Summer Newsletter | Jul 26, 2025
What's New With U? Week 4
Love is...being U
Dear Friends,
After another jam-packed week of performances, exhibitions, and community gatherings, the entire staff and faculty say goodbye to our 4A students. We remember the relevance of the last line of Usdan's mission: "Our goal is to instill in our community a desire and drive to contribute creatively to the world now and for the rest of their lives." Since Usdan's founding, we have seen the seeds planted here continue to enrich students and families for the rest of their lives. If someone you know finished Usdan this week, please continue to encourage them to creatively express themselves and Be U.
Thank you again and again for all that you bring to Usdan and to the world at large. See U next time — whenever that may be!
Return2U
Enroll in Summer 2026
Is your child already talking about Usdan for next summer? Give them another summer of friendships, creativity, and joy amidst the beauty of nature. Enroll in Usdan for Summer 2026 through our Return2U program and lock in the best possible price (and first choice of classes!). Act soon — this is a limited time offer!
July Community Day
Celebrating 2025 honorees
Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss and Alumni Award recipient Hannah Berson with her "U" Award.
On Wednesday, July 23, our Community Day Festival honored three important people in our community: Alumni Award Recipient Hannah Berson and Community Award Nominees Marilyn and Russell Albanese.
With a career in arts education and now as Deputy Executive Director of the NYC Public School's Arts Office, overseeing arts education for over 1 million students, Hannah has dedicated her life to amplifying the importance of equitable access to arts education. Her time at Usdan made her realize she was "an arts kid," and she still is. At Usdan, Hannah majored in Painting, and now she sings in her community choir and has a passion for dance. In honor of her service and love of the arts, Usdan Senior Hip-Hop Majors danced before Hannah's flower-adorned chair before pulling her up to join the dance party.
2025 Community Award Recipients Russell and Marilyn Albanese with good friend and 2021 Community Award Recipient Kerry Gillick-Goldberg following the July Community Day Award Ceremony.
While working on his nearby project Wyandanch Rising, an initiative bringing affordable housing and economic revitalization to Long Island, Russel's friend recommend that he visit Usdan.
"I spent an afternoon and immediately was so inspired by the music, theater, and dance going on in different areas of campus," Russell shared. "I came home that night and mentioned to Marilyn, 'You wouldn't believe this camp that exists on Long Island.'"
After falling in love at first sight, Russell got to know former Executive Director Dale Lewis with whom he ultimately collaborated to bring passionate and gifted music students from Wyandanch to Usdan. For over a decade since, Russell and Marilyn's generosity has helped support numerous scholarship, with 19 students benefiting from this program in 2025.
Tickets on Sale Now!
RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns
RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns
October 3 – November 1, 2025
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts
Attend Long Island's most visited fall event featuring over 5,000 hand-carved jack o'lanterns, 3,000 specialty lanterns, hundreds of family-friendly Halloween-themed displays, and the world's longest jack o'lantern trail!
As a member of the Usdan community, you are invited to buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Get your tickets today — we expect to sell out!
Festival Week 4 Recap
Student musicians, DJs, and dancers close out Session 4A
At Usdan, performers of all ages get the chance to show off their skills onstage. On Monday, July 21, Junior Orchestra and Band Majors entertained their fellow students at Festival with stunning artistry and thoughtful repertoire selections about this summer’s theme: LOVE.
Junior and Senior Dance Majors and Minors sailed through the AIR on Tuesday, July 22 with an epic multi-class performance spanning dance forms from Ballet to Jazz to Hip-Hop.
Accompanied by the legendary DJ Kool Herc, students from the brand new class "Intro to DJ Basics" performed at Festival in front of a dance party in the Amphitheater pit on Thursday, July 24. Let's just say, the crowd went wild.
The Jazz Ensemble opened the 4A Closing Ceremony, followed by the 4A "Lifer" Ceremony — celebrating students who have attended Usdan for eight or more years and faculty who have been at Usdan for an accumulative 10 years. Following the Ceremony, classes from all around campus performed short sets, offering reflections on LOVE from different disciplines, including Lily B.'s poem from her Creative Writing class. To close, student Lifer Violet D. rang the gong. As the sound dissipated in the Amphitheater air, a bittersweet goodbye fell on the unique group of students that made up 2025's 4A Session.
Hip-Hop Pool Party
Saturday, August 9 | 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
After last year's SOLD OUT event, Usdan Artists in Residence and the founders of Hip-Hop DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell are back to throw another epic pool party at Usdan. Enjoy DJ sets by DJs Hard Hittin' Harry and Super JB, food from Island Spice and The Big Black Food Truck, performances, activities, and more!
WEEK 4 IN PHOTOS
For more photos and videos, follow us on Instagram and TikTok.
Originality shines bright as Fashion Design majors show off their unique designs! At this week's Community Day, Fashion Design students took a trip to the Art Village to strut their stuff for a joyful crowd of family members and friends.
Our Children’s Theater students blew audiences away with “The Addams Family” at the Hillside Theater, inspiring laughter and smiles with their lively portrayal of the kooky Addams family. Other Theater performances this week included "Something Rotten," "All Shook Up," "The Outsiders," and the world premiere of "Aviva vs. the Dybbuk."
Art students rose to the challenge of producing an exciting annual “Comic Con" at this week's Community Day. The mini convention featured original Funko Pops designs, zines, stickers, and cos-play by Comic Art students.
On Wednesday, July 23, families, alumni, neighbors, and friends joined students on campus for our July Community Day. The promised magic of the day delivered: perfect weather, an abundance of expressive student artwork, and multigenerational connections, reminding all of us what matters most in life.
Calendar Highlights: Week 5
Here is what's coming up next week!
Families of students are welcome to attend Festival performances and join us after for a backstage lunch. Festival performances will also be livestreamed, as well as recorded and posted, to our YouTube Channel.
Monday, July 28
Festival Performance: The Red Trouser Show
Monday, July 28, 12:10 p.m. & 12:35 p.m. | McKinley Amphitheater
Tuesday, July 29
Festival Performance: Billy Recce with Jayke Workman
Tuesday, July 29, 12:10 p.m. & 12:35 p.m. | McKinley Amphitheater
Wednesday, July 30
Festival Performance: Natie
Wednesday, July 30, 12:10 p.m. & 12:35 p.m. | McKinley Amphitheater
Thursday, July 31
Festival Performance: JRose & Kyra Leeds
Thursday, July 31, 12:10 & 12:35 p.m. | McKinley Amphitheater
Friday, August 1
Spirit Friday: Dream Job Day
Friday, August 1, All Day
Festival Performance: Voices of Broadway
Friday, August 1, 12:10 p.m. & 12:35 p.m. | McKinley Amphitheater
Do you have any Usdan news we should know about? Write to us at media@usdan.org, and we may feature it in our next newsletter or on our social channels!
