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Health & Fitness

HHS Duo Honored at Hispanic Heritage Celebration

 

The Town of Huntington’s annual Hispanic heritage celebration provided an opportunity to honor those who have distinguished themselves academically and in the community as well as to enjoy musical performances.

This year’s celebration drew a crowd of more than 200 to the Town Board’s meeting room. Among the 13 honorees were Huntington High School junior Jason Moreira and senior Victor Tellez, who were presented with Student Achievement Awards for their academic and co-curricular efforts over the past four years.

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“Victor and Jason have contributed significantly to what makes the Huntington school community so special,” Huntington School District Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “They are fine young men who have taken advantage of all that their school has to offer. Their commitment and success have been infectious. Bright futures lie ahead for both of them.”

The evening included uplifting musical interludes. Huntington High School choral director Veronica Mainville led chamber choir members in a well-received performance. A string quartet consisting of Huntington musicians Monica Owen, Ashley Melgar, Brian Gilbert and Katherine Gerdes were magnificent in playing several classical pieces.

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Jason Moreira

Mr. Moreira is an A student, excelling while pursuing a very challenging set of courses. He has already completed many Advanced Placement, honors and accelerated classes and sets high standards for himself.

The teenager is involved in Huntington High School’s club program, including performing volunteer work. A musician, Mr. Moreira is a member of the Blue Devil marching band. He has helped teacher others how to play French horn and mellophone.

Mr. Moreira, who plays on the Blue Devil soccer team, participated in the New York Avenue Cleanup initiative as well as community service activities through the Huntington High School Spanish Honor Society and St. Hugh of Lincoln Church.

The teenager enjoys fitness training and traveling. Mr. Moreira’s parents were born in El Salvador. He learned about that country’s culture and history from them, as well as how to speak Spanish. The junior is always looking for a way to help others. He is interested in studying engineering in college.

Victor Tellez

An immigrant to the United States from Arequipa, Peru, Mr. Tellez is also an A student and one of the leading scholars in Huntington High School’s Class of 2014. He has notched impressive grades in a long list of AP, honors and accelerated courses.

Mr. Tellez is a writer and editor for The Dispatch, Huntington High School’s student newspaper. He also serves as an officer with the school’s Key club and volunteers with the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition and Habitat for Humanity. A member of numerous academic honor societies, the teenager competes on the high school Science Olympiad and protein club teams.

A member of the Blue Devil winter track and field and tennis teams, Mr. Tellez is interested in studying mechanical or bio-medical engineering. He would like to travel the world helping people.

Mr. Tellez excels in science. He spent the past two summers conducting research at Stony Brook University. Sponsored by the HBCAC, the teenager studied the effect of grapheme and nanoplatlets on normal lung cells and breast cancer cells. He presented a paper on the research during a medical conference in California.

Proud of his Hispanic heritage, Mr. Tellez stays connected to his Peruvian culture through the music and foods of that land.

This marked the 19th annual Hispanic heritage celebration. Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone was on hand along with members of the Town Council. Dr. Soribel Gena, an assistant professor at Queens College, delivered the evening’s keynote address.

The event’s sponsors included New York Life – Steve Martin, Palacios Law Group, Laundromat Station, Dental Offices of Dr. Lew Milhim & Associates, Sunny’s Discount Store and Super K Deli. The Town of Huntington and United Healthcare’s Community Plan jointly sponsored the evening.

Huntington School District teacher aide Marta Negron-Smith serves on the Town’s Hispanic Task Force.

 

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