Harrison Krywak is this year’s recipient of the Associated Teachers of Huntington scholarship. The Huntington High School Class of 2022 member plans to study at York College of Pennsylvania in preparation for a career as a social studies teacher.
Huntington social studies teacher and ATH President James Graber made the scholarship announcement during an award ceremony in the high school auditorium. The scholarship is in the amount of $1,000. York recruited Mr. Krywak to play on its men’s lacrosse team.
Harrison Krywak has claimed the 2022 ATH scholarship award.
The ATH is the professional organization representing teachers in the district. For decades the group has presented an annual scholarship to a graduating senior who plans to become a teacher.
Those seeking the ATH award are asked to complete an application that includes an essay detailing their plans to become a teacher. The scholarship is supported by the membership dues paid by Huntington’s teachers.
“Having great teachers in school and having a teacher in my family, I decided to study secondary education and social studies,” Mr. Krywak said last spring. The teenager said three Huntington teachers in particular helped “shape” him, including Peter Fusco, Fred Bisogno and Anthony Troffa.
“I had Mr. Troffa and Mr. Bisogno together in eleventh grade and I just loved every bit of their class,” Mr. Krywak said. “I just have a lot in common with Mr. Fusco. He has showed me all the fun and enjoyment of being a teacher.”
ATH Founded in 1933 is Still Going Strong
The Associated Teachers of Huntington has long been a staple around the Huntington School District community. The professional organization of teachers today has more than 400 faculty members in its ranks.
Widely known by the acronym ATH, the Associated Teachers of Huntington was founded in 1933 as a social group. For many decades it included all state certificated teachers and administrators, including the superintendent of schools, principals and elementary, junior high school and high school faculty members.
“Shortly after its founding, the ATH expanded its original social purpose to become an all-around professional organization and today is concerned with ethical, financial, welfare, educational and social affairs,” according to a short profile published in 1953 on the occasion of the Town of Huntington’s 300th anniversary.
“To many townspeople the Associated Teachers of Huntington is known for its scholarship activities on behalf of Simpson High School graduates who plan to enter teaching,” states that 1953 profile of the organization. “Two highly successful stage productions in the past two years enable the teachers to present scholarships of $400 annually. This year, a Future Teachers of America group also has been launched by high school seniors under the Association’s sponsorship.”
Huntington High School social studies teacher James Graber is the ATH’s current president. The organization is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, New York State United Teachers and the AFL-CIO.
The ATH had 179 teacher members at the time of the 1953 profile. Today it has well over twice as many faculty members in its ranks.
“The Associated Teachers of Huntington is a member of the Chamber of Commerce; is sponsoring its third evening study course within two years; works with the Board of Education on policies affecting professional personnel and in promoting American Education Week; assists the Service League; and in alternate years maintains a speaker’s bureau to work with town organizations in presenting information about our schools. The Association meets monthly at one of the seven district schools for a social or professional meeting,” according to the 1953 profile.
The ATH is still going strong 89 years after it was founded. The organization negotiates the collective bargaining agreement that the district’s teachers work under. It reaches out into the community through several annual initiatives.