The Westhampton Beach High School Hurricane Watch news broadcast brought home two first-place trophies from the annual BASH Awards for high school broadcasting. They earned top honors in the Best Local Multimedia Reporting category — sponsored by Newsday — for their coverage of the Westhampton wildfires through Hurricane Watch, Instagram and whbnews.com. The team also won Best Arts, Entertainment & Culture Reporting for their Black History Month segment, which highlighted the rich history of Black music.

To earn the awards, Hurricane Watch, led by broadcast journalism teachers Kirsten Mett and Dariah Luciano, competed against more than 50 schools and 1,000 students from across Long Island and upstate New York.

Date Added: 6/5/2025

Senator Anthony Palumbo and Assemblyman Tommy Schiavoni paid tribute to Class of 2025 valedictorians and salutatorians from six East End schools during an annual ceremony at Hampton Bays High School on May 30.

The top-ranking seniors were presented with proclamations for their hard work and dedication. They represented the Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Sag Harbor, Shoreham-Wading River and Westhampton Beach school districts.

The students heard firsthand from Sen. Palumbo and Assemblyman Schiavoni about their careers. In turn, the seniors shared stories about their journeys through high school, their passions and their plans for the future.

Friends, family members, school administrators and the guests of honor also enjoyed a brunch prepared by Hampton Bays High School culinary students.

Date Added: 5/30/2025

Westhampton Beach High School juniors Tess Ashley and Kara Flynn recently participated in the Students Inside Albany conference, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. They were selected to attend following a nomination and application process.

As part of the immersive initiative, the pair took part in a multitude of activities ranging from information sessions to sitting on the assembly floor. They heard from speakers of the assembly, journalists and activists about their perspectives and learned more about lobbying. They also shadowed members of the assembly and senate and sat in with them on conferences regarding bills.

Date Added: 6/3/2025

Westhampton Beach Middle School students recently welcomed peers from Hampton Bays Middle School for their school’s first-ever in-house mock trial competition.

For the event, students argued both sides of a New York State civil assault case, taking on the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a realistic courtroom simulation. Presiding over the trial were Mr. Gibbons, a practicing attorney, and Ms. Wright, an attorney and a member of the Board of Education. They offered students their expertise, mentorship and insights into the legal process.

“The event was a meaningful day of learning, collaboration and teamwork, providing students with an opportunity to refine their critical thinking and debate skills in an engaging, hands-on environment,” said Kelly Massaro, Youth and Government teacher.

Date Added: 6/2/2025