Walt Whitman HS Named School of Distinction For Sports Teams' Academic Success

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — Walt Whitman High School has been named a 2024-2025 School of Distinction by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), the South Huntington School District announced.

This is the third straight year that Walt Whitman HS earned the honor, which recognizes schools where student-athletes excel in both athletics and academics.

Walt Whitman is one of just 17 Suffolk high schools bestowed with the Distinction award. NYSPHSAA recognized only 110 schools in all of New York state as a 2024-2025 School of Distinction.

To qualify for School of Distinction status, 100 percent of a school’s varsity teams have to receive the Scholar-Athlete Team award for their respective sports seasons. To qualify for the Team Award, 75 percent of the team’s roster must excel in academics having a total grade point average of 90 or above. For Walt Whitman High School, that means 31 teams met the high academic standard.

"We are very proud of our student-athletes for earning the School of Distinction honor — an achievement that reflects not only their excellence on the field of play but their unwavering commitment to academics," said Athletic Director Dave Barth in a news release. "With 100 percent of our teams recognized as Scholar-Athlete Teams, they have truly set the gold standard for what it means to succeed both on the field and in the classroom."

The goal of the award, according to NYSPHSAA, is to show that success comes not only on the field but in the classroom as well.

Walt Whitman High School principal Dr. John Murphy agrees that it is important to balance the athletic skill of student-athletes with their overall academic growth because their path after high school or college will not, in many cases, result in an athletic career.

"In high school, it's very important to encourage both sides," Murphy said. "We know that most of those students that are student-athletes in high school won't be on an athletic team at the post-secondary level. So it makes it even more important that academics take precedence just as much as, if not more than, athletics or sports. We do that through eligibility rules to make sure they’re staying on top of their academics while they’re training and competing. With this recognition, it shows we’re doing it right."

The district congratualted the scholar-athletes and coaches of these Walt Whitman teams for their success in contributing to our School of Distinction status.

Fall Sports: Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Field Hockey, Boys Volleyball, Girls Volleyball, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Girls Tennis, Gymnastics, Golf

Winter Sports: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Fencing, Girls Fencing, Wrestling, Bowling, Cheerleading, Boys Winter Track, Girls Winