Andrea Mani-Munoz Wins Nassau Police Scholarship

Andrea Mani-Munoz pursues her goals with impressive perseverance and commitment. A multi-faceted young woman, she is articulate, hardworking and determined. She’s been a mainstay in the Blue Devil running program over the past for years, excelling on the cross country, winter and spring track teams.

Ms. Mani-Munoz is headed to Suffolk Community College to study liberal arts/humanities. She plans on transferring to Farmingdale State College to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Always a contributing member of whatever team she happens to be running on during a particular season, Ms. Mani-Munoz is always striving to achieve a new goal. She has also earned good grades and worked well with her teachers.

Ms. Mani-Munoz will be attending CUNY Queens College where she plans to study political science. She said she owes her success to her parents and the Latino community. Recognized as a Distinguished Senior, she said her parents have provided her “with endless love, support and passion” for her studies and the Latino community has seen her grow up and “has never failed to encourage and be proud” of how much she’s accomplished.

The Nassau Police Running Club presented a $500 scholarship to Ms. Mani-Munoz in honor of fallen Nassau Police Officer Luis A. Palermo, Jr. who passed away in September 2017 from a 9/11 related illness. He was 49 years old.

A 23-year Nassau Police veteran, Mr. Palermo raced to Ground Zero following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 to assist with search and rescue efforts. Like so many others involved in similar work, he was eventually diagnosed with cancer and passed away from acute lung disease. Prior to his death, the Nassau Police Department promoted him to its elite Bureau of Special Operations.

Mr. Palermo and his wife, Deborah, sent all three of their children through the Huntington School District. Celine graduated with Huntington’s Class of 2017 while Caitlyn was a member of the Class of 2020. Caleb is entering his junior year next month.

The Nassau Police Running Club hosts the Police Officer Memorial Run every year to honor our fallen officers. The proceeds from the run go to scholarships at a high school from where the club’s fallen members have graduated or a high school that the family selects. The Palermo family has selected to have the scholarship in Police Officer Palermo’s name be presented to a student from Huntington High School.

A committee of Huntington High School faculty members selected Ms. Mani-Munoz for this year’s award. Officer Palermo respected hard work and without a doubt, he would hit it off with the teenager and be impressed by her work ethic.