These guys weren’t fooling around. The Huntington High School French Honor Society’s annual dodgeball tournament was an exceptionally competitive affair. When several hours of play finally wrapped up, the champions were standing tall.
The tournament drew 14 teams comprised of six players on each squad. First place was a gift card to Rosa’s Pizza on Main Street. The real prize though was bragging rights. Teams played hard; very hard.
The ultimate champs were led by team captain Nat Amato. “It’s a really fun event and it was a great way to end my high school career with a win,” he said. The winning roster also included Mateo Alzate, Patrick Durand, Johnny Tucker, Jon Koumas and Aidan Forbes.
Mr. Forbes is the Class of 2018’s valedictorian, but he’s also a hardnosed athletic competitor. He’s headed to Cornell University in the fall, but on this day all he could think about was capturing first place with his teammates. “The tournament was really fun and competitive,” he said. “It was a great way to end the year.”
The event raised $337, which the French Honor Society earmarked for its initiative in Paulette, Haiti. The organization has been sending funds there for several years to help underwrite the education of elementary school age children. Without the monies from Huntington, about 25 students would not be getting an education.
“What seems to just be good clean fun to us, has a global educational impact and the French Honor Society hopes to carry this tradition onward into the forthcoming years,” said teacher Deidre Mayer, who serves as the group’s faculty advisor.
The French Honor Society’s executive board includes Nicole Arenth (president), Lindsay Saginaw (treasurer) and Thomas Edgar-McNerney (secretary). The recent tournament was entirely student run.
“The dodgeball tournament has been the most fun event staged by an honor society that I have been a member of,” Mr. Alzate said. “It’s a great way to support the French Honor Society.”