No one will ever out-argue Emily Geller, that’s for sure. She always does her homework and she knows her stuff better than anyone. She’s articulate, quick on her feet and passionate about everything she believes in. The Huntington High School senior is headed to George Washington University in the fall to study politics in the shadow of the nation’s capital.
“I chose George Washington University for many reasons,” Ms. Geller said. “First, GW is known for its political science program and after reviewing all that it had to offer, I knew it was the perfect school and program for me. Because I intend to pursue a career in law/politics, being in Washington D.C. is the best place to learn about these topics firsthand. I also plan to work as an intern on Capitol Hill during my time in D.C. and I know that my academic career at GW will give me the needed experience needed to succeed in this highly competitive environment.”
Huntington senior Emily Geller is headed to George Washington University
Ms. Geller said the key to her success has been finding a healthy balance between striving for academic excellence and allowing herself to do the things she enjoys outside of the classroom.
“Huntington has provided me with the academic and social resources that will prepare me for college,” Ms. Geller said. “The teachers and staff work tirelessly to ensure that students like me are gaining the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in a college environment. I have learned through my experiences at Huntington that asking for help is okay and by reaching out to your teachers for assistance you are putting yourself in a much stronger position. Without my amazing teachers guiding me through my high school career, I certainly would not be as prepared as I am for college life.”
The teenager loves the Blue Devils and getting together with her friends to cheer on the varsity football team from the student section of the bleachers, homecoming related activities and spirit weeks are just some of the highlights of the past four years.
“Since I have dedicated so much of my life at Huntington High School to mock trial, I plan to try out and hopefully compete with GW’s mock trial team,” Ms. Geller said. “I can then employ all of the skills and experience I’ve gained from the HHS team. I also plan to join political activism clubs and organizations at GW so I can engage in the political environment that D.C. has to offer. Before all else though, I definitely will focus on my school work and maintaining my GPA. My dream of one day attending law school is not so far away anymore.”
Ms. Geller is a mainstay on the Blue Devil mock trial team that won the Suffolk championship this year and is headed to the state finals later this month. “This achievement has been four years in the making for us seniors and we definitely rose to the top during our ‘revenge tour,’” she said.
The teenager is president of the high school’s National Honor Society chapter and along with her fellow officers has helped lead the organization through several community outreach and service projects, including P.S. I Love You Day and the Gingerbread House contest.
Ms. Geller is very outgoing. Her best friends include Alyson Baker, Carleigh Tracy, Molly Fallon, Tallulah Pitti, Regan Sansiviero, Ainsley Proctor and Ally Kustera.
The senior played her final season with the Blue Devil varsity tennis team last fall, “which was definitely bittersweet,” she said. She is currently in the midst of her last campaign with the Huntington varsity girls’ lacrosse team and she is savoring every minute of it.
While classes, clubs and sports have kept the teenager busy, she has been able to get away from time to time and each trip has been rewarding.
“Throughout my high school career, I have traveled to several places; all of which I absolutely loved,” Ms. Geller said. “One of my favorite trips was during the summer before my sophomore year when my family and I traveled to Iceland. I got to experience so many unique things like hiking and snowmobiling on a glacier, descending inside a dormant volcano and eating raw sea urchin pulled right from the ocean! Iceland is definitely at the top of my list for favorite places in the world. Another of my favorite trips was my 16th birthday vacation to Mexico with my friends Carleigh [Tracy], Tallulah [Pitti], Ainsley [Proctor], Crippa [Maichin], Kailey [Rappel] and Caroline [Gorecki]. I will never forget our amazing trip and all of the fun memories we made.”
Ms. Geller has won numerous awards in annual National History Day contests. She earned stellar grades and interned in a law firm during summer vacations.
“I’m not sure if there’s one specific thing that makes Huntington so special,” Ms. Geller said. “To me, it is the culmination of diversity, a familial atmosphere, community and spirit. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive, especially in the school setting. Huntington overall is such a unique and exciting place to live because to me, it is a microcosm of the world around us.”
The teenager has made many new friends during high school and grown close to many of her teachers. She’s been a valued classmate and teammate and exudes school spirit.
“I have 100 percent enjoyed my experience at Huntington and I would go back and do it all over again if I could,” Ms. Geller said. “My success and achievements throughout my high school career could not have been possible without some of my favorite teachers (including, but not limited to) Ms. [Nicole] Cooper, Mr. [Kenneth] Donovan, Mrs. [Lauren] Desiderio, Mrs. [Kaitlyn’ Hanft, Ms. [Jenna] Rinaldi, Mrs. [Alison] Capewell, Ms. [Suzi] Biagi, Ms. [Aimee] Antorino and Sra. [Lorena] Hickey. All of these teachers played a tremendous role in making me into the person I am today. I could never express enough gratitude to them for all they have done for me throughout high school.”
