She Wouldn't Trade These Years
for Anything
She's been in the fold since her first day of kindergarten 13 years ago and since then Marie Clifford has done nothing but make the Huntington School District community proud. All these years later, the young scholar is a Huntington High School senior and she's one of the key players in the Class of 2012.
The teenager will always have fond memories of the past four years of high school. "They have been amazing," Ms. Clifford said. "Not only have I made friendships that will last a lifetime, but I have also found my passion in both history and teaching."
The senior's experiences have been exceedingly positive as she has immersed herself in academics, music, sports, club activities and community service. "I love Huntington," Ms. Clifford said. "I would not trade these four years for anything."
President of Huntington's National Honor Society chapter, Ms. Clifford is also a member of the English and Science National Honor Societies. She's been a part of the wind ensemble for the past four years, a member of the orchestra pit for three years and in the Blue Devil marching band for three years.
Ms. Clifford will attend the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where she plans to pursue American and museum studies. A career as a secondary education history teacher could be in her future.
The teenager participated in the National Institute of American History and Democracy at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia last summer. "It was a three week pre-collegiate program where I went to various museums, read scholarly journals and wrote college level papers," she said. "I lived on campus for three weeks and met many people from all over the world. I would never have applied for this program [at Mary Washington] if I did not have the confidence that Huntington gave me, as well as the tools to work hard in a college environment."
The senior's favorite class has been Advanced Placement US History with teacher James Graber. She has also especially enjoyed AP US Government with teacher Debbie Mellon this year. Ms. Clifford considers English teacher Aimee Antorino and art teacher Kristin Singer to have been "very influential on my positive outlook and worth ethic."
Captain of the girls' fencing team, Ms. Clifford is a four-year varsity letter winner in the sport. She's been treasurer of The Huntingtonian yearbook club for three years. The senior has also volunteered with the Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative and the Long Island Community Agriculture Network, an organization that works to save farms and create gardens to that LI can grow a significant percentage of its own food, organically and safely.
Ms. Clifford is co-chairing this year's Relay for Life at Huntington High School, supervising the production of the massive event that is on course to raise $65,000 or more for the American Cancer Society. She has also pitched in and helped out at various health fairs at Glen Cove Hospital and has worked in the OOMPAH summer arts enrichment program.
As a student in Huntington's fashion program, Ms. Clifford was among the contingent that traveled to Washington, DC to meet First Lady Michelle Obama and participate in events tied to the donation of Mrs. Obama's inaugural gown to the Smithsonian Museum.
The trip to the nation's capital will always be one of Ms. Clifford's high school highlights, as is her stewardship of the National Honor Society and her work as co-chair of the Relay for Life committee. "It has been the reason why I believe that one person, one school and one community can make a difference in a positive way," she said.
What is the teenager's advice to incoming Huntington High School freshmen? "Try everything," Ms. Clifford said. "There are so many opportunities at Huntington that everyone will find something he or she will enjoy. When I joined the fashion program at the high school, I never thought I would be able to meet Michelle Obama. These are the experiences I can take with me for the rest of my life."