA) Scholar-Artist competition, which honors exceptional young talent across the region.

Dance student Lina Murale, who also attends Mepham High School in the Bellmore-Merrick CHSD, has been named a Scholar-Artist. Musical theater student Lily Wasoski, a Huntington High School student, has earned a Merit Award.

The Scholar-Artist program celebrates students who demonstrate both outstanding artistic excellence and academic achievement, maintaining a GPA of 90 or higher. Candidates are evaluated on their performances, a portfolio of work, and an essay reflecting on the role of the arts in their lives. Winners are chosen by a panel of educators and professionals, with final selections made by a steering committee. Only 40 students across Long Island are selected for these prestigious awards each year, and honorees are profiled in Newsday.

For more than fifty years, Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts has been a creative hub for emerging artists. Located in Syosset, the school offers pathways in Performing Arts, Visual Media Arts, Production Managerial Arts, Audio Production, Game Design, Multimedia Film & TV, and 3D Animation. Students study with accomplished artists and performers, participate in master classes and residencies with world-class professionals, and engage in field trips and independent projects. LIHSA alumni can be found working on stage, on screen, and behind the scenes worldwide.

Long Island Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. INTO THE WOODS (Post Theatre Company)

8.5% of votes

2. FOOTLOOSE (John W. Engeman Theater)

7.9% of votes

3. HAIRSPRAY (Five Towns College Performing Arts Center)

7.1% of votes

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