Livia D’Anna has found the classroom to be a place that makes her happy and where she feels at home. So the Huntington High School Class of 2020 member plans to study at Stony Brook University in preparation for a career as an English teacher and a lifetime of sharing her love of literature and writing.
“I choose Stony Brook for the location,” Ms. D’Anna said. “I plan on becoming an English teacher and Stony Brook gives me the opportunity to student teach on Long Island.”
Huntington High School Class of 2020 member Livia D'Anna.
An Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, Ms. D’Anna was inducted into four different academic honor societies including the National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Math Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.
“Huntington has prepared me for college with the various AP-level courses they offer,” Ms. D’Anna said. “I feel confident that I can handle the workload in college after having taken five APs in one year in addition to my various extracurricular activities.”
Ms. D’Anna joked that they key to her success has been “many group study sessions with friends and coffee.” Well, maybe she wasn’t joking. However she went about doing it, the teenager earned stellar grades and qualified for the designation of Distinguished Senior for maintaining an academic grade average above a 90 during every semester of high school.
“I think the most valuable class I had was my internship with Mrs. [Kelly] Krycinski,” Ms. D’Anna said. “I learned a lot about teaching and about myself. I also enjoyed Fantasy/Sci-Fi Literature with Mrs. [Victoria] Geier; it was a really fun way to end my senior year!”
Taking classes that both challenged and interested her provided Ms. D’Anna with the motivation to do better. She has excelled across the board.
“Key Club has been a big part of my life in high school,” Ms. D’Anna said. “It’s such a rewarding club and has given me a sense of family at school.”
The teenager has the charm and engaging personality that any effective teacher requires. She likes people and enjoys working with others. She has no fear of talking to large groups and she loves to read and write and express herself.
“To the incoming freshmen, I would say know how you learn,” Ms. D’Anna said. “Personally, I learn best by taking notes, so that’s what I do to study.”
Good teachers know the value of mentoring and Ms. D’Anna is already ahead of the game. She has floated ideas past others and valued the input from those closest to her. “I have always relied on my friends and family for support, but Mrs. Krycinski and Mrs. [Gina] Colica have also been incredibly supportive,” Ms. D’Anna said. “Whenever I felt overwhelmed or was just having a bad day, I knew I could go see them for help.”
The new Huntington grad can look back with satisfaction at everything she has accomplished in her life up to this point. But she has so much more on her agenda and that gives Ms. D’Anna a sense of excitement. At Stony Brook, she will participate in a very highly regarded English teacher preparation program. She is enthusiastic to begin this new chapter in her life.
As she turns her full attention to college and what lies beyond it, Ms. D’Anna has gained some new perspective on her most recent experiences.
“The sense of community at Huntington is what makes the school so special,” Ms. D’Anna said. “I have made so many friends and I will definitely miss Highstepping, K-Factor and so many other activities at Huntington.”
