Haileigh Smith Captures Science Teachers Award

Embraced by high school science teachers as Huntington’s best, senior Haileigh Smith was honored by the Science Teachers Association of New York State at a celebratory dinner at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook that recognized scholars from across Suffolk.

Joined by her parents, Byron and Katie at the awards dinner, Ms. Smith was justifiably proud of her designation as Huntington’s top science student. She’s salutatorian of the Class of 2023 and headed to Dartmouth College to begin pursuit of a career as a dermatologist.

“My interest in science comes from two things,” Ms. Smith said. “The first is that I’m generally a very curious person and I love how science provides answers and explanations to everything. The second is that I want to pursue a career in which I could help people and occupations in STEM provide some of the most direct ways to do that, whether it be through the medical profession and working with people directly or helping society as a whole through development and discovery.”

STANYS honored one senior from each Suffolk high school chosen by teachers as that district’s “outstanding senior science student.” Ms. Smith was accompanied at the awards dinner by Huntington High School biology teacher Deborah Beck.

Ms. Smith attributes her success to her time management and organizational skills. Along with the unwavering support of her teachers and classmates, she has been able to excel at all things academically and co-curricular.

“I had Haileigh as a student in Advanced Placement Biology and right away I could tell she would be one of my top performers,” Ms. Beck told the crowd when it was her turn to speak. “She weathered the toughest topics with seemingly little effort; a smile on her face and a willingness to help her classmates. It is perfect that biology is her ‘thing,’ because Haileigh has always wanted to become a dermatologist and acing AP Biology will serve her well in that pursuit. Her academic goals have always been to attend an Ivy League college followed by medical school. I am happy to say she achieved that first objective and will be starting at Dartmouth in September.”

Captain of the Blue Devil volleyball and fencing teams, Ms. Smith also served as treasurer of Huntington’s Varsity Club, which oversees team fundraising accounts. She has earned regional and state awards in the National History Day contest.

“I’m so grateful to have received the award and I’m beyond appreciative to have had Mrs. Beck not only supporting me on the night of the award ceremony, but as an incredible teacher and mentor the last two years since I had her for AP Biology,” Ms. Smith said.

Ms. Smith will be majoring in biology at Dartmouth. “Haileigh was an obvious choice when my colleagues and I were asked to select an ‘outstanding senior science student’ from our high school for this award,” Ms. Beck told the crowd. “I admire her determination, her decisiveness and her dreams. I know she will become a successful dermatologist, making her family, friends and teachers proud.”