Jimmy Ferraiolo on an
Amazing Journey
Jimmy Ferraiolo's amazing journey will end on June 21 when he graduates with fellow members of Huntington High School's Class of 2013. It's then that the teenager will begin a new phase of his life that he hopes will be just as exciting as the past four years have been.
The senior is headed to CUNY-Hunter College in the fall. "I am very excited to start living in the city," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "I will be majoring in history and education, with a career path of being a high school history teacher. History has always been my passion and teaching history is my dream."
Mr. Ferraiolo points to Huntington social studies teacher Camille Tedeschi as someone who has nurtured his love for history. "She was my teacher for Honors Global in ninth grade and my teacher for AP Global History in tenth grade," he said. "Having Ms. Tedeschi two years in a row was a truly a wonderful experience. One thing I admire is her work ethic; she really cares about her students and has always been there to help in any way possible. She is simply an awesome teacher who I will always regard as one of the most hard working, determined and exciting people in Huntington High School."
District student since Kindergarten
Mr. Ferraiolo has been in the ranks of Huntington School District students since he started kindergarten. Over the past 13 years I have made some great friends, learned from incredible teachers and some amazing coaches," he said. "I have made some special relationships with these three groups of people and experienced things that I will remember for the rest of my life."
A member of the Blue Devil varsity fencing team since seventh grade, the senior said that joining the program "was one of the greatest decisions I have made in my life." He's worked closely with Huntington head coach Alan Kuver and compiled an enviable record along the way.
"It is a sport that many do not know too much about," Mr. Ferraiolo said about fencing. "When I first heard of the sport my brother and I were at a time in our lives when sword fighting was prevalent in our minds because of movies like Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean," the teenager said. "When I was old enough, I joined the team as the only seventh grader. I took the bus from Finely to Huntington Intermediate School (where the Blue Devils practice) and joined a team composed of mostly high school students. That was one of the best parts of the team; I got to know the older kids."
Being a member of a varsity team at such a young age helped Mr. Ferraiolo learn about "the high school dynamic," he said. "When I was a freshman, I was friends with many of the seniors from the fencing team. My brother, John Ferraiolo was the team captain during my sophomore year and together we took gold at the Huntington Fencing Relay, took medals in the annual Massachusetts Tournament, and pushed each other every day to become one of the top epee squads in the county."
The Ferraiolo brothers worked well together and both benefitted from the collaboration. "Since we have always been competitive with one another we achieved more when we fenced on the same team," Jimmy Ferraiolo said. "We learned from each other and combined both of our skill-sets to combine for a total of 160 victories; third most on the all-time Huntington fencing families list."
Fencing figures prominently
Fencing figures prominently in Mr. Ferraiolo's life and he has put enormous time and energy into the sport. "My senior year on the team was one of the most amazing journeys of my life," he said. "I wanted to make the season something special from the start because it would be my last one for a team I have been a part for six years. I entered a tournament early in the season and took second place to qualify for the Junior Olympics. In February I traveled down to Baltimore to compete on the biggest stage of my life. It was an amazing experience that I will always remember. A week later I took second place again at the Brentwood Holiday Tournament."
The Huntington senior earned a gold medal at a tournament in a Massachusetts after going 25-0 over the course of the competition. He captured another gold medal when the Blue Devil epee squad swept through the field in the Huntington Relay. "Between all of this, our team faced many challenging dual meets," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "We motivated each other and stayed focus, but still managed to have fun."
The senior compiled a 32-3 record in his final season with the Blue Devils, going undefeated in away meets, winning the Suffolk epee crown and earning first team All-County and All-Long Island honors.
Props to Alan Kuver
"Going out on top was the icing on the cake of a memorable career," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "One person I can't thank enough is my coach, Alan Kuver. Coach Kuver made fencing a standout time in my life and I cannot thank him enough for all he has done for me. He knows just how to push me to be better. Whenever I lost a match, he taught me to keep my cool and to brush it off and win the next one. One very unique thing about fencing is that it's all up to you. My teammates could cheer loud and my coaches could teach me the moves, but on the strip it's only me and my opponent. Kuver has always been a source of motivation, determination and inspiration over the past six years. He is a true professional in every sense of the word and has been a large influence in my life."
Mr. Ferraiolo will be on Hunter College's fencing team. "I am really looking forward to continuing the sport I love throughout college," he said.
Challenging slate of classes
The senior is wrapping up a challenging slate of classes, including AP Calculus AB, AP Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP Government and Politics, AP Micro Economics, Honors Spanish, and symphony orchestra.
"This year I am taking five AP courses," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "Many of my classmates have chosen to take on an easy senior schedule and coast by with no worries. I believe that it's important to challenge yourself to understand your true potential. Though it was tempting to exercise senior privileges to the limit, I chose to push myself. This year I am learning some very important lessons and I am enjoying it."
The senior is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the Math, English and Tri-M Music honor societies. Mr. Ferraiolo has volunteered at Huntington Hospital, serving there as a floor aide.
A violinist and member of the high school's chamber orchestra, Mr. Ferraiolo has worked closely with orchestra director Lisa Leonardi. "Ms. Leo is someone who I will never forget," the senior said. "She has a unique personality and she is always full of energy. I appreciate everything she has taught me and I want to commend her for all of my pranks and humor that she has played along with over the past four years."
The teenager's rigorous academic schedule suits him just fine. "In AP Government, Ms. [Debbie] Mellon makes politics fun, with a balance between political satire, personal stories and interesting discussion and debate," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "It's safe to say, our class never has a dull moment. In AP Environmental Science, we discuss the world around us and the importance of biodiversity. Mr. [Craig] McKee is one of the most knowledgeable, interesting and without a doubt the funniest person in this school. Since the first day of school he has never failed to make me laugh. His energy and comedy play into his unique teaching style that I have grown to love. In class, Mr. McKee starts discussions that lead to many philosophical debates. He talks with us, not at us. I look forward to seeing him every day and saying goodbye with the routine joke that never gets old: 'Have a gneiss day; don't take it for granite!'
Summer trip to Europe
Mr. Ferraiolo's summer plans include a trip to Berlin, Prague and Paris in July with Education First Tours. He will travel with many of his classmates and expects it to be an "amazing experience."
As he prepares to department the Huntington High School stage, the senior offered his thoughts on what he has learned over the past four years. "My advice to everyone is this: Challenge yourself, expand your comfort zone and take advantage of all this school has to offer," Mr. Ferraiolo said. "You all have the potential to do great things; it's just a matter of taking that first step. When your senior year comes to an end and you feel proud of what you have accomplished, then you will truly be ready for the next great step in life."