Trustees Approve Creation of Two New Scholarships
The Huntington School Board has approved creation of two new privately financed scholarship funds in honor of former Blue Devil Marching Band Parent Assn. President Phil Antonucci and retired Assistant Superintendent Steven Tribus.
An Emmy Award winning sound engineer and audio technician, Mr. Antonucci passed away last August after a valiant 13-year long struggle against cancer. His wife, Deidre C. Antonucci is developing the Friends of Phil scholarship fund.
Mrs. Antonucci would like to award a scholarship of at least $500 in each of the next two years. In 2013, she plans to present the scholarship to a senior displaying financial need who intends to study either music performance or music education in college.
Next year the award would go to a member of the Class of 2014 "who has experienced the loss of a parent or is experiencing a significant change in their home life due to a parent with a terminal illness" and who also demonstrates a financial need.
The Antonucci's daughter, Corina is a sophomore at CUNY Queens College who is studying in the Aaron Copland School of Music. "She is following in her father's footsteps with music education," Mrs. Antonucci said. A second daughter, Alexa is a Huntington High School junior who is a member of the marching band's color guard and the school chorus.
Mrs. Antonucci informed Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky that she would like high school music teacher and marching band co-director Jason Giachetti to serve on the scholarship selection committee along with her. "I can't speak any higher about the music department as it has played such an important role in my family's life," Mrs. Antonucci said.
An audio mixer and department head at various television networks, Mr. Antonucci mixed sound for over 2,200 live shows including the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and New Jersey Nets for Sports Channel/Fox Sports New York and the New York Mets and New York Yankees for WB11. He also mixed sound for the YES Network and various entertainment shows including Late Night with David Letterman, Live from the Play by Play with Mike Francessa and a litany of shows on Madison Square Garden Network, SNY and the FUSE Network.
As the guitarist and front man of Beginnings, the country's premier Chicago tribute band, Mr. Antonucci developed a devoted fan base, performing at major venues across Long Island and the country. He earned an associate degree in performing arts at Nassau Community College and a bachelor of arts in music at C.W. Post College, participating in the chamber chorale at both schools.
As president of Highpoint Studio, a company he founded in January 1985, Mr. Antonucci built a devoted customer base, booking bands and operating a Pro Tools and Final Cut Pro HD studio that worked with many "name" performers.
Mr. Antonucci enjoyed a long association as an audio mixer for Cablevision (12 years), Fox Sports Net (22 years) and Madison Square Garden (24 years) and was still working for all three networks at the time of his passing.
Steven Tribus Scholarship
Steven Tribus retired from the Huntington School District at the close of the 2000 school year. He served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for many years and was the district's interim superintendent during his final two months on the job.
Mr. Tribus passed away on January 28 after suffering a stroke. "Our family would like to set up a scholarship fund in his memory," said Marilyn Tribus, the former administrator's wife of 45 years. "It would be funded through donations from family, friends and colleagues. We would be looking for a high school senior interested in majoring in English in order to become a high school English teacher."
Mrs. Tribus said the scholarship would be awarded based upon the following criteria: high school grades, a written essay and a record of service to the community.
Mr. Tribus earned a BA in history at Hofstra University and a master's degree in administration and supervisor at St. John's University. He came to Huntington in January 1995 and retired June 30, 2000.
A member of Far Rockaway High School's Class of 1961, Mr. Tribus began his career as an English teacher at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn in 1965. In 1973 he moved to Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, where he worked as an assistant principal and English department faculty member.
In 1982, Mr. Tribus was promoted to director of English, K-12 for the New York City public schools, a post he served in until 1991 when he was named director of curriculum and program development for New York City.
A talented high school pitcher at Far Rockway and baseball fan his entire life, Mr. Tribus was given tryouts with the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies organizations. The retired educator also enjoyed playing golf and was a wine enthusiast. Traveling was another favorite pastime, as the former Huntington administrator and his wife made their way around the world, enjoying as many experiences in different cultures as they could.