Twenty Long Island high school seniors who've made a difference. <a href="http://www.newsday.com/gradugc-1.2956600">Submit your graduation photos here.</a>

Long Island

Education

Graduations

Notable high school graduates of 2011 - SG

As the daughter of parents who are deaf, Gabriella Wessler understands the importance of building bridges between those who hear and those who don't. 
At the private Knox School in St. James, Wessler has founded an American Sign Language Club. She also teaches sign language, and takes pride in the fact that more than 30 classmates, past and present, have learned basic signing techniques. 
Wessler, 18, is also a ribbon-winning equestrian at a school noted for its riding program. 
Sprains from horse-show tumbles may occasionally slow her down, but Wessler still maintains a hectic schedule. 
She is president of the student council and vice president of the National Honor Society. In addition, she has organized school fundraisers and clothing drives for underprivileged children. 
Her latest project is a group effort with her fellow equestrian team members -- establishing a retirement fund for the horses who serve the school so they can have a place to live out their final years in peace and comfort. 
And the tumbles? Close acquaintances say they reflect Wessler's willingness to take on challenges. 
"She'll ride the horse that's a little bit difficult," said Janice Zingale, a Knox assistant headmaster. 
Her plans: Majoring in equine science at <a href="/topics/Colorado_State_University">Colorado State University</a>, becoming a veterinarian and eventually opening a riding center for the hearing-impaired. 
In her words: "A lot of people think deaf people aren't capable of certain things. They may be perfectly capable. My mom wanted to ride when she was little, but the trainer said she can't hear, so she can't ride." 
The view from the guidance office: "To me, her greatest contribution is being the person she is," Zingale said. "She's bright and she's active, but she's also very caring."

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Gabriella Wessler exhibits signs of success

Gabrielle Wessler - cropped

Giselle Rivas is a great example of "bloom where you're planted." 
Rivas, 18, discovered art in 10th grade, after moving to Amityville from Hempstead two years earlier. She hasn't looked back. 
The Amityville Memorial High School senior has used her artistic skills to make banners and other materials for youth programs at her church in Jamaica, and has been involved with the Memory Project through the National Art Honor Society. 
Society members get a photo of students from a particular country who are orphans and in difficult situations, and the students then do portraits of the child. The Memory Project aims to inspire caring, global friendship and a positive sense of self. Rivas has painted portraits for girls in <a href="/topics/Peru">Peru</a> and Mexico. She agreed to do a portrait of a boy in Mexico when a fellow student couldn't do it. She incorporated a Mexican background in those two portraits to help create a connection with the children. 
Rivas worked on the portraits in school during class, generally taking several weeks to complete them. When the portraits are delivered, the school gets a photo of the child with the portrait. 
Rivas also submits works of art to the school's Literary Expression magazine, had a piece included in the 2010 Long Island's Best student artist show at the Heckscher Museum, and contributed to the 2011 Senior Mural annual project that promotes school pride. She belongs to the National Honor Society and the World Language Honor Society, and was selected to attend <a href="/topics/Adelphi_University">Adelphi University</a>'s Art Foundations Program last year and again this year. She plans to major in studio art and art education at Adelphi in the fall. 
She began participating in sports after arriving in Amityville, something she hadn't previously pursued. "I thought it was a way to get to know people," she said. She played doubles tennis her sophomore year and first singles tennis her junior and senior years, and was captain both years. She also played softball, first in rightfield and then centerfield, and served as captain her junior and senior years. 
Amityville's art program has helped her tremendously, Rivas said. In studio art, she took painting, using acrylics. "I hated painting," she said, afraid she couldn't mix the colors correctly since previously she had only done pastels. "But then I started experimenting with my fingers and I started to like it." 
She is grateful to have found her passion in art. "I'm in touch with my faith," Rivas said, "and I believe that everyone receives a blessing." Rivas has used her art talents to communicate her struggles and express how she seeks to overcome them, said her guidance counselor, Andrew Akapnitis. "Art is a great outlet for her. She uses it to touch people's lives."

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Memory project inspires global friendships for Giselle Rivas

