Long Island

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A Massapequa High School student recently worked to improve the lives of families in Costa Rica through a community service effort that included students from around the globe.
Kate Fahy, a senior, was one of 18 students participating in projects that ranged from moving large rock piles to building a concession stand for people to sell their goods in the village of San Jose de Rivas, which is home to about 160 people.
"I knew that I wanted to do something to help others, and I wanted to do it in a Spanish-speaking country," said Fahy, 17, who has studied the language for six years. "It was amazing to speak the language outside of a classroom setting."
Fahy said she slept in a sleeping bag in the village's community building and awakened at 5:30 a.m. to begin working with the other teens. The two-week summer trip was coordinated by Vermont-based Putney Student Travel.
A highlight, she said, was the opportunity to mingle with the residents.
"When we weren't working, we had time to bond with the villagers," Fahy said. "A couple of women would prepare food and we had a welcoming party. They taught us how to dance to their music."
Fahy also is in her third year of studying American Sign Language.

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Way to Go: Kate Fahy, Massapequa

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Reflections of a Hauppauge High School senior on the Town of Smithtown's heritage took the top spot in the Smithtown Historical Society's essay contest.
Nicole Zito, 17, was awarded first place among about 40 entries in the society's Mildred E. Smith Historical Scholarship Contest, which challenged teens to answer the question: "How has Smithtown's rich heritage and history helped to shape your identity as a Smithtowner?"
Her four-page essay described how her great-grandparents fell in love with the town and its recreational opportunities and relocated there in the 1950s, and how that love trickled down to other relatives and to her.
"Now as a teenager, I reflect and realize how much living in a historic town such as Smithtown has contributed to my current identity as a Smithtowner," Zito wrote. "My family's history as well as Smithtown's rich heritage has allowed me to feel extreme pride living in the same town where my relatives settled three generations ago."
Zito, who received a $1,000 scholarship at the society's recent 2015 Heritage Ball, submitted the essay as part of an optional assignment last school year for Ellen Robbins' AP U.S. history class.
She is a member of her school's National Honor Society, History Club and Interact Club.

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Way to Go: Nicole Zito, Hauppauge

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An East Williston student served as captain of a team that raised the most funds among those participating in a September charity walk to benefit the AHRC Foundation.
Emily Blumberg, an eighth-grader at The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, led a 45-person team of family and friends that raised more than $10,000 as part of the 2015 AHRC Walk at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. The "Noah's Smiles" team was named after her 10-year-old brother, who has autism and attends Brookville Center for Children's Services.
The 3-mile walk on Sept. 13 attracted more than 1,000 participants, Blumberg said. Overall, it brought in $75,000 for the foundation, which raises funds to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"I'm glad we were able to raise so much," said Blumberg, 13. "Since my brother has autism, it's something that's very important to me."
In her effort, Blumberg drafted and mailed a letter to family and friends explaining that she was coordinating the team as part of a project for her bat mitzvah, which was held on Oct. 17. Her initial fundraising goal was $3,000.
Blumberg is a member of her school's Italian Club and Intercultural Unity Club.

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Way to Go: Emily Blumberg, East Williston

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A Northport student composer had the thrill of hearing his original work performed on the national stage last week.
Peter Mainetti's "Battle of the Strings" was played Wednesday by student musicians at the National Association for Music Education's All-National Honors Ensemble Festival in Nashville.
The Northport High School freshman said he composed the roughly three-minute piece as a sixth-grader and later worked on better developing its themes with Northport music theory teacher Frank Doyle.
"Considering it was my first real composition ever, it was kind of a surprise," Mainetti, 13, said of the selection of his song. "It's very meaningful to me."
Mainetti started playing viola in the fourth grade, then switched to violin the following year. He now plays the piano and guitar as well, and has composed five pieces using the music software Finale.
"Peter has created original compositions at a high level, way beyond his years," Doyle said. "He has a unique ability to develop his ideas at the piano and transform them into colorful orchestrations."
Mainetti is a member of his school's mathletes team and the Gemini Youth Orchestra. In his free time, he plays music for senior citizens at local assisted-living facilities.

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Way to Go: Peter Mainetti, Northport

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A Merrick student was honored as one of "40 Under 40 Rising Latino Stars" by the Hispanic Coalition of New York for having a positive impact in the community.
Samantha Hernandez, a junior at Sanford H. Calhoun High School, was the youngest person and the only high school student to receive the designation. The winners, which included two other Long Islanders, were recognized at an Oct. 11 ceremony in Albany.
Hernandez was nominated by Christine Boyce, an advanced science research teacher at Calhoun. In Boyce's class, Hernandez has been studying the effects of bilingualism on the brain.
"I chose to explore the world of bilingualism because it's always been there at my side my whole life," said Hernandez, 16, who speaks Spanish at home and currently is studying French.
She said she plans an experiment in January aimed at assessing how proficiency in a second language can affect a student's ability to retain words in a new language.
"Samantha is the total package," Boyce said. "She is a standout student and has a passion for research."
At her school, Hernandez writes for the newspaper and is a member of Key Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions and Youth United for Global Action. She also does clerical work as a volunteer at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola.

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Way to Go: Samantha Hernandez, Merrick

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A Westhampton Beach student's philanthropic efforts have earned her the 2015 Leaders of Tomorrow Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Long Island Chapter.
Ariana DeMattei, a sophomore at Westhampton Beach High School, received the award in recognition of her "exceptional accomplishments" through volunteerism and philanthropic activities, the organization said. She will be honored during a luncheon at the Huntington Hilton on Nov. 13.
DeMattei's efforts include founding Backpacks for Fellow Students, which has provided more than 750 backpacks to students in need in the Center Moriches, East Quogue and Westhampton Beach school districts. She is a co-founder of The "Love Me" project, which strives to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating and positive self-images among girls.
"I'm very honored to be selected," said DeMattei, 14. "By yourself you can do incredible things, but when you have support of people around you, you can do anything."
To raise money for backpacks, DeMattei held fundraisers including pie sales, coin drives and a "Spring Splash" polar plunge that attracted 150 participants to Rogers Beach. She is coordinating a second annual "Race for a Reason" 5K at Cupsogue Beach County Park on Nov. 1 to raise funds for local students in need of food and school supplies.
Her other efforts include volunteering at the East Hampton Food Pantry and Maureen's Haven, a Riverhead-based outreach program that helps homeless adults.
She also is a member of her school's tennis team, Student Government, Key Club, Rotary Interact Club and Human Understanding and Growth Seminars (H.U.G.S.).

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Way to Go: Ariana DeMattei, Westhampton Beach

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A North Shore High School technology whiz is proving his skills locally and internationally.
Grant Goodman of Sea Cliff, a sophomore, was one of 350 students from around the globe selected to attend the 2015 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, where the company in June unveiled new software and technologies.
It was Goodman's second time to be invited to the conference based on his tech feats, which include publishing five apps offered through the Apple Store. His most popular app, Prodigus, allows users to play YouTube videos without ads and has been downloaded 5,000 times in the past year and a half, he said.
"The possibility to do anything you want is there," said Goodman, 15.
He is working on an app that would allow North Shore teachers to create multiple-choice quizzes and track student progress, as well as another that would let students sign up for community service and track their hours.
Goodman is a member of his school's robotics and debate clubs and studies five languages: Arabic, Mandarin, German, Russian and Latin. He also has attended Yale University's iD Tech Camp.
"When you speak with Grant, you can instantly tell he is full of knowledge and potential," North Shore robotics coach Stephen Peroni said.

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Way to Go: Grant Goodman, Sea Cliff

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A Rocky Point High School freshman was one of 30 national finalists -- and the sole student from Long Island -- in a prestigious middle school science competition. 
Bryant Liu, 13, traveled to San Francisco this month to compete in the 2015 Broadcom MASTERS, a contest for students in grades six through eight coordinated by the Society for Science &amp; the Public. For being a finalist, he was awarded $500. 
Liu was selected for his research on the release of simple sugars from fallen leaves after pre-treating the leaves with acids or bases -- a study aimed at a potential method of getting sugar for biofuels. The project won one of 13 first-place awards at the middle school level in the Long Island Science &amp; Engineering Fair. "I was so shocked and very happy," Liu said of being a finalist. 
The students first competed in affiliated science and engineering fairs, which had the option of nominating the top 10 percent for Broadcom MASTERS. This year, more than 2,200 entered the competition and completed applications for a chance to be chosen as a finalist. 
The 30 finalists presented their projects and competed in team challenges to show skills in critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. 
Liu is on his school's tennis and mock trial teams and is involved in student government. He is a volunteer teacher at the Center for Chinese Learning at Stony Brook.

