Jordana Paniccia is one of the stars of Huntington High School’s Class of 2024. The sophomore is coming off a wonderfully productive and enjoyable summer break and she’s set for an exciting new year of interesting classes, clubs and sports.
“This summer I decided to take a different direction by working,” Ms. Paniccia said. “I would have liked to go to the beach and hang out with friends, but I felt like working would be a good way of becoming a bit more independent. I started off with a job at a kayak/canoe rental place on Carmans River and then I had this opportunity to be a substitute at the Bay Club camp. Surprisingly, I got a job as a counselor at the Bay Club camp for the pre-K kids. This was a great opportunity because it helped me work more on my patience.”
The summer camp experience helped Ms. Paniccia grow in many different ways. “I had such a great time working with these children and seeing how they opened up out of their shells a bit more each day,” the teenager said.
Ms. Paniccia is the Class of 2024’s recording secretary. “I have been working with my fellow student government members to get the homecoming float started,” she said. “We all work great together so I definitely hope I can continue working with them throughout the years.”
The teenager recently made the Blue Devil varsity field hockey team as a sophomore. “Everyone is so nice and always willing to give advice to improve on my skills and become the best player I can be,” Ms. Paniccia said.
Huntington High School’s after school club program has also drawn Ms. Paniccia’s interest and participation. “During my freshman year, I joined Habitat for Humanity and Key Club,” she said. “I had such a great experience with those two clubs, so I definitely wish to join them again. It really pushes me to get more involved with school functions and be even more involved with my community.”
The sophomore is looking forward to a fabulous year ahead. “I am definitely excited to expand my art skills in Advanced Drawing & Painting,” Ms. Paniccia said. “Mrs. [Kristin] Singer is the sweetest and I really hope to keep developing my skills and learn more techniques to continue making my artwork with more perspectives. Also, my hard work paid off and I get to continue my Spanish learning in Honors with Señor [Michael] Gavilan. He has help me improve my understanding of Spanish so much and I hope to continue to learn how to fluently speak the language.”
College is still a long way off and Ms. Paniccia hasn’t really focused on her options just yet. “I definitely want to attend college, but I would rather keep my mind open than have my heart placed on one specific school,” she said. “Currently, I would want to major in pediatrics. I have always loved working with children because they are the beginning of each generation. If I decide to go in different direction, I would still want to work with children. Even when I was younger, I would want to be a teacher so I could have the opportunity of working with kids. I hope that one day I get that opportunity.”