Giselle Rivas - cropped

Amityville High School counselor Stacy Murphy didn't know what to expect when she learned last year that a new student from earthquake-devastated <a href="/topics/Haiti">Haiti</a> would be coming to the district. 
She wondered how this student would adjust, having come from such tragedy. But, within a minute of meeting Jean Alouidor that March, she realized immediately that "our small high school had been given a huge gift." 
In his time as a junior and senior at Amityville, Alouidor has mentored a number of younger children, including earthquake survivors from <a href="/topics/Haiti">Haiti</a>, has joined several clubs, has volunteered his time and is graduating with a 96.4 GPA and in the top 10 percent of his graduating class. He will attend <a href="/topics/Stony_Brook_University">Stony Brook University</a> in the fall as a biology major with the goal of becoming a pediatrician and returning to his home country as a doctor. 
"Coming here, it was a blessing, because here I got the chance to become friends, very close friends, with my teachers and my guidance counselor, Mrs. Murphy," Alouidor, 17, said. "She helped me and opened a lot of doors for me. I can see my future even better now." 
After the 7.0-magnitude earthquake destroyed his home and his school, Alouidor's family felt they had no choice but to send him to live with his grandfather in Amityville. 
He arrived without any transcripts and with hardly knowing anyone in his new home school. 
"I had to face many challenges," said Alouidor. "I had to accommodate to a completely new environment. I had to start from scratch . . . I had to perfect my English. I had to work very hard and prove to my teachers that I was a unique student. Basically, I had to start all over." 
Murphy was confident that Alouidor would adjust. She knew from the first meeting that he was driven and dedicated. In fact, educators in Amityville turned to Alouidor when they needed help with a younger student from <a href="/topics/Haiti">Haiti</a> who also arrived after the earthquake and was having a hard time adjusting at Park Avenue Elementary School. 
Alouidor said Wedgy Delva, who is completing the third grade, has come such a long way, improving in school and in speaking English more and more. Separating from him will be hard, said Alouidor, who has also added four other young Haitian students to the group he mentors. 
"I will come back and visit him anytime I can," Alouidor said of Wedgy. "He is doing great, better than when he came, and I am very proud of him, to see how he is today." 
After graduation, Alouidor has a very busy summer, including heading to Atlanta for a forum on medicine, traveling to <a href="/topics/Massachusetts">Massachusetts</a> to visit his mother and siblings, and going to Los Angeles for a national NAACP poetry competition. 
Murphy said she is confident Alouidor will accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. 
"Jean had every opportunity to give up, lose hope and succumb to the devastation he and his family experienced," she said. "He did just the opposite, and has been an example to every student and staff member in our district of what it truly means to never give up."

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Earthquake survivor Jean Alouidor overcomes obstacles

Jean Alouidor - cropped

Michelle Hackman of John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School never holds back. 
The second-place winner of the Intel science competition spent six months researching one project idea, only to scrap it later. Undeterred, she went on to design another project that would land her the award. 
"I learned a lot that was relevant to my [later] project," said Hackman, 18, who is Yale-bound, referring to her discarded research project. "It was something I enjoyed and thought I could do better." 
She is no stranger to hard work and has amazed her peers, teachers and counselors with her discipline and accomplishments. However, she shies away from "glorifying" the hours and effort she has invested in her studies and community activities. Hackman said she doesn't dwell on how arduous a pursuit might be, especially when her passion is sparked. 
"The easiest thing is to love what you do and that's the best way you can excel at something," she said. 
Hackman, who has been blind since childhood, has always possessed that attitude, said her mother, Sarah Hackman. She and her husband, Daniel, are used to Michelle coming home and "dropping bombs" about her next endeavor -- like her dream of attending Yale and her decision to help underprivileged Cambodian girls, according to her mother. 
It wasn't uncommon for Michelle to send her mother emails at 1 or 2 a.m. requesting help carrying out an idea. 
Hackman also takes an avid approach to other interests. She is an opinion columnist for the school paper and admits to being a news junkie. She will intern this summer at the <a href="/topics/New_York_Post">New York Post</a> and then join the Yale Daily News. 
She intends to continue her behavioral research at Yale, where she's also planning to work at the Yale Women's Center, helping to organize speakers and improve the community for women.

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Intel winner Michelle Hackman is a disciplined go-getter

Michelle Hackman - cropped

Being involved and immersing herself in community projects is Hollace Francy's natural state of being. 
Francy, 18, of Locust Valley High School, has excelled in academics and sports while maintaining a full schedule of community activities, serving leading roles and fundraising for events such as the <a href="/topics/American_Cancer_Society">American Cancer Society</a>'s Relay for Life. She received the school's service award four years in a row. 
And she has a part-time job. 
As chair of the school blood drive, Francy organized nine collection drives. This year her school won the Gold Award from the Long Island Blood Center for the amount of blood collected and the strong participation rate in their community. She also was awarded a scholarship of $500 and was eligible for another $250 because she stepped in to run her parish blood drive. Francy turned the opportunity down because she believed in what she was doing and that was enough for her, said Karen Muscolino, the center's director of donor recruitment. "This student is incredible," Muscolino added. 
Francy also has devoted her time to the school paper, Spectrum, helping to put out more pages than in any other year and managed to find time for her other passions -- serving as foreman for the stage crew and playing trumpet and French horn in different musical groups. 
Her plans:She will attend Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, and join the college newspaper. 
In her words: "It's so pointless to do service if you are not passionate about it. You should be doing service for your own reasons, self-actualization and not just selfish needs. It's much more fulfilling if you do it for the right reasons." 
The view from the guidance office:"I've never seen anybody like this before," said guidance counselor Lisa Marie Pasquale. "She's run record-breaking blood drives. Her grades are way over the top. She's blinding. . . . She's going to run the <a href="/topics/Peace_Corps">Peace Corps</a> some day."

