One of the sweetest and most down to earth members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2020, Rocio Trujillo plans to study at St. John’s University in Queens for a career in law enforcement. She was awarded a merit based scholarship in the annual amount of $21,000
Rocio Trujillo is headed to St. John's University to study for a career in law enforcement.
A member of Huntington’s Art Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, Ms. Trujillo is really a very special young woman. She was recognized as a Distinguished Senior after compiling an academic grade average above a 90 during every semester of high school.
“I chose St. John’s because I feel that it’s the perfect location for me,” Ms. Trujillo said. “I knew I wanted to stay in New York and when I had my on-site admissions meeting with a counselor, I was awarded a yearly merit scholarship of $21,000, which definitely helped my choice. I visited last April and I really loved the campus itself. “It wasn’t too big or too small, it was just the right size.”
Ms. Trujillo attributes her success to “hard work, determination, time management and staying focused.” Meeting new people from an assortment of backgrounds has been a highlight of her high school years.
“I’m planning on studying criminal justice with a focus on law enforcement, hoping to one day be a police officer or something similar,” Ms. Trujillo said. “St. John’s also drew my attention because it has a cadet program that runs junior year to senior year, so by the time I graduate with my bachelor’s degree, I’ll already have some experience in the field.”
Ms. Trujillo has been active in the Young Leaders youth development organization. She also engaged in a credit bearing internship with science teacher Thomas Van Bell in a high school chemistry class.
“I feel that Huntington has prepared me to be ready to face any challenge that gets thrown my way by making sure that I was never too comfortable,” Ms. Trujillo said. “It’s taught me to be open to change and new things because you never know what will come of it, especially for college, where the whole environment is new and different. I feel that very much prepared me for what’s to come and the many surprises along the way.”
Ms. Trujillo said she found her Advanced Placement classes to be among the most valuable she completed during high school.
“I took AP Seminar last year with Mrs. [Dianna] Cazzalino and AP Spanish this year with Mrs. [Mercedes] Pena and both of those classes focused on presenting and how to better one’s methods of talking in front of an audience,” Ms. Trujillo said. “Doing it in both English and Spanish has helped make presenting skills very routine to me. I took AP Psychology with Mr. [Peter] Crugnale as a senior and it was very interesting in the approach that many different theorists took to find reasoning as to why the human mind works the way it does.”
Ms. Trujillo has been thoroughly immersed in the high school’s after school activities program, “but the ones that were most important to me were the Art Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Natural Helpers,” she said.
The teenager most recently served as president of the high school’s Art Honor Society chapter and treasurer of the Spanish Honor Society and the two organizations “got me very involved and taught me a lot about responsibility,” Ms. Trujillo said. “Natural Helpers has been a club I’ve been a part of for two years and one I enjoyed a lot because everyone has a great relationship and we are all there to support one another. The positivity within it is endless and we always have a good time.”
The teenager’s advice to incoming Huntington freshmen? “Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things,” Ms. Trujillo said. “Huntington has so much to offer and there are so many clubs, sports and honor societies that there is something for everyone. You meet so many new people and get to join in on so many activities. Trying new things takes you out of your comfort zone and introduces you to so many new possibilities that may interest you. I believe that it never hurts to try something, so take advantage of the opportunities you have at hand while you have the chance.”
Ms. Trujillo benefitted from a group of mentors she worked with at the high school. The group nurtured and guided her, encouraging the teenager and helping navigate through challenging situations.
“I have many teachers and staff that I look up to including Mrs. [Gina] Colica, Mrs. Sylvia [Belanger], Mr. [Robert] Gilmor, Mr. [Michael] Graziano and Mrs. [Lorena] Hickey,” Ms. Trujillo said. “But I think the top teachers that have been there for me are Mrs. Colica and Mr. Gilmor. I’ve had Mrs. Colica freshmen year and senior year and I’ve enjoyed every second of the time I’ve spent with her. She has an amazing personality and the relationship I have with her is so loving and I know that she will always be there for me. Mr. Gilmor is someone I’m never afraid to confide in. He’s always there and his smile and good attitude every day was more than enough to make my days in Huntington.”
St. John’s is getting one of Huntington’s finest in Ms. Trujillo and she’s excited to start college and begin the pursuit of her career goals.
“I think what makes Huntington so special is how close-knit the community is,” Ms. Trujillo said “The support is huge and so positive. My experience at Huntington has definitely been a rollercoaster, with its up and downs, but I would go through it all over again because it’s shaped me into the person I am today. I’ll miss seeing the friends I’ve grown up with each and every day in class and I’ll miss the atmosphere of the school as a whole, when it’s busy and everyone is on their way to different classes. I’ve made so many memories at Huntington and I’m so beyond grateful for the time I’ve spent here. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for me and my future.”
