Student-Made Memorial Day Poppies Grace Calverton National Cemetery

RIVERHEAD, NY — To pay tribute to heroes this Memorial Day weekend, the Riverhead High School art department has created a "powerful tribute" to the nation’s heroes, district officials said.

Through May 29th, a ceramic poppy installation made by student artists will be on display at the entrance of Calverton National Cemetery. Each handcrafted poppy honors and recognizes the sacrifices made by those who served our country, the district said.

"The installation offers a moment of reflection, honor, and community connection," said Riverhead High School art teacher Katy Wilkinson, one of three art teachers who led the project. "We encourage everyone to stop by during the week to view the display and pay their respects. Let us come together in remembrance and appreciation."

This annual art installation was conceived by Riverhead High School art teachers Debbie Cantalupo and Selena Pagliarulo, whose creative crafts and ceramics classes began crafting the poppies and adding to the collection each year.

After several years, Wilkinson’s creative crafts classes joined in the initiative, as well. The collection now includes more than 1,000 poppies created by Riverhead High School students throughout the years.

In previous years, the ceramic poppies were installed at the Suffolk County Historical Society in Riverhead, surrounding the World War I monument. This is the first year the poppies are being installed outside the entrance of Calverton National Cemetery.

The original inspiration for the display was a 2014 large-scale art installation at the Tower of London created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins and conceptualized by stage designer Tom Piper.

Titled "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red," the Tower of London’s moat was filled with 888,246 ceramic red poppies, each representing a British or Colonial service member who lost their life in World War I. The piece served to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the war.