Kate Barba always has a smile on her face. The Huntington High School sophomore is having a great time, enjoying her classes and teachers and playing on multiple Blue Devil athletic teams.
The teenager has been a starter on the varsity volleyball and softball teams in each of the past two years. She displays the determination of a champion and Ms. Barba’s coaches have quickly come to depend on her for stellar performances.
Huntington High School sophomore Kate Barba
“My passion is volleyball and I am working very hard to excel in this sport,” Ms. Barba said. “Coach Todd Donaghy is teaching me a lot. I also really want to help grow the program at Huntington. We had a great season this past fall and just missed the playoffs. I have also volunteered to work with Mrs. [Carrie] Postel’s girls’ volleyball team at Finley Middle School to provide guidance and leadership to the seventh and eighth graders.”
Ms. Barba’s mind is never very far from the volleyball court. She loves the sport. When she’s not playing for the Blue Devils, she suits up for the Long Island Volleyball Club team known as LIVBC 16 Blue.
“I want to go to college in the Northeast,” the Huntington sophomore said. “I aspire to play NCAA Division I volleyball.”
A dedicated student academically, Ms. Barba is enrolled in honors classes. “I know how important my grades will be when I start looking at colleges,” she said. The teenager has notched regular appearances on the high school’s High Honor Roll.
“My favorite classes this year are chemistry and geometry,” Ms. Barba said. “Math and science have always been my favorite subjects. I’ve really been enjoying Mr. [Nicholas] Wagner and Mr. [Edward] Florea’s classes this year.”
Ms. Barba spent last summer training outdoors with the Long Island Volleyball Club while also earning some cash by babysitting in her neighborhood.
“My favorite place to visit is the Caribbean,” the teenager said. “My family has taken trips to St Lucia and St. Thomas. This year I’m going to Boston, Connecticut, Washington D.C. and Rhode Island for volleyball tournaments and I am very excited to have the opportunity.”
The sophomore is happy as she goes through her day. “I love my classes and teachers,” Ms. Barba said. “They have helped me thrive at the high school so far and I’m grateful for being a part of the community. This school has so much to offer and I’m fortunate to be a part of it.”
The teenager has plenty of ground to cover before she graduates and heads off to college. “I want to leave Huntington in two years with a volleyball program that is highly respected in Suffolk County,” Ms. Barba said. “We are already seeing more interest at the seventh and eighth grade levels, which is why I wanted to work with Mrs. Postel and the Finley team this year.”
The sophomore lives each day to its fullest. “Huntington High School has been a great experience for me both academically and athletically,” Ms. Barba said. “I’m really looking forward to the rest of my time here.”
