Hector Alvarado Headed to
Cornell University
Hector Alvarado has come a long way since he walked into Jefferson Primary School for his first day of kindergarten so many Septembers ago. The Huntington High School senior is headed to Cornell University where he plans to study biology on a pre-med track.
Following those early years at Jefferson, Mr. Alvarado went on to study at Woodhull Intermediate School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School and finally the high school. There have been many highlights along the way, including the district’s annual sixth grade trip to the Greenkill outdoor education center, “Fun Fridays” at Woodhull, transitioning into the high school program and spending free periods in the high school library with librarian Patricia Dillon.
Mr. Alvarado has also taken delight in “getting to know the majority of the people in the school.” He has embraced life at Huntington High School and realized many achievements along the way. The teenager is currently enrolled in four Advanced Placement classes, including AP English Literature & Composition, AP Government & Politics, AP Calculus AB and AP Microeconomics. He’s also taking Honors Physics and is engaged in a career internship with science teacher Joseph Cohen.
“Over the years some of my favorite courses have been AP Biology, Honors Chemistry, Pre- Calculus and woodshop with Mr. [Alan] Kuver,” Mr. Alvarado said. “It is very hard for me to pick a few of the many influential teachers I have had. The first ones that come to mind, and have really helped me not only in the classroom but also outside, are Ms. [Judyann] Pazienza, Mr. [Joseph] Cohen, Mrs. [Joann] Ferazi, Ms. [Karen] Mallow-Rizzo from Jefferson, and many more. The list would go on if possible; they have all been great.”
Mr. Alvarado said he devoted a great deal of effort to Huntington’s Relay For Life during the past few years. He is one of this year’s event coordinators along with classmates Olivia Palmer, Summer Rudish and Caitlin Yabroudy. A sensational student leadership team is also playing a vital role in preparation for the sprawling American Cancer Society fundraiser. “It has had a huge impact on my life and it has been great working with everyone involved,” Mr. Alvarado said.
The teenager plays on Huntington’s lacrosse team, is a member of three academic honor societies and volunteers with the high school’s Habitat for Humanity club chapter.
“The biggest things I have enjoyed about high school are attending many sporting events, participating in every sports tournament and especially hanging out with all my friends,” Mr. Alvarado said.
The senior said he hopes to attend medical school. He will be joined at Cornell University by several of his Huntington classmates, all equally accomplished.
As this year’s graduating class prepares to depart the high school, the Class of 2018 will be arriving in September. “There isn’t much advice to give because everything is so unpredictable, but if there’s one thing it would be to work very hard the first couple of years,” Mr. Alvarado said. He also urges next year’s ninth grade class to “stay active in and out of school” with extracurricular activities.
Mr. Alvarado said he’s been on an “amazing” run since Jefferson and “an even better four years of high school, so I would lying if I said I wouldn’t miss our strangely close knit Class of 2014.”