Josh Morris' Extraordinary
Huntington Journey
Josh Morris' journey as a member of Huntington High School's Class of 2013 began on his first day of kindergarten at Southdown Primary School. Since then he has grown into an academic and co-curricular powerhouse, sparkling in the most challenging courses and starring on stage in numerous drama club productions.
The senior is on a waiting list at the University of Pennsylvania and he hopes to hear something positive soon. If that doesn't work out, he plans to attend Tufts University. "I was accepted by an array of other schools, such as Tulane's honors program with a Presidential scholarship and Northeastern University with a Dean's scholarship, but no institution I have been accepted into surpasses Tuft's amazing social atmosphere, being situated right near the heart of Boston, as well as its extremely challenging academic environment," Mr. Morris said. "Not to mention Tufts requirement of all freshman to be on the unlimited meal program!"
Mr. Morris has always been a stand-out student. He's one of the brightest and most articulate members of Huntington's senior class. He's also witty, interesting and willing to help others. The teenager has always worked to improve himself, kicking into overdrive upon entering J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
"Starting at Finley, it became my goal to be involved in anything and everything that I was possibly capable of, both in terms of being physically capable of doing it, as well as being restrained by a 24-hour day," Mr. Morris said.
Habitat for Humanity Member
The teenager serves as treasurer of the high school's Habitat for Humanity chapter, continuing a four-year run with the group. Earlier this spring, Mr. Morris traveled to New Orleans with about two dozen HFH members and a small group of faculty and staff members to help the city continue to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.
"I was astounded to see the dichotomies present in New Orleans, with some areas looking as pristine as ever while other neighborhoods were still in shambles, even eight years after Katrina," Mr. Morris said. "Although working with Habitat was a privilege in and of itself, I found that hearing an account of a 70-year old man who chose to rebuild his neighborhood park instead of his own house was simply a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Mr. Morris has worked closely with high school dean and Habitat for Humanity faculty advisor Robert Gilmor III. This year's trip to Louisiana was educational in many ways. "It's easy to hear of the devastation on the radio or watch it on the television, but to stand right next to it and hear about the trauma from someone who has experienced it firsthand is life changing," Mr. Morris said.
A Class Officer
A member of the National Honor Society as well as the Math, Science, English and Spanish honor societies, Mr. Morris is the Class of 2013's treasurer. He has been a class officer in each of the past four years.
Along with his fellow class officers, the teenager assumed a "fairly substantial" role planning last year's junior-senior prom. "I would say it was among one of our favorite activities we have planned so far," Mr. Morris said. This year he participated in the student government's Stuff the Bus initiative, collecting and delivering thousands of pounds of food to local pantries.
"What many people don't know is that Stuff the Bus involves student government officers standing outside supermarkets weeks before the actual event rallying to get food from customers to the stores," Mr. Morris said. "It was remarkable to see the number of charitable Huntington residents.
Mr. Morris has written for The Dispatch, the high school student newspaper, handling the "What's Hot, What's Not" articles. "I also try to get my hands on any interview pieces that are available, as I thoroughly enjoy people and getting to know them," he said.
A member of The Huntingtonian yearbook committee, Mr. Morris is also treasurer of the school chorus. "Every Thursday I spend my evenings in the choir room practicing for the mixed a cappella group, Choral Fixation," he said. "I love being a part of the chamber choir during the day, but being a part of the a cappella group gives those who enjoy the popular songs that are on the radio a chance to sing, as well."
As a member of the drama club, Mr. Morris has worked well with English teacher and club advisor Michael Schwendemann. He performed in every school musical for the past three years and this year played the part of Captain George von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
"I feel the time commitment that is necessary for being involved in the play is sometimes overlooked," Mr. Morris said. "We have rehearsal every single weekday and for two weeks before the show our rehearsals go from 2:30 to 7 p.m. or later. Certainly no small chunk of time! But, it truly is all worth it when we as a cast are given the opportunity to put on a great performance for the community and no one is opposed to putting in the extra hours to make the musical a success."
Mr. Morris has enormous stores of energy, which he clearly needs to keep up with all of his academic and co-curricular commitments. He has a wide circle of friends and a group of teachers that clearly respect him.
"The goal of being involved in anything and everything that started in Finley also included my course load and unfortunately, senioritis didn't kick in so quickly for me," Mr. Morris joked. This year the senior is enrolled in AP Spanish, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics, AP Government and Politics, AP Microeconomics, AP Literature and Composition and chamber choir, "just to name the big ones," he said.
AP Biology a Favorite
Like every other senior, Mr. Morris can look back and point to his favorite courses and teachers. "Although known for its rigorous work load, I would say that the AP Biology course offered at the high school has been one of my favorites throughout my four years," he said. "In fact, in telling colleges why I was so interested in a career in the field of medicine, I almost always cited Mrs. [Deborah] Beck's class. To me, biology is one of the more interesting sciences because almost everyone can relate to it. Will I really be able to connect with the behavior of a hydrogen atom or the speed of a racecar? Probably not. But, I know I have an endocrine system and personally, knowing that just makes it that much easier to learn about it!"