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Way to Go: Bryant Liu, Rocky Point

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A Lynbrook student with a passion for books won first place in a New York State PTA logo design contest for its "Pick a Reading Partner" program.
Alexis Raynor, a fourth-grader at Marion Street Elementary School, took the top spot for her design that featured hand tracings of her mother, Maria, and her sister Nicolette, 5, over the silhouette of a book.
Alexis' logo will appear on "Pick a Reading Partner" materials during the school year. 
The program asks adults to read with children for at least 15 minutes each day. It previously was known as "Parents as Reading Partners."
"I was really excited," said Alexis, 9, an avid reader. "When I was little, I'd read with my mom every night before bed. It's important, because the older kids get, the less they get to do that."
She currently is reading the fifth book in the seven-volume "Harry Potter" series and just finished reading the "Heidi Heckelbeck" series.
"We're very proud of Alexis and the way she has embraced reading," said Theresa Macchia, principal of Marion Street Elementary.
Alexis also is a Girl Scout and has been taking dance lessons for seven years.

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Way to Go: Alexis Raynor, Lynbrook

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An Amagansett School sixth-grader hit it out of the park from the broadcaster's booth at Citi Field.
Dante Sasso, 11, showed off his baseball knowledge when he called a half-inning during a Mets game on SportsNet New York (SNY) in August. He got the opportunity after winning the Seventh Annual SNY KidCaster Contest, which invited children from ages 7 to 12 to compete for a broadcasting chance.
Dante, whose favorite player is Mets outfielder Juan Lagares, called the bottom of the third inning of the Mets vs. Phillies game on Aug. 31 alongside Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez.
"It was a really positive, gratifying experience," Dante said. "It was so awesome being around them."
Contestants were required to submit a 100-word essay in which they persuaded a child who had never watched the Mets to do so. Ten finalists were selected to read their essays in front of a panel of judges inside the SNY studio and also to call two plays.
To hone his broadcasting chops, Dante said he watched recent videos of the two teams online and turned down the volume while watching Mets games at home.
In his spare time, Dante plays in the East Hampton Little League and enjoys playing badminton, chess and the drums.

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Way to Go: Dante Sasso, Amagansett

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A Floral Park Memorial High School senior with a passion for politics was among select groups representing the United States recently in Model United Nations delegations to China and India.
Thomas Kenna was part of separate All-American Model UN groups that went to Beijing, China, and Hyderabad, India, in August, taking part in simulations of diplomacy and debates. He was among 18 American students who went to China and eight who traveled to India.
Relatives, friends and local organizations raised about $7,000 to help pay for Kenna's participation. Floral Park English teacher Christin Mason was instrumental in spreading the word about the fundraising, Kenna said.
"I was really surprised and grateful," said Kenna, 17. Of the conferences, he said: "It's interesting to see similarities and differences in worldviews among my peers."
In China, Kenna took a mock position representing Russia and debated topics such as terrorism and the Ukraine crisis. In India, he represented Greece and debated topics including ship-breaking, which is the process of dismantling an obsolete vessel's structure for scrap. At both conferences, he won the Outstanding Delegate Award, which equates to a second-place honor, he said.
Kenna, a Boy Scout, is president of the Student Council and a member of Key Club, Model UN Club, Ecology Club and National Honor Society. He also is his school's mascot and editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.

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Way to Go: Thomas Kenna, Floral Park

A Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School senior was among about 60 female students participating in a political leadership program at Georgetown University in the nation's capital.
Skylah McBean-Adams, 17, was the only Long Island student in the Young Women's Political Leadership Program, coordinated by the nonprofit Running Start. That organization works to introduce female students to the importance of political and community leadership.
The seven-day conference in July included instruction on networking and public speaking as well as panel discussions.
"I'd love to go back and do it all again," McBean-Adams said. "It was really nice to see other girls with the same ideology and motivation as myself."
At Copiague, McBean-Adams' leadership positions include serving as treasurer of the Student Council, vice president of the African-American Club, a member of the National Honor Society, and a leader in the One Mind Club, which has a mission of stopping cliques, discrimination and stereotypes.
Her other involvements include being a member of the National Achievers Society's Urban League, the Town of Babylon Youth Court, Suffolk County's Youth Leadership Caucus and the nonprofit dance group Venettes Cultural Workshop.
"Skylah is a student who is committed to excellence," said Mary Klein, the high school's guidance director. "She is an ambitious and focused student who will continue to set high standards for herself."

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Way to Go: Skylah McBean-Adams, Copiague

A Syosset High School senior is making his mark by winning numerous accolades for his scientific research. 
Most recently, Abrar Nadroo was one of three students to receive the 2015 Ezra Levy High School Science Award from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's New York Chapter. The award recognizes students whose chemistry projects represent the "highest quality of science investigation," the chapter said. 
Nadroo, 17, was invited to present his research on corneal scarring at a banquet at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. His research focused on preventing a cell from turning into scar tissue and on reverse-engineering scar tissue. 
"It's kind of humbling, and it's exciting to see that maybe my project does have promise," Nadroo said. 
His other achievements include twice placing first in the biochemistry category of the New York State Science &amp; Engineering Fair, and going on to place second and third in the category at the Intel International Science &amp; Engineering Fair. He was a semifinalist for the prestigious Davidson Fellows Scholarship. 
Nadroo is co-captain of the Science Olympiad team, co-president of the Model UN Club and a varsity member of the Speech &amp; Debate Club. He also is founder of the school's Social Innovation Forum, president of the French Honor Society and a member of National Honor Society.

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Way to Go: Abrar Nadroo, Syosset

A North Babylon High School freshman was one of only 60 students worldwide -- and one of two students from the New York-Eastern Canada region -- selected to attend a prestigious national leadership program.
Margaret McKeever, 15, attended a Youth Leadership Program earlier this month hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates, a nonprofit law enforcement training agency. The program was held in Quantico, Virginia, June 13-20.
To be chosen, a student must have demonstrated high academic standards and good citizenship, and must be nominated by an academy graduate. The program is made possible through cooperation of the FBI.
"When I found out I was accepted, my excitement was over the moon," McKeever said. Of the program, she said, "The lessons we learn all steer us in the right directions and help us make good choices and be a positive influence in our communities."
A typical day began at 5:30 a.m., with physical training followed by classes in topics such as constitutional law and juvenile crime, she said. Other activities included laboratory work, department tours and book groups.
McKeever is a member of her school's varsity cross-country, winter track and spring track teams. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and a junior firefighter.

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Way to Go: Margaret McKeever, North Babylon

A Copiague Middle School student has won a prestigious award for starting a business selling shea butter and other skin treatments, such as body washes, sea salts and moisturizers. 
Tatiana Leftenant, a seventh-grader, was named "Teenpreneur of the Year" at the 2015 Black Enterprise Entrepreneur Summit in Atlanta last month. The three-day event drew both established business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. 
Tatiana, 12, was selected for her business Sheascents LLC, which sells more than 30 scents of shea butter as well as other products. 
"I hope to expand it even further, because I want to be a multimillionaire before the age of 20," said Tatiana, who was up against two college-age contestants for the award. 
Her own difficulties with eczema -- a medical condition that causes skin to be inflamed and irritated -- gave her the idea to develop the products, she said. Various creams she had used on her arms and legs caused burning sensations, so she decided to create alternatives. 
She said a representative of the Black Enterprise Entrepreneur Summit nominated her for the "Teenpreneur" honor after spotting her selling the products at a booth in Valley Stream's Green Acres Mall in the days before Christmas. 
Tatiana said she has sold about 1,500 items this year. Her products can be found online at <a href="http://mysheascents.com" target="_blank">mysheascents.com</a>.

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Way to Go: Tatiana Leftenant, Copiague

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Manhasset High School senior Courtney Connors' favorite part of helping others is the excitement she feels over their excitement.
Connors, 17, has shown her compassion through a range of activities -- from lifting the spirits of women battling breast cancer to helping coordinate a tennis clinic for underprivileged children.
Last summer, that six-week event brought nearly 95 kids to the Manhasset/Great Neck Equal Opportunity Center. Connors secured donations of 200 tennis balls from the U.S. Tennis Association and tennis clothing from adidas, as well as collecting 20 gently used tennis rackets from local residents.
"I love the kids' excitement and the improvement I saw in their tennis playing. It's so rewarding," said Connors, who worked on the clinic as part of the community service component of her Gold Award, the top honor for a Girl Scout.
Her other community efforts include serving as secretary of the Plandome Junior Fire Department and devoting time to the Junior Coalition of the Manhasset Women's Coalition Against Breast Cancer.
Connors is captain of her school's girls tennis team, has competed in 50 matches through her USTA membership, and has served as a ball girl at the past two U.S. Open tournaments at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

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Way to Go: Courtney Connors, Manhasset

A Franklin Square teenager with an eye for filmmaking was the youngest person to take home an award at the Queens World Film Festival in March.
Ralph Sepe, a senior at H. Frank Carey High School, won the Emerging Filmmaker Award for "The High," his 37-minute short film about a teen who becomes a drug dealer. It has received about 11,000 views on Sepe's YouTube channel.
Sepe said he made the movie for $50 and cast several friends and family members. He played the film's lead role.
"To me, this was like winning an Oscar," said Sepe, 17, who admires directors Stanley Kubrick and David Fincher. Of his passion for filmmaking, he said: "It's like therapy for me. Whatever I'm thinking and feeling, I can express myself."
To create "The High," Sepe used a 5-year-old camcorder, an iPhone and Final Cut software that was given to him by his social studies teacher in the eighth grade.
He estimates that he has created 100 movies since the age of 5. He is making a new film titled "Lover," a thriller and love story, using Kickstarter.com.
Sepe is a member of his school's video, photo and film clubs. After graduation, he plans to go to Temple University this fall to study film.