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Service is her heart's calling for Hollace Francy

Hollace Francy - cropped

On and off the tennis court, Asim Khan is every teacher's dream student, according to his Locust Valley High School guidance counselor. 
He has a 99 average and is a candidate for an International Baccalaureate diploma, a rigorous and comprehensive course of study that prepares students for college. He will also receive a New York State Regents diploma with Advanced Designation. Khan also belongs to the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and the New York State Science Honor Society, and was a finalist in the <a href="/topics/Toshiba">Toshiba</a> NSTA ExploraVision competition. 
In addition, he is captain of the varsity tennis team and has held most improved, all-county and most-valuable-player titles. 
"To say the least, it's hard work," says Khan, who turns 18 June 20, of his academic and sports achievements. "I'm kind of disciplined. I feel like I can manage time well." 
Khan, who plans to be a physician, also finds time to give back to the community, delivering flowers and helping to discharge patients as a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital in Flower Hill. And as part of the school's Interact Service Club, Khan has helped to raise money for different diseases at several local events. "It's just community service, it's nice. I just go there and help out." 
Khan also spent two summers helping younger students with reading and math at the Kumon Learning Center in Bayside, Queens. 
His plans: To attend <a href="/topics/New_York_Institute_of_Technology">New York Institute of Technology</a>, Old Westbury 
In his words: "You're blessed to be in a school like this. The teachers actually care for the students." 
The view from the guidance office: "Asim is an unsung hero in so many ways," said his guidance counselor Lisa Marie Pasquale. "He has an extraordinary warmth, and he's the most humble person."

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Asim Khan shines, in sports and academics

Asim Khan - cropped

Emma deBeer Charno came face-to-face with a life-charting decision beginning in middle school. She was bullied because she is a lesbian, and the taunting continued when she entered high school. 
Instead of letting those experiences defeat her -- as a student and as an individual -- she became a straight-A student and an advocate and champion of gay rights issues. 
"I just didn't want to be here," deBeer Charno, 17, said of school. It [the bullying] made me hate going . . . At the same time, that made me only want to fight more for human rights." 
To help slay the bullying beast, deBeer Charno headed Locust Valley High School's Gay Straight Alliance. Her goal: "To create a totally open and safe community and space within our school." 
She also sought to stimulate discussions and educate people about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, while trying to break stereotypes. 
She won the Gold Award, the highest achievement for a Girl Scout, for a documentary she directed for middle schoolers who are openly or secretly gay or questioning their sexuality. 
Her plans: Will attend <a href="/topics/Oberlin_College">Oberlin College</a> in <a href="/topics/Ohio">Ohio</a> and plans to major in creative writing, with a concentration in cognitive science and a minor in languages. 
In her words: DeBeer Charno, a candidate for an International Baccalaureate diploma, said she was initially very passive about school. "I didn't feel invested in my classes," she said, adding that being a part of the program was "incredibly valuable." The International Baccalaureate program is a challenging course of study to prepare for college. 
The view from the guidance office: "Emma is a brilliant and creative thinker who is very concerned about human rights and stands up for those who may not be able to stand up for themselves," said her guidance counselor, Faith Keenan. "I'm very proud of her."

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Gay student Emma deBeer Charno turns bullying into advocacy

Emma deBeer Charno - cropped

It's easy to see how Sanford H. Calhoun High School's Jessie Driscoll can shimmy her way into anyone's heart. As a professional Irish step dancer, teacher and captain of her high school's kick-line team, she has choreographed her life to include a passion for dance and performance with helping others in need worldwide. 
"I owe it all to my mother," she says of her quest to help the less-fortunate, which has become a family affair. 
Driscoll, 18, along with her parents and two brothers, volunteers in the soup kitchen at Harvest for the World, a nonprofit social service organization serving Roosevelt and surrounding areas, according to its website. The family spearheaded an effort to rebuild the organization's backyard. "It's really, really great to help other people," Driscoll said. 
She hasn't met a cause she doesn't like. 
Driscoll has collected more than 2,000 cards and letters to send to <a href="/topics/Merrick%2C_NY">Merrick</a> troops fighting in <a href="/topics/Iraq">Iraq</a> and <a href="/topics/Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a>; collected more than a ton of clothing and supplies for families in the poverty-stricken Appalachia region of <a href="/topics/Kentucky">Kentucky</a> and raised more than $5,000 herself and more than $36,000 with her family to help support Long Island 2 Day <a href="/topics/Breast_Cancer">Breast Cancer</a> Walks. The cause is close to her family's heart -- Driscoll's mother, Marianne, is a <a href="/topics/Breast_Cancer">breast cancer</a> survivor. 
During a cab ride in New Orleans in July 2009, she and her mom got to talking with the driver, who was collecting books to send back to his native Nigeria. Within two months, Driscoll and her mom collected enough books and supplies to fill two libraries across the Atlantic. Since 2002, the family has hosted an annual benefit, named Jazi, to support the village of Epworth in <a href="/topics/Zimbabwe">Zimbabwe</a>. 
"She's so humble and she's just such a sincere young woman," said guidance counselor Carol Cupo. "She's a leader among her peers." 
Driscoll's passion for helping others is equally matched by her passion for dancing. She's been on kick line for four years and has been team captain for the past two years. 
Driscoll has been an Irish step dancer since she was 3 and has competed nationally and internationally. 
When she arrives at <a href="/topics/East_Stroudsburg">East Stroudsburg</a> <a href="/topics/University_of_Pennsylvania">University</a>, Driscoll won't have to worry about missing a beat when it comes to her dancing -- there's an Irish dancing school two blocks from the university.

