Justin LoScalzo is Huntington's
2012 Salutatorian
A great four year run will be ending soon for Justin LoScalzo, who was recently named Huntington High School's Class of 2012 salutatorian.
"I am proud and excited to be named salutatorian of my class, one that is composed of many intelligent and talented individuals," Mr. LoScalzo said. "I have been lucky to have never found myself in a course that I did not enjoy. Each and every teacher I've had at the high school has been great and has made learning enjoyable."
A high-achieving scholar who is leaning toward attending Colgate University in the fall, Mr. LoScalzo has found time to play on the soccer, golf, swimming and baseball teams at one time or another.
"I am going to miss the welcoming environment of the high school," the senior said. "I will also miss the friends that I have made throughout my school years, some of whom I met 12 years ago, others just a few years ago. No matter what, I have grown to value and appreciate all of these friendships and I hope to never lose them."
Huntington's faculty members have taken to Mr. LoScalzo and the relationships have been fruitful. "The teachers have been extremely supportive and have always been there to provide me with advice and help," the teenager said. "I hope that as I continue on to college, I am lucky enough to have professors as dedicated to their students as the teachers here are."
In Advanced Placement US History and AP Microeconomics, Mr. LoScalzo has worked closely with social studies teacher James Graber. "He is a great teacher; one who has provided me with encouragement and support, as well as much knowledge in those subjects," the senior said. "He is always there to provide me with a joke to lighten my mood throughout my hectic schedule."
Mr. LoScalzo is currently enrolled in AP Government with social studies teacher Debbora Mellon. "She has made learning about the law extremely enjoyable," Mr. LoScalzo said. "She is wonderful. I never thought that learning about the government could be so exciting."
Plans to Study Economics and Political Science
Mr. LoScalzo's classroom experiences with Mr. Graber and Ms. Mellon could quite possibly have lasting implications. "Together their teachings have confirmed my desire to continue my studies at college in economics and political science," he said.
The senior has also enjoyed math classes over the years. "Mrs. [Joann] Ferazi and Mr. [Keith] Mattis were teachers who made complex ideas easy to comprehend," he said. "It is evident by their enthusiasm that they love teaching and I greatly appreciate all they have done for me."
It might come as a surprise to some, but bonds have been forged in those math classrooms. "The students of my small math classes have developed into what we call our math family," Mr. LoScalzo said. "This year we are tackling the challenges of AP Calculus BC. This family has developed beyond just sitting in math class together. We have all grown into close friends and are there to provide support, advice and encouragement to one another on a daily basis."
This is a one busy senior. He's a member of the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, English Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, tutoring coordinator of the Science Honor Society and corresponding secretary of the Spanish Honor Society. He's also a member of the Key Club, which has performed many acts of community service.
Mr. LoScalzo is currently working with National Honor Society members on the Relay for Life, which will raise monies and awareness to battle cancer during an overnight event in Blue Devil Stadium and the surrounding athletic fields on June 9-10. The teenager is the event's logistics coordinator.
National History Day Honors
While a sophomore enrolled in social studies teacher Lauren Desiderio's Honors Global class, Mr. LoScalzo participated in National History Day. "The way this competition works is that a theme is given to students and they create a project that reflects the theme and supports their thesis," he explained. "This competition is extremely research oriented and teaches students how to develop a thesis, find primary and secondary sources that support their thesis, and ultimately organize their thought and research into a comprehensive project that can be used to defend their thesis. Students chose from writing a paper or making individual or group exhibits, documentaries, websites, or performances."
Mr. LoScalzo's theme was "Innovation in History: Impact and Change." Working alongside classmates Holly Blakley and Bianca Iarrobino, the group produced "The Assembly Line," a documentary that placed second in the local competition and advanced to the regional finals at Hofstra University.
As a junior, Mr. LoScalzo again participated in National History Day and became even more involved in the initiative as president of the high school's National History Day club.
Working with the theme, "Debate and Diplomacy in History: Success, Failures, and Consequences," Mr. LoScalzo and Ms. Blakley created a documentary they called "Eugenics: America's Role in Racial Cleansing."
"The topic is one little known to most and we had a desire to not only do well in the competition, but also to inform people of an issue that has been neglected by textbooks," Mr. LoScalzo said. "This is due to the fear of America being associated with Hitler's Nazi Germany. In sum, eugenics was a pseudoscientific movement that was created in the hope of creating a superior race that would be free of all traits that were labeled as undesirable. We learned that American research, which began in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, led to mandatory sterilization laws being passed in over 30 states."
The research duo's project finished first at the school level, third in the regional contest and in the top five at the state finals in Cooperstown. "The National History Day competition has been an extremely rewarding experience, one that I included in many of my college essays," Mr. LoScalzo said. "The experience has taught me how to successfully conduct research for primary and secondary sources and organize them in a way to support an original thesis. It has shown me that there is always information out there waiting to be discovered as long as the desire to find it is present. Hard work, time and effort do pay off."
Mr. LoScalzo is still president of the high school's National History Day club and is currently interning with Mrs. Desiderio. "I have taken on the role of instructor to students participating in the National History Day competition," he said. "Helping students create successful entries has been a rewarding experience. Mrs. Desiderio has been a wonderful mentor. She has taught me how to be successful, both as a student and as a teacher. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with her over the years."
Five Years in Marching Band
A member of the marching band since eighth grade, Mr. LoScalzo initially performed in the pit/battery before moving on to play trumpet for three years. He was section leader of the trumpets as a junior and a drum major this past year for the field show "X."
"Being the drum major was a rewarding experience," Mr. LoScalzo said. "It gave me the opportunity to share my love and knowledge of music with all the members of the band. More importantly, it allowed me to give back to a program that has given so much to me. As a member of the marching band, I created memories and relationships that I will never forget. The program is truly outstanding. It gave me the opportunity to extend my passion for music, while giving the opportunity to interact with members of all age groups who share a similar passion."
This year's Blue Devil marching band finished first in several competitions before placing fourth in the New York State Field Band Championships at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. The results were deeply satisfying for Mr. LoScalzo.
In addition to the marching band and the junior and senior bands, Mr. LoScalzo has been a member of the wind ensemble, jazz band and orchestra winds for the past four years. He's participated in the pit orchestra for three years and is currently the first chair trumpet in each of the ensembles.
"The music department as a whole has been very supportive and encouraging to me all through high school," the senior said. "I am thankful to have developed so many wonderful relationships from the program, including those with the directors Mr. [Brian] Stellato and Mr. [Jason] Giachetti, both of whom have helped me mature not only as a musician, but also an individual."
Mr. LoScalzo seems to define the phrase "well-rounded student." His advice for incoming freshmen couldn't be clearer. "Take advantage of every opportunity given to you and do not be afraid to try new things," he said. "You may find a passion you never knew existed. Enjoy every moment of high school, because time flies by and it will be over before you know it."