Dreaming big dreams
TODD WOODARD
Age 17, Riverhead High School
Interests: Playing the viola, hiking.
What's Ahead: U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn.
TODD HAS THE distinction of being only the second graduate of his high school to be accepted by all three military academies he applied to: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
Next month he's off to join the entering class of cadets who will spend four years training at the Coast Guard Academy.
"I accepted because I like the humanitarian aspect of it, things like the search and rescue missions the Coast Guard accomplishes," Todd said, explaining how he arrived at the tough decision.
Graduating in the top 20 percent of his class, Todd was active in a number of high school organizations, including the Outdoors Club and the Chamber Orchestra, in which he played the viola.
But he considers his most rewarding activity serving as lieutenant commander of the high school's Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, the organization's highest student cadet rank. His duties involved substantial volunteer community work.
"I always knew what I wanted to do and luckily had the discipline to go for it," Todd said. He attributes his academic success and career drive largely to his mother, Shirl Brunskill Ali, who raised him as a single parent. "My mother always encouraged me," Todd said. "I had a really strong family background."
Todd lives with his mother, who operates a day care center for children at
JASON HUNG
Age 17, Plainview-Old Bethpage High School
Interests: Biology, chemistry, math, playing the cello.
What's Ahead: Biology major at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.
WITH HIS SIGHTS on a medical career, Jason volunteers at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Plainview. Working five hours on a weekend or Friday after school, he helps file and takes calls for medical staff members. He also helps out as a translator for Chinese-speaking patients who don't know English.
The son of Mei and Thomas Hung, he and his parents live in Plainview. His mother is a certified public accountant and his father works as a project engineer in the international section of Underwriters Laboratory in Melville.
"My parents taught me to study hard and do my best," Jason said. And he has followed that advice. A member of the National Honor, Spanish Honor and Tri-M Music Honor Societies, he also is on the New York State Merit Roll for mathematics. His overall scholastic average is 100.79. Special awards include the Phillip Ferris Memorial Award for advanced placement biology and the Mathletes silver pin.
He has tutored students in math and science for the past two years. During the summers of '97 and '98, he was a counselor for third- through fifth-graders at the high school's Camp Apollo. His community activities include health fairs, breast cancer fund-raising walks at Jones Beach and senior citizen teas at the high school.
A member of the varsity swimming team, his forte is the butterfly stroke. His other school activities include Youth Against Cancer, playing the cello in the orchestra and taking part in the Science Olympiad, the Nassau County Interscholastic Mathematics League Tournaments and the New York State School Music Association Festival.
JAIME NAVARRO
Age 17, West Islip High School
Interests: Flying, volleyball.
What's Ahead: North American
JAIME IS working diligently to join an increasing number of women who are becoming airline pilots.
After attending Our Lady of Lourdes, a parochial school, Jaime entered nearby West Islip High School in the ninth grade with aviation on her mind.
"Flying always fascinated me," Jaime said. "There's a certain thrill to it, you have a feeling of power and control. It's a wonderful, cool experience."
In the 11th grade Jaime began splitting her school day with classes at Eastern Suffolk BOCES, where she enrolled in the aviation curriculum.
Under the tutelage of instructors for both ground school and flight time, Jaime has completed her primary training. It included the required cross-country flights during which she flew solo to Massachusetts and upstate.
Now, with more than 70 hours of flight time in her log book, Jaime was to take her final Federal Aviation Administration test this month to earn her private pilot's wings. Her airwork has been aboard a Cessna 152.
"I'm going on to eventually get my instrument and commercial multi-engine ratings," Jaime said. She added that she hopes to get a job with a small charter firm and then, ultimately, fly for a commercial airline.
No slouch on the ground either, Jaime is an honors student. Her school activities included playing on the girls volleyball team.
Jaime lives with her family in West Islip. Her father, Kenneth, has an automobile transmission business and her mother, Nancy, works for a coffee firm. She has two brothers, Ben, 19, and Matthew, 16, and a sister, Taylor, 13.