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A passion for helping others drives Jessie Driscoll 

Jessie Driscoll - cropped

Matthew Moskowitz has made a comeback in his young life from a challenge that few his age ever encounter.
The day of Nov. 28, 2006, did not start or end well for the then eighth-grader. He woke up feeling tired. When he got to school he struggled through his classes until finally collapsing on the gym floor. The 13-year-old had suffered a stroke.
Moskowitz remembers being unable to concentrate that day on his schoolwork and having a terrible headache. Still, he went to gym class, changed and ran a few laps to warm up before volleyball.
"I was overheated, sweating and my face was red," Moskowitz said. "My friends told me to go to the nurse. I sat down, and then when I went to get a drink, I couldn't walk straight; I walked like I was drunk. I bent over to drink and I couldn't swallow the water. I sat back down and heard bells ring in my head, then I fell off the chair. I hit my head on the volleyball pole while I was having a seizure. Then it stopped, I put my hands under my head like I was sleeping, and that's all I remember. I woke up in the hospital."
Doctors attributed the stroke to natural causes. At <a href="/topics/New_York_University">New York University</a> Medical Center's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Moskowitz underwent physical and <a href="/topics/Speech_and_Language_Pathology">speech therapy</a> and learned how to walk again.
"I did everything they told me to do and I did it the best I could," Moskowitz said.
After spending nearly two months in various hospitals, Moskowitz went home Jan. 19, 2007, his 14th birthday, but continued <a href="/topics/Physical_Therapy">physical therapy</a> near home and worked to catch up on his schoolwork. It was a long haul, but Moskowitz, who is now 18 and attends Plainview-Old Bethpage High School, discovered his inner resilience.
"I learned that no matter what life threw at me, I could handle it," he said. The experience mellowed him. "I'm more easygoing, more laid-back. I feel how lucky I am to have a life."
That life includes ice hockey and baseball. Moskowitz was a captain and has played defense on his travel ice hockey team since junior high. He is also a captain and catcher on the varsity baseball team. "It was a good way to end my high school career," he said.
Because of the stroke, he has to put extra effort into his reading comprehension. "If I don't focus, I don't understand what I'm reading," Moskowitz said. "I have to clear my mind and be very careful."
He plans to attend Penn State, and is considering studying medicine, possibly <a href="/topics/Physical_Therapy">physical therapy</a>. "I like giving back and helping people," he said.
In that spirit, Moskowitz baby-sat several times a week for a boy who uses a wheelchair and his siblings after Moskowitz's mother saw a <a href="/topics/Facebook">Facebook</a> notice that a neighbor was looking for a sitter. He is also a referee for Police Athletic League floor hockey and umpire for Little League baseball. Moskowitz shares his experience so that it might help others, speaking to physical therapy students about his <a href="/topics/Brain_Injury">brain injury</a> and recovery, and to students enrolled in a neurological rehabilitation class.
"His openness is a testament to Matthew's strength and character," said Angela Sigmon, his guidance counselor.

LI Life

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After stroke at 13, HS athlete helps others

Matthew Moskowitz - cropped

Dianna Hu describes herself as physically limited but intellectually boundless.
Hu, who is graduating from Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, was born with <a href="/topics/Spinal_Muscular_Atrophy">spinal muscular atrophy</a>, a neuromuscular disease of the spinal cord that results in progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.
She uses a wheelchair and has limited use of her arms. Hu attends four sessions a week of <a href="/topics/Physical_Therapy">physical therapy</a>, in addition to separate <a href="/topics/Occupational_Therapy">occupational therapy</a> sessions. She is also accompanied daily by a school aide who helps her with everything from eating lunch to carrying books. At home, Hu's parents help with getting dressed and other tasks.
Through it all, Hu has maintained a positive outlook and found time to shine in school by racking up accolades ranging from homecoming queen to Intel and Siemens semifinalist to class valedictorian, yet staying humble.
"When I was younger, I viewed it [the wheelchair] as a symbol of being an outcast," said Hu, 18. "Now, I accept my disability as a part of who I am and try not to let it define me."
But no one's perfect: "Sometimes, I'll even use it [the chair] to run over people's toes," she jokingly added.
Hu said she adopted her positive attitude around the age of 4, when she and her parents lived in <a href="/topics/Maryland">Maryland</a> and went doctor to doctor seeking opinions on her condition. While most doctors shared "the evils of the disease" and called it the biggest genetic killer among infants, she said one, Thomas Crawford of <a href="/topics/Johns_Hopkins_University">Johns Hopkins</a> Children's Center in <a href="/topics/Baltimore%2C_MD">Baltimore</a>, inspired her and told her it was possible she could outlive her parents.
Today, Hu calls science her "biggest focus" and used her disability as a foundation for a research project this school year by creating a computer model to analyze genetic mutations that cause her disease and their effect on key proteins. The project earned Hu a national semifinalist spot in both the Intel Science Talent Search and Siemens Competition in Math, Science &amp; Technology.
Hu is also ranked in the nation's top 100 female chess players by the U.S. Chess Federation, is president of her school's Mathletes club and captain of the academic quiz bowl team.
"Running for office, serving on committees, all allowed her to place herself at the front -- in a position for all to see," said her guidance counselor, Brian Welsh. "Has she ever met opposition? Absolutely. But what she's learned from each defeat makes her resolve stronger."
Hu will carry that resolve to Harvard College, where she plans to focus on math and science.

