Graham Young is this year’s recipient of the New York State Association of School Business Officials scholarship award. The Huntington High School Class of 2019 member is headed to Villanova University’s School of Business in Philadelphia where he plans to study finance and business analytics.
An Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, Mr. Young played a key role with his Virtual Enterprise class company that advanced to the national championships. Named a Distinguished Senior for his exceptional classroom performance, he has excelled in every academic area. The teenager thrived as a member of Huntington’s Mathletes and Quiz Bowl teams. He earned varsity Blue Devil letters on the cross country and crew teams.
Recipient of the Latin-American Award for his National History Day project, Mr. Graham was able to balance very challenging course studies with participation in Huntington’s extracurricular club and athletics programs.
Standing in for Huntington Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Management Services Dr. Kathleen Acker, Superintendent James W. Polansky presented Mr. Young with the $500 NYS ASBO scholarship during this year’s senior academic awards ceremony in the high school auditorium.
Finley Social Studies Achievement Awards
Seven “graduating” J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders are the recipients of Outstanding Achievement in Social Studies awards. The honors were presented at this year’s moving up exercises in the high school auditorium.
Nicholas Cesario, Stella Giorda, Leigh Hepworth, Emma Hannigan, Ella Kamenstein, Cecilia Kye and Lillian Polak were all presented with special certificates denoting their accomplishments.
Maryuri Alvarado Cruz is this year’s Outstanding Achievement in ENL Social Studies award recipient.
Donations to Huntington UFSD
Barrie Stevens has donated a Kolstein double bass to the Huntington UFSD music department. It is valued at approximately $4,000.
Katie Boshko donated a Bundy Resonite clarinet and a Yamaha YTR-2320 trumpet to the music department. The items are valued at approximately $400.
Karen Cronin donated a Yamaha upright piano to the music department. The item is valued at approximately $2,000.
Finley Science Achievement Awards
Six “graduating” J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders were recognized as superb science students at this year’s moving up exercises in the high school auditorium.
Peter Breingan and Leigh Hepworth captured Outstanding Achievement in Earth Science awards. Vito Aloe, Brody Gordon, Ruben Liz Inoa and Joseph Toscano earned Outstanding Achievement in Physical Science awards.
District Audit Committee Appointed
The Huntington School Board’s Audit Committee has been appointed. The committee will consist of Trustees Bill Dwyer and Tom DiGiacomo and former trustee and Certified Public Accountant Richard McGrath. They will all serve without compensation.
Every district in the state consisting of eight or more teachers was required to establish an audit committee by January 1, 2006. District employees are not permitted to serve on the committee.
Finley Chorus Achievement Awards
Six “graduating” J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders are the recipients of Outstanding Achievement in Chorus awards. The honors were presented at this year’s moving up exercises in the high school auditorium.
Dylan Brinn, Aria Hannah, Mack Brunner, Lillian Polak, David Chavez-Hernandez and Linnea Wong were all honored for their outstanding performance in Finley’s chorus.
Policy Committee Appointed
The Huntington School Board’s Policy Committee will consist of Trustees Christine Biernacki, Xavier Palacios and Lynda Tine-D’Anna during the 2019-20 school year.
Finley Orchestra Achievement Awards
Four outstanding J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders garnered Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra awards at this year’s moving up ceremony in the Huntington High School auditorium.
Enzo Pupillo, Ian Rotunno, Charles Siepel and Emma Waters were all recognized for their exceptional performance in orchestra.
Huntington High School Library Renovations Advance
The Huntington High School library is undergoing extensive renovations this summer. The facility has been entirely gutted. A new air conditioning system has already been installed. Decades old square asbestos tiles have been removed and abated and replaced with gorgeous vinyl plank flooring. A new ceiling will be installed soon and new lighting will follow. New bookcases and furniture is also due to arrive soon. The entire facility will also be painted.
The computer room off the library has also seen ancient floor tiles removed and vinyl plank flooring installed. Shelving in that area will be replaced next summer along with other items. A new glass wall with sliding doors will also be installed next summer between the library and computer room.
This is the most ambitious renovation project undertaken in the library’s history. The high school opened in late November 1958. A small addition was constructed about 25 years ago. Once all renovations are complete, the facility will be completely modern. Hundreds of students across grades 9-12 utilize the space on a daily basis.
Kelly Warren to Study Environment Science at Ithaca College
Kelly Warren plans to study environmental science at Ithaca College. The Huntington Class of 2019 member enjoyed a wonderful high school run, earning induction into the National Honor Society and the Art Honor Society, winning varsity letters with the Blue Devil soccer and crew teams and participating in Relay For Life.
Ms. Warren was named a Distinguished Senior last spring in recognition of her excellent academic performance over the years.
Displaying an impressive degree of insight, confidence and enthusiasm, Ms. Warren is nevertheless exceedingly modest and humble. Well-liked by her classmates and teachers, she will be missed around the high school, but no one doubts she is destined for success at Ithaca College.
