Great grads: David Broberg, Division Avenue High School
David Broberg, 17, is an award-winning musician and composer and a committed volunteer - both locally and on trips to Latin America.
And his teachers say he's an accomplished scholar whose enthusiasm is infectious.
He earned a Good Deed Award from the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education on Long Island for welcoming into his church young people who had recently emigrated from Korea; he taught them instruments and formed a band. His musical composition, inspired by his sister's struggle with depression, received an Award of Excellence at the statewide PTA Reflections Contest.
He has organized a service trip to Belize, where he taught a summer enrichment class and participated in Christian worship services, and he volunteers in hospitals, nursing homes, a food kitchen and his school, where he tutors classmates.
His plans: To major in Christian ministry and minor in music at Messiah College in Pennsylvania.
In his words: Reflecting on a moment he shared with a 5-year-old boy in Belize, he said: "To be that small difference to one person, it motivates me to do stuff right in my backyard as well. These opportunities are right in front of us all the time."
The view from the principal's office: "He is genuinely kind to everyone. He's one of the most positive young people I've ever met," said principal Kathleen Valentino.
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'Beneath the Surface': A look at the rise in shark sightings off LI shores It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe.
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'Beneath the Surface': A look at the rise in shark sightings off LI shores It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe.