Stephanie Prinston has captured this year’s Tri-Community & Youth Agency’s Joseph A. Martone scholarship
The Huntington High School Class of 2018 member will be attending Borough of Manhattan Community College, one of seven two-year colleges in the City University of New York system.
Ms. Prinston has volunteered at Tri-CYA for many years, garnering a Certificate of Excellence for her “outstanding performance” with the organization’s homework help program. She’s worked as a Huntington YMCA camp counselor, as a cook at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Huntington Station and as a cashier at Wild by Nature. She has volunteered at Long Island Cares, stocking food pantry shelves and distributing items to those in need.
Huntington Class of 2018 member Stephanie Prinston.
The teenager has been a babysitter, studied photography at Wilson Tech and volunteered at the International Youth Fellowship English camp in Mexico. Ms. Prinston has won several academic awards and earned a spot on the Honor Roll. She can speak Haitian Creole.
Mr. Martone had a long association with Tri-CYA, serving on its board of directors as president, vice president, treasurer and fundraising committee chairman at one time or another for more than two decades until his death in 2004.
The Martone scholarship is annually awarded to a graduating senior who combines “the values and ideals that Joe stood for; hard work, commitment to school work, athletics, teamwork and an unselfish dedication to a community cause,” according to Tri-CYA.
Tri-CYA Regional Director Debbie Rimler was on hand at Huntington High School’s senior academic awards ceremony to present the $500 Martone scholarship to Ms. Prinston.
“As a [Tri-CYA] board member and volunteer, Joseph Martone stood for hard work and commitment to education,” Ms. Rimler said. “He was a team player and had an unselfish dedication to community service.”
Mr. Martone helped develop Tri-CYA’s Hall of Honor, which honors distinguished community members who have volunteered to help local youth. He was willing to do everything from helping around Tri-CYA’s facility to delivering food, supplies and even diapers to families in need. The scholarship award is funded by David S. Pottruck, one of Mr. Martone’s former students.