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Way to Go: Ralph Sepe, Franklin Square

A Shirley student is using spelling as a tool to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease.
Krista Cusimano, a fifth-grader at William Floyd Elementary School, raised about $3,200 last month through a special spelling test taken by 765 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Krista, 11, said she was inspired by the memory of her grandfather Raul Vosgerichian of Manorville, who died two years ago at 66 after seven years with the disease.
The test, which varied by grade level, had 50 words and participants earned 10 cents for every word spelled correctly through pledges from family and friends. All proceeds went to the Alzheimer's disease Resource Center in Bay Shore.
"I was very surprised, because I didn't think we would raise as much as we did," Krista said. Of her late grandfather, she said: "We love and miss our 'Pa' very much. Doing this in his memory and paying it forward has helped us."
Top spellers from each class vied in a school spelling bee on May 28, the two-year anniversary of Vosgerichian's death.
Krista coordinated the first spelling test as part of her platform in running for Student Council treasurer.
Her other school activities include playing violin and involvement in soccer, cheerleading and Math Olympiad.

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Way to Go: Krista Cusimano, Shirley

A Merrick student has been elected president of the New York State Chapter of DECA -- the Distributive Education Clubs of America.
Irene Kowalski, a Sanford H. Calhoun High School junior, will oversee more than 120 high school chapters in New York. She was named to the post during the 2015 New York DECA State Career Conference in Rochester.
"I felt I'm a very experienced leader and one of the most competitively successful people in my state," said Kowalski, 17.
DECA prepares students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, management and other business areas.
The state's DECA Executive Council is tasked with creating a program of work and goals for state chapters to refer to throughout the school year.
To be eligible, Kowalski said she earned more than 70 DECA points over the past three school years through her performance in competitions and participation in community service efforts. She made a presentation to the current executive council about her desire to be president.
Kowalski was third statewide and internationally in the conference's Entrepreneurship Participating-Independent category in 2014, and fourth statewide and internationally this year.
She is a violinist in her school's chamber orchestra and a member of the National Honor Society and the math, English and French honor societies.

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Way to Go: Irene Kowalski, Merrick

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A West Babylon High School senior has used music to help improve the lives of elderly residents.
Sage Chasen, 18, is founder of Performers Opposing Pollution, an a cappella group that has performed at local nursing homes and participated in beach cleanups during the past two years. He also is a location leader for Piano for Patients, a Port Washington organization that coordinates student music performances at nursing homes and hospitals.
"They just appreciate it so much," he said of senior citizens for whom he has performed. "They always like to see younger faces."
For his community service efforts, Chasen received the Mayor E. Donald Conroy Scholarship, worth $10,000, which was available to high school seniors living in the Village of Babylon.
Chasen said the a cappella group was most active in his junior year and has included up to 20 teenagers from the West Babylon, West Islip and Amityville districts. They took part in about one cleanup and performance a month at such locations as Gilgo Beach and Sunrise of West Babylon.
Chasen is vice president of his school's National Honor Society and a member of the technology, math, science and foreign language honor societies. He also is part of the school's Leaders Club and Students for Environmental Awareness Club.

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Way to Go: Sage Chasen, West Babylon

A Hicksville High School sophomore with a passion for community service has been making her mark -- locally and abroad.
Rhea Manjrekar, 16, and several peers raised about $12,000 over the past year through a variety of fundraisers to benefit a local chapter of the nonprofit Children's Hope India that they started.
Most recently, she was among a handful of local pupils named a Leader of Tomorrow by the South Asian Political Action Committee to recognize her community service efforts.
"I've always really liked the idea of community service," Manjrekar said. "It feels so amazing to be able to help out."
The fundraisers -- which included events at Om Sweet Om Yoga in Port Washington, a local Friendly's and Panera Bread -- were used to send local underprivileged children to summer camp, purchase holiday gifts for local children in need, and send shoes to youths in India, Manjrekar said.
She is a member of her school's Key Club, National English and Spanish honor societies, and cross-country and track teams.
"Rhea is a promising student with positivity that extends to everybody she is around," Hicksville High principal Ray Williams said.
Working with Manjrekar to benefit Children's Hope India were Fatemah Mukadum and Annamarie Zisimatos of Hicksville High School, and Divya Advani, Karishma Kamat and Milan Sani of Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington.

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Way to Go: Rhea Manjrekar, Hicksville

Longwood High School senior Savannah Legg won a top award for demonstrating extraordinary effort and skill this robotics competition season.
Legg, 18, received the annual Fred Breithut Regional MVP Award from the School-Business Partnerships of Long Island. The award was given to one student among those on 51 teams in the 2015 Long Island Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.
Each team nominated one member, and the teams' coaches penned essays endorsing the picks, Legg said.
"I put a lot of time into robotics club," Legg said. Of her coaches' essay, she said: "It was one of the most heartfelt things anyone has ever done for me."
Legg's robotics involvement includes writing her team's Chairman's Essay, used to select the winner of the competition's prestigious Chairman's Award, as well as her team's essay for the Woody Flowers Award, which honors a mentor. She was coach of her team's robot driving group.
Legg is her school's drum major, president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and a member of the National Honor Society. She plays flute and saxophone in local and school ensembles.
"Savannah is not your conventional team member," said Jen Stehle, co-adviser of Longwood's robotics team. "She has an extraordinary skill of capturing the attention of audiences, an enthusiastic way of expressing the passion she feels about robotics, and the ability to clearly demonstrate her ideas."

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Way to Go: Savannah Legg,  Middle Island

A Bellmore student whose home was badly damaged in superstorm Sandy and Tropical Storm Irene is receiving the prestigious Young Naturalist Award for her research on forecasting hurricanes. 
Beatrice Brown, a John F. Kennedy High School senior, is one of two winners at her grade level and among 12 winners nationwide of the award sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and the Alcoa Foundation. She will receive $2,500 and an all-expense-paid hotel stay to attend the gala ceremony in Manhattan on May 29. 
"This is definitely a very exciting honor and a great honor," she said. 
Brown, 18, said she was inspired to conduct the research after 5 feet of water invaded her family's Merrick home during Sandy in 2012 -- a year after it was flooded during Irene. She researched air circulation and water temperature data of past local hurricanes and developed a probability model. 
Brown is valedictorian of her class, mock trial team president, and a member of the National Honor Society and the Math, Science, Spanish and Tri-M Music honor societies. She was a semifinalist in the 2015 Intel Science Talent Search and placed second in her category at the 2015 Long Island Science &amp; Engineering Fair. 
A flutist, she was named to the National Association for Music Education's 2015 All-Eastern Concert Band and the NAFME 2014 All-National Concert Band. She is a principal flutist for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York.

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Way to Go: Beatrice Brown, Merrick

A Copiague Middle School student is making her mark through helping others and involvement in multiple sports and local math and science fairs. 
Eighth-grader Faith McCombs has participated in science competitions and community service projects, including footwear and jean drives for those in need as part of her school's Builders Club. 
She was one of 20 local students selected by Stony Brook University to attend the 28th Annual Youth Academy "Counseling &amp; Treating People of Colour: An International Perspective" leadership conference in New Orleans. The three-day event included educational workshops, guest speakers and networking opportunities with peers and adults. 
The Copiague school board recognized McCombs for her selection and success at the conference. 
"I really love all of my activities equally, and I love to help people," said McCombs, 14. 
Her other achievements include being among more than 1,000 students to participate in this spring's 17th Annual Science &amp; Technology Entry Program (STEP) Statewide Student Conference in Albany. She also competed in the 2015 Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair at Hofstra University and in the Long Island Science Congress at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. 
McCombs, who is ranked among the top 20 students in her school's grade level, is treasurer of her school's National Junior Honor Society and is a member of the girls basketball, soccer, track and volleyball teams.

