Every day is a great day for Carlos Martinez. The Huntington High School senior is always in a good mood with a sunny disposition. He’s a happy teenager and it shows as he goes about his business with a smile on his face, enjoying his classes and Blue Devil sports participation while he considers his experience these past four years to be the “greatest.”
“Some of the courses that especially interest me this year are Calculus with Mrs. [Joann] Ferazi and Physics with Mr. [Matthew] Ligouri,” the senior said. “They’re both really great teachers and explain it really well. Math has always been my favorite subject and I like physics because it involves math.”
Mr. Martinez hopes the COVID-19 pandemic relents to the point where interscholastic sports can resume. If it does, he intends to continue running for Huntington High School ‘s cross country and track and field teams, which he considers to be part of his family. He also enjoys playing club soccer and he works at a part-time job.
The senior considers his closest friends to be Isaiah James, Aidan Heller, Andrew McKenzie, Charles Kiviat and his cousin, Angelica Hernandez.
“My Italian teacher Mrs. [Natalia] Kopshti has been a teacher I’ve had over the years and she has stood out to me because I could always go and talk to her if I had a dilemma or if I had good news,” Mr. Martinez said. Coach [Ronald] Wilson has also been a huge help to me, in school and on the track. He has always been there for me if I needed something and always gives me his best advice. He is a great coach and has helped me improve a lot over the years in track.”
The teenager’s advice to incoming freshmen? “Join many clubs and sports because it’ll feel like you’re part of a new family and it’ll be easier to make friends,” Mr. Martinez said. “Don’t get too stressed because in the end it’ll all fall into place as long as you try your best.”
Mr. Martinez has been accepted into Wingate University in North Carolina, but he said that he is still keeping his options open. He’s also considering Adelphi University, Hofstra University and Siena College. “Accounting and business has always been a career I’ve been interested in,” he said.
While the COVID-19 pandemic can get anyone down, Mr. Martinez is still capable of seeing the bright side of any situation. He’s always looking for something positive to occur; even expecting it.
“My experience at Huntington has been the greatest,” Mr. Martinez said. “I am glad to be able to graduate among some of the classmates I grew up with since Southdown. The teachers here are the best; they always give their 100 percent and have steered me in the right direction. My teammates have made my years at Huntington High School ecstatic. Huntington will always be family. I can’t believe I’m now in the final stretch.”