Maya Santa-Maria is a confident young woman who never doubts her abilities. The Huntington High School junior gives her best at everything she does and her classmates and teammates look at her with admiration and respect.
Ms. Santa-Maria is a wonderful athlete and a fine student. She plays on the Blue Devil field hockey and lacrosse teams and she’s a leader on both squads. She also coaches in the Huntington Village Lacrosse youth program and the young players she works with simply adore the teenager.
Huntington junior Maya Santa-Maria.
Lacrosse is Ms. Santa-Maria’s No. 1 sport and she is so good at it that colleges came calling after she displayed sensational skills as a goalie. The teenager has verbally committed to attend and play for the University of Michigan, but in the meantime, she plans to give the Blue Devils everything she has.
Along with typical academic core courses, Ms. Santa-Maria is taking elective classes in criminal justice and forensics as well as advanced photography.
The teenager’s closest friends include Abby Maichin, Holly Wright, Lena Annunziata, Megan Agrillo, Caroline Hartough and Paige Lennon.
“Maya is such a strong willed person and always gives 100 percent,” Ms. Lennon said. “She is one of my best friends and always finds a way to make me laugh. I’m so happy to get to call her my friend.”
The Jefferson Primary School alum’s favorite teachers have been Jordan Schessler, Kaitlyn Hanft, Danielle Lusaradi and Victoria Lombardi.
“Maya is my absolute No. 1 best friend,” Ms. Maichin said. “She is the most honest and outgoing girl. I admire her for the way she can step into any room with confidence and make everyone love her. She shows that on the field, too. She will do everything in her power to achieve something. She also will always keep a smile on your face regardless of the situation. These reasons all contribute to why she is where she is now and why she will be successful at Michigan and in whatever she decides to do after that. I couldn’t ask for a better best friend.”
A member of the Huntington High School Honor Roll, the teenager is close to her field hockey and lacrosse teammates, who depend on her for sharp play and vocal leadership. Ms. Santa-Maria is very well-regarded by her classmates and teachers.
“Maya has been one of my closest friends since kindergarten,” Ms. Wright said. “Her smile and laugh are simply contagious. She and I have played lacrosse together since HV Lax and it has been so much fun every step of the way. Maya and I also play varsity field hockey together and we can both agree that playing two varsity sports with one of your best friends is one of the best things about high school! She has such a bright future ahead of her at Michigan. I’m so proud of all that she has done.”
Ms. Santa-Maria considered Northwestern University, the University of Connecticut, Marquette University and Lehigh University before committing to Michigan.
“I committed to Michigan because of the big school atmosphere along with the outstanding academics and a women’s lacrosse program that is on the rise,” Ms. Santa-Maria said. “It was an easy choice. I would like to study something in the science field.”
The teenager has become an essential member of the high school community. “Maya is fun, caring and driven,” Ms. Annunziata said. “When she wants something, nothing can stop her. Which is why I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her. I’m so grateful to call her one of my best friends.”
Ms. Santa-Maria recently spent nine days in Italy on a privately funded trek through EF Tours. She called it an “amazing trip.” The teenager said she has visited “so many amazing places” with her family. Her best friend, Abby Maichin joined her on a trip to Hawaii. She spent New Year’s Eve in Grand Cayman, where she learned how to scuba dive. For her 16th birthday she went to the Dominican Republic with five of her closest friends. “It’s a memory I’ll never forget,” she said.
The teenager is well-liked by everyone. She has thoroughly been enjoying high school. “Huntington is like no other town,” Ms. Santa-Maria said. “I have made friends that will last a lifetime and the athletes have been amazing. I grow my skill every day.”