Finley Capital Projects Move Forward on Schedule
A pair of capital projects at J. Taylor Finley Middle School are proceeding on schedule. The building’s large group instruction room, commonly referred to by the acronym LGI, is being completely renovated. Asbestos tiles have been abated and worn aisle carpeting has been removed along with all the seats, which number about 350.
The tiered cement floor base has been resurfaced where needed. New handicapped accessible viewing areas are being created on the first and second levels of the facility. New tiles will be installed along with new carpeting and entirely new seats.
Asbestos floor tiles are also being abated and removed in 30 Finley rooms and replaced with attractive modern tiles. The project has already been completed in many of the rooms. After installation, the new tiles are being waxed and polished to protect the surface.
Finley opened in September 1965. It originally served grades 7-9 and later expanded to sixth grade; it was Huntington UFSD’s tenth elementary school at the time. Finley Elementary School utilized a wing of the then junior high school building. When the enrollment boom subsided, the sixth grade program ended. Eventually, ninth grade was moved to the high school. Today Finley serves about 700 students in grades 7-8.
Flower Hill’s John Pinto is Principal for the Day
Flower Hill Primary School first grader John Pinto showed a good amount of executive potential and talent while serving as the building’s “principal for the day” last month.
He kept busy leading students and staff in the Pledge of Allegiance over the public address system, reciting quotes about the power of kindness, distributing pencils to those who will be celebrating summer birthdays and touring classrooms, playgrounds and the cafeteria.
Mr. Pinto even greeted and distributed programs to third grade parents who turned out for the annual moving up ceremonies in the school gym.
“Thank you so much John Pinto for being a great principal for the day at Flower Hill,” Principal Lucia Laguarda said. The youngster is looking forward to starting second grade in September.
Finley Mathematics Achievement Awards
Eight J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth graders who are headed to the high school were recognized with Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics Awards during this year’s moving up ceremony.
Alejandra Arana Villegas, Shelsea Castillo Licona, Timothy Kusterbeck, Ruben Liz Inoa, Kathryn Montesfusco, Ashley Morales and Brian Soto Yanes were all honored.
Prestino’s Magic Show
Prestino’s Magic Show came to visit Flower Hill Primary School first graders for lots of laughs in the final hours of the school year this past June. The magic words for the day were ‘summer vacation’ and they were awfully powerful, unlocking the secrets to Prestino’s talents. “The interactive show was a great way to end the 2018/19 school year,” Principal Lucia Laguarda said.
“At the age of seven, Prestino received his first magic trick as a birthday gift from his aunt,” according to an online profile. “Since then magic has become a true passion for him. In high school, some of his teachers allowed him to perform for his classmates, but he soon began looking beyond the walls of his school and booked shows at a few private parties on his own.
The more he performed and practiced his craft, the more his love for magic grew. In 2000, he earned the award of Best Student Entertainer on his college campus. This created more and more opportunities for him to perform at various campus events. The more he performed the sharper his skills became.”
Flower Hill’s first graders were awed by Prestino’s bag of tricks. He brought many of the youngsters onto the stage to assist in the magic act.
Finley Achievement Awards in World Languages
J. Taylor Finley Middle School “graduating” eighth graders sure are a talent bunch of teenagers. Outstanding Achievement in World Language Awards were presented during this year’s moving up ceremony in the Huntington High School auditorium.
Outstanding Achievement in French Awards went to Doch Annsler Antoine, Ismael Blaise, Sophie Bradford, Aislyn Franciscovich, Kieran Husselbeck, Cecilia Kye and Dawin Preval.
Outstanding Achievement in Italian Awards were presented to Miranda Bellissimo and Estefany Quijada Mojica.
Outstanding Achievement in Latin Awards were captured by Nadeera Ali and Angie Hernandez Ramos.
Outstanding Achievement in Spanish Awards were garnered by Hannah Byers, Katherine Interiano Villatoro, Yoanny Suarez and Nicholas Zahn.
Outstanding Achievement in Native Spanish Grammar Awards were presented to Tyler Johnson, Ella Kamenstein, Leigh Hepworth, Rachel Morina and Anna Bell Young.
Outstanding Achievement in English as a New Language Awards went to Yoselin Avila Anariba, Kellyn Navarrete Saravia and Selvin Vasquez Villatoro.
Flower Hill School Wax Museum
As the clocked ticked down to the final minutes of the 2018/19 school year, Flower Hill Primary School third graders created their very own wax museum in the library.
“This was a culmination project students did as a result of a biography research report completed in library class,” said Jeanine Caras, school media specialist. “Students were tasked with choosing a famous person to gather information on and subsequently write a short paragraph in first person format. Students then dressed as their character. Historians, explorers, presidents, First Ladies, athletes, entertainers, writers and artists were all represented. Students did a fantastic job and the museum was enjoyed by students, faculty and guests.”
