Ally Kustera is enjoying a sensational senior year at Huntington High School where she is immersed in interesting classes, sports and clubs. She’s considering two of the best colleges in the country and has mapped out an exciting future. The teenager has a remarkable ability to stay positive about everything and she is using that quality to her daily advantage.
“Despite all crazy COVID-19 things considered, I’m content with how the school year is going,” Ms. Kustera said. “This is the most normal I’ve felt since March 2020. Academically, this is the most challenging year I’ve faced.”
The Huntington senior’s top two college choices are the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Southern California. “I’ve been admitted to UT Austin, where I plan to study simulation sciences in their arts and technologies program,” Ms. Kustera said. “I am still waiting on USC’s decision. In the future, my plan is to go into the game development industry, more specifically narrative design. I love to write and telling stories has always been an influential part of my life whether it be through theater, film or games. Video game design marries my two passions of computers and storytelling. It’s the perfect fit for me.”
A longtime member of the Blue Devil varsity fencing team, Ms. Kustera is taking special delight in the current successful season, which is racing toward its conclusion in two weeks. “Fencing has been a really important part of my life for the past five years,” she said. “I’m sad to leave the team behind, but I know they’ll be able to carry momentum for years to come.”
The teenager helped spearhead creation of Huntington High School’s esports team, which has been one of Long Island’s leaders. (Esports are a type of competition that utilizes video games.)
“I’ve really enjoyed taking on a managerial role for the new esports team,” Ms. Kustera said. “We’re gearing up for the spring season and have some amazing fundraising ideas in the works.”
Ms. Kustera is in the midst of a spectacular senior year academically. She has earned a spot on the high school’s high honor roll. Her classes include Advanced Placement Microeconomics, AP Physics, AP Statistics, Advanced Video Production/Video III and Computer Integrated Manufacturing/Robotics.
“My favorite courses this year are Literary Fantasy and Science Fiction Literature with Ms. [Victoria] Geier,” Ms. Kustera said. “It’s an absolute blast. A huge part of my major is storytelling and narrative, this class has given me the opportunity to explore some really interesting themes and characters. I highly recommend the class!”
A dynamic, positive thinking, can-do type of person, Ms. Kustera is a hard charging young woman who is determined to live life to its fullest.
“Huntington is what you make of it,” Ms. Kustera said. “There are so many incredible teachers who want to help and will go out of their way to provide it. I feel especially lucky because Huntington has such a wide variety of clubs and activities to experiment with. Don’t be afraid of change, embrace it and try something new.”
Wherever she happens to be and whomever she happens to be with are seized upon by Ms. Kustera as an opportunity to grow intellectually, socially and in every other possible way. It’s a practice that has helped her mature into one of the top seniors in Huntington’s Class of 2022.
“I’ve loved my time at Huntington,” Ms. Kustera said. “I can truly say my past teachers have shaped me into the person I am today. I’m immensely grateful for all the opportunities here. I have to credit the social studies department at the high school for pushing me and opening my eyes to the world around me, both past and present. We have a really special social studies department. All four years I’ve always learned the most from my social studies classes.”