Sacred Heart University is getting one of Huntington High School’s best in Maggie Lalor. The senior plans to study for a career as a physician assistant at the Fairfield, Connecticut school and continue to pursue her musical interests.
“Sacred Heart University is my top choice for several reasons,” Ms. Lalor said. “I loved the one-on-one contact the school promised of teacher to student interactions and the small class sizes that go along with it. Sacred Heart is also offering me the ability to continue my musical career. I will be playing in the concert and pep band, which I am thrilled about. The school also offers a pre-physician assistant track, which is a career I am interested in pursuing, as well as a major in biology and the ability to engage in their honors program.”
Huntington senior Maggie Lalor plans to study biology at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut
Ms. Lalor is also sold on Sacred Heart’s offerings outside of class. “The school has an active student life, along with many clubs that I would be interesting in joining, such as biology club, campus ministry and living and learning communities.”
The teenager has been a very strong student academically and she has garnered her fair share of awards and accolades along the way. “Huntington has prepared me well for college,” Ms. Lalor said. “With rigorous Advanced Placement courses, a positive atmosphere and teachers who want to bring out the best in you, I believe I am ready for this next stage in my life.”
Ms. Lalor is well known for her incredible work ethic, creativity and willingness to repeatedly challenge herself both in and out of class.
“Although all of my classes had something special about them that inspired me to become a better student, some of my favorite one include AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, Latin and Philosophy,” Ms. Lalor said. “The challenging yet rewarding workload combined with the excellent teachers who never gave up on me allowed me to build even more motivation as I move ahead to college. These classes also helped me discover which studying techniques were right for me, which I will use for the rest of my life.”
The senior is very well liked by her classmates and adored by her teachers. She is naturally upbeat and optimistic and those qualities have carried her very far already.
“My favorite activity during these four years was enriching myself in the great musical program Huntington has to offer,” said Ms. Lalor, who plays flute. “Although challenging at some points, my two band teachers, Mr. [Brian] Stellato and Mr. [Jason] Giachetti, helped me to grow as a musician and as a person. The feeling of accomplishment from a rocking band concert is something I am excited to take with me to college.”
The teenager’s advice to incoming ninth graders? “Take advantage of the many programs Huntington has to offer,” Ms. Lalor said. “Without choosing certain electives, languages or activities, I would not have met some of my very best friends I have today.”
The senior has made good use of every opportunity that has come her way over the past four years, exploring a vast array of curriculum offerings and participating in various co-curricular activities.
“I have had several mentors throughout my Huntington experience,” Ms. Lalor said. “I hold a special place in my heart for my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. [Patrice] Monks. She always goes above and beyond the standards of teaching and makes her students feel comfortable and academically prepared for the future. Another mentor I’ve had is Mrs. [Joann] Ferazi. This year, I had the opportunity to be an intern with her in a calculus class. During this time, I learned the rigors of becoming a teacher, but I also learned that the ability to teach something and watch your students grow overpowers any difficulties before getting to this point. Mrs. Ferazi guided me through the steps of different teaching methods and creating exams, which is knowledge I will take with me to college.”
The teenager has also grown close to Latin teacher Kristin Fortunato. “She has mentored me since seventh grade and without her fabulous Latin songs and excitement for the course, there would be no other way I could get through six years of Latin,” Ms. Lalor said. “Mr. [Brian] Stellato showed me how much fun music can be. He always puts a smile on my face and continued to positively challenge me as a musician during my four years at the high school.”
It seems like just yesterday that Ms. Lalor walked through Huntington High School’s front doors on her first day as a freshman. The time went by in the blink of an eye. Soon she’ll be a college freshman with exciting hopes and dreams for the future.
“What makes Huntington so special is the endless dedication of the teachers and staff,” Ms. Lalor said. “They have made my experience unforgettable.”
