To provide students with an opportunity to have their voices heard, Hampton Bays Middle School established a new student leadership initiative: Raising Student Voices and Participation.

Formulated by Principal Dennis Schug and Assistant Principal Jonathan DellaSperanza, the initiative asks students in grades 5-8 to provide thoughtful and meaningful feedback on their middle school experiences.

During the panel’s first meeting, students completed a survey and engaged in a discussion about their school’s food services. They evaluated everything from service to food quality. They overwhelmingly rated their cafeteria offerings highly and shared ideas for enhancement, including adding more flavor to the mac-n-cheese and incorporating a yogurt bar.

Meetings with the student leaders will continue throughout the school year, with students providing input on school culture, student needs and creative ideas for making improvements to their school.

“If we want a school that truly works for students, the best place to start is by listening to them,” said DellaSperanza.

Date Added: 12/5/2025