Gabriella DeLuca loves coming to school every day. The Huntington High School senior is involved in a little bit of everything and she couldn’t be any happier.
“I have had the time of my life here at Huntington High School,” Ms. DeLuca said. “The atmosphere at this school is amazing and I look forward to seeing my friends and teachers every day. I feel like this school has done so much for me in helping me grow and learn.”
The teenager’s senior year courses include Advanced Placement Calculus AB, AP Government and Politics, AP Micro-Economics, AP English Literature and Composition, Physics, Honors Italian, Honors Orchestra and Project Adventure.
Ms. DeLuca is the treasurer of both the high school’s Interact Club and its Habitat for Humanity chapter and she’s very active in each of the organizations. “This year with Habitat we have already begun a very special project building a house for Ms. Youlanda [Carey], which is so exciting,” the senior said. “Interact is fundraising for Eli’s foundation and for a school in Tanzania that some of the members visited with Ms. Tedeschi last summer.”
Co-captain of the Blue Devil varsity tennis team along with classmate Abby Bellistri, the teenager has played a key role on the squad. “We are so proud to be the undefeated league champions and now we are preparing for the playoffs,” Ms. DeLuca said. Mr. [Jamie] Fishlow is such a great coach who always motivates us to try our hardest while still having fun. With his coaching we got to where we are today.”
Huntington senior Gabriella DeLuca.
Performing with the school orchestra has been an uplifting experience for the senior. “The music program has changed me the most throughout my Huntington experience,” Ms. DeLuca said. “It provided me with amazing help that allowed me to become the music lover and violinist that I am today. I have never had a music teacher that wasn’t absolutely wonderful and so helpful in teaching me confidence and techniques. I totally recommend getting involved in this program here at Huntington. I know that it has left its mark on me.”
Just like her classmates, Ms. DeLuca has grown close to several faculty members and she has her favorites. “I have spent most of my free periods this year with either Mr. [Robert] Gilmor or Mr. [Steven] Lashin,” she said. “Mr. Gilmor is the advisor for both Natural Helpers and Habitat for Humanity, two clubs that I absolutely love being a part of. Mr. Lashin has been so helpful in giving me advice and helping me out with my college search and the application process.”
The teenager has also worked closely with Huntington social studies teacher and Interact faculty advisor Camille Tedeschi. “She has been such a great teacher for me throughout high school,” Ms. DeLuca said. “This is my first year not having her as a Global History or Women’s Studies teacher, so I am so thankful that I can still work with her through the Interact Club. I also loved being a student of Mr. [Edward] Florea’s. He made chemistry so much fun for me. It was a class that I looked forward to every day. Even though I don’t take classes with him anymore, I still love visiting him and chatting with him. He is such a great role model who is full of helpful advice.”
“Gab is amazing,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “She is one of the hardest working students I’ve ever taught. She is focused, friendly, confident and charming. She always has a smile on her face and her positive energy is infectious. I loved being her teacher, but enjoy working with her as the Interact faculty advisor. I look forward to our meetings and events and spending time with her and the other officers and members.”
Ms. DeLuca hasn’t made a final decision about where she wants to attend college. She is still considering her options and learning more about the possibilities and what each school offers.
“Some advice for incoming Huntington freshmen would be to make the most out of every moment at this school,” Ms. DeLuca said. “Cherish all the friendships you make with both your peers and your teachers. And make sure to be as involved as possible with awesome clubs like Habitat for Humanity and Interact.”
