Lily Tierney Embraces the Huntington Experience

“My personal favorite subjects are history and English and this definitely reflects in my clubs and activities,” said Ms. Tierney, who is the president of the English Honor Society and who write for The Dispatch student newspaper and Et Cetera, the high school’s literary magazine.

The teenager is a National History Day club officer. “I love research projects,” Ms. Tierney said. “Helping others find passion in history is so rewarding. My favorite activity has to be the tutoring program that Ms. [Allison] Von Vange oversees. A great group of high schoolers have been meeting with bilingual elementary age students to help them improve their English skills. It’s been so heartwarming watching the students improve and gain confidence.”

The senior said she has been looking forward to working with English teacher Kelly Quintero. “I was lucky enough to be selected as her intern for Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition this year,” Ms. Tierney said. “I’ve had class with Mrs. Quintero for three years now and I’m proud to say that she’s been such an important teacher in my life. From watching me break out of my shell sophomore year to helping me create my college list, she’s been a mentor to me. I’m also excited for one class in particular, AP African American Studies with Mr. [Kenneth] Donovan. He’s a great teacher and with the course being brand new and presenting information that I’m not very familiar with, I think it will prove to be an interesting, educational experience.”

Ms. Tierney is a happy, sincere, articulate and well-liked young woman. She has earned top grades in many challenging classes and she is respected and admired by her classmates and the faculty as a whole.

“Honestly, I love the high school,” Ms. Tierney said. “I feel like I’ve really become myself as the years have gone on here. From great teachers, to finding my love for music in orchestra and the drama club, to meeting incredible friends, I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world.”

The teenager spent the past summer shadowing the curator at the Walt Whitman Birthplace Museum, working as a museum studies intern. “I was able to have a hands-on experience with exactly what I plan to pursue in the future,” Ms. Tierney said. “It was an amazing experience and provided me with opportunities to experience what work in a museum is really like.”

Ms. Tierney also participated in a summer creative writing retreat at Adelphi University. “I met so many helpful and like-minded college students and really enjoyed the hours spent writing with them,” she said.

The senior said she plans on pursuing a college degree in art history. “I aim to continue my education into a master’s degree in museum studies, ultimately pursuing a career as a museum curator,” Ms. Tierney said. “As for college, I’ve been rigorously working on my essays and applications, with my top three schools being Yale, SUNY Binghamton and Georgetown.”