Tears of joy were shed on Nov. 29 as Miller Avenue student Anthony Belvedere and his family learned that they won an all-expense paid vacation to Disney World during a surprise announcement, held at the school.

Anthony won the trip from the Shoreham-Wading River based, nonprofit Families In Arms, after his teacher Meghan Schepps nominated him for working hard over the past year.

To surprise the family, school officials invited them to a special reading program. Upon arrival, the family was greeted by co-founder and president of Families in Arms Alonna Rubin. With tears in her eyes, she announced that they are the third recipients of a free Disney trip this year.

“I am so happy to be able to give this trip to a Shoreham-Wading River family,” said Rubin, who has two children attending schools in the district.

Founded by Rubin and her father, Ric Mango, the Families In Arms organization raises funds through various fundraisers to provide families who have a child with autism an opportunity to make memories that “go far beyond the walls of therapy.”

“The inspiration for FIA,” said Rubin, who also serves as co-president of SEPTA in Shoreham-Wading River “is my son, Jack, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2.”