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Way to Go: Faith McCombs, Copiague

Levittown and East Setauket students advanced to the 2015 International Bridge Building Contest in Portland, Oregon, after taking the top two spots in a regional competition. 
Division Avenue High School junior Joey Nepravishta and Ward Melville High School senior Michael Skolnick placed first and second, respectively, in Brookhaven National Laboratory's 2015 Model Bridge Building Contest. 
"I'm pretty happy, but I wasn't expecting to win," said Nepravishta, 17, who placed third in last year's regional. "It really wasn't anything too fancy -- it was a simple truss." 
The BNL contest, which attracted more than 190 students from 11 local high schools, challenged teens to design double-decker bridges of balsa wood and glue that weighed less than 30 grams. A device that presses on the bridge was used to determine its "efficiency," calculated by dividing the weight held by the bridge by the weight of the bridge itself. 
"I think what made it so successful is how precisely I built it," said Skolnick, who placed first in last year's regional. "It's more than just a hobby to me." 
Nepravishta ranked 13th and Skolnick was 35th among 56 ranked competitors in the international contest, held April 25.

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Way to Go: Joey Nepravishta, Levittown, and Michael Skolnick, East Setauket

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A Manhasset student is serving up a love of tennis to kids who can't afford to purchase their own equipment. 
Matthew Holweger, a Manhasset High School senior, has captained the collection of more than 300 tennis rackets since the 2013-14 school year, when he launched the Long Island chapter of Kids Serving Kids. The nonprofit recycles rackets for youths in need. 
"Whether these kids continue with tennis or not, it feels good being able to introduce them to something new," he said. 
Holweger, 17, will receive the Junior Volunteer of the Year Award from the U.S. Tennis Association's Long Island Region during an awards dinner Wednesday at Crest Hollow Country Cub in Woodbury. 
"It's very humbling and satisfying," he said of the recognition. 
To get donations, Holweger said he and two Manhasset peers, Brooke DiGia and Brett Weisberg, sent letters to tennis-playing family and friends asking for gently used rackets. The chapter also has received $1,600 in monetary donations used to purchase new rackets. 
Last year, the chapter hosted a six-week tennis clinic for nearly 100 children at the Manhasset/Great Neck Equal Opportunity Center. 
Holweger is captain of his school's varsity tennis team, treasurer of the Italian Honor Society, and a member of the National Honor Society.

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Way to Go: Matthew Holweger, Manhasset

A Bellport High School student went to extra lengths to make prom finery possible for those in financial need. 
Cassidy Greco, a Bellport senior, coordinated a prom dress boutique this month that featured more than 150 gently used dresses, donated by the community. She also gathered donations of women's shoes, jewelry and handbags. 
Greco, 18, said she got the idea because she and her older sister have several prom dresses in their closets. The two have attended a total of five proms in recent years, she said. 
"I was very surprised at the amount of dresses donated," Greco said. "There are definitely a lot of people who will get very good use out of them." 
To spread the word, Greco said she used social media and distributed fliers throughout the school and at a number of local businesses. The items were available to girls in need over a three-day period at the Boys &amp; Girls Club of the Bellport area. 
Dresses were available in all sizes, colors and styles, ranging from gowns to sundresses, Greco said. Girls were given an opportunity to try them on in a dressing room in the club. 
Greco is president of her school's Student Council, and is a member of the school's National Honor Society and the volleyball and girls varsity track teams.

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Way to Go: Cassidy Greco, Bellport

A Levittown student is using his birthday as an opportunity to give gifts to others. 
Matthew Hartmann, a second-grader at Abbey Lane Elementary School, raised $1,125 by asking friends and family to donate money in lieu of gifts to benefit the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation in Atlantic Beach. He learned about the foundation after his mother, Maria, ran in its annual 5K AIDS/Cancer Run/Walk last June. 
The foundation raises funds and awareness to find a cure for AIDS and to benefit those living with HIV/AIDS. It also supports people who have brain cancer and raises awareness about orphans in sub-Saharan Africa who need vaccinations, clean drinking water and clothing. 
"I'm surprised I was able to raise so much," said Matthew, who turned 8 last month. "I'm happy I decided to do it." 
In response to Matthew's efforts, Brodsky gave $3,000 worth of toys to children at Abbey Lane Elementary who were in need. The toys were donated by the nonprofit K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers in conjunction with Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. 
Last year, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan received more than $1,600 from Matthew's birthday donations. 
"It's truly amazing to see how Matthew's act of generosity and kindness started a chain reaction that helps so many people, both locally and around the world," Principal George Maurer said.

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Way to Go: Matthew Hartmann, Levittown

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A Rocky Point student is a state winner in a poster contest promoting the importance of online safety. 
Giovana Improta, a fifth-grader at Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School, was named the state winner for her grade level in the 2014-15 New York State Kids Safe Online Poster Contest. The competition for students in grades K-12 received more than 1,200 entries from 141 schools statewide. 
Giovana's winning illustration featured a large lion's face drawn in crayon with messages written alongside in various colors. 
"Roar to an adult when bullied," read one message. Others were "Don't be afraid" and "Speak up!!" 
Her poster will be submitted to the National K-12 Poster Contest, which is conducted by the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Her submission also may be used in national, regional and state cyber and computer security awareness campaigns, school officials said. 
The state contest was sponsored by the Enterprise Information Security Office of the New York State Office of Information Technology Services. The goal was to educate students about cyber safety issues through creation of posters that encourage their peers to use the Internet securely. Criteria in the judging process included creativity, originality, quality, poster concept and adherence to technical specifications. 
The school's other fifth-grade entrants received letters and commemorative certificates.

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Way to Go: Giovana Improta, Rocky Point

A North Babylon High School senior with an eye for architecture soon will see his award-winning design become reality. 
Brandon Boyle, who studies architectural design at Western Suffolk BOCES' Wilson Technological Center in Dix Hills, won a national contest that challenged teens to design a walkway entrance to SkillsUSA's National Leadership Center in Leesburg, Virginia. 
Boyle designed a circular brick walkway with a series of benches and planters to beautify the area, using Google SketchUp, a three-dimensional modeling program. 
His design took the top award out of 32 entries nationwide, seven of which came from Wilson Tech students. The entries were reviewed by a committee of architects and a SkillsUSA alumnus from The Beck Group in Dallas. 
"It's a pretty great honor," said Boyle, 18. "It's going to be cool when I go there to see it." 
He received a $2,000 travel stipend for himself and a SkillsUSA adviser to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the walkway during the organization's 50th birthday celebration in Leesburg on May 8. 
Boyle is a member of Wilson Tech's National Technical Honor Society and of Renaissance, a reward program for excellence in attendance and academics. He plans to study architecture this fall at the New York Institute of Technology. 
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization striving to improve the quality of the nation's skilled workforce.

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Way to Go: Brandon Boyle, North Babylon

A Bayville fourth-grader has raised $6,000 to benefit childhood cancer research by having his head shaved each year since 2012. 
Richard Watson, 10, who goes to Bayville Intermediate School, has raised the money for the St. Baldrick's Foundation through an annual fundraiser at The Downtown Café in Glen Cove. This year's event attracted more than 100 people who shaved their heads to show solidarity with those who lose hair during cancer treatment. 
Richard's total this year was $2,225, making him the third-highest fundraiser of all those participating at the cafe last month. 
"It makes me feel so good," he said. "You just feel right when you donate all of that money." 
Richard also coordinated a bake sale last month in front of a local supermarket, selling homemade brownies, cookies and cupcakes, with many decorated in green and orange coloring in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. He sold rubber bracelets for $5 that read "Keep calm and fight on" and "Never give up." 
Richard said his inspiration to participate stems from seeing a child at the first St. Baldrick's Day fundraiser he attended four years ago. 
"He had cancer and died two years later," he said. "I wanted to do something to help him." 
Richard plays baritone horn in his school's band and plays baseball in the Bayville Locust Valley Little League.

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Way to Go: Richard Watson, Bayville

A Bellmore student won first place at the regional level of Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide competition that encourages youths to learn about the art form and to master public speaking through memorization and recitation. 
Jaime Marvin, a Wellington C. Mepham High School senior, was among 10 high-school-level winners from Nassau County vying in the regional, held at Farmingdale State College. 
"One of the judges said it looked like I understood the poems on a deeper level," said Marvin, 17. "I think some of my nervous energy helped, because I was able to channel it into the poems." 
She competed at the state level in Syracuse last month but did not advance to the nationals. 
Marvin said she has been writing poetry since grade school and has about five notebooks filled with her work. Her favorite poet is Edna St. Vincent Millay, whose writings she finds to be both clever and profound. 
In the regional contest, Marvin recited E.E. Cummings' "I Carry Your Heart With Me (I Carry It In)," John Keats' "To Autumn" and Lisel Mueller's "The End of Science Fiction." 
"Jaime is one of the stars of the building," English teacher Nicole Maresca said. "Her ability to write poems has been noticed very early on." 
Marvin is an editor for the school's literary magazine and co-captain of the cross-country winter and spring track teams.