JULIE HARTLINE
Age 18, Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park
Interests: Fashion illustration and design, sports, being a lifeguard, soup kitchen volunteer, peer mediator.
What's Ahead: Fashion marketing, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
FASHION ILLUSTRATION and design have interested Julie for as long as she can remember. Planning for a career as a fashion designer or in fashion marketing, she spent Sat urdays of her sophomore and junior years at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan learning fashion illustration. She is also a member of the high school's college marketing class and Future Business Leaders of America.
The daughter of Ann-Marie Hartline, an attorney and substitute elementary school teacher, and stepdaughter of Thomas Leverage, an attorney, this Stewart Manor resident has an overall average of 90.
She volunteers at the soup kitchen of the First Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, which is sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church, New Hyde Park. Julie also will be spending her third summer as a lifeguard at the Stewart Manor Pool. And since November, she's been working at the local Starbucks as a " 'Barista' . . . that means I made the coffee," she said.
Active in sports, she has been a member of her school's varsity soccer team for the past three years. She's also on the football and volleyball teams. "I also assist gym classes during my free periods," Julie
said. "I'm a member of the Leader Corps, an honor gym course, and am at the gym at 7 a.m."
There's one other school activity in which she's proud of being able to take part. "I'm a peer mediator and act as a facilitator between students in resolving disputes," she said.
LAWRENCE HOFFMAN
Age 17, Locust Valley High School
Interests: Interact Club, robotics, Task Force for Character Education, math, the saxophone, bowling and tennis.
What's Ahead: Mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.
LAWRENCE has dedicated himself to community service for most of his teenage years. The founder of the Interact Club, and its president for two years, he works with local Rotary Clubs to help the less fortunate.
"We had clubs for everything else and I thought there was a need for more ongoing community service in school," he said. "Last year, I felt comfortable enough to ask for a grant to help children in the community and county."
An $ 8,000 grant from Rotary International is being used to renovate the Women's and Children's Clinic at Glen Cove Hospital. "We're bringing in computers, hired decorators and bought furniture," he said.
Not limiting the help for the less fortunate to this area, he helped run a drive to help needy children at an orphanage in Bolivia. Costumes, decoration, candy, crafts and toothbrushes were sent for Halloween.
Lawrence also volunteered at The Glen Cove Soup Kitchen over the summer. Under his leadership, the Interact Club also sponsored a Toys for Tots Christmas drive and collected 100 bags of food for Thanksgiving dinners.
He plays the saxophone in the school orchestra, is a member of the AIDS committee, secretary of the Student Government and on the Task Force for Character Education. The latter group works to promote morals and
high standards in education. As a member of the school's Robotic Team, Lawrence helped create a robot that can shoot basketball hoops.
The son of Morris Hoffman, a jeweler, and Rosellen Hoffman, a city sales
JANINE COSENTINO
Age 17, Centereach High School
Interests: Surfing the Internet, reading novels.
What's Ahead: Suffolk Community College and cyberspace.
FOR JANINE, the world of combining computers and art is beckoning, and the future holds an almost limitless number of choices that call upon creative talents.
"The field is open," Janine said. "Computers are everywhere. Anyone involved with them has a variety of professions they can pick."
Janine ranks 75th in her graduating class of 324. According to high school principal Alene B. Abrams, Janine was once told by a teacher that because of her partial hearing loss she would not be able to easily succeed in honors English.
"Janine proved her wrong," Abrams said. "Besides thriving in honors English this year she is excelling in college English."
Janine ran for class office twice but was defeated by narrow margins. She said she looks at the experiences positively as a chance to reach out for new opportunities wherever possible.
Overcoming challenges are something Janine knows very well. Janine, who was born with spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia, is only about 3 feet 4 but does not allow herself to be daunted. For example, she recently learned how to drive an automobile outfitted with hand controls and an elevated seat. "With much positive determination Janine passed her road test on the first try and gained another notch in her belt for independence,
" Abrams said.She lives in Centereach with her mother, Donna, a secretary in the school district and her father, Ronald, an environmental specialist with Con Edison in New York City. She has a sister, Jennifer, 21.