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Disability inspiration for Intel semifinalist

Dianna Hu - cropped

Laura Kirsch, 17, of Ward Melville High School has spent most of her school-age life as an advocate for autism research and awareness. She participated in a local walk when she was in first grade to raise money for it. 
Two years later, as a third-grader, she formed team Kirsch with her older sister, Sarah. The team -- inspired by Kirsch's older brother Daniel, who is autistic -- walks annually for <a href="/topics/Autism_Speaks">Autism Speaks</a>, a science and advocacy organization. They have raised more than $50,000 for autism research. Kirsch, 17, is also on the varsity track and cross country team, and is a volunteer coach for 20-year-old David's running team. She is also a second-degree black belt in tae kwon do. 
Kirsch, who is taking honors and Advanced Placement courses, is a member of the National Honor Society and has received the presidential community service award. "School has always been very important [to me] and very important to my family, so it's kind of like second nature," she said. The same could be said of her devotion to her brother, which has spilled over to others. 
In eighth grade, Kirsch began an in-school program that pairs the disabled with other students who mentor and interact with them by playing games, baking and sharing library time. The Friendship Circle is an active part of the school's Key Club. 
Her plans: To attend Cornell University's school of human ecology and major in policy analysis and management. 
In her words: "I hope to study disability law and possibly become a lawyer for people with disabilities." 
The view from the principal's office: "Laura is a kind, outgoing, caring individual who takes care of herself and others," said her principal, Alan J. Baum.

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Laura Kirsch a 'kind, outgoing, caring' autism advocate

Laura Kirsch - cropped

Zoey Wade readily admits that high school has been somewhat of a challenge. She holds an 89.54 average, is taking a course for college credit, is a state championship-winning swimmer and captain of the swim team, serves as a mentor and does volunteer work. And she has <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a>.&nbsp; 
"When people look at me, they have no idea," says Wade, 17, who attends Northport High School. "That's been a challenge because I don't look like I have anything wrong with me." 
Wade, who was in sixth grade when she was diagnosed in June 2005 with the seizure disorder, said she was in denial and embarrassed when she found out she had <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a>, which affects various mental and physical functions. "I finally told my best friend after I had the seizure in front of her." 
But Wade soon found out that the more she talked about her <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a>, the easier it became to deal with. "And now I'll tell a complete stranger," she said. 
So, three years ago, in an effort to get her story out and help others with <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a>, Wade held the Zoey Wade Big Bash for <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">Epilepsy</a> Awareness at the American Legion in Northport. Her dinner-dance raised $16,000 for the <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">Epilepsy</a> Foundation. 
And the foundation, appreciating her efforts, invited Wade and her family to Washington, D.C., for their annual walk and to meet with members of <a href="/topics/U.S._Congress">Congress</a> and the <a href="/topics/U.S._Senate">Senate</a> to tell her story and advocate for more funds. 
Wade didn't stop there, though. She held her Big Bash again in May 2010, this time moving it to the Crestwood Manor in Northport and raising $27,000. 
She attends support groups at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center and mentors others with the condition. And to further help her own understanding of <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a>, she's taking medical anatomy and physiology for college credit. 
Wade also donates time to Grandfriends, a program that pairs young people with seniors for friendship. "I really enjoy it because they are so wise and have such great advice," she said. 
Wade began swimming with the high school varsity team when she was in the seventh grade and competed through the 11th grade, winning the state championship in March 2008 when she was 14. 
"I'll never forget that day," she said, beaming at the memory. She swam the 500-meter freestyle in 5:33:06. And while her <a href="/topics/Epilepsy">epilepsy</a> has kept her out of the pool for much of her senior year, her team still made her captain. 
Wade will attend <a href="/topics/Farmingdale_State_College">Farmingdale State College</a> in the fall. 
"She has a strong, determined spirit, and nothing will get in the way of her goals," said her guidance counselor, Mary <a href="/topics/Ann_Powers">Ann Powers</a>. "I pray that her doctors can control her disorder because once that happens, I can only imagine what Zoey will accomplish."

