Huntington School Briefs
J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders will participate in a moving up ceremony on Wednesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. in the Huntington High School auditorium. There are approximately 360 eighth graders at Finley this year.
Plans call for the group to walk into the auditorium for the processional as classical music is played. Guidance counselor Cathy Cain will summon each student individually to receive their respective certificate from Principal John Amato.
Eighth graders who have earned academic commendations or community awards will also be recognized at the event. The PTA will provide refreshments in the lobby following the ceremony.
New NHS Officers Elected
The Nathan Hale chapter of the National Honor Society at Huntington High School has elected its officers for the 2012/13 school year. Teacher Joseph Cohen serves as the organization's faculty advisor.
The incoming officers include Nikki Smoot (president), Molly Prep (vice-president), Melanie Grossman (secretary), Frank Yeh (treasurer) and Emily Coleman (historian).
Woodhull Math Olympians
The Woodhull Intermediate School sixth grade Math Olympiad team consisting of Dylan Bluemer, Alexandra Cartwright, Peter Ciccone, Nicholas Earle, Luke Eidle, William Fallon, Aidan Forbes, Jose Luis Granados, Anthony Puglisi and Katie Reilly has earned a Certificate of High Achievement.
The team's cumulative score placed them it in the top 20 percent of the entire competition, which involved over 150,000 participants. The squad is coached by SEARCH program chairperson-teacher Maryann Daly.
"In the Math Olympiad program, the team score is the sum of the ten highest individual scores for all five contests," Mrs. Daly said. "Congratulations to the team members who earned this distinction for Woodhull and most of all for themselves."
Naima d'Ennery Dejoie Wins County Exec Award
Huntington High School senior Naima d'Ennery Dejoie has earned the County Executive Public Service Award. The teenager was recognized during Huntington's senior academic awards night.
The honor was presented to Ms. D'Ennery Dejoie on behalf of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. It recognizes one student at each county high school "who has combined academic success with a commitment to the community."
The teenager is an independent learner who is willing to think outside the box. She has been involved in the Grandfriends club and in A World of Difference.
Ms. D'Ennery Dejoie will attend Columbia University in the fall. She intends to study psychology.
HHS in NHD Regional Finals
Four Huntington High School students earned third place in the National History Day regional finals at Hofstra University. Ryan Lader (senior paper), Monica Casabona (senior individual documentary) and Chrissy O'Grady and Matthew Beeby (senior individual website) captured honors. There were 575 entries in the competition.
"We also had several projects make it to the finals and place in the top six," said Lauren Desiderio, a Huntington High School social studies teacher who is also the school's NHD faculty advisor.
A.L.I.V.E. Scholarships
Huntington High School senior Maria Fuentes-Villatoro won an A.L.I.V.E. "outstanding student" scholarship at this year's senior academic awards night. The award carried a $100 stipend.
The Association of Long Island Vocational Educators of Western Suffolk BOCES is dedicated to providing outstanding educational opportunities in the career and technical programs at Wilson Tech.
Scholarships are awarded each year to students from each of the Western Suffolk BOCES component districts based upon grades, attendance and community service and teacher recommendations.
DAR Good Citizenship Awards
Huntington High School seniors Michelle Rosenbauer and Justin LoScalzo have won Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Awards.
The awards are given annually to two Huntington graduates-to-be who demonstrate honor, service, courage, leadership and patriotism. Ms. Rosenbauer, who is headed to Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College (CUNY) and Mr. LoScalzo, who will attend Colgate University, are fit the award's criteria perfectly.
The teenagers picked up their awards during Huntington's senior academic awards night in the high school auditorium.
Swan's Summer Plans
Huntington High School computer arts teacher Heather Swan puts a lot of effort into teaching, so she is anxious to take a break this summer and spend time with her husband and two young children, three-year old Sabrina and 16 month old Spencer.
"We will be spending the summer at the pool as I try to teacher Sabrina to swim," Mrs. Swan said. "She was very excited when I recently bought her first swimming mask. She wore it around the house all night."
Cristina Badalamenti is Happy
Cristina Badalamenti is a happy person these days. The Huntington High School Class of 2011 member recently completed her freshman year at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She is studying occupational therapy. "I actually shadowed an 'OT' from the district, Linda Malloy, and it made me even more excited to pursue it," Ms. Badalamenti said.
The Blue Devil alum also plans to continue playing on Sacred Heart's club soccer team. "Itss definitely one of my favorite things I do at Sacred Heart," Ms. Badalamenti said.
Choosing to attend the college appears to have been a wise decision by Ms. Badalamenti. "I'm so happy where I am and love all the friends that I've made," she said. "This year flew by, so I'm hoping the rest of my college years don't go by that fast!"
Flores in SBU WISE Program
Huntington High School senior Holly Flores has been accepted into Stony Brook University's WISE (women in science and engineering) program. It's similar to an honors college and an impressive achievement. Ms. Flores has also received a Stony Brook Presidential Scholarship. She plans to pursue pre-med studies.
"WISE is a multifaceted program designed to engage women who have ability and interest in mathematics, science or engineering in the excitement and challenge of research," according to the SBU website. "Identified as a national model program by the National Science Foundation, WISE offers a combination of curricular and extracurricular activities, such as hands-on research experience from the first year on, membership in small study groups led by advanced undergraduate women 'junior mentors,' individual academic advising, frequent interaction with facult, and numerous social activities ranging from guest lectures to field trips. Through participation in WISE, students become part of a community of women scientists that also includes women graduate students, faculty and scientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and industry."