Festival of the Arts and Technology Showcases Student Achievements

Middleburgh CSD’s Festival of the Arts and Technology allowed students to show off their achievements at the Jr/Sr High School. The June 9 event was a collaboration between the music, art, technology, drama, and agriculture departments.

Art work displayed on wall.

Attendees viewed artwork in the school’s front hallway on the way to visiting activities and exhibits throughout the building.

Room 138 featured 20 ecosystem displays and an opportunity to make your own ecosystem with sand, rocks, moss and more to create a living environment. The student displays incorporated various materials and, in some cases, had live creatures. Grade 9 student Sophia Patino said she loves the class and the challenge science teacher Molly Burgett gave them:

“She gave us 20 square feet of space and said, ‘Go ahead, make an ecosystem,'” Patino said. “An ecosystem is a complicated thing. We actually changed our tanks several times. Five different prototypes, and what we have now is the final one.”

Ecosystem display with grass and plants. sand, rock stone, moss in bins. Teen gives the thumbs-up. She is standing next to an ecosystem display tank.

Elsewhere in the building, the Future Farmers of America club offered a petting zoo. It was a popular destination and featured pigs, goats, chickens and a chinchilla rabbit.

Pigs rabbit Teen holding goat Teen holding chicken.

Technology students had a blast, literally, by launching their own rockets. Matthew Armlin explained some of what they learned.

“I learned a lot about what you can do on the computer with programming,” Armlin said. “We got involved in 3D designing. It was fun.”

That event was followed by CO2 car races in the cafeteria from 5-7 p.m. 

Model car Teens with bottle rockets

Modern Band students performed a wide repertoire of music. There was an Open Mic portion of the evening during which students, staff and alumni were invited to perform.  

 Students and teacher singing on stage together. Student and teacher singing on stage together. Students singing on stage together.

The festival culminated with the premiere of the drama club film “Beyond Middleburgh,” written and performed by Middleburgh Drama Club students.