A spectacular group Huntington High School seniors captured numerous science honors at the annual academic awards ceremony in the auditorium earlier this month.
Haldey Clayton garnered the Rensselaer Medal. The Class of 2019’s valedictorian plans to study electrical engineering with a concentration in photonics and optics at Princeton University.
“The Rensselaer Medal was first presented in 1916 with two purposes: to recognize the superlative academic achievement of young men and women, and to motivate students toward careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines,” according to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s website. “The medal, the oldest prize of its kind in the United States, is on par with the Harvard Book Prize and the Brown Book Award as the most celebrated recognitions of excellence in secondary school education, according to an article that appeared in Rensselaer alumni magazine.”
Suffolk Science Teachers Award
Ms. Clayton is also the recipient of the Suffolk County Science Teachers Association Award.
The Huntington senior considered Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Tech, the honors college at the University of Maryland at College Park and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before finalizing her plans to attend Princeton.
“I want to study electrical engineering with a concentration in photonics and optics,” Ms. Clayton said. “Taking my college experience global is also something I’m very interested in, whether through a summer semester abroad or a foreign internship. I would try to get involved in Princeton’s athletic community as well, whether as a cross country walk-on or as a part of their running club.”
The teenager participated on the Blue Devil varsity cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams. Ms. Clayton also engaged in a research internship at the world renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory
Science Honor Society Awards
Haley Mortell (University of Georgia – public health/biology/pre-med), Samuel Roberts (University of Rochester – biology), Arashdeep Singh (Binghamton University – chemistry) and Erika Varady (Worchester Polytechnic Institute – aerospace engineering) were presented with this year’s Science Honor Society awards.
Ms. Mortell and Mr. Roberts were each presented with $1,000 awards. Mr. Singh and Ms. Varady were recognized with $500 stipends. Each of the teenagers also received a certificate.
St. John’s University Women in Science Society Awards
St. John’s University Women in Science Society Awards were presented to Hadley Clayton (Princeton University – electrical engineering), Christiana DeLuca (SUNY College at Brockport – geology) and Kaitlyn Sage (North Carolina State University – animal science).
Huntington UFSD Director of STEM Jill N. Johanson presented the awards to the exceptional seniors before a crowd of 300 in the auditorium.