AP Biology is not a course that a student can coast through. "Mrs. Beck aided in the learning that took place during my sophomore year when I took the course," Mr. Morris said. "The College Board is very strict in its curriculum requirements and what you need to know for the AP exam. Mrs. Beck not only made sure to cover all the bases in that regard, but she also made sure we knew the basics for an education in biology that the College Board might not have seen as important for the AP test. As cliché as it may sound, Mrs. Beck made learning enjoyable and I truly attribute my love for biology and my interest in the field of medicine to her."
Photography Captures His Interest
Mr. Morris has also enjoyed introduction to photography and advanced photography courses. "I was never able to pick up a marker and start drawing, or take some clay and start sculpting, so it was a relief to know that there was an art that I could manage and excel in," he said. "In any discipline, I feel there is an ease in learning something when the student can sense the teacher's interest in the subject, and it is very easy to tell how enthusiastic Ms. [Pamela] Piffard is about photography. She works with every student, even those who may think their talent is not in photography, in order to produce something that the student can be proud of. Walking into Ms. Piffard's classroom was a relief from the stress of the rest of the day, but it was still an environment that was always productive."
Voted "Teacher's Pet" by the Class of 2013, it's not easy for Mr. Morris to narrow down his list of favorite teachers. "Between extra-curricular activities and sleep, the time we spend with teachers in some cases rivals the time we spend with our parents," he said. "Because of this, teachers often take on the role of parents, going above and beyond the classroom and connecting to students on an appropriate emotional level. I have found this relationship not only to be necessary, but extremely helpful. I can't think of a single student in the building that doesn't go to a certain teacher to tell them about a good grade on a test, to tell them about an issue they're having with a friend or anyone else."
Tedeschi a Special Teacher
For Mr. Morris, one of those special teachers is Camille Tedeschi. "I had the pleasure of having Ms. Tedeschi for two years, as well as traveling to Greece and Peru with her," the senior said about private trips sponsored by Education First tours that involved several dozen students and teachers. "Right off the bat, you can tell that anyone who wants to lug around 42 kids with them in a foreign country truly connects and cares about the kids they teach."
Mr. Morris said the social studies teacher's classroom "was always filled with so much energy and, like I've said before, when the teacher makes the learning environment more interesting and exciting, it is easy to learn. Many of my friends have rearranged their entire schedules in order to take Women's Studies with Ms. Tedeschi, another example of her popularity among students. Unfortunately, my guidance counselor told me I needed to take math to graduate, but I too was ready to give it up to take an elective with Ms. Tedeschi!"
The Desiderio Fan Club
As a student government officer, Mr. Morris has frequently collaborated with class faculty advisors Lauren Desiderio and Donna Nugent. He called the pair "among the hardest working" faculty members in the building.
"Mrs. Desiderio simply doesn't accept anything less than success from any of her students," said Mr. Morris about the social studies teacher. "And Mrs. Desiderio doesn't usually teach all AP or honors courses either; she simply instills into every student's mind, no matter what academic level they think they may be at, that they have the ability to succeed, and if everyone could have a teacher like Mrs. Desiderio once in their life, the world would truly be a better place and I mean every word of that sentiment."
If Mrs. Desiderio had a fan club, Mr. Morris would be its president. "It says something that a tenured teacher, with a husband, who plays field hockey every day after school, is on the Building Committee and serves as an advisor for the Class of 2013," the senior said. "Among a million other things, she spends every single weekday at the school until 6 p.m. at the earliest. The thought of letting her students down in anyway or missing any detail of the curriculum she teaches, is something Mrs. Desiderio could not bear to deal with and it is certainly reflected in her work ethic. Every project she takes on and lesson she teaches comes with a purpose behind it and is followed to a 'T.'"
A special education teacher, Mrs. Nugent is never without a smile according to Mr. Morris. "Her sense of humor can turn your whole day around," he said. Science teacher Judy Pazienza is still another favorite. "Mrs. Paz takes a special interest in each and every one of her students and uses her expertise in her area to instill a work ethic into every student," the senior said.
Mainville's Class is Special
When Mr. Morris sits in music teacher Veronica Mainville's class he is "convinced that there is nowhere else she would rather be, consistently every single day," he said. "As much as I love chorus, there are some off days where I find my mind wandering, but this never ever happens to Mrs. Mainville. She is constantly exuberant and overjoyed over the ability to do what she loves every day and she makes it very apparent to her students that what she loves is to be a chorus teacher. Mrs. Mainville has helped me to grow and develop as a singer over the past three years and I know that she has done the same for many of my peers, which goes above and beyond what a typical chorus teacher would do for their students. She is truly a remarkable educator."
Not surprisingly, Mr. Schwendemann has had an enormous impact on the teenager's theatrical life. "Although I know he gets paid the 'big bucks' to be the director of the fall and spring musicals, no one has any trouble realizing that Schwen does what he does because he loves it and we as a drama club are truly lucky to have him," Mr. Morris said.
