Great grad: Alexa Markel, Riverhead High School

In her young life, Alexa Markel has traveled far with family, to countries such as Italy and Egypt, but she said her heart lies in helping her hometown.

Markel has participated in neighborhood cleanups of Reeves Beach in Riverhead and regularly donates food and clothing to St. Isidore's Roman Catholic Church in Riverhead.

For four years, Markel, who is co-captain of the varsity tennis team, has mentored the district's younger athletes. She also is president of the French Honor Society and French Club and is a member of National Honor Society and Mentathletes, a quiz team.

Markel attended the inauguration of President Barack Obama through the National Youth Leadership Council, a nonprofit that advocates service learning. She also worked 25 hours a week at Tanger Outlet Centers in Riverhead.

Her plans: To major in anthropology at Stony Brook University.

In her words: "I've learned to be tolerant of other cultures. We might all be very different, but in the big picture we're all just people."

A view from the guidance office: "Alexa lives by the motto: service over self," said guidance counselor Natacha Volcy.