Gisselle Martinez Wins Victor Baptiste Essay Contest
Huntington High School senior Gisselle Martinez has finished in first place in the bilingual/native speaker category of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Long Island chapter's Victor Baptiste essay contest.
The teenager was honored during a reception held late last month at Jericho High School. Last fall, schools throughout Long Island were invited to select up to five entries for the contest.
Huntington Spanish teacher Lorena Diaz served as the contest's coordinator. Teachers from a variety of high schools served as contest judges. The names of contestants and their schools were not visible when the judges read the essays.
Ms. Martinez is headed to college in New York City in the fall. "Now it is time to move on into a new life," she said about her looming graduation. "I got accepted into all of the colleges to which I applied," she said. "I will be attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It may not be an Ivy League school, but it is a competitive CUNY college. I am looking forward to being part of a new community and working hard just like I did here, but expecting even greater results in the future."
The teenager said her "dream jobs" are to work for either the Drug Enforcement Agency or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The reason is because I've noticed there is a lot of corruption in government in the Latin American countries that are impacting the United States due to drug cartels and mafias. Honestly speaking, I am willing to take a stand and fight against these forces."
The senior is well-liked by Huntington High School's faculty. "Gisselle Martinez is a sweet, responsible and respectful young lady who is admired by staff and students," Spanish teacher Mercedes Peña said. "She has shown significant improvement since the beginning of the school year because she is dedicated and a hard worker."
Mrs. Peña said the teenager has contributed to class discussions with "great analyses and critical-thinking skills. She will be an amazing bilingual lawyer one day."
Nerve-Wracking at First
"When I came into high school it was nerve-wracking," Ms. Martinez said. "I felt that I had to fit in with the crowd. I was never the popular or the well-known one in my class group, but now that I am leaving, I have grown out of my shell and learned from my experiences in life. Now I realize I am glad that I am not like the others."
The senior has been focused on and dedicated to her studies. Ms. Martinez is a member of the high school chamber orchestra, Spanish Honor Society and A World of Difference club.
"I jumped from Regents English and Spanish honors to AP Literature and Composition and AP Spanish," Ms. Martinez said. The teenager's senior year schedule has also included economics, participation in government, advanced algebra, philosophy, psychology, physics, physical education and symphony orchestra.
"Even though I wanted to take AP Economics and Government, I am really thankful that I didn't because I earned a 100 in economics and low 90s in government. Basically, I kept a high 90 average GPA this year. It is hard to balance out all these subjects, but it is possible. I am shocked how much knowledge I've gained throughout the years. I remember I used to be weak in math, science and English."
"She is strong about her beliefs in any discussion and she will politely defend her point of view, even if she is one of the few who has that opinion," said Mrs. Peña. Gisselle is a polite, trustworthy and caring person."
Spanish Award Winner
Ms. Martinez was one of two seniors to be honored with a Spanish Award at last week's senior academic awards night in the high school auditorium. She is quick to credit numerous faculty members for their role in her success.
"Thanks to Mrs. [Kelly] Quintero, Mrs. [Stacey] Byrne, and Mr. [David] Moriarty, I've been able to push myself to the maximum," Ms. Martinez said. "Other teachers who have influenced me are Mrs. [Mercedes] Peña, Mrs. [Eliana] Oranges and Mrs. [Ingrid] Moreira. They have taught me to take pride in my hard work and that I shouldn't give up when I feel weak. In general, the teachers I had have made a great impact in my life. Everyone should appreciate the teachers they have because they are amazing and wonderful people."
As she nears the end of her run at Huntington High School, Ms. Martinez has very strong opinions. "In my eyes, to focus on your social status, friends, and high school parties during your four short years would have be a mistake," she said. "I don't want to sound like a negative or boring person who doesn't encourage fun, because who doesn't like having fun? I simply believe that someone coming into high school should have high standards for themselves and work hard, so that later in life they will be successful. I feel that I left a mark here in Huntington and hope to leave a mark in the world."