East Islip kicked off the annual FTK Carnival on Sept. 20 with a special opening ceremony featuring musical performances from current chorus and string students of John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School as well as alumni from both schools. Fourth and fifth graders from JFK and RCK sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” led by RCK music teacher Danielle Post and accompanied by JFK music teacher Michael Fernandez on piano. Fifth graders and alumni from JFK and RCK played “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” on their string instruments under the direction of music teachers Jaime DeMaria of JFK and Angela Stewart of RCK.

Held by the For the Kids Foundation on the grounds of Timber Point Elementary School, the three-day event offers games and rides for district families.

“The students did a wonderful job of performing and were rewarded with thunderous applause from the audience,” Fernandez said.

“It’s a decades-long tradition,” FTK President Cheryl Pepe said. “We were excited to have the youth musicians from JFK and RCK, along with some alumni, kick off our annual FTK Carnival weekend with a beautiful rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and more. A huge thank you to the teachers for continuing to inspire the students’ love of music. The kids were excited to show off their musical talents, and FTK, as always, was proud to provide the platform and keep the tradition going, fostering a sense of community and togetherness.”

“Thank you to FTK for hosting a wonderful carnival this past weekend, bringing our community together to enjoy a fun-filled event,” Superintendent Paul Manzo said. “A special shout-out to our Board of Education for their continued support, and our amazing East Islip administrators, teachers, security, custodial and grounds crew and all other staff whose hard work and support made this event a success. This is a true testament to EI Pride!”