Class of 1979 Awards Peter Steen Memorial Prize

Peter Steen’s classmates at Huntington High School had an enormous amount of respect and admiration for him. The Class of 1979 member sustained a terrible spinal cord injury during a summer lacrosse game before his senior year and was confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.

Despite missing many months of school as he went about rehabilitation, Mr. Steen graduated on time after being voted Homecoming Day king. He went on to earn undergraduate and law degrees and lead a wonderful and productive life before passing away in December 2016.

Peter Steen’s Huntington classmates never forgot him and will never forget him. Their loyalty to him knew and still knows no bounds.

This year’s Class of 1979 Peter Steen Memorial Prize was presented by high school guidance counselor Daphne Marcelin to Class of 2023 member Isaiah Thomas, who like Mr. Steen has already overcome enormous challenges, which have included the loss of his dad, a life-threatening injury from an awful accident and dealing with his 24 year old brother being critically injured this past spring in an early morning hit and run on Park Avenue.

Mr. Thomas recovered from his own serious injury and was able to play on the Blue Devil varsity football and track and field teams as a senior.

A gentle, humble and soft-spoken young man, Mr. Thomas elicits the same type of loyalty and love from his classmates that Mr. Steen did from his.