She’s worked hard in every class and taken on a variety of leadership roles, exceling at every turn. Now Huntington High School senior Julia Segal is set to move on to one of the top liberal arts schools in the country; Vassar College.
One of the leading students in Huntington’s Class of 2020, Ms. Segal is an exceptional young woman by any standard. Founded in 1861 and located in Poughkeepsie, New York, Vassar was only the second degree granting college for women in the US.
Huntington senior Julia Segal
“I chose Vassar because of the beautiful campus, the size of the student body and because it is close to my family and I will be able to get home easily,” Ms. Segal said. “The school places a large emphasis on speaking a second language, something I value very highly. I am planning on double majoring in psychology and Spanish language as I strive to be a bilingual child psychologist in the future.”
Vassar boast 51 academic majors and a student-faculty ratio of 8:1. There are about 2,500 students studying on its gorgeous campus in bucolic Dutchess County.
Ms. Segal has taken on several leadership positions this year. She is currently serving as lieutenant governor of Division 3 of Key Club, chair of the membership committee for the New York District of Key Club, president Huntington’s Spanish Honor Society chapter and treasurer of high school’s yearbook club.
“I’ve had so many close friends in Huntington,” Ms. Segal said. “There are so many amazing people here who I’m so lucky to have had in my life for the past four years and throughout middle school. The friendships I’ve made here are ones that I know I will keep for the rest of my life.”
A vocalist with the high school’s chamber choir and a capella chorus, Ms. Segal is also a member of Huntington’s National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society and the Art Honor Society.
“I have loved each and every teacher that I have had during my time in the school district, but one of my favorites is Ms. [Kim] Schiller,” Ms. Segal said. “She helped me to develop a love of the English language that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and she always inspired me to grow my skills as a writer, which is something that has been so important for me.”
The senior has done quite a bit of traveling over the past four years, including trips to Italy, Canada and many of the states in the Northeast, including Vermont, Main, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
“My advice to incoming freshmen is to always take school seriously and to try the best that they can, but to never let an assignment or test grade determine their self-worth or stress them out too much,” Ms. Segal said. “I would also recommend to always find ways to get involved in the community and to value all the friendships they make in high school.”
The teenager is definitely a “mover and shaker” who knows how to get things done. Ms. Segal is looking forward to her final months of high school, but is also excited by what awaits her at Vassar College as she prepares for the next stage of her life.
“I have absolutely loved my experience in Huntington,” Ms. Segal said. “It has provided me with such a solid foundation for the rest of my academic career and has given me friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. No matter where I end up in life, I will always remember that my roots lie in this school district and community.”
