Senior Danielle Melgar Chooses Binghamton University
Danielle Melgar is excited to experience every opportunity that will be coming her way over the next four years. The Huntington High School senior is headed to Binghamton University. She plans to study mechanical engineering and hopes to work at Walt Disney World one day.
“The atmosphere at Binghamton was what really attracted me to the school,” Ms. Melgar said. “Everyone had a ‘we’re all in this together’ attitude, so I knew I would have the support I needed to get through my next four years of college going there. The dorms were also pretty nice. Who wouldn’t want to have a swing set right outside your dorm?”
The Huntington senior’s top four colleges included the University at Buffalo, SUNY Geneseo, Stony Brook University and Binghamton University. “As the deadline approached, I was able to narrow down my options to Stony Brook and Binghamton, which was probably the hardest decision of my life up to this point,” Ms. Melgar said. “What it came down to was the atmosphere of Binghamton. I felt that I would become more independent stepping away from home, but not too far.”
Ms. Melgar was honored as a Distinguished Senior earlier this spring after compiling a minimum 90 academic grade average in every semester during high school.
“When I walked in through the doors of Huntington High School I didn’t know what to expect and I certainly didn’t think I would leave any kind of ‘legacy,’ but because of the Spanish Honor Society, I feel that I was able to do just that, even if it’s a tiny one,” Ms. Melgar said. “The Spanish Honor Society has given me so many opportunities to make a difference. For example, I was able to participate in the Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/ Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute in Albany because of Ms. [Mercedes] Peña. She saw something in me that I didn’t even see at that time.”
The inspiration for the teenager’s success has been “supportive parents,” she said. Her mother and father have “overcome many obstacles” and taught the senior that anything is possible.
“This year was definitely my busiest year of high school,” Ms. Melgar said. “I was able to participate in the Spanish Honor Society, which never failed to keep me occupied, from meetings and bake sales to tutoring sessions. I was also the secretary of the yearbook club, which was a lot of fun because it was pretty cool having the inside scoop on what’s going on with the yearbook. I was also lucky enough to spend my lunch period every day helping one of my favorite teachers, Mr. [Bienvenido] Franco, with his ENL algebra class, which was pretty cool because I got to speak Spanish every day and I got to know a great group of students.”
Ms. Melgar’s parents have taught her many lessons over the years and instilled in her the value of helping others who are need. She has taken every opportunity to do just that.
“Throughout high school I never thought I would have a teacher who would inspire me or a teacher that would be more than just a teacher to me, but during my junior and senior year I met two of the most amazing people that I have ever come across,” Ms. Melgar said. “Mr. Franco and Ms. Peña really made high school special. Mr. Franco always pushed me to do better and strive to be at the top of my pre-calculus class. I remember one day right before a test he wrote at the top of my test 100 and told me that was what I was going to get. Of course, I just laughed and said the best I was getting is a 90, but when I got my test back on top of my paper was that 100. Ms. Peña was never my Spanish teacher, but through the Spanish Honor Society I was able to get close to her and she really taught me to stand up for the little guy and to really appreciate what I have and to use it to better the lives of others and for that I am forever grateful to her.”
It seems like just yesterday that Ms. Melgar was starting out at Washington Primary School, yet here she is preparing to graduate high school in a few days and head off to college.
“What I would tell an incoming freshmen is that I know high school can be stressful, but working hard from the start will pay off in the end,” Ms. Melgar said. “It may feel like senior year is so far away, but time is going to fly so enjoy your time in high school. Oh, and join the Spanish Honor Society!”