Senior Annalise Schettino Chooses Adelphi University

Annalise Schettino hopes to stand in front of a class one day and inspire students just like she’s been inspired by teachers at Huntington High School. The senior plans to begin pursuing her dreams at Adelphi University and she’s mapped out an exciting path.

“The student community and diversity within Adelphi’s programs is what caught my eye,” Ms. Schettino said. “I knew from the start that I wanted to be local for my first few years in college. If I had the chance, I could rant for hours about how many sweet, funny and talented people I met while touring the campus. What put Adelphi at the top of my list was the classroom setting and the programs they offered. I felt like Adelphi could be a perfect challenge for me.”

The teenager has been on the high honor roll every marking period since middle school. Ms. Schettino is a member of the National Honor Society and participates in the Key Club and Etcetera, the high school’s literary magazine. She interned in the YMCA’s after school program at Southdown Primary School. She even played on the first Blue Devil varsity girls’ badminton team.

“I plan to major in English while participating in the STEP program for early childhood education and the Levermore Global Scholars program for political science,” Ms. Schettino said. “Both are potential career paths that I am interested in. Regardless of what path I take, I want to make a difference in people’s lives whether it’s big or small. If I can achieve that and make someone’s life a little bit better, then I can do anything I set my mind to.”

Adelphi’s Levermore Global Scholars program “challenges students to examine complex issues and tackle global problems and prepares them to become leading professionals in their chosen fields,” according to the university. “The program enriches any major with an interdisciplinary global perspective through seminars and a variety of co-curricular activities, including cultural excursions, internships, study abroad, service projects and activities at the United Nations.”

Adelphi’s STEP program, which Ms. Schettino will be participating in, offers students an opportunity to earn bachelor and master teaching degrees in an accelerated five year period.

“There have been several things that I have achieved in high school that I consider highlights,” Ms. Schettino said. “Becoming a member of the National Honor Society, winning an AP Seminar Pride Award and seeing my photos in the district art show. Photography has become a new hobby of mine and I look forward to taking more photography classes in the future. Shout-out to Ms. [Pamela] Piffard for showing me the possibilities of  photography and the joy that it gave me to be part of her class. And a thank you to all my other teachers who made my high school years special.”

The senior said a positive attitude, support from her family and help from “amazing teachers and staff members” have been the key to her success. She has found that a challenging academic schedule has helped her build character.

“My time in Huntington has been a blast,” Ms. Schettino said. “With the few lows that came along for the ride, I wouldn’t change a thing. Being with my classmates always made me feel at ease and content. This isn’t the case for everyone but for me, I’m always going to remember the little moments spent talking to my peers and my awesome teachers. This year, I’m proud of the person I have become and I’m sad to see my senior year, aka the best year, come to a close.”