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Way To Go: Jaime Marvin, Bellmore

A Westhampton Beach High School freshman with an eye for filmmaking shared her insights with educators at a prestigious technology conference. 
Sydney Sheren, 14, was the youngest of three keynote student speakers at Suffolk ASSET's 17th Annual Technology Conference, held last month in Melville. ASSET is an acronym for Association of Suffolk Supervisors for Educational Technology. 
Sheren spoke before about 800 people about the benefits of incorporating filmmaking into lessons. Westhampton Beach technology teacher Katherine Haack recommended that she address the conference. 
"It was an amazing experience, unlike something I've ever had the opportunity to do," Sheren said. 
Her work includes co-creating a version of "The Hunger Games" as a sixth-grader. It was shown at the Hampton Arts Cinema and raised about $700 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. 
Sheren, who has attended two summer programs at New York Film Academy, recently spoke at an online global conference coordinated by Marymount School of New York in Manhattan, addressing dozens of teachers about moviemaking. She also has posted 10 short films on YouTube. 
"She's outstanding and she's only in ninth grade," Westhampton Beach Principal Christopher Herr said. "I can't wait to see what's in store for her for the next three years and beyond." 
Sheren also is freshman class president.

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Way to Go: Sydney Sheren, Westhampton Beach

A Carle Place student with a flair for fundraising has raised more than $18,000 for various charities during the past four years. 
Augie Cavallaro, a senior at Carle Place High School, raised the money by participating in his school's "Battle of the Classes, Battling for a Cause." Since 2012, he has been the school's top fundraiser in the annual event, in which grade levels compete in activities such as relay races to bring in money for charity. 
This year, Cavallaro raised $5,700 for the Ty Louis Campbell Foundation, a nonprofit organization that strives to raise awareness about pediatric cancer. Overall, the school collected about $25,000 for the foundation. 
"It's a very competitive event, but the main focus is to raise money for charity," said Cavallaro, 17. "I'm very thankful to everyone who helped out. Every little bit can help." 
Cavallaro said he wrote and distributed letters soliciting donations to family, friends and local businesses. He also coordinated a Super Bowl-themed raffle of a variety of local gift cards that raised $1,500, he said. 
Other organizations he has raised funds for in previous school years are the Lexiebean Foundation for Children with Cancer, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Ronald McDonald House. 
Cavallaro is senior class president and a member of the Key Club and Leadership Club.

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Way to Go: Augie Cavallaro, Carle Place

A Lindenhurst High School senior had the recipe for success in a cooking contest for high schoolers. 
Nicholas Giambrone, 18, placed third in the 7th Annual America's Best High School Chef competition, sponsored by Monroe College in New Rochelle. He was awarded a $36,000 scholarship to attend Monroe and the opportunity to study for a semester in Italy. 
Giambrone, in addition to his studies in Lindenhurst, is under the tutelage of chef and coach Nancy Kombert at the Western Suffolk BOCES Wilson Tech campus in Dix Hills. 
"It was a very emotional experience. I'd never done anything this big before," said Giambrone, who credited his late uncle, Baltimore restaurateur Carmelo Fertitta, for helping to spark his interest in the field. 
The competition consisted of three rounds in which Giambrone was asked to demonstrate mastery of culinary techniques. In the first round he had to demonstrate knife skills, and in the second he made a salad with a red wine vinaigrette. 
Giambrone was among six finalists in the third round, in which he had one hour to prepare a meal from a mystery basket of ingredients. 
His dish was a chicken breast over spinach in a white wine cream sauce, with roasted potatoes, green beans and onions. 
"I think it was the best sauce I ever made," Giambrone said.

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Way to Go: Nicholas Giambrone, Lindenhurst

A Glen Cove student with a love of basketball scored a second-place finish in a competition for children ages 7-12 during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Manhattan. 
Parker Wiesner, 9, a fourth-grader at Landing Elementary School, was the runner-up last month in the NBA FIT Dribble, Dish &amp; Swish Contest held at Moynihan Station. 
"It was awesome," he said. "It was also great because I got to share the day with family and friends." 
Boys and girls participating in the event -- more than 46,000 across the tri-state area, including at the school and regional levels -- were split into three divisions: ages 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12. They were timed on a skills course that challenged them to dribble, pass and shoot as accurately and quickly as possible. 
Parker's winning time was 20.5 seconds. He was awarded a trophy and NBA clothing. 
He took first place in his age group at the regional level to reach the finals. He also was invited to attend various All-Star festivities, such as the All-Star Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge. 
Parker plays lacrosse and soccer, as well as basketball in a league through the Grenville Baker Boys &amp; Girls Club in Locust Valley. 
"Parker is humble, but leads by example," Principal Dimitri Kryoneris said. "All the kids really rallied around him because he's so likable."

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Way To Go: Parker Wiesner, Glen Cove

A brother and sister who attend Sayville Middle School have been honored for their volunteer work with special-needs children over the past three years. 
Tim and Jaclyn Kanaley received the 2015 Sea of Love Award from the Miracle League of Long Island, a baseball league that strives to help children with special needs develop social skills and increase self-esteem. 
The two worked as "buddies" who help the league's players bat, field and run the bases during a series of games held on six Saturdays both in the spring and the fall of each year. 
"It's very fulfilling," said Tim, 14, an eighth-grader. "I just think it's great for the children to be able to participate in sports. Seeing them smile, it's just really awesome." 
He and Jaclyn, who is in seventh grade, were honored at the league's Snowball Gala, held at the Stonebridge Golf Links &amp; Country Club in Smithtown. 
One of Tim's buddies has been a boy named Nicholas, 12, who has cerebral palsy. One of Jaclyn's buddies has been Brittany, 16, who rarely speaks. 
Tim is a black belt in karate and a member of Sayville's varsity swimming team. Jaclyn is on Sayville's cheerleading, basketball and softball teams.

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Way To Go: Tim and Jaclyn Kanaley, Sayville

A Levittown teenager with a genetic disorder that causes tumors has raised more than $80,000 over the past six years to help find a cure. 
Bailey Gribben, a Division Avenue High School senior, has undergone 14 surgeries stemming from neurofibromatosis since his diagnosis when he was in the fifth grade. The disorder disturbs cell growth in the nervous system and causes tumors to form on nerve tissue. 
Gribben, 17, has coordinated 15 fundraisers to benefit the Children's Tumor Foundation (CTF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to those affected by the disorder. The largest was a 2013 dinner at Jackie Reilly's Restaurant in Bethpage. 
"I can't even believe how successful we've been," said Gribben, who credits his mother, Anita, for helping spread the word about his events. "Her secret power is Facebook. She's friends with everyone in the NF community." 
He also has raised money through sale of foundation T-shirts and bracelets and a webpage through which people can make pledges. 
Gribben was named a CTF ambassador in 2013 and had his own Bailey Gribben Day at Division Avenue on Nov. 1, 2013. 
"Through his bravery and determination, Bailey has proven to be an inspiration to the Division Avenue and Levittown communities," Principal Joan Lorelli said. 
Gribben is president of his school's National Honor Society and fundraising officer of the Student Council.

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Way to Go: Bailey Gribben, Levittown

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A Port Jefferson student violinist will perform with a prestigious local orchestra this spring after winning a contest for young musicians. 
Annalisa Welinder, an eighth-grader at Port Jefferson Middle School, took the top spot last month in the 2015 Annual Young Performers Competition of the Island Symphony Orchestra, a Long Island-based nonprofit volunteer orchestra. 
She now will get to perform a solo with the orchestra at a May 3 concert at Suffolk County Community College. 
“I'm grateful to have the opportunity to perform,” said Welinder, 14, who began playing when she was 4. Of her strategy for music contests, she said: “Practice, practice, practice — and try not to get too nervous.” 
Welinder said she submitted an audio recording to Island Symphony officials as part of a preliminary round and was invited for an in-person performance in February. There, she performed Pablo de Sarasate's “Carmen Fantasy.” 
Last year, Welinder won first place in a solo competition coordinated by the Sound Symphony Orchestra in East Setauket, as well as second place in the Long Island Philharmonic's 26th Annual Young Artist Competition. 
She has performed at the Oyster Bay Chamber Music Festival and is in both the World Youth Alliance Chamber Orchestra and The Juilliard School's pre-college ensemble. 
In her school, Welinder is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, Yearbook Club, Student Council, Mathletes and the varsity tennis team.

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Way to Go: Annalisa Welinder, Port Jefferson

Plainedge High School senior William Loughlin wants to pursue a career in physics and has amassed an impressive list of academic achievements to spur him on his way. 
"Looking back, I can say I'm very happy with everything that I've done in high school," said the 17-year-old, who last month was named a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Winners will be announced in the spring. 
Loughlin got perfect scores of 800 on the SAT's critical reading and math segments. 
He also is an AP Scholar with Distinction — a designation granted by College Board, the Manhattan nonprofit that sponsors Advanced Placement tests. To earn the title, he got scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP exams and averaged 3.5 on all AP exams taken. The top AP exam score is 5. 
Loughlin is president of his school's Quiz Bowl team, which last year was among 216 teams nationwide to advance to the National History Bowl. He has competed in the American and national history bees. This school year, he participated in the Intel Science Talent Search and the Long Island Science &amp; Engineering Fair. His project explored whether computer scientists who drop out of college experience more or less success than those with a degree. 
Loughlin has volunteered at the Children's Learning Center of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County.

