Evan Spagnoletti Named National Hispanic Scholar

The new school year is off to a splendid start for Huntington High School senior Evan Spagnoletti, who was recognized as a national College Board Hispanic Scholar.

Colleges and scholarship programs use such honors to identify prospective students. The exceptional Huntington senior earned this recognition by excelling on his PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 or Advanced Placement exams and in his classrooms. Scholars are required to have a minimum 3.5 grade point average and need to have scored 3 or higher on two or more AP exams.

“Evan is a fine young man whose efforts in and beyond the classroom speak for themselves,” Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “He possesses a broad range of interests, manages his time well and, most importantly, connects well with others. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments and know that this is only the beginning for him!”

The teenager is taking classes in Advanced Placement Calculus BC, AP Microeconomics, AP Research, AP Computer Science and AP Physics.

“Evan is a fantastic student and an excellent role model,” Principal Brenden Cusack said. “We are very proud of his accomplishments and I am sure he is going to do great things in the future. This recognition is certainly very well deserved.”

Mr. Spagnoletti is an All-State swimmer and a New York State Scholar-Athlete. He helped lead Huntington to the county championship last winter.

“Over the summer, I did a variety of activities,” Mr. Spagnoletti said. “I had swim practice at 5 a.m. every weekday and I played in a summer water polo league. I also worked with my father painting houses.

The teenager said he is especially looking forward to his Advanced Placement Research course, “because I am trying to test the effects of spray-on sunscreen in the ocean on the photosynthesis of sea mosses.”

Mr. Spagnoletti has upped his goals for this winter’s swimming season. He plans to work closely with his coach to achieve All-American honors. He works out and swims daily.

The teenager intends to be a New World club mentor, assisting students new to the high school and working to ensure they enjoy a smooth transition to life in Huntington.

“My high school experience in Huntington has been a blast so far,” Mr. Spagnoletti said. “I am looking forward to participating in the Farmingdale State University STEP (science and technology) program and continuing research in there.”

The senior is developing a list of college possibilities. It includes Brown University, where he is interested in competing on either the swim or water polo teams.

“In college, I want to be on an NCAA Division I swim team and study medicine,” Mr. Spagnoletti said. “It sounds ambitious, but I like a challenge.”