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Zoey Wade presses on despite challenges

Zoey Wade - cropped

Ronnie Eith of H. Frank Carey High School doesn't give up. 
He tried out for the school play five times before he was finally accepted in this year's production of "Anything Goes." 
And while he's been a member of the junior varsity and varsity wrestling teams for years, he has yet to win a match. 
But that doesn't mean it's not worth it, he said. 
"It's one of the hardest sports out there between the actual practices and maintaining your weight throughout the season," he said. "It really gave me a challenge. It disciplined me. I enjoyed it very much." 
Counselors who know Eith say it's his enthusiasm that pulls him through. 
When Eith, 17, was cast as a sailor in this year's musical, he belted through "Bon Voyage" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" like he was on Broadway. "We had the greatest time," Eith said of his theater experience. "We would laugh throughout the entire practice." 
Eith has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that can make it difficult for him to read social cues and to focus on anything but a specific set of interests. 
Julie Elena, a counselor who has come to know Eith in the past year, said he was so excited about his role in the play that he would sometimes practice singing in the guidance office and show the counselors his dance moves. 
Elena marvels at Eith's tenacity; most students, including those who grow up to be guidance counselors, shy away from tryouts after just one rejection. 
"I tried out for a talent show in the seventh grade and didn't get it and never went out again," Elena said. "But he doesn't quit anything. He tried out for it every year and finally got it in his senior year." 
Eith said Asperger's can make his life difficult at times. He worries about saying the wrong thing, though he has a reputation for being outgoing and affable. Testament to that is his selection as the school's Senior of the Month last December, a designation bestowed upon only 10 seniors. 
"That's the thing about Ronnie," Elena said. "He doesn't put on any airs. The students have come to embrace him. They recognize this is a real fighter. He puts his heart and soul into everything, and how can you not respect that?" 
The latest beneficiaries of that are the school's outdoor benches, which Eith is replacing or refurbishing. He is also secretary of the Carey Clipper, the school's newspaper, and a member of Model UN and the yearbook committee. 
Eith said he will remember high school fondly as he prepares to leave for <a href="/topics/East_Stroudsburg">East Stroudsburg</a> University in the fall.

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Ronnie Eith earns kudos for his tenacity

Ronnie Eith - cropped

If you ask Jennifer Sunmonu, she'll tell you her life has been no more challenging than anyone else's. Ask her teachers and they'll say it's that very modesty that makes her extraordinary. 
Sunmonu, a senior at Jericho High School, lives in a home with 11 siblings as part of a blended family that came together when her father remarried several years after her mother passed away while Sunmonu was in kindergarten. The family has also faced obstacles ranging from relocating to temporary housing in Sunmonu's freshman year to dealing with the recent stroke of her stepmother. 
On top of that, Sunmonu is also the sole African-American female among the 275 students in her senior class and one of only two black students in the class altogether. 
"Being the only black girl gave me confidence to be who I am and not care what other people think," said Sunmonu, 17. "I used to feel insecure and different, but I learned to embrace it." 
At Jericho, Sunmonu's academic achievements include having a weighted grade-point average of 4.0 that earned her the nickname "Jenny the Genius" among classmates. She is also a peer tutor at the school and a member of the Blue Key Club and the National and Spanish honor societies. 
In addition, she interned last summer at the nonprofit Long Island Fund for Women &amp; Girls and has earned a Silver President's Volunteer Service Award for accumulating 179 hours of community service. 
Her plans: Sunmonu plans to attend Duke University in the fall. 
In her words: "You learn to deal with people and be patient in a large family. I love it. I'm never bored." 
The view from the guidance office: "Given Jennifer's history, all that she has achieved is no small feat," said her guidance counselor, Debbie Lisa-Brown.

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Jennifer Sunmonu's blended family helps her 'deal with people'

