Mary Sheehan’s Magical Dance
Through Huntington
Ever since she started classes at J. Taylor Finley Middle School six years ago as a seventh grader, Mary Sheehan has been impressing her classmates and teachers. She’s one of the smartest and nicest members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2015.
Ms. Sheehan attended St. Patrick’s School through sixth grade before transferring to Finley. “I really enjoyed the advanced classes and art electives that Finley had to offer,” she said. Since then the senior has continued to expand her academic and co-curricular horizons and has compiled an impressive resume.
The teenager’s senior year schedule has included Advanced Placement Physics, AP Literature and Composition, AP Calculus BC, AP Microeconomics, AP Government and Politics, Spanish V Honors and Advanced Photography.
Ms. Sheehan is headed to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall. She plans to study civil engineering with a minor in environmental studies or biomedical engineering.
“This year I was lucky enough to intern at BAE Systems in Greenlawn with nine other girls in the company’s Women in Technology program,” Ms. Sheehan said. “We worked on two projects with the head mechanical engineer and the head software engineer. One project was to test the fracture point in three different types of alloys and determine which would be the strongest to support an arm of the Hubble Space Telescope in space. The other project was to develop an all-purpose watch for soldiers fighting on foot in war and create basic software codes for the functions in the watch. My experience at BAE solidified my interest in engineering and excited me for my future studies.”
The senior is an informed, well-spoken and hardworking young woman. “Throughout my four years in the high school I have made amazing friends and memories,” Ms. Sheehan said.
A member of Huntington’s Nathan Hale chapter of the National Honor Society, Ms. Sheehan has also been inducted in the high school History Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society and Art Honor Society.
The G.O. historian, Ms. Sheehan has been a student government officer since her freshman year. “My favorite part about being an officer is working on the homecoming float with our grade,” she said. “We always have such a great time and it is amazing to see our whole grade come together.”
Varsity Fencer and Tennis Player
A member of the Blue Devil varsity fencing team since her freshman year, Ms. Sheehan grabbed fifth place in last winter’s Brentwood Holiday Tournament. “I hold the second highest sophomore record,” she said proudly. “I couldn’t have done it without the help and support of Mr. [Alan] Kuver. Even toward the end of my junior year when Mr. Kuver was very sick, he still got dressed in his fencing gear and worked with me during practice to prepare for counties.”
Mr. Kuver passed away last July 1 after battling esophageal cancer for about a year. His loss struck Huntington’s fencers very hard, including Ms. Sheehan, who had grown close to the longtime coach.
“In eleventh grade I decided to try out for the tennis team,” Ms. Sheehan said. “It was my first time playing tennis at a competitive level, but Coach [Jamie] Fishlow couldn’t have been more excited to have me join the team. He always believed in our team and we are very grateful to have had a supportive coach like him. This past year, my doubles partner, Kristin Walsh and I won the deciding match against John Glenn to clinch our title as league champions.”
Ms. Sheehan was also able to do a bit of traveling during high school. She went on an EF Tours trek to Peru with some classmates and teachers. “After learning so much about Peru in school, it was truly amazing to be there,” she said. “The highlights of the trip included exploring the ancient ruins of Macchu Picchu, hiking in the Amazon rainforest, visiting Monkey Island and shopping in the markets in Cuzco. Traveling to Peru was an experience that will last a lifetime.”
The teenager was honored as a Distinguished Senior earlier this spring after attaining a minimum grade average of 90 in each of her first seven high school semesters. Ms. Sheehan was recently awarded a New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence.
Favorite Courses and Teachers
Like just about any high school senior, Ms. Sheehan has a set of favorite courses and teachers. “I really enjoyed taking social studies classes with Ms. [Camille] Tedeschi,” she said. “I had her my freshman year in Honors Global and then in 10th grade for AP World History. She is one of my favorite teachers in the high school because she made learning fun and easy. Her class was not only very interesting, but I also made some great memories.” Ms. Tedeschi helped lead the EF Tours trip to Peru that Ms. Sheehan participated in earlier this year.
The senior’s favorite class is AP Calculus BC taught by Monica Racz. “I never thought that I would have been able to succeed in AP Calculus BC, let alone enjoy it as much as I did, but the constant support and encouragement from Mrs. Racz has made that possible,” Ms. Sheehan said. “Mrs. Racz was always more than willing to stay after school and help me with the tougher topics and I am very grateful for her help.”
Another favorite faculty member is AP Biology teacher Deborah Beck. “During my sophomore year I would spend every morning in extra help with Mrs. Beck, whether it be asking questions about yesterday’s lesson or just catching up and talking about our day,” Ms. Sheehan said.
While Ms. Sheehan has found her stride at Huntington High School, clearly the senior is ready to move on and tackle new challenges at WPI. She appears well-prepared to succeed on the college level.
“My advice to the incoming freshmen would be to enjoy your four years here because believe it or not they will fly by,” Ms. Sheehan said. “It is important to get involved in the school community and find your passion. The best memories are those made doing things you love with people you care about.”