Sam Prinzi has enjoyed a splendid four year run, serving as president of the student government, head mechanical technician of the robotics team, a founding member of the ping pong club and the fencing team’s saber captain, but soon it will time for the Huntington High School senior to move on.
Mr. Prinzi is headed to California Polytechnic State University, better known simply as Cal Poly. Located in San Luis Obispo, the college has nearly 21,000 students.
“Cal Poly is a fantastic school with a ‘learn by doing’ philosophy,” Mr. Prinzi said. “I’ve always been a hands-on learner and Cal Poly will set the stage for a great engineering/science career. Plus it’s located in one of the most beautiful places in the country in the No. 1 rated college town in America.”
Huntington senior Sam Prinzi is president of the student government.
The Huntington teenager was on the Blue Devil fencing since for five years, including three seasons on the varsity. A member of the Huntington robotics team since its founding, he recently traveled to St. Louis with his teammates for the world championships.
President of the junior class last year, Mr. Prinzi has served as the school-wide student government president this year, working closely with faculty advisors Fred Bisogno and Anthony Troffa.
Mr. Prinzi has been enrolled in Advanced Placement Physics, AP Government and Politics, pre-calculus, humanities and science research classes during his senior year and he’s enjoyed the academic challenges that have come with the courses.
What are the best things about Huntington High School? “The people,” Mr. Prinzi responds. “Everywhere you go in Huntington you can find a helping hand for any problem you might be having, whether it’s related to school or not,” the teenager said. “Everyone is immensely friendly and in my opinion, that’s what makes Huntington so great; the character of both the students and the staff.”
He’s been especially close to teachers Lori Kenny, Joseph Leavy, Judy Pazienza and Stacey Byrnes. He’s worked with Mrs. Kenny in each of the past four years in the science research program and has taken several classes with Mr. Leavy, including Asian Studies and AP Government and Politics. “He’s really made this year great for me,” Mr. Prinzi said.
“Ms. Paz has always been an encouraging, kind and friendly person and Ms. Byrnes has also made this year a great one for me,” the senior said.
As his time at Huntington High School grows shorter, Mr. Prinzi is savoring every last minute. “Every day I have highlights,” he said. “I genuinely can’t cite just one or two, there are too many to narrow down.”
All things considered, Mr. Prinzi is quite pleased about the past four years at Huntington High School. “It really made me who I am today,” he said. “It shaped my childhood/adolescence, and who I will be for the rest of my life is a direct result of my time spent at Huntington High School.”
It won’t be long before Mr. Prinzi begins a new chapter of his life on a California college campus. Huntington’s Class of 2017 will be replaced in the high school building by hundreds of incoming freshmen with their own individual hopes and dreams.
The teenager has some advice for those soon to be ninth graders. “It’s going to feel scary at first,” Mr. Prinzi said. “But Huntington is a welcoming home for anybody, and finding out what kind of person you’ll be in these blue halls will be the best thing you’ve done yet. The lessons and friendships you’ll learn and make here you’ll carry all of your life and there’s no better place to do it than Huntington.”