TYRONE BENNET
Age 18, Hempstead High School
Interests: Cooking, football, volunteer fire department.
What's Ahead: Culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University, Providence, R.I.
There's no question that Tyrone loves to cook.
"I was about 10 years old when I first started," he said. "I was watching my parents, who both are great cooks, and I decided to try."
The son of Paulette Bennet, a registered nurse at the Mayfair Nursing Home in Hempstead, and Delroy Bennet, a welder, this Hempstead resident cooked a Thanksgiving turkey for the family at the age of 15. And he's been cooking dinner by himself ever since.
His sister, Stephanie Renee, 20, is a pre-med junior at Cornell University, and his brother, Dvone, is a sophomore at Hempstead High. Neither is interested in the culinary arts.
Tyrone, who has an average of about 84, already has made a name for himself in his chosen field. "Last November I took part in the Men's Cooking for a Change contest benefiting the Riverside Church Youth Ministry in Manhattan and won for my chicken chop suey recipe," he said. "I used the same dish February for the Johnson and Wales competition and won a $ 12,000-a-year scholarship for four years."
He hopes to be able to go on for a master's in culinary arts and restaurant management. "I also hope to become an cooking instructor for young people," he said.
Tyrone also is a member of the Volunteer Fire Department Engine 2 in Hempstead, for which he holds hoses and helps block off traffic at the scene of a fire. "I've been doing this since May," he said. And last summer, he played football with the Brownsville Recreation Police Athletic League. Correction: Tyrone Bennet is not a member of the Hempstead Fire Department, as he asserted in LI Life's graduation issue on June 18. The graduating Hempstead High School senior made an initial application in March, but has not been accepted into the department and has not participated in firefighting. (pg. A02 ALL 6/27/00)
JOSEPHINE BONVENTRE Age 17, Hempstead High School
Interests: Music, religious education, Model Congress, genetics.
What's Ahead: Biology major, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa.
DECIDING ON a career could well have been a toss-up for Josephine, who has an academic average of 91.8.
On one hand, she's a gifted viola player who also sings in her school's musical productions and is active in the Drama Club. On the other hand, she was in an advanced placement biology class and developed a curiosity about human biology and genetics.
"Music and drama are just a hobby of mine," she confided. "I'm more science-minded."
She decided on biology, focusing on genetics, after interning at the New York City Bureau of Labs last summer. "I was part of a medical-related research project comparing genes of children and centenarians," she said. "It was under the direction of Dr. Thomas Perls of the Harvard University Medical School.
We would store the genes in a freezer, and when the freezer was full Dr. Perls would come down and examine them."
This internship focused Josephine's interest on biology and inspired her to aim to become a physician specializing in genetics. Her father, Joseph Bonventre, has a PhD in chemistry. Her mother, Maria Bonventre, is a former math teacher.
"I don't like chemistry very much," Josephine said. "And I don't like math very much. This is a big joke in my family."
She's the co-president of her school's Tri M Music Honor Society, an international organization for musical students with a 90 average or better in music classes and 85 or better in academic classes. She's also vice president of the school orchestra, in which she plays the viola.
Other school activities include the Model Congress, which is modeled after Washington's, complete with student representatives and senators discussing civil, human and party rights; and the Site-Based Team of students, administrators, faculty and parents who work together on school projects and decisions.
She also teaches first-grade religious education at St. Thomas the Apostle R. C. Church in West Hempstead.
MIRYAM RIVERA
Age 17, Westbury High School
Interests: Sports, books, medicine
What's Ahead: Nassau Community College, Garden City, with possible switch to the State University at Stony Brook.
Being a brain surgeon is a dream Miryam has had since she was a child living in Guayaquil, Ecuador. "I've always wanted to help people," she said. And she's thrilled about the six-week program she attended at Stony Brook Medical Center during the winter.
"I went from school to the hospital every Monday from 2 to 5 p.m. and spoke with the doctors and toured the emergency room and pediatrics," she said. "I only wish it was longer. It was really fun and helped me know I was right in what I wanted to do."
