Seniors Earn Scholarships at Academic Awards Night
Scholarships amounting to tens of thousands of dollars and coveted medals, cups and certificates were presented to members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2008 at the annual senior academic awards night.
It was a night filled with emotion as representatives from local organizations and family members presented scholarships in memory of loved ones took turns at a microphone on the high school auditorium stage.
“The Class of 2008 has won $7.3 million in scholarships and grants,” Huntington Principal Carmela Leonardi announced at the start of the program. Seniors have been accepted to most of the top colleges and universities in the country.
Awards totaling $21,000 were presented by the Lehman Brothers T. Christopher Pettit Memorial Scholarship to Greta Johnson ($10,000), Leslie O’Brien ($10,000) and Cecilia Reyes ($1,000).
New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence in the amount of $1,500 were awarded to Laura Dabrowki and Max Cohen and $500 grants were presented to Jonathan Correll, Shannon Lee Connors, Gregory Everitt, Madeleine Jensen, Venice Lagone, Erika Norton, Tim O’Grady and Anthony Priolo.
“This was a night for members of the Class of 2008 to shine,” Huntington Superintendent John J. Finello said. “We are extremely grateful to all the local organizations and alumni families that generously funded a long list of scholarships.”
The Rotary Club awarded $14,000 worth of scholarships to Laura Dabrowski ($6,000), Sasha-Lee Hemmings ($3,000), Kelsey Ferrari ($3,000) and Greta Johnson ($2,000).
Huntington High School Alumni Association President Ralph Aloe was on hand to announce Max Cohen and Madeleine Jensen had won this year’s coveted alumni cups. Alumni scholarships were given to Katherine Johnson and Jonathan Correll in the amount of $500 each. Mr. Aloe encouraged the seniors to take their education and go out into the world and change it for the better.
The Huntington Lions Club presented a $5,000 scholarship to Sasha-Lee Hemmings and the Associated Teachers of Huntington gave a $1,000 award to Priscilla Ramirez, who said she plans to become a teacher.
The PTSA awarded $500 scholarships to Anthony Priolo, Katherine Johnson and Sasha-Lee Hemmings. Kelsey Ferrari won a $5,000 New York State Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship. The $3,000 Howard Munson Award, which is presented annually by the Huntington Fire Department, was given to Brian Venturino.
A $1,200 award was presented by the Unity Center of Healing Light Church to Francesca Lombardo. The $500 Sammis English Prize went to Greta Johnson. Madeleine Jensen won the $300 Grace Gilbert Scholarship and the $100 Edna Van Wart Mathematics Award. Art Department Visual Arts Awards in the amount of $100 went to Hector Guerrero, Samantha Hofsiss, Christine Kang, Elizabeth Mormile and Marissa Rosenfeld. The Linda Shoemaker Blue Devil Band Scholarship worth $1,000 went to Francesca Lombardo
In discussing the people and events behind some of the scholarships, presenters often became emotional. Many of the awards were given in memory of deceased faculty, alumni and community members, proud of their association with Huntington High School.
Senior Zachary Grill was presented with three awards, the Huntington Men’s Chorus Scholarship ($2,000), the Jane Sullivan Music Award ($100) and the Suffolk County Music Educators Association Scholarship ($100). Cold Spring Harbor/Huntington Soccer Club awards worth $500 each were presented to Greta Johnson and Leslie O’Brien. Jonathan Correll earned the $500 Honorary Chief Ray Mazoyer Award for Economics. Katherine Beavers and Matthew Meszaros won Orchestra Parents Scholarships worth $200 each.
The Special Education Parent Teacher Association presented awards to Tiffany White and Gregory Everitt in the amount of $1,500 each. A $100 Teddy Roosevelt Renaissance American Award went to Jason Reyes. William Cohn won the $500 Honorary Chief Robert Henneborn Award for Citizenship.
The $1,000 Martin Schnittman Award for Physics, which is named after a longtime Huntington science teacher who passed away near his date of retirement, was presented to Max Cohen. Virginia Johnson earned the James Doty Memorial Music Award that carries a $100 stipend.
Timothy O’Grady and Max Cohen earned $250 Josten’s Recognition Awards and Kathleen Anderson won the $1,000 Kurt Schaefer Memorial Award. Brian Venturino was presented with the $300 Frances Bifulco Memorial Scholarship. Laura Dabrowski earned the $1,000 Jagoda Scholarship.
Alejandra Paguaga won a $200 award presented by the Spanish Honor Society. Max Cohen earned the $500 Sons of Italy Award (Arturo Toscanini chapter) for excellence in Italian study. Edgar Sanchez and Christine Kang were given Parent Appreciation Awards worth $100 each.
Virginia Ramirez earned the $1,000 Carmela Santorsola Provenzano Scholarship. Laura Dabrowski was presented with a $1,000 stipend for winning the James Loebell Scholarship. The Huntington Association of Retired Teachers and Employees (HARTE) gave a $1,000 award to Nelson Maldonado. Gregory James earned the English Honor Society Award which carries a $50 stipend.
The Huntington Fire Department presented the Frank Carino Award in the amount of $500 to Francisco Viera-Pereira. A pair of $1,000 Joel H. and Selma D. Cohen Scholarships were presented to Brian Venturino and Eva Valerio. The late Mr. Cohen was a member of Huntington High School’s Class of 1939 and was later president of the school’s alumni association. The Tri-Community & Youth Agency awarded a $500 scholarship to James Beck.
Presenters also announced recipients of the Joseph Samodi Theatre Arts Award (Jonathan Noyes - $50), Art Honor Society Award (Daniele Siele - $400), John F. Kellog Theatre Award (Mira Gutoff - $50), Robert Buchanan, Jr. Award (Shannon Lee Connors - $100), Robert K. Toaz Memorial Prize (Madeleine Jensen - $100), Jonathan Eilers
Memorial Scholarship (Alexander Hajny - $250), Huntington Fire Department E. C. McGaul Award (Herberth Reyes - $500), Dentists for a Better Huntington Award (Tiffany White - $500), Political Action Award (Brian Teubner - $100) and the A.L.I.V.E. Outstanding Student Scholarship (Ramon Feliciano - $100).
Dozens of special departmental academic awards and community citations and medals were also presented, including the Principal’s Award, which was given to Max Cohen by Dr. Leonardi.
“It was a very special evening and one that these seniors will always remember,” Mr. Finello said. “Once again our seniors have distinguished themselves and made all of us proud.”
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