Rob Fiato Remembers His Amazing Teachers
It was shortly after Rob Fiato moved to Huntington from the Bronx as a first grader that he met Patrick Reilly, who remains one of his best friends to this day. The teenager has developed many close relationships since then with his classmates, teachers and coaches. He will continue to cherish those friendships, even after he graduates with fellow members of Huntington High School's Class of 2013.
The senior has verbally committed to New York Institute of Technology, where he is being given a scholarship to play on that school's NCAA Division I baseball team. Mr. Fiato will put his signature on a national letter of intent during the next signing period in April.
After arriving in Huntington and beginning classes at Washington Primary School, Mr. Fiato quickly adapted to his new surroundings. "I could go on for days about the amazing teachers I've had since then," he said.
"My favorite teachers will always be Mrs. [Joan] Balsari and Ms. [Debbie] Quiles," Mr. Fiato said. "I remain in touch with Ms. Quiles and my 'little brothers' Daniel and Jonathan. They come to many of my baseball games to see me play."
Mrs. Balsari passed away in October 2011 after a valiant struggle against breast cancer. Her effusive personality helped make her classroom a very fun place for children to learn. She was well-known for playing classical music during parts of each school day. Ms. Quiles' classroom has always been unique and her students over the years have had a chance to get to know her own two children.
Mr. Fiato's high school sports career started earlier than that of most students when he was brought up from J. Taylor Finley Middle School to be the Blue Devil varsity baseball team's starting catcher.
"This will be my fifth year on varsity," Mr. Fiato said. "I was blessed to meet my coaches Greg Kalkau and Keith Flynn, who have helped guide me both on the field and off. To this day they still are by my side."
The teenager played football as a freshman, but his career was cut short after he required surgery on his left foot. He participated in Huntington's Habitat for Humanity chapter as a ninth grader and has helped raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation along with his baseball teammates. He's also a peer mediator and a member of Young Leaders, a local youth community service organization
Mr. Fiato's senior year classes include AP Microeconomics, AP Government and AP Environmental Science. "I wanted to save my most challenging classes for my last year to show colleges that I am not a slacker."
When asked to name a favorite Huntington High School teacher, Mr. Fiato chose Gina Colica, an English department faculty member. "I could go to her for anything," he said. The senior added that he "could never forget about" school dean Rob Gilmor. "My high school years wouldn't have been the same without the two of them."
"My advice to freshmen is to stop being someone you're not," Mr. Fiato said. "Don't think that because you're in high school you have to change. Go to class, keep your grades up, start good habits now so later on down the road you don't have to struggle to get into college. But, very importantly, have fun. It's the best years of your life."