Salt Point Center’s Extended School Year (ESY) program closed out the summer with its annual ESY
Student Showcase on August 15 where students proudly showed off what they learned through project displays and performances.
Families, teachers and Dutchess BOCES administrators were greeted in the SPC lobby with a leaflet and
Hawaiian lei before they walked through the hallways admiring and taking pictures of the varied and
colorful displays centered on everything from ocean life to the process of making lemonade.
SPC Principal Melissa Murphy praised the students for doing a great job of displaying what they learned
and counted the Olympic-themed project as a highlight. 
“The students are always so proud of themselves when they get to show their families what they
learned and introduce them to the friends they’ve met,” Murphy said. “The ESY Showcase was a lot of
fun this year.”
Murphy also thanked the talented ESY team for their efforts.
The visitors were also treated to performances by some of the classes and a short dance party fittingly
set to the Kidz Bop version of the Calvin Harris song “Summer.”
Makayla Smith, who will enter second grade, worked on a project titled “How to Make Sand Pudding”
where she and her classmates made a dessert featuring pudding, graham crackers and candy fish. She
wanted visitors to try some.
“Passing it out to everyone was the best part,” Smith said.
The showcase was just one of many times in ESY where students had fun while learning. During Community Fridays, students and staff came together to enjoy group activities such as a dance party, summer crafts and an ice cream social. The August 2 social proved to be a big success where students chose from dozens of toppings and syrups, all provided by Stewart’s Shops.
Abraham Mendoza-Castellanos enjoyed selecting chocolate chips and gummy bears for his toppings.“It was delicious,” he said.
“This day is awesome,” Jayden Rivera said, as he delighted in a strawberry sundae. “I feel proud because I’ve never done this before.”
Rivera said it was tough to name his favorite activity, but if he had to, he’d choose the dance party.
On August 9, students enjoyed learning about Pablo Picasso, where they watched videos about his life and how to create abstract art.
“The kids really liked the activity, I think they enjoyed it because it’s abstract and doesn’t have to be perfect,” teacher Marisa Poltrack explained. “You follow directions, but you also get to put your own spin on it.”
Thomas Neal, whose son Alliance was in the program, enjoys the showcase every year and seeing
Alliance develop a love for learning because of ESY.
“He hates Saturday and Sunday because he likes being here,” Neal said of his son. “I’m definitely
satisfied.”
