Jake Burton mastered his coursework at Huntington High School and he did it with a smile on his face and while earning the respect and affection of his teachers and classmates.
Mr. Burton plans to study at McGill University. He captured the New York American Chemical Society’s Long Island subsection annual scholarship award as the top chemistry student in the Class of 2022.
“Throughout his high school career, Jake has consistently demonstrated a strong level of academic and personal commitment enrolling in classes that have tested his confidence and heightened his senses,” said Bernadette Walsh, Huntington High School’s college counselor. “With unwavering motivation and determination, he has excelled. His academic talents are undisputed and his transcript speaks for itself. He is a competitive learner who strives for mastery in each subject area.”
Founded in 1821, McGill is a public university in Montreal, Canada. International students from more than 150 countries make up nearly 30 percent of the university’s student body, according to McGill’s website.
An Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor, Mr. Burton’s academic grade average exceeded 101. “His resume of honors and accolades is astounding,” Mrs. Walsh said. “However, humility is one of the most significant character traits that Jake displays on a regular basis all the while successfully completing a rigorous course of study in honors and AP level courses. I have no doubts that Jake will continue to meet every challenge with aplomb and poise.”
Mr. Burton volunteered hundreds of hours of service with the UM ARMY (United Methodist Action Reach-Out Mission by Youth). His work ranged from assisting community members with yard work to building structures for impoverished families, including the construction of a wheelchair ramp at a parishioner’s home.
“Jake is a young man who is invested in his own growth, academic and personal,” Mrs. Walsh said. “He radiates enthusiasm and is a student who will continue to blossom. Not only does Jake have the skill set to achieve within a competitive academic environment, he also has the heart and mindset which will allow him to grow and contribute to the entire collegiate community.”
At McGill, Mr. Burton will fit in nicely with the top students. “McGill is recognized around the world for the excellence of its teaching and research programs,” states the university’s website. “Ernest Rutherford’s Nobel Prize-winning research on the nature of radioactivity was conducted at McGill, part of a long tradition of innovation on our campuses that includes the invention of the artificial blood cell and Plexiglas. Today our professors are building the new field of epigenetics, developing alternative energy sources from crop plants and driving human achievement in every field imaginable.”