Way to Go: William Loughlin, Plainedge

A North Babylon student is sharing her love of animals through a series of online educational videos, the most recent featuring celebrity animal expert Jack Hanna.
Victoria Bonavita, a sixth-grader at Robert Moses Middle School, has posted three videos on YouTube over the past eight months under the username "Victoria's Amazing Pets." She interviewed Hanna, a regular guest on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," before his recent appearance at NYCB Theatre at Westbury.
The video concept began when Victoria hosted a presentation last year of her pet chicks at Belmont Elementary School. "I've always been surrounded by animals," said Victoria, 11. "I love to teach about them. I want people to know that there are these animals out there."
Victoria has 25 chickens, 10 pigeons, two dogs, two parakeets, a bunny, a pheasant and some fish. She also enjoys making balloon animals.
Victoria said she was able get Hanna on her video with the help of her father, Mike, who is her cameraman. Her other videos include an interview with children's book author Jan Brett at the Northeastern Poultry Congress in Massachusetts.
Victoria is expanding her program to include live appearances, with upcoming presentations slated at the Smithtown Library and a school in Queens.
Schools interested in having Victoria visit can email 
victoriasamazingpets@yahoo .com.

Way to Go: Victoria Bonavita, North Babylon

A Mineola High School junior is striving to bring increased awareness to the plight of underprivileged girls in India. Sanskriti Bimal, 16, has been promoting the need to educate girls by writing, speaking and organizing events through her position as a youth ambassador for the Long Island Volunteer Center in Hempstead. 
Her efforts resulted in collaboration between two nongovernmental organizations in Mumbai and the Long Island center, which has launched its first international campaign, titled "Educating the Girl Child." The campaign will raise funds to help the organizations improve the lives of girls in Mumbai slums through education and vocational training. 
"Educating the girl child will not only help them succeed, curb social evils and reduce poverty, but will also promote gender equality," said Bimal, who spent two weeks last summer teaching kids in Mumbai with the organization Aseema. 
In addition, Bimal has earned two Silver Key distinctions in the Alliance for Young Artists &amp; Writers' 2015 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, as well as the President's Volunteer Service Award for more than 100 hours of community service. 
She has written more than two dozen articles for publication in local newspapers — including the Mineola American. Bimal is an editor on the school newspaper, captain of the cheerleading team, and a member of Key Club and the National Junior Honor Society.

Way to Go: Sanskriti Bimal, Mineola

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An East Setauket teenager with a love of poetry has published a book of original work. 
"Isabelle's Muse: Poems of a Grade School Scholar" is the work of Isabelle Scott, a sophomore at Ward Melville High School. The 133-page book contains about 100 poems that she wrote between third and eighth grades. 
She said the idea for the book came from her father, who encouraged her to package her work if she had enough poems. It was published by Xlibris, a self-publishing and on-demand printing provider. 
"Writing as a whole is something I hope is an integral part of my career," said Scott, 15, who aspires to be a journalist. 
Of her poetry, she said: "I take my inspiration from a lot of different things -- mostly nature." The poets she most admires are Robert Frost, Langston Hughes and Emily Dickinson. 
The book contains mostly free verse, Scott said, and is available in hardcover, paperback and e-book formats. She plans to hold a local book-signing this summer and is working on a second book, which could include more poetry or short stories. 
Scott is a member of her school's Key Club, mock trial team and French Honor Society. She was president last year of Ward Melville's National Art Honor Society. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing.

Way to Go: Isabelle Scott, East Setauket

A Syosset student with a passion for dance was honored recently with the opportunity to perform her award-winning, self-choreographed piece at the U.S. Department of Education in the nation's capital. 
Jillian Miller, 11, a sixth-grader at Harry B. Thompson Middle School, got an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington last month to perform the dance she submitted last school year to the 2014 National PTA Reflections program. The works of more than 200 Reflections winners nationwide are on exhibit at the LBJ Education Building through Wednesday. 
"I felt like this was very cool for me, because it's my first step to something that could take me a long way," said Jillian, who achieved the recognition after earning Reflections program awards at the district, county and state levels. She recorded her routine in a dance room in her basement to the song "You Can Be Anything" by Wizardz of Oz. 
The Reflections program, designed to encourage involvement in the arts among students in prekindergarten through 12th grade, includes categories in dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. Entries are judged on artistic merit, creativity, medium mastery and theme interpretation. 
Jillian spends more than 30 hours a week as part of an award-winning dance team at Fusion Dance Complex in Holbrook.

Way to Go: Jillian Miller, Syosset

A Smithtown student with an extensive list of achievements soon may add a new item: women's world record holder. 
Rachel Rock, a senior at Smithtown High School West, earlier this month held the abdominal plank position for two hours, 13 minutes and five seconds. School officials said Guinness World Records will review the recorded footage to confirm the record-setting time. 
Rock, 17, who said she usually planks for about 90 minutes every other day, was simultaneously watching a chemistry lesson on her laptop while holding the position in front of friends, family and school staff. 
"I'm most proud that my brother [Robert] says I've been a good role model to him," she said of her record-setting attempt. "He's really inspired me and helped me to do my best." 
Her other achievements include participating in a science research program at Stony Brook University and advancing to the semifinals of LIU Post's Brain Bee last year. She also has painted a mural at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown and raised more than 400 butterflies at her home for release at the center. 
Rock, a 2015 National Merit Scholarship finalist, is treasurer of her school's National German Honor Society, a member of the English Honor Society's Fundraising Committee, and a contributor to the literary magazine. She also plays mallet percussion in the symphonic band.

Way to Go: Rachel Rock, Smithtown

A Miller Place teen is helping to bring clean drinking water to a Bolivian village after hosting more than a dozen fundraisers to cover the cost of a $25,000 well installation. 
Kara Patrovic, a senior at Miller Place High School, coordinated the fundraisers -- ranging from yard sales to car washes -- starting in late 2013 in an effort to fund the borehole-style well through <a href="https://www.childfund.org/">ChildFund International</a>, a nonprofit organization. 
Patrovic got involved with ChildFund when, at age 9, she began sponsoring a baby named Mijael for $24 a month and exchanging letters with his family twice a year. As a freshman, she decided the time had come to visit Mijael and raised $6,200 to fund a 10-day trip for her and her father, Robert, to travel to Tarija, Bolivia. 
There, she saw that about 750 people had access to water through a single spigot that was on for only one hour a day. 
"I realized that's why I was really there," Patrovic, 17, said of helping to bring clean drinking water into Mijael's village. "It just became so real to me. Water is a basic necessity." 
In addition to the fundraisers, Patrovic sent more than 200 letters and emails to family, friends and local businesses seeking donations to help the cause. The well is now near completion and is awaiting government approvals, she said. 
For more information or to donate, visit <a href="http://kara2mijael.org">kara2mijael.org</a>.

Way to Go: Kara Patrovic, Miller Place

A Farmingdale lacrosse player rallied her peers to run a collective 1,381,074 yards during the month of January to help raise awareness about domestic violence. 
Shannon Gaghan, a junior at Farmingdale High School, coordinated the effort as part of the One Love Foundation's "Yards for Yeardley" campaign. The movement honors Yeardley Love, a student-athlete killed by her ex-boyfriend just weeks before graduating from the University of Virginia in 2010. 
To date, 87 women's college teams, nine men's teams and several high school teams — including Gaghan's Lady Dalers — have jumped on board to support the cause, Gaghan said. 
"My coach thought it would be a great bonding experience for the team," Gaghan, 17, said, crediting coach Tracy Weiner. Of the campaign's importance, she said: "I feel like high schoolers should start learning about domestic violence, because it does happen in high school." 
Gaghan, with help from senior Bridget Weill and sophomore Cailee Perettine, tallied the yards each week on a spreadsheet-style poster that tracked the distances run by all 75 participants during their spare time. Every mile run by a student was converted into yards, Gaghan said, and $400 was also raised through sales of One Love Foundation T-shirts. 
Gaghan was a member of Farmingdale's 2013 New York State Class A Champion lacrosse team and has been recruited to play at Monmouth University in 2016. She is also a member of her school's varsity tennis team, Business Honor Society and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA).