Two years ago, Miryam would have found it difficult to get as much out of the program. She did not speak a word of English when she arrived from Ecuador in April, 1998, and neither did her mother, Miriam, or sisters Katty, 19, and Sandra, 22. The girls' stepfather Jaime Cororel was here earlier and spoke some English. "I was a sophomore and was put into an English as a second language class," Miryam said. "I went to school from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., but didn't understand what was being said. But I never stayed quiet. I learned by speaking to people."
She worked in the guidance office, showed new students around the school and acted as a translator for Hispanic students who arrived here after her. She also was a member of the Liberty Partners Club, sponsored by Nassau Community College to help foreign-born students integrate into society. The members spoke about their problems, wrote poetry, went bowling and visited the college.
Miryam, who has an 85 average, also was a member of Students Against Drunk Driving and the library club and was on the school's volleyball, soccer and
KEVIN CAREY
Age 18, Hampton Bays Junior-Senior High School
Interests: Volunteering with local ambulance corps, basketball.
What's Ahead: Education major at Lasell College, Newton, Mass.
Working with children at a Southampton Town day camp each summer since he was 16 solidified Kevin's career plans.
"I absolutely love little kids," Kevin explained. "I intend to become an elementary school teacher and go on to work with them on the third- or fourth-grade level."
Kevin's own school outlook has consistently been bright. A National Honor Society member, Kevin drew praise in a letter of recommendation from his history teacher, John R. McGeehan. "In addition to Kevin's fine academic record, his accomplishments in extracurricular and community activities have benefited many at Hampton Bays," McGeehan wrote.
Kevin's many activities include working with the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where he put in about 40 hours each month. He dispatched and responded to emergency calls. He is certified to administer CPR; his mother, Carol is a medical technician. "Being a member of the town's ambulance corps has been a huge part of my life," Kevin said.
The graduating senior also feels his sports activities were a big plus; he played varsity basketball and competed in varsity track and field events. Among his awards is a medal for placing second in the Suffolk County high school championships in the 400-meter relay during his junior year.
"The ideas of competition, team work, patience and dedication have helped make me a better student, worker and, I believe, person," he said.
Kevin and his family live in Hampton Bays. His father, Timothy, works for Catholic Charities. He has a sister, Jennifer, 16.
JANELLE ROVEGNO
Age 18, Rocky Point Junior-Senior High School
Interests: Operatic performing, track and field competition.
What's Ahead: Music major at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
'Janelle has been blessed with an outstanding voice, which she has displayed on numerous occasions," wrote Matthew R. Poole, her guidance counselor, in a reference letter.
Her talent won Janelle a college voice scholarship and a good chance to someday realize her dream of performing on the operatic or musical theater stage.
Her solid A average and National Honor Society membership attests to her impressive academic standing.
She has appeared as the lead in numerous school musicals as well as a featured role in a professional Christmas production last season of "Scrooge" at Theater Three in Port Jefferson. This year Janelle sang in concert at the Weil Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall.
"I became very interested in my church choir music when I was in second or third grade," said Janelle, a soprano. "It's my main love. That's all I ever wanted to do - sing and perform."
Janelle said she recently saw a performance of "Carmen" at the New York City Opera. "It only made me even more anxious for a professional career," she said.
Her honors include several music awards, including one from the Music Teachers National Association, where she represented New York State in the Eastern Divisional Competition last fall.
Janelle's talents go beyond the stage and into varsity cross-country track events, where she also has won a number of awards. Among them are medals for placing high in All-County and All-State Track and Field
Meet events.
Janelle reached out for the last two years as a member of Athletes Helping Athletes, a group that speaks to elementary school children about the dangers of drug abuse.
Janelle's mother, Valerie, is a kindergarten teacher in Queens and her father, Matthew, teaches at Grover Cleveland High School in the same borough. The family lives in Rocky Point. Janelle has a sister, Brianna, 21.
CORRECTION: Tyrone Bennet is not a member of the Hempstead Fire Department, as he asserted in LI Life's graduation issue on June 18. The graduating Hempstead High School senior made an initial application in March, but has not been accepted into the department and has not participated in firefighting.
