Erik Flores Reyes has been making every day count at Huntington High School. The senior is driven. He is so determined to be successful that it’s impossible not to be impressed. The teenager has captured a full QuestBridge Match Scholarship to attend Boston College.
“Match Scholarship Recipients are granted early admission to one of QuestBridge’s college partners with a full four-year scholarship worth over $200,000,” according to the program’s website.
The scholarship will cover tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and travel expenses. Named a College Board National Hispanic Scholar this fall, Mr. Reyes is one of the leading members of Huntington’s Class of 2022.
“He’s an individual whose heart is as big as his smile; his integrity as solid as his transcript and his goals set as high as his motivation will allow,” said Bernadette Walsh, the high school’s college counselor.
Mr. Reyes immigrated to the United States from El Salvador as a 12 year old. Since then, he has worked hard in his classes, participated in clubs and sports and worked a part-time job.
Among the courses that most interest him this year are Advanced Placement Computer Science A, AP Drawing and Italian III Honors. He ran on the cross country team and is currently a member of the winter track and field squad.
President of the Spanish Honor Society and secretary of the Science Honor Society, Mr. Reyes has been inducted into eight separate academic honor societies and hopes to be inducted into a ninth; the Italian Honor Society.
Co-president of United Amigos and treasurer of the New World Club, Mr. Flores is on the staff of “The Huntingtonian,” the high school’s yearbook.
The teenager has garnered a string of school and community awards, including being honored by the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission & Inter-Faith Anti-Bias Task Force.
A Huntington High School social ambassador, Mr. Flores has participated in numerous community service and volunteer projects, including Safe Halloween, Relay For Life, Science Story Night, the Art Honor Society’s Memory Project, Crochet for a Cause and the collection and donation of clothes for the homeless.
“Our faculty unanimously accords him the respect given a true scholar,” Mrs. Walsh said. “He is a joy to have in class; an active participant who is highly motivated and understands material in a depth achieved by a few. Erik is the student you look forward to teaching because of his enthusiasm and love of learning.”