4 LI students among $20,000 Coca-Cola scholarship winners
George W. Hewlett School senior Alec Fischthal is one of 150 students nationwide chosen to receive a $20,000 college scholarship in the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Credit: Hewlett-Woodmere School District
Four Long Island students are among 150 high school seniors nationwide who won $20,000 college scholarships from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.
Alec Fischthal of George W. Hewlett High School, Daniel Midgette of Bethpage High School, Anjali Verma of Kings Park High School and Shaina Zafar of H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square were named 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars this month, based on academic excellence, leadership and community service. Nearly 86,000 students submitted applications.
The teens will be honored at the 2017 Scholars Weekend in Atlanta, being held April 20-23.
“I was really happy and really excited,” Verma said. “I didn’t think I had a shot, but I thought I might as well try.”
Midgette said, “I think the interview really set me apart.”
The students were among 1,914 semifinalists named in December. Last month, 250 regional finalists were selected; they participated in 20-minute interviews with a regional committee comprising foundation staff member and previous scholarship recipients.
Four other local students were regional finalists. They were Rajiv Chanda of Freeport High School, Mary Chasen of West Babylon High School, Anjali Maheshwari of Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills and Rachel Rosenstein of Half Hollow Hills High School East, also in Dix Hills.
LAWRENCE
Media experience
Lawrence High School students recently kicked off an experiential media program for tristate area high schoolers to discuss current events and create content they can share online. The program, “Altice Connects Global Voices,” is coordinated by cable operator Altice USA and i24NEWS, an international television news organization.
During the kickoff, Lawrence teens were invited behind the scenes at the i24NEWS studio in Times Square, where they experienced the inner workings of a live broadcast and produced short videos that included interviews with members of the news organization.
“Now, more than ever, we need to empower students to think critically about the events within their communities and across the globe,” said Lee Schroeder, senior vice president for government and community affairs for Altice USA.
MANHASSET
National Youth Orchestra
Manhasset High School junior Ryan Chung is among 130 students nationwide selected to perform in the 2017 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. The selections were made by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
Chung is the only Nassau County student chosen for the orchestra.
The opportunity consists of a three-week training residency with professional musicians, followed by a tour kickoff concert at Carnegie Hall in July and a two-week summer tour that includes stops in Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia.
The ensemble will have “significant interaction” with local youth orchestras, including side-by-side performances in Mexico and Colombia, institute officials said.
ISLANDWIDE
Regional delegates
Five students will represent Long Island at the national level after being named delegates at the regional 2017 Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, held last month at York College in Queens.
The students are Arin Forstadt and Claire Kelly of John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore; Alby Joseph of W. Tresper Clarke High School in Westbury; Tatum Ogata of Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, and Nicholas Zumba of George W. Hewlett High School.
They each received an all-expense-paid trip to compete at the 55th National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in San Diego on April 26-30.
The regional event was sponsored by the research arm of the U.S. Department of Defense through the Academy of Applied Sciences.
SAYVILLE
New superintendent
John E. Stimmel has been named superintendent of Sayville Union Free School District, effective July 1. He will replace Walter Schartner, who is retiring.
Stimmel has served as the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction since 2013. He initially joined the school district 14 years ago when he was appointed principal of Cherry Avenue Elementary School.
“I am deeply convinced that Sayville is a special place,” Stimmel said. “My goal as superintendent will be to steward wisely the resources that the community entrusts to us, to leave a district that the next generation of Sayville residents will be proud to inherit and, most importantly, to always ask, ‘What is best for children?’ ”
SUFFOLK COUNTY
National Youth Orchestra
Three Suffolk students — Claire Cai of Mount Sinai High School, Michael Stevens of East Islip High School, and Annalisa Welinder of Earl L. Vandermeulen High School in Port Jefferson — are among 130 nationwide selected to perform in the 2017 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. Selections were made by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
The opportunity consists of a three-week training residency with professional musicians, followed by a tour kickoff concert at Carnegie Hall in July and a two-week summer tour that includes stops in Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia.
The ensemble will have “significant interaction” with local youth orchestras, including side-by-side performances in Mexico and Colombia, institute officials said.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