Jennifer Sunmonu - cropped

Eric Zwilling is a student, a writer and a volunteer -- but, most importantly, he's a buddy.&nbsp; 
Zwilling, a senior at Jericho High School, founded a Buddies program for the Tourette Syndrome Association's (TSA) Long Island chapter that allows children in its monthly support groups to "buddy up" with Jericho high schoolers for games, conversation and mentoring. 
His interest in the field stems from his older sister Jennifer, who at age 7 was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. She later launched a TSA Youth Ambassador Program that trains teens nationwide to discuss the neurological disorder at schools. 
"Some kids have severe cases [of Tourette Syndrome] and it's hard for them to make friends -- so in some cases we've become some of their best friends," said Zwilling, 17, who is seeking to expand the Buddies program to other chapters. 
At Jericho, Zwilling is also founder of a Tourette Syndrome Awareness Club that educates the school community about the disorder at district events and provides volunteers for the TSA Buddies program. Zwilling said word of his club spread through the national organization and resulted in "a handful" of other U.S. schools starting their own awareness clubs using his as a prototype. 
"Putting a smile on someone's face and making their day better is something I love to do," he said. 
In addition, he is one of 30 teens in the United States and <a href="/topics/Canada">Canada</a> on the Youth Advisory Council of DoSomething 
.org, a social advocacy nonprofit. One recent project, he said, saw the council coordinate with <a href="/topics/Itunes">iTunes</a> to "gift" a Rihanna song to people who wrote a letter speaking out against domestic violence. 
Zwilling also won a $20,000 scholarship this spring as a National <a href="/topics/Coca-Cola_Company">Coca-Cola</a> Scholar, is a writer for the technology blog Tech Trakr, and volunteers at bone marrow donor registration drives with Team Lindsay, a nonprofit created in honor of a Duke University student. 
Zwilling is undecided about a major, but plans to attend Duke University this fall. 
"Eric has a zest for life, learning and the human race," said his guidance counselor, Candy Barko. "He epitomizes all that is good in today's youth."

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Eric Zwilling spreads awareness of Tourette

Eric Zwilling - cropped

Without the Ripka twins, the high school experience would be very different for Jericho High School's special-needs students. 
Two years ago, the twins, Alex and Nicole, spearheaded a noncompetitive sports program -- Jammin' <a href="/topics/Kansas_Jayhawks_%28basketball%29">Jayhawks</a> -- that allows the district's physically and mentally disabled pupils to play soccer, basketball and baseball each week under the guidance of volunteering classmates. 
The program has more than doubled in size since its inception in 2009, the twins said, and now includes a rotating group of 100 high school volunteers working with as many as 30 special-needs students. A dance component was recently added to the program. 
"I flat-out realized there was a niche that needed to be filled in Jericho," said Alex Ripka, 18, who got the idea for Jammin' <a href="/topics/Kansas_Jayhawks_%28basketball%29">Jayhawks</a> through volunteer work at the Roslyn Jewish Community Center, which he said has a basketball program for autistic youth. "I definitely didn't expect things to get this big." 
To launch the idea, the Ripkas drafted a comprehensive proposal of the program's goals and approached the Jericho Athletic Association, a nonprofit that supports various athletic activities within the district. The program consists of weekly meetings at Robert Seaman Elementary School, where special-needs kids pair up with volunteers to practice sports drills in a relaxed atmosphere. 
But the athletic aspect is of secondary importance, the Ripkas said. The real reward is witnessing the friendships formed between the special-needs students and their classmates, which are evident through high-fives in school hallways and tables being shared at lunchtime. 
"It was the perfect missing element in Jericho," Nicole Ripka said. The program will continue next school year under the leadership of the Ripkas' sister, Danielle, a junior. 
"Jammin' <a href="/topics/Kansas_Jayhawks_%28basketball%29">Jayhawks</a> stands as an exceptional success story, as it reflects what can be achieved by individuals who place others ahead of themselves," said Brian Deaner, the Ripkas' guidance counselor. "It has grown from one sport with a few volunteers to three sports and a long waiting list of volunteers hoping to be selected." 
The twins' involvement in the Jammin' <a href="/topics/Kansas_Jayhawks_%28basketball%29">Jayhawks</a> has not clipped their academic wings. Nicole served as her class president from freshman through junior years and has been treasurer of Model Congress, president of <a href="/topics/Amnesty_International">Amnesty International</a> and a member of National, Spanish, French and Art honor societies. She is an avid artist and had a sculpture appear this spring in "Long Island's Best: Young Artists," an exhibit at <a href="/topics/Heckscher_Museum_of_Art">Heckscher Museum of Art</a> in Huntington. 
Alex has been a member of his school's varsity soccer and tennis teams as well as Model Congress, <a href="/topics/Amnesty_International">Amnesty International</a>, Future Business Leaders of America and Jericho's National and Spanish honor societies. 
Nicole plans to attend the <a href="/topics/University_of_Pennsylvania">University of Pennsylvania</a>. Alex will major in business at the <a href="/topics/University_of_Michigan">University of Michigan</a>.

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Twins Alex and Nicole Ripka launch program for disabled students

Alex and Nicole Ripka - cropped

For Smithtown High School West's Mark Valentino, the death of a favorite running coach taught some valuable lessons beyond the track. 
Valentino was already accustomed to helping others, such as spending the past five years making peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches for the homeless with St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Smithtown, and he was a top scholar-athlete -- Valentino has a 4.01 weighted average and was a two-time captain of his high school track teams. But he said he knew he had to do something in honor of his coach Pat Harmon, who died of brain cancer last July. 
A few days after the wake, Valentino, 17, told his mother he wanted to put on a 5K run/walk in honor of Harmon. 
"He said, 'Mom, I want to do something,' " Louise Valentino said. "I told him it would be a lot of work, and he said, 'I need to have Coach Harmon remembered.' " 
So, on his own, Valentino spent the next few months getting town permits, sponsorships from local businesses and enlisting volunteers to run. He even got the school's brass quartet to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Oct. 10 event. 
In all, 672 people participated in the run/walk and it raised more than $20,000 for the <a href="/topics/American_Cancer_Society">American Cancer Society</a>. A schoolmate will continue the run/walk while Valentino is at Marist College, but Valentino will help coordinate it. 
All through his treatments, the coach never missed a meet, even when they traveled upstate, Valentino said, and he was always there for his athletes. 
"It made me think of the little difficulties in my life," he said. "I remember what he went through, and realize that I should be able to push through my hardships, too."

