The top members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2022 were honored last Thursday night at this year’s Distinguished Seniors Dinner in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
During the course of the evening, the exceptional teenagers recognized a set of teachers who have meant so much to them over the years. A large crowd numbering more than 350 turned out for the annual dinner that recognizes Huntington’s leading scholars.
Hanna Carlson, Katie Browne and Gretel Cassell are Distinguished Seniors.
Principal Brenden Cusack saluted the 145 students for their remarkable academic performance and noteworthy efforts outside of classes and in the community.
“We are so very proud of your accomplishments and I congratulate not only you, but your supportive families as well, who have helped through these many years and the ups and downs you’ve undoubtedly faced,” Principal Brenden Cusack said. “It is truly a pleasure to be able to celebrate this with you and your families in person and to enjoy a wonderful dinner together. Tonight, we will hear from a number of students representing each of the district’s schools as they have chosen one teacher from each building who has been influential on their journey toward success. Please allow me to recognize and congratulate all of these fine teachers as well. It is clear you have made a difference in the lives of your students. They very carefully and thoughtfully chose you as a person of influence. As educators, we know that there is truly no better recognition than that which has been given by the students themselves. I thank you for helping to shape these amazing young men and women.”
Superintendent James W. Polansky, PTA Council President Toniann Mangan and Huntington High School Assistant Principals Jully Williams and Gamal Smith also took turns at the microphone, offering the seniors heartfelt congratulations for a job well done.
“I have had the privilege of knowing many of these students and their families since their early primary school days,” Mr. Polansky said. “As I scanned the room that night, it was hard not to smile in recognition of the incredible young adults they and their peers have become and the true hope they instill in all of us in terms of the next generation of responsibilities they will assume. The night also reinforced that there is genuinely no place like Huntington.”
PTA presidents Jennifer Gregory, Holly Zarcone, Melissa Lapp, Sheena Fallon, Shannon Delany, Jennifer Tullo, Kimberley Steinberg and Kayte Camarata were also recognized.
145 Distinguished Seniors Honored
The students honorees included Alex Adonis, Jack Alba, Ronaldo Arias-Alfaro, Taraina Augustin, Cristian Avelar-Romero, Manuel Aviles Jr, Alyson Baker, Tyler Basil, Cianna Batts, Madelyn Bavaro, Matthew Beasley, Fiorella Benitez-Arevalo, Sarah Berry, Brian Bonilla, Anderson Bonilla Figueroa, Emma Brendel, Katie Browne, Katherine Bruno, Jake Burton, Hanna Carlson, Theadora Carnesi, Cassidy Casabona, Gretel Cassell, Jazlyn Chapas-Oliva, Charlotte Cheshire, John Chirico, Lucas Cirlincione, Caelan Clayton, Grace Colavecchio, Dylan Coleman, Morgan Colleluori, Oliva Conte, Sydney Cordeiro, Alec Cordeiro and Kianna Criscuola.
Luca D’Anna, Rachel Deegan, Nicolas DiPietro, Kevin Drake, Zoe Dumas, Finley Dunn, Jennifer Escobar, Naysa Escobar-Rizo, Molly Fallon, Maria Flores, Erik Flores-Reyes, Keira Francis, Alexander Frawley, Eudy Furcal Rodriquez, Madeline Gabriel, Aryanna Galloza, Collin Garcia, Enrrique Garcia, Emily Geller, Ashley Genao, Charles Girimonti, Jacqueline Gonzalez-Alvarez, Lianette Gonzalez-Cortes, Milianette Gonzalez-Cortes, Caroline Gorecki, Kevin Granados-Lopez, Theodore Gress, Brooke Haas, Dianna Harris, Sean Hassett, Samuel Hebert, Lauren Holly, Alexis Kaloudis, Jasjeet Kaur, Shannon Kehoe, Noa Kimmleman, Paul Knieriem, James Kretschmer, Alexandra Kustera and Lauren Landolfi were also recognized as Distinguished Seniors.
The honorees also included Matthew Lange, Jonathan Larice, Sophie Laserson, Liam Lennon, Harris Levinson, Adrianna LoScalzo, Jillian LoTurco, Christopher Maichin, Victoria Mangan, Sofia Marchetta, Jake Marques, John Marziliano, Sophia Matheus, Grace McCallion, Aidan McNulty, Cameron McNulty, Matthew Mead, Matthew Minicozzi, Jason Mizwa, Caitlin Murtagh, Ella Naima, Allison Neber, Margo Nitekman, Kianna Nosile, Jack O’Brien, Evan O’Connell, Caroline O’Rourke, Lucas Petrizzi, Tallulah Pitti, Emily Plachta, Ryan Porzio, Ainsley Proctor, Carl Pulizzotto, Allison Quinn, Keylin Quintanilla Villalobos, Kailey Rappel, Maximilian Rentsch, Luke Rinaldi, Yanira Rivera Ronquillo, Emily Roberts, Hannah Roberts, Mary Grace Rorke, Brendan Rubery, Kathryn Sanseviro, Regan Sansiviero, Chloe Schiman, Dylan Schnitizer, Joseph Sclafani, Abigail Simon, Charlotte Simon, Robert Smith, Brian Sosnowski, Francesca Stamatatos, Henry Stein, Grace Stolfa, April Swanson, Theologos Tiliakos, Sophia Toscano, Carleigh Tracy, Nathali Ulloa, Nina Varvatsas, Gian Vazquez, Felipe Villanueva, Henry Vohs, Shane Walsh, Eliza Walther, William Weber, Alexis Winter, Erin Ye and Richard Zboray.
The seniors were asked to select one teacher to be honored from the first school they attended in the district and from each of their subsequent schools. The teenagers made their selections based upon personal experiences that struck home with each of them, both individually and collectively.
The seniors recognized teachers Karen Fischer, Jim Hoops, Tracey McManus, Christine DePetris, Christopher Hender, Dina Telesco, Ingrid Moreira and Patricia Avelli. The teachers were each presented with a small gift.
Seniors introduced each of the faculty members with touching and heartfelt remembrances. The student presenters included Kianna Criscuola, Dylan Coleman, Emily Plachta, Henry Stein, Charlie Joseph Sclafani, Alyson Baker, Eliza Walther, Ally Kustera, Caitlin Murtagh, Caelan Clayton, Chris Maichin, Emily Geller, Robbie Smith and Tallulah Pitti and Cassidy Casabona.
The large crowd was feted to a delicious meal whipped up by highly regarded Long Island chef Howard J. Fay. Huntington High School administrators and secretaries served the crowd as it passed along tables filled with various dishes.
As the evening’s program finally drew to a close, parents began snapping hundreds of photographs of the seniors as they posed in groups with their classmates.
