Trio Captures Attorney General Triple C Awards

Helen Ayala Castro, Olivia Polinsky and Jack Ruthkowski have left their marks at Huntington High School where the trio is among the most distinguished members of the Class of 2024. The teenagers claimed this year’s New York State Attorney General’s Triple C Awards.

Sponsored by State Attorney General Letitia James, the Triple C Award recognizes “the courage, character and commitment of New York State’s outstanding students. Whether succeeding in academic pursuits, participating in community service, displaying leadership skills, or overcoming personal obstacles, these students provide us with hope for a brighter future. This award was established to honor these student leaders.”

Principal Brenden Cusack presented this year’s awards during a ceremony in the high school auditorium.

Ms. Ayala Castro came to the United States in 2021 after growing up in Honduras. She studied in two year medical lab assistant program at Wilson Tech in Dix Hills. She hopes to one day be a medical doctor and buy a house for her mother. She plans to attend Suffolk Community College in the fall.

Ms. Polinsky has an exceptional resume, from serving as president of the high school’s Environmental Club to playing key roles with Huntington’s Natural Helpers program and its Habitat for Humanity chapter. She captained the Blue Devil field hockey team, ran on the winter track team and played on the varsity Unified basketball team. She intends to study philosophy at the University of Georgia.

A spectacular young photographer, Mr. Ruthkowski has been Huntington’s top varsity bowler, too. He’s been a mainstay of the Key Club and Environmental Club and also won a varsity letter with the Unified bowling team. He volunteered with the Key Club at blood drives, school dances and the K-Factor talent show. He plans to study aquatic and fisheries science at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.