Annie Coffey Wins Kevin Sze Scholarship
A scholarship in memory of Kevin Sze, a young man remembered throughout the Huntington School District as a kind and gentle soul, was presented to Class of 2012 member Annie Coffey, who is head to City University of New York-Hunter College in the fall.
Mr. Sze, who attended Woodhull, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma during the summer before he began sixth grade classes. Despite undergoing surgeries, chemo and radiation therapies, he remained exceedingly upbeat. Scholarship organizers decided that since Mr. Sze gave 100 percent for each of his 16 years, the annual award would total $1,600.
The pleasant teenager passed away in April 2008 during his junior year at Huntington High School. It was a heartbreaking loss for the teachers and classmates who cherished the well-liked young man. A scholarship fund in his memory was soon established to recognize seniors who have faced an obstacle and how that obstacle was overcome.
"It was truly an honor to receive the Kevin Sze scholarship," Ms. Coffey said. "Kevin and his struggle with cancer has been an inspiration to me for many years now. Learning of his coping skills and the way his family supported him helped me with the obstacles I faced last year when my father became seriously ill with cancer. Clearly I didn't have to overcome the same type of hurdles that Kevin did. He fought the ultimate battle."
"I watched my Dad fight the same kind of battle and he taught me that you'll always have to push on and persevere no matter what you're facing," Ms. Coffey said. "I hope my stamina is never put to the same type of test that my dad and Kevin faced, but I have learned how to cope with adversity while trying to get through every day life from both of them. They have both inspired me to live my life according to the adage 'life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you deal with it."
Applicants for the award were asked to describe how a particularly difficult experience had served to help them in life. The seniors who applied for the scholarship wrote about medical, emotional and physical obstacles they have encountered.
After reading through each of the applications, a committee selected Ms. Coffey as the scholarship's fourth annual recipient. Jeffrey Bishop won the inaugural award in 2009, Chelsey Hoole-Shlakman was the 2010 honoree and Melissa Cartagena was last year's recipient.
"I plan to major in English education and creative writing," Ms. Coffey said. "I hope to teach high school English one day, hopefully in Huntington."