Haileigh Smith Claims NHD Excellence in Research Award

Haileigh Smith’s exceptional record speaks for itself. The Huntington High School Class of 2023 salutatorian requires little introduction after excelling in everything she touched over the past four years. The teenager is headed to the Dartmouth College in the fall. She plans to study biology as she prepares for a career as a dermatologist.

Ms. Smith claimed this year’s National History Day Excellence in Research Award, which included a $150 stipend along with a handsome certificate. The award was presented to the teenager by Chairperson of Humanities Joseph Leavy during the high school’s senior academic awards ceremony.

An Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor, Ms. Smith won multiple first place awards in local and Long Island regional competitions as well as statewide honors in the National History Day initiative.

“I was really hesitant about National History Day at first, especially since as a freshman you still have the middle school mentality of feeling like you have to stick with your friends for all of these things and there’s that hesitation to branch out and do your own thing,” Ms. Smith said. “But it ended up being one of the most freeing and rewarding experiences that I had in high school. Looking back, I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently or picked any other topics because I really fell in love with all of them the more I learned, and even though it was difficult and sometimes stressful in the moment it’s a great feeling to look back on all these projects and feel a sense of mastery over what you learned and created.”