Isabella Careccia-Johnson Named National Merit Commended Student

Huntington High School’s Isabella Careccia-Johnson has been recognized as one of the top seniors in the United States by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

Ms. Careccia-Johnson was named a National Merit “Commended Student.” She is among about 34,000 seniors to be so designated. Principal Rochelle Brown presented the teenager with a framed certificate.

One of the stars of Huntington’s mock trial team, Ms. Careccia-Johnson is an impressive young woman by any measure. She’s a leader around the high school and very highly regarded by her classmates and teachers. Along with her teammates, she has made the current mock trial team one of New York’s best.

“This year, I am devoting most of my time and effort toward the mock trial team and The Dispatch student newspapers, two wonderful organizations here at Huntington,” Ms. Careccia-Johnson said. “As co-president of mock trial, I am looking forward to another great season of practicing, improving and celebrating with my amazing team members. I am incredibly lucky to have the continued support of Ms. Suzi Biagi and Mr. Bryan Outsen, our wonderful club advisors, as well as Mr. Xavier Palacios and Mr. Don Savatta, our brilliant attorney coaches.”

The senior is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch. Ms. Careccia-Johnson works closely with faculty advisors Aimee Antorino and Kristina Morrell. “The Dispatch is an excellent opportunity for students to improve their writing skills and work collaboratively on articles,” the teenager said. “Last year, I helped implement our very first Games section in the paper, including Sudoku, crosswords and chess. In future issues, I am excited to add more interactive elements, with an ultimate goal of increasing student engagement and promoting a diversity of voices.”

An active member of multiple academic honor societies, Ms. Careccia-Johnson serves as co-secretary of the Art Honor Society and treasurer of the Latin Honor Society. She’s looking forward to community service activities and a variety of events being planned.

Ms. Careccia-Johnson intends to pursue a double major in journalism and African-American studies in college, “combining my love of writing and research with my passion for civil rights,” she said. “After completing an undergraduate degree, I plan to attend law school so that I can eventually pursue a career as a criminal defense attorney.”

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. said Commended Students such as Ms. Careccia-Johnson “represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.”

“My experience at Huntington High School has been nothing short of fantastic,” Ms. Careccia-Johnson said. “My teachers and peers continue to challenge me, inspire me and most importantly, ground me. In particular, I must give my highest praise to Mrs. Ayallah Jeddah, Mrs. Jenna Merget, Mrs. Kristin Fortunato, Ms. Aimee Antorino, Mr. Peter Crugnale, Mr. Kenneth Donovan and Mrs. Victoria Geier, all of whom are excellent educators and phenomenal people. Even after graduating, I will never forget the memories and experiences I have been a part of at Huntington. I will forever consider myself a Blue Devil.”