Way to Go: Shannon Gaghan, Farmingdale

A Long Beach teen with an eye for photography is the second-place winner in a national competition. 
Lea Jaffe, a sophomore at Long Beach High School, was runner-up in the "Cell" Yourself Friday contest coordinated by Professional Women Photographers, a New York-based nonprofit professional support organization. 
Jaffe entered the contest during a class trip to the PDN Photo- Plus International Conference and Expo, which was held at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan in late October. The contest challenged participants to arrange a series of props and lighting to their liking for a photograph submission, with winners determined at the end of each day. 
Jaffe's winning submission featured a person's hand holding a sparkly mask with the mask's shadow visible on a backdrop. 
"I thought that most people would use several elements laid out on the table, but I wanted to focus on one and decided to use its shadow," said Jaffe. 
In addition to being a photographer, Jaffe plays the viola in her high school's symphonic orchestra. She also is an active member of the school's stage crew and Model Congress. 
The conference and expo was attended by more than 22,000 professional photographers and enthusiasts. It also featured more than 200 exhibits and 80 seminars, keynote presentations and other events.

Way to Go: Lea Jaffe, Long Beach

A Deer Park teen's essay has been named among a handful of winners worldwide for her thoughts on a renowned novel. 
Anne Ambrosio, a home-schooled senior who also takes Advanced Placement classes at Deer Park High School, was one of five third-place winners internationally in an essay contest open to high school seniors and administered by the Ayn Rand Institute. For winning, she received a $1,000 college scholarship. 
The contest challenged students to submit 1,600-word essays that gauged the philosophic meaning of Rand's 1957 novel "Atlas Shrugged." Ambrosio's essay explored a pirate character named Ragnar Danneskjöld who is intent on destroying the various ideals of Robin Hood. 
"I was so excited to win; it was a good Christmas present," said Ambrosio, 17, noting that she was notified of her achievement Dec. 23. "It means a lot to me, and it makes me feel good about my writing skills." 
Essay entries were evaluated as part of a four-round process in which they were judged on their style, content and clarity. 
"This is quite an impressive achievement in a very competitive contest," Deer Park social studies teacher Matt Murphy said. "She's a wonderful young lady and I am so proud of her." 
In her spare time, Ambrosio enjoys reading fiction. Her favorite author is Regina Doman, a Christian writer who is known for retelling fairy tales.

Way to Go: Anne Ambrosio, Deer Park

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Two New Hyde Park students with a passion for politics have been selected to a prestigious national team. 
Domenico Pietromonaco and Jay Shah, seniors at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, have been named to the all-American Model United Nations Team participating at the Yale Model United Nations Korea Conference in South Korea May 22-24. 
The pair are among 15 high schoolers nationwide selected. 
"I didn't expect it at all," Shah, 17, said of being selected. Of Model UN's importance, he said: "Most students at this age don't understand what's going on in the world, and this helps." 
Pietromonaco added, "Model UN can also help students develop who they are as people." 
The conference, which will comprise hundreds of student delegates from across the globe, is said to use a "western Model UN approach" that focuses on in-committee cooperation and builds critical thinking skills, school officials said. Students must have at least of one year of Model UN experience and must have participated in at least two conferences. 
The two students are deciding whether to attend the Korea conference, which could see expenses exceed $5,000 each, they said. 
"It's hard to keep track of all they do," Principal Richard Faccio said. "I think we'll be seeing a lot of them in the future." Pietromonaco is president of his school's Model UN and Italian Club, while Shah is class valedictorian, a drum major and a member of Student Council.

Way to Go: Domenico Pietromonaco and Jay Shah, New Hyde Park

A Jericho student with a knack for debate has won a top award in a local tournament that drew more than 300 students from throughout the tri-state region. 
Nitish Rajagopal, a Jericho Middle School seventh-grader, took home the Top Speaker's first-place gavel last month at a New York City Urban Debate League tournament in Brooklyn. The award is based on clarity and delivery, he said. 
"It really helped boost my self-esteem," said Nitish, 12. Of his love for debate, he said: "I enjoy debating because it's something I don't usually do — and it makes me smarter too." 
In addition to the award, Nitish and his partner, Justin Lin of Great Neck South Middle School, placed fourth in the middle school advanced debate division. The topic challenged students to debate whether the United States government should boost its joint development and ocean exploration in the Arctic. 
Nitish learned of the league through his participation in the Agape Leaders Institute in Manhasset, a debate camp he attends for three hours each Saturday. There, he and a group of peers perform speaking drills and other debate techniques. 
Nitish, who aspires to be a lawyer, also is a member of his middle school's basketball team and LEGO robotics team.

Way To Go: Nitish Rajagopal, Jericho

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A Port Jefferson student with an aptitude for math earned a perfect score in a prestigious national competition. 
Mayu Takeuchi, an eighth-grader at Port Jefferson Middle School, gave correct answers to all 25 questions on the 2014 American Mathematics Contest — AMC 8, a multiple-choice exam that promotes the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. Only 214 of more than 130,000 participants nationwide last fall had perfect scores. 
Takeuchi, 13, said she also took the 40-minute test last year as a seventh-grader. She correctly answered 20 questions then. 
"Having the experience of taking it before, I knew what to expect and how to pace myself," Takeuchi said, noting that the test's questions get progressively harder. Of her love for math, she said: "There are always multiple ways to solve a given question, and it's fun to look for the easiest way." 
Takeuchi now is taking two high school math courses — geometry and algebra II/trigonometry. 
She is a member of her school's varsity tennis team and National Junior Honor Society, president of Yearbook Club, and a class representative of the school's Latin Club. She plays violin with the World Youth Alliance Chamber Orchestra in Manhattan. 
"Mayu is a fantastic student who is really involved in school," Principal Antonio Santana said.

Way to Go: Mayu Takeuchi, Port Jefferson

A Floral Park student with a passion for reading is one of 44 high school freshmen nationwide to earn a perfect score in the WordWright Challenge competition. 
Italia Gorski, 15, of Floral Park Memorial High School, was among more than 60,000 students in grades 9 through 12 who participated in the contest. It requires analytical reading of poetry and prose and focuses on perceptive interpretation, sensitivity to language and an appreciation of style. 
"I was surprised and happy," Gorski said of her top score. "It made me feel like my years of reading books had paid off." 
The test asked teens to read a four-page story involving an encounter between two runaway slaves and a farmer and answer 11 questions, Gorski said. 
She credited her success to her love of reading, which she said stems from her parents reading to her at an early age. Her preferred genres are historical fiction and fantasy, and her favorite author is Ann Rinaldi, who writes fiction for young adults. 
At Floral Park, Gorski is president of the Book Club and a member of Mathletes. She also plays piano and baritone horn and volunteers in programs at the Floral Park Public Library.

Way to Go: Italia Gorski, Floral Park

Two culinary-minded students in Westhampton Beach recently had their recipes prepared and served to classmates after winning the district's first-ever side-dish recipe contest. 
Emma Edwards, a fourth-grader at Westhampton Beach Elementary School, and Ryan Gilmartin, a seventh-grader at Westhampton Beach Middle School, each received a chef's jacket. Their dishes were served last month during lunch periods in their respective schools. 
Emma was selected for a pasta salad that included sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, lettuce and garlic. Gilmartin submitted a dish he found online that combined steamed potatoes with roasted garlic, lemon and dill. 
"I changed the recipe up a little bit, adding more garlic and lemon," said Gilmartin, who said he aspires to be a chef. 
The recipe submissions were reviewed by Naim Walcott, the district's director of food services. He said the winning recipes were chosen because they included healthy ingredients. 
The contest was designed to get children thinking more about the type of foods they eat, school officials said. A second contest will be held this spring.

Way to Go: Emma Edwards and Ryan Gilmartin, Westhampton Beach

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A Jericho teenager has raised more than $35,000 over the past three years for Sunrise Day Camp in Wheatley Heights, which focuses on serving children who have cancer. 
Samantha Marcus, 17, a senior at Jericho High School, raised the money through fitness-themed fundraisers in which participants made donations in exchange for time on a spin bike during a class at SoulCycle in Woodbury. 
Marcus said she was inspired to help Sunrise because her parents and brother have volunteered at the 300-acre camp for children ages 3-16. It is operated by Friedberg Jewish Community Center in Oceanside. 
"I went to camp and I know how important it is to experience a home away from home," Marcus said. "Sunrise gives kids an environment to forget about their cancer for a while." 
To promote the fundraisers, Marcus spread the word through social media and her school's Sunrise Club, of which she is president. Each event attracted several dozen riders who made donations of $50 to $250 based upon which row of bikes they chose to ride. 
Marcus is a member of her school's varsity lacrosse team and Art Honor Society. She also sings several times a year for senior citizens at a nursing home in Great Neck.

