Naomi Lyons Captures Quentin Sammis Award

Naomi Lyons is an exceptional young woman. She plans to study biology on a pre-med track in the STEM Scholar program at the University of Vermont. The senior’s time at Huntington High School has seen her develop many productive relationships and realize many accomplishments along the way.

The Kiwanis Club of Huntington is so impressed with Ms. Lyons that the organization presented her with its prestigious Quentin Sammis Memorial Award in recognition of her work as president of Huntington’s Key Club chapter and her potential to spur positive change in the world around her.

The Quentin Sammis Memorial Award is given to individuals who show “great passion” for service to their school and community, according to Huntington school counselor Diana Bonilla, who presented the scholarship on behalf of the Kiwanis Club during Huntington High School’s senior scholarship awards ceremony.

Ms. Lyons was recognized with a special certificate along with a check for $1,500, which represents the stipend that comes with the Quentin Sammis Memorial Award.

“The key to my success has been focusing on learning concepts to build foundations, not just to get a grade on a test, prioritizing my happiness by surrounding myself with genuine people, and trying new things that have exposed me to new ideas,” Ms. Lyons said. “Things I’ve enjoyed the most throughout high school are the variety of clubs/sports, the teachers, my friends, the diverse student body, and all of the opportunities Huntington High School provides.”

High school highlights include serving as president of Huntington’s Key Club chapter, earning honors in multiple years of National History Day contests, playing on the varsity tennis team and tallying a 99 on Level 6 at NYSSMA for piano. She has even spent time teaching young kids how to play piano.

Born May 16, 1924, Quentin Byron Sammis was a member of Huntington’s Class of 1942. He went on to serve his country as an ensign in the United States Navy, earn an electrical engineering degree at Georgia School of Technology (he began his college studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and an MBA at Harvard Business School, serve as owner and president of Coldwell Banker Sammis real estate and Sammis, Smith & Brush insurance and lead Friends World College as its president.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers, dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. The local chapter believes that Ms. Gordon has the ability and determination to achieve great things for society and change the world for the better as she moves on to college.

The Kiwanis Club considers the sponsorship of its service leadership programs, such as the Key Club to be among the most important projects it undertakes. The Key Club seeks to develop leadership, build character and provide service to the school and community.

Mr. Sammis founded the Townwide Fund of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council and at one time or another was integrally involved in the YMCA, Huntington Hospital, the Visiting Nurse Service and the Family Service League. The Huntington High School graduate served in the US Navy during World War II and in the U.S. Navy Reserve for two decades.

Mr. Sammis, whose family has lived in Huntington village for generations dating to the Revolutionary War, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones on August 29, 2007 after battling cancer for 13 months. He was 83.