Five Port Jefferson Middle School students and one Earl L. Vandermeulen High School student raised their voices at the annual Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival when they read their original poems during the Friday evening lantern lighting dedication ceremony. Sixth-graders Izzie Chen (Wintertime), Alice Snyder (A Snowy Night), Ava Tuccillo (Winter) and Devon Welsch (Snowflakes) and seventh-grader Vivian Kim (First Snow) took center stage for the yearly tradition around the village as each lantern was dedicated with a plaque for the weekend festival. Eighth-grader Ruby Ray read her poem (The Village Dickens Plan) at the Festivals’ Saturday morning opening ceremony. Senior Jonathan Kelsch recited a memorial piece he wrote to his friend Dylan, a former Port Jefferson student, in front of the lantern that was dedicated to his life.

“We are so proud of the efforts that not only did these students put into the creative process, but to be so well-spoken and poised in front of a large crowd of people,” Monica Consalvo, who organized the students’ participation in the event.