The senior said he has also had the "privilege" for forming relationships with Director of Guidance Kitty R. Klein and Superintendent James W. Polansky. "Every time I step foot into Mrs. Klein's office, she is on the phone with someone, e-mailing someone or asking her secretary to send out a mailing," Mr. Morris said. "Her jobs and responsibilities are seemingly endless. I often joke with Mrs. Klein about her graveyard shift at the school, finding her car still parked outside even when I come out of drama club rehearsal at 7 p.m. And yet, despite all of her responsibilities, she manages to accomplish all that is required of her and more. I have viewed Mrs. Klein as a true role model for all that she accomplishes for the school district."
Enjoys Relationship with Superintendent
Through his role with The Dispatch, Mr. Morris was one of the first students to meet Mr. Polansky for the purpose of interviewing him when he came to the district two years ago.
"I had no trouble meeting him since Mr. Polansky was present at every school function possible," the senior said. "Mr. Polansky's activism in the school district has resulted in every student knowing him by face and name, something that might seem obvious, but was not always the case in this school district."
The teenager is clearly a fan of the superintendent. "In my dealings with Mr. Polansky, I have found him to be a just, responsible and dedicated leader, which is exactly what this district is in need of," Mr. Morris said. "I know Mr. Polansky will continue to show up to every school event, even when everyone knows who he is, because Mr. Polansky enjoys coming to and participating in these events."
Mr. Morris said that teachers Dame Forbes, Aimee Antorino, Victoria Lombardi, Kelly Krycinski, Kelly Quintero, James Graber and Patricia Dillon "all have had a profound impact on my learning experience and I would not be the same today without their influence."
The senior said that all of the teachers and administrators that he cited and many others that he didn't "contribute to the overall representation and reputation" of the district."
"There is no need to beat around the bush here," Mr. Morris said. "Huntington hasn't always had the best reputation. Although it would seem as though students would have the best insight on the situation, students are rarely consulted on the matter. The Huntington School District is not perfect in any sense of the word, but if you find someone who can tell you their school district is perfect, they either are districted in the Garden of Eden or they are lying."
Mr. Morris is willing to share his interesting perspective on the district's standing. "Over the course of my career in Huntington, I have found that it is not the areas in need of improvement that bring us down as a whole, rather it is the faculty and administration's handling of the areas of improvement that bring us up," he said. "If there is something that needs fixing, the leaders among the adults at the high school are bound to fix it. Is every aspect of Huntington High School perfect and pristine? No. But, when teachers and building leaders make efforts to make things that aren't perfect and pristine, perfect and pristine, I can say that it is truly a reflection on Huntington School District's superiority."
An Array of Good Memories
Mr. Morris has an array of good memories from his 13 years in the district. "Every production that I have been involved in, especially those with Mr. Schwendemann, have been an experience in and of themselves," the senior said. "Each cast is unique and brings out different qualities within myself and I am thankful to have received the opportunity to be involved in the theater arts all these years."
Serving as a class officer has also been quite fulfilling. "My role as a student government officer has also allowed me to have many other experiences and working as a leader during school-wide events such as float night during homecoming added to my memories in the district," Mr. Morris said.
Mr. Morris' said the trips to Greece and Peru that were led by Ms. Tedeschi and Ms. Piffard were "extraordinary" experiences and something worthwhile for every high school student.
"The sheer experience of going on a vacation with some of your best friends alone is memorable, but being able to do it in a foreign country is just unreal," he said. "The tours that Ms. Piffard and Ms. Tedeschi lead are just the right amount of education and leisure and the students that go on them benefit in a variety of ways. I believe that travelling is something that every high schooler should get to experience.
A Future Plastic Surgeon?
The Huntington senior said his love for biology has steered him toward a career in the health field. "At the moment, a dream plan for me would be to major in biology, minor in Spanish, become a plastic surgeon and be able to use my skills in a Third World Latin American country, to perform surgery on those in need, with my private practice as an aside at home," Mr. Morris said. "However, I am very open to change in the master plan. I'm sure that it is possible that as I take more courses on the specializations within the health field that I will find I am interested in another type of medicine or perhaps another career path in general. I truly enjoy public speaking and working with people as much as possible, so I do know that whatever profession I chose will incorporate working and conversing with people on a daily basis.
As he nears graduation, would the teenager change anything if he could do it all over again? "Oh, the vast array of things I would say to myself if I could go back in time as an incoming freshman," Mr. Morris said. "High school is not easy. We're all going through changes and experiencing different and important things at the same time and when all of that is going on within the same building, things can get volatile. But I think all high schoolers need to accept the fact that you are not going to be the same person leaving high school as you were entering high school and rather than try to avoid that change, you just need to be prepared for it to happen and know how to cope with it."
Mr. Morris has advice for freshmen entering Huntington High School next September: "It's also important to keep an end goal in sight," he said. "High school will be some of the best times of your life, but it's also important to remember that life does exist after high school as well!"