Huntington Rotary Club officials happily awarded $14,000 worth of scholarships to five sensational members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2018.
The ‘Service Above Self’ scholarship recipients include Niamh Condon, Joel Alfaro, Julia Rogan, Quinn Blackburn and Rachel Moss. Rotary officials Ford Spilsbury, Robert Bishop, Frank Plesche and Maryann DeSimone presented the awards and spoke about the honorees during this year’s senior academic awards ceremony in the high school auditorium.
The Huntington Rotary Club was founded in 1925. It is a chapter of Rotary International, a 1.2 million member worldwide service organization. The Huntington Rotary Club has awarded scholarships to remarkable Huntington High School seniors for decades. This year’s recipients are held in high esteem by members of the school’s administration and faculty as well as by their classmates.
Senior Erica Vazquez was also presented with the Patrick Thomas McCourt Memorial Scholarship, which carries a financial stipend of $1,000. The award is given through the Rotary Club by the McCourt family.
The six Huntington college-bound seniors were feted at the Rotary Club’s monthly luncheon at Mac’s in the village. They were formally presented with their scholarships at the gathering.
Ms. Condon and Ms. Rogan captured $4,000 Service Above Self scholarships for exemplifying the Rotary’s motto “through their contributions to the community and future potential to further the Rotary mission.”
Ms. Condon plans to study at Quinnipiac University for a career as a physician assistant. Her college academic program will consist of four years of study on the undergraduate level and then another 27 months of graduate level classes, which will culminate in a master’s degree and physician assistant status.
Vice president of Huntington’s Class of 2018, Ms. Condon has been volunteering at Huntington Hospital for many years as well as collecting food items to restock the town’s pantries. She has played on several Blue Devil athletic teams and earned stellar grades.
Ms. Rogan is heading to the University of San Diego where she intends to major in communications with a possible double major in business or international relations. She hopes to be able to work in a branch of the music industry.
Co-captain of Huntington’s varsity girls’ volleyball team, Ms. Rogan has volunteered with the high school’s Habitat for Humanity and Key Club chapters and participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program for three years. RYLA helped her step outside of her comfort zone and become a strong leader. “My involvement in RYLA and Rotary has shaped me to be the independent person I am and I owe all my success moving into my higher education to all that this program and my mentors involved have given me,” she said.
Ms. Rogan was also able to travel internationally to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. She enjoyed a very well rounded high school experience that is sure to serve her well as she begins college.
Ms. Moss and Messrs. Blackburn and Alfaro all garnered $2,000 Rotary scholarships. Ms. Moss is headed to Cornell University to study biology. She ultimately intends to pursue a career as a medical doctor. She interned with the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition’s Students & Scientists environmental research scholarship program, was a founding member of the high school’s environmental club, president of the Science Honor Society, a Relay For Life organizing committee member, a member of the Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education’s Youth Board and a varsity volleyball player, among other activities.
“It’s such an honor to receive an award that is backed by values that mean so much to me,” Ms. Moss said. “The motto ‘Service Above Self’ is something I’ve always tried to embrace as a student and community member. I am so appreciative of the time they took to get to know each applicant and even more thankful to have been chosen. I truly enjoyed learning more about their organization by meeting several Rotarians during my interview and at the luncheon.”
Mr. Blackburn will be studying at Syracuse University where he intends to major in recording and allied entertainment industries.
President of Huntington’s Habitat for Humanity chapter, vice-president of the World of Difference club, a stage crew member who specialized in the sound board and an award winning artist, Mr. Blackburn is garnered the high school Principal’s Award this year. .
Mr. Blackburn created and coordinated the Habitat for Humanity chapter’s first ever outdoor music festival last past spring.
Mr. Alfaro is headed to Colgate University where he plans to study to become a social studies teacher. “I am interested in majoring in history and minoring in educational studies so I can become a high school social studies teacher,” he said. “Colgate offers a path to secondary education teacher certification and a Master of Arts in Teaching, so maybe I will be staying at Colgate for longer than four years.”
During the past four years, Mr. Alfaro participated in the student government, Asian cultural club, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Math Honor Society and Social Studies Honor Society. He helped the student government collected thousands of non-perishable food items to help restock the shelves of local pantries feeding the area’s hungry.
Patrick Thomas McCourt Memorial Scholarship
Ms. Vazquez is this year’s recipient of the Patrick Thomas McCourt Memorial Scholarship.
She plans to attend Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale where she intends to prepare for a career as a physician assistant.
The McCourt scholarship was created following a horrific accident. A member of Huntington High School’s Class of 2006, the 22-year old was killed September 17, 2011 after being struck by two cars while walking along Veterans Memorial Highway in Holbrook at 5:30 a.m.
“As our tribute to Patrick, this scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to a student who we feel embodies his spirit and legacy,” said Meredith McCourt, who presented the 2018 award on behalf of her family.
Ms. Vazquez served as president of Huntington’s Key Club chapter this past year and was an administrative assistant with the History Day club. She was also a member of the National Honor Society along with the English, Social Studies, Spanish and Art Honor Societies. She volunteered at Huntington Hospital and coordinated several blood drives at the high school that resulted in the collection of hundreds of unit of the life-saving substance.
“Patrick was a serious student, a quick wit, a true friend, a helpful neighbor and a responsible citizen; a young man of solid integrity,” said Ms. McCourt at the scholarship presentation ceremony. “Well-loved and admired, he is sorely missed by many.”
Patrick Thomas McCourt was born October 20, 1988. He was a popular figure around Huntington, performing in the marching band, serving as captain of the Blue Devil fencing team and participating in various school activities.
During his years at Huntington High School, Mr. McCourt was very well-liked and developed close relationships with a core group of friends, along with many others. He graduated from George Washington University, focusing his studies on civil engineering. He quickly found work in the field shortly after his college graduation.
In addition to his sister, Meredith, Mr. McCourt is survived by his parents, Patrick and Mary and his brother, Michael and sister, Kiera.
In the 2006 edition of The Huntingtonian, Huntington High School’s annual yearbook, Mr. McCourt’s photo appears on page 38, along with the senior quote he chose from comedian Steven Wright: “I intend to live forever. So far, so good.”