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Track captain Mark Valentino honors coach felled by cancer

Mark Valentino - cropped

A mild case of <a href="/topics/Cholera">cholera</a> contracted when he was in <a href="/topics/Cambodia">Cambodia</a> on a mission trip only strengthened <a href="/topics/West_Islip%2C_NY">West Islip</a> High School's Griffin Burr's enthusiasm for providing clean water in rural and disadvantaged areas. 
Burr, 18, saw the need for humanitarian aid when he helped build a playground at a local community center in <a href="/topics/Cambodia">Cambodia</a>, and in <a href="/topics/Costa_Rica">Costa Rica</a> helped build homes for underprivileged families, both through mission trips with his church, the United Methodist Church in <a href="/topics/Babylon%2C_NY">Babylon</a>. He experienced firsthand the impact of lack of clean water. 
Burr doesn't only spread his good works abroad. In <a href="/topics/West_Islip%2C_NY">West Islip</a>, he earned his Eagle Scout award by redoing a garden at the entrance to the <a href="/topics/West_Islip%2C_NY">West Islip</a> Acres Civic Association, and arranging with a Girl Scout troop to take over its ongoing maintenance. He also helped build a home in <a href="/topics/Bellport%2C_NY">Bellport</a> through <a href="/topics/Habitat_for_Humanity">Habitat for Humanity</a>, teaches Sunday school and volunteers in the acute-care elderly unit at <a href="/topics/Good_Samaritan_Hospital">Good Samaritan Hospital</a> Medical Center in <a href="/topics/West_Islip%2C_NY">West Islip</a>. 
Despite his volunteer work at the hospital, Burr said he has no desire for a medical career. When Burr was in ninth grade, his 21-year-old brother was battling testicular cancer. He has since recovered, but Burr said he doesn't care for the hospital atmosphere when it comes to delivering bad news and responding to patient emergencies. 
His plans:He will attend the <a href="/topics/University_of_Chicago">University of Chicago</a>, where he aims to study environmental science with a business and research emphasis. 
In his words: "Clean water is a big deal. I saw people drinking dirty water and getting sick from it, kids with dysentery. Something needs to be done. I think no one understands it unless they've been in a situation like that." 
The view from the guidance office:"Griffin is a young man who is shown to be loyal, trustworthy, a team player, patient and kind," said Michelle Falco, school counselor. "He is a brilliant leader . . . and an overall hardworking young man."

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Griffin Burr's faith grounded in social action

Griffin Burr - cropped

The world should expect to hear more from The Ross School's Juliet Garrett than the balcony scene in "Romeo and Juliet," which as a child got her started on her love for theater. 
She was bored one day, so her mom suggested she learn that scene, Garrett said. She has since performed in several plays. Last year she commuted from her home on Shelter Island to the <a href="/topics/Stella_Adler">Stella Adler</a> Studio of Acting in Manhattan each Saturday for lessons and also took part in a <a href="/topics/New_York%2C_NY">New York</a> Stage and Film summer program at Vassar College. For her senior project at the private Ross School in East Hampton, she wrote, directed and choreographed an hourlong mixed-media performance piece, "(not) a normal girl." 
Garrett, 17, is also a talented math student who took a sophomore-level college calculus course online this year through <a href="/topics/Stanford_University">Stanford University</a> because she had already finished the other high-level math courses at Ross. She practices and teaches <a href="/topics/yoga">yoga</a> and also tutors in math for the SAT and ACT exams. 
She also brought about a change in the school's English curriculum after she realized only one female writer was included. 
"I imagine myself as the main character when I read," Garrett said, "and something about the male coming-of-age story in 'Huck Finn' seemed too familiar, and I realized we had no stories about women. I thought that should be changed." 
She talked with several teachers and advisers and lobbied the founders to add more female writers. That's a major undertaking at a school like Ross, which has an integrated program, since a change in one area has to be woven into the integrated themes, explained Andi O'Hearn, the school's director of college counseling. 
The result? "Jane Eyre" has been added, along with books by <a href="/topics/Virginia_Woolf">Virginia Woolf</a> and <a href="/topics/Sylvia_Plath">Sylvia Plath</a>. 
Her plans:Garrett will attend <a href="/topics/Princeton_University">Princeton University</a>.

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Juliet Garrett 'improves things in her path'

Juliet Garrett - cropped

Meet 20 of LI's extraordinary seniors 

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