Way to go! Sabrina Ali of Glen Cove

Sabrina Ali recently hit a personal high note when she beat 16 teens to win a vocal contest coordinated by the Glen Cove Arts Council and La Fuerza Unida, a nonprofit that aims to empower women workers and their families.

For winning, the Glen Cove High School sophomore performed the national anthem at La Fuerza's annual gala at Verdi's of Westbury in September.

The event honored Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and other local officials.

"I had never done anything like that before, and it was really wonderful," said Ali, 16, who also received a $250 cash prize. "This is definitely not a hobby for me. I want to become a recording artist."

Ali, a soprano, has been singing since the age of 3 and taking private vocal lessons for three years. She also played the role of Belle in a production of "Beauty and the Beast" at Glen Cove Middle School and sang Mariah Carey's "Hero" at the school's graduation ceremony in 2008.

Ali said her performing chops are in her genes. Her mother, Shehnaz, has appeared in Bollywood films in India, and her father, Mansoor, is a recording artist in India. Her late grandfather, Mehmood, was a "legend" in India and appeared in some 300 films, she said.