Way to Go: Samantha Marcus, Jericho

A William Floyd High School junior was among an elite group of 20 students worldwide chosen to attend Nobel Week in Sweden last month. 
Heather Farley, 16, of Mastic Beach, was selected by the National Society of High School Scholars, an international organization that highlights high school students who demonstrate outstanding leadership. 
During the weeklong event hosted at Stockholm University, students went to public lectures and to award ceremonies for the 2014 Nobel Prize laureates. 
"The experience instilled a confidence in me I didn't have before," said Farley, whose mother accompanied her on the trip. "I realized that Nobel winners are normal people who worked hard and were very persistent." 
To be considered, she submitted an application and essay explaining what she expected to gain by attending Nobel Week. She was told the likelihood of her selection was 0.08 percent. 
Farley also is the junior historian of her school's National Honor Society chapter, a member of the Junior Class Council and a past president of the Key Club. She is also secretary of the New York District Key Club and often volunteers at a local food pantry.

Way to Go: Heather Farley, Mastic Beach

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A junior at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset is helping to assist local families dealing with cancer. 
Junior Elizabeth Stiles of Woodbury has launched an organization 
designed to create a network of high school students who offer free child-care services to 
cancer-affected families that apply for the help. 
The organization -- named "Helping Hand Babysitting" -- started over the summer with 30 volunteers from Our Lady of Mercy who performed more than 170 hours of service for seven families. 
Stiles, 17, said she came up with the idea after baby-sitting and doing errands a few years ago for a neighbor, one of whose children was being treated for leukemia. 
"It started out as a seed of an idea," Stiles said. "Sometimes, you don't realize how much people right here on Long Island are suffering." 
Volunteers indicate their availability and how far they can travel, so they can be paired with compatible families. To identify families, Stiles teamed up with CancerCare in Woodbury. She also has passed out fliers at local cancer walks. 
Stiles is captain of the varsity basketball team and a member of Math Club, Leaders Club, Ambassadors Club, Craft Club and Mercy Action, a community 
service club.

Way to Go: Elizabeth Stiles, Woodbury

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An East Islip teenager's work at a local hotel through his high school's career development class has earned him a paid, part-time position and recognition from the district's board of education. 
Chris Watts, a senior at East Islip High School, was one of several students who worked at the Islandia Marriott for two days a week over a six-month span during the 2013-14 school year. His job responsibilities included such tasks as making sure that children weren't left unattended in the hotel's indoor pool area and folding towels. 
Watts' diligence caught the eye of hotel guests, and several of them complimented him on feedback forms online, he said. 
In his new position, Watts is a part-time pool attendant. "I just work as hard as I can," said Watts, 18. "I have a lot of patience, and I've learned to stay calm and think." 
His efforts were honored last month at the East Islip Board of Education's meeting, which was attended by Damien Hirsch, the hotel's general manager. 
"Chris is one of the best hires I've had in my 13-year career," Hirsch said. "Although he is only working twice a week, he gets more positive feedback than many full-time associates." 
Watts, a comic book enthusiast, enjoys writing stories in his spare time.

Way to Go: Chris Watts, East Islip

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An Oceanside teenager has raised more than $13,000 during the past two years to help stock the shelves of local food pantries. 
Oceanside High School freshman Cory Nichols, 14, purchases food monthly through his nonprofit C the Difference: Cory Cares, and gives it to a pantry operated by St. Anthony's Church in Oceanside. During holiday times, he also supplies food to Oceanside Community Service, he said. 
In the charity's most recent effort -- "Halloween for the Hungry Food Drive" -- 20 peers joined forces to collect 600 items for holiday baskets for local families in need. "Halloween is about kids getting candy, so why not give back while we're getting," Nichols said. 
"I've far exceeded my expectations," he said of the nonprofit's overall effort. "It's amazing to see people's generosity." 
Nichols started C the Difference: Cory Cares in 2012. To attract donations, he promotes his efforts on social media and gives out bracelets bearing the nonprofit's name. He then purchases food for the pantries. 
Last year, Nichols was recognized as one of the state's top two youth volunteers in the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. He recently won a Kernel of Kindness Award from popcorn company Jolly Time, which included a $1,000 prize.

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Way to Go: Cory Nichols, Oceanside

An honor roll student from East Northport is setting an example of successful full immersion in academics, leadership and volunteer positions inside and outside of school. 
Michael Saxer, a senior at St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, is a practiced juggler of a wide range of activities: He is a technological whiz, pipe major of the school's Celtic Friars Bagpipe Band, and a Eucharistic minister and altar server both in school and at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Greenlawn. 
Two of his most active positions are serving as technology director of the National Honor Society chapter at St. Anthony's and as president of the school's Technology Club -- both of which foster his knowledge of computer science, his planned college major. 
"It's very fulfilling to be involved in so many activities," said Saxer, 17. "It seems like a lot, but I make time for it all." 
In addition, Saxer is a member of his school's Rocket and Aviation Club, Computer Science Club and St. Anthony's Leadership Team, which helps freshmen transition into the high school. 
Saxer has received several school awards, including the Duns Scotus Award in each of the past four years for having an average of more than 89.5. He also is recipient of the Gary William DeSpagna Scholarship, valued at $10,000, for showing high Catholic morals.

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Way to Go: Michael Saxer, East Northport

A Locust Valley student has transformed the landscape of tutoring in her high school. 
Tazim Merchant, a Locust Valley High School senior, recently created a program that matches members of the National Honor Society chapter with middle and high school students in need of academic assistance. 
The program was given a trial run in the 2013-14 school year and officially started in October. So far, 45 tutors are registered in the program's database, with 15 to 20 now serving as active tutors. 
"I wanted to create more of a tutoring structure," said Merchant, 17, who is president of the National Honor Society chapter. "It's felt very fulfilling so far." 
The program has an after-school component for walk-in students and an out-of-school component in which students fill out an online request form to schedule a session. 
Merchant said she plans to expand the idea to the district's primary and intermediate schools in the spring. 
Merchant's other achievements include being honored this fall at an awards breakfast of the Women's Fund of Long Island, working as a research intern at St. Francis Hospital in Flower Hill, and developing an outreach program to connect her peers with students in Kenya. 
She also is president of the Economics and Business Club, co-president of the IB Leadership Group, and co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.

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Way to Go: Tazim Merchant, Locust Valley

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An East Setauket student's essay on the local impact of immigration took the top spot in an annual contest coordinated by Hofstra University's National Center for Suburban Studies. 
Emily Pashinsky, a sophomore at Ward Melville High School, won a $3,000 college scholarship for taking first place in the "Celebration of Suburban Diversity" 2014 Student Essay Contest. 
Her three-page essay described the various positive impacts -- from economic to cultural -- that immigration has had on Long Island. 
"To me, immigration is much more than taking up a permanent residence; it's about acceptance, knowledge, and becoming unified," Pashinsky, 15, wrote in her essay. Of winning, she said: "It's very important to me and means a lot. It's motivational." 
She was recognized at an awards banquet this month at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. 
Essays were reviewed by a panel of judges and evaluated based on their content, creativity and organization. The contest was sponsored by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. 
Pashinsky is a member of her school's National Junior Honor Society, Foreign Language Junior Honor Society and Ceramics Club.

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Way to Go: Emily Pashinsky, East Setauket

An Amityville eighth-grader with a penchant for writing is striving to leave a literary mark at an early age. 
Jerinna Solages, a student at Edmund Miles Middle School, penned her debut novel last spring and began work on a sequel during the summer. The first book, "Hinder," is about four high schoolers who come from dysfunctional families. 
She wrote her novel while participating in National Novel Writing Month, a nonprofit Internet-based creative-writing project that takes place each November. It challenges participants to write 50,000 words over the course of one month. Solages said she ended up writing roughly 102,000 words. 
"I was trying to convey the point that some things you just need help with," Solages, 14, said of the book's moral. Of her love of writing, she said: "I feel like I can portray my own feelings and perspectives of life." 
During the creative process, Solages would set aside two hours a day to write after homework -- and then upload her work to the project's website. The 398-page book was published via CreateSpace, a distribution subsidiary of Amazon. 
Solages is Student Council secretary and is a member of National Junior and Tri-M Music honor societies.

Way to Go: Jerinna Solages, Amityville

A West Hempstead teen has helped raise nearly $20,000 over the past three years for a local camp that serves children and adults with special needs. 
Brendan Callahan, 17, a senior at Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, has coordinated three walk-a-thons at the school to benefit Camp ANCHOR, a year-round recreation program in the Town of Hempstead for people with special needs. The most recent walk-a-thon took place on Oct. 26. 
Callahan began his involvement with the camp in Lido Beach four years ago as a volunteer, a position he held until he was made a staff member this past summer. His brother, Thomas, 22, who has autism, has attended the camp for 10 years, and his brother Conor, 24, has been a group leader. 
"We weren't sure if we would make any money at all the first year," Brendan Callahan said. "I'm very thankful for all the people who have come out to support us through the years." 
The first walk took place in late October 2012, the day before superstorm Sandy struck Long Island, and attracted 200 people, he said. 
Walkers solicit pledges from family and friends based on their own participation in the annual event, which includes activities such as face-painting for kids. 
Christina DiMasso, a 2014 Kellenberg graduate, co-coordinated the first two fundraisers.

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