Distinguished Seniors Recognize Inspiring Teachers
This year’s Distinguished Seniors Dinner at Huntington High School honored 70 students who comprise the top 20 percent of the Class of 2010. During the affair, the teenagers recognized eight teachers who have meant the most to them through the years, with some reaching back to the very beginning of the long road to graduation.
The high school gym was filled with a crowd numbering more than 200 for the eighth annual dinner that recognizes Huntington’s best. Principal Carmela Leonardi saluted the students for their exceptional academic performance and for making the most of their opportunities. School Board President Bill Dwyer told the soon-to-be graduates to find something they love to do and then strive to be the best.
“This year many more students qualified for the honor,” Principal Carmela Leonardi said in a nod to this year’s senior class being substantially larger than 2009. “The teachers and I are very proud of the accomplishments of all our seniors. What I enjoy most about this evening is the climate of support and the sharing of memories from the earliest school years.”
Instead of merely sitting and listening to their teachers, administrators and parents all night, the students had a chance to do the talking and they enjoyed the opportunity, telling heartfelt tales and sharing memories of classroom events from years past and what makes the honored teachers so special.
Students were asked to select one teacher from the first school they first attended in the district and from each of their subsequent schools. The teenagers took their responsibility seriously and made their selections based upon personal experiences that resonated with each of them, individually and collectively.
Teachers recognized included Toni Young (Jefferson Primary), Suzy Dinehart (Washington), Christine DePetris (Southdown Primary), Claudia Mingin (Flower Hill), Jenny Finnegan-Strachovsky (Woodhull Intermediate), Allison VonVange (Jack Abrams Intermediate), Charles Williams (Finley) and James Graber (Huntington High School).
The distinguished Class of 2010 members include Michaela Acton, Camille Barron, Bo-Ashley Brindley, Lauren Campbell, Alexander Chisolm, Johanna Clifford, Sarah Cohn, Brian Connell, Everett Coraor, Alyssa Crawley, Jennifer Dell, Elizabeth DeMaio, Tatiana DiPaola, Leif Drace, Caitlin Etri, Kieran Fell, Alyssa Fennington, Gabriella Ferreira, Lena Freed, Kirsten Freiman, Rebecca Friedman, Haley Garofalo, Kevin Goodrich, Justin Greenidge, Maya Horton, Kelsey Iwanicki, Nana Jiang, Alexandra Kimchy, Anthony Kouttron, Sarah Kulchinsky, Esther Kum, Olivia Limbach, Sara Lustberg, Amelia Jane Malone and Lisa Marino.
Also honored were Evan McCann, Meredith McCourt, Daniel McGale, Erin McGoldrick, Christopher McQuade, Andrea Meyer, Greg Meyers, Annie Minoff, Elizabeth Mohr, Thomas Monks, Gregory Nigro, Daniel Own, Daniel Rabinowitz, Luke Reigot, Dayna Reyes, Jeremy Rhodes, Brian Richardson, Matthew Rubin, Salvatore Russo, Samuel Sainthil, Robert Schmitt, Nicholas Schoen, Rebecca Silverman, Casey Singer, Daniel Smith, Max Smoller, Isabel Sorrentino, Catherine Tacopina, Colleen Teubner, Allison Thompson, Alanna Tieman, Clare Tonks, Jenna Wallshein, Ariel Wertheim and Samson Widerman.
“All in all this evening is always a great, positive event that brings students, parents and teachers together,” Dr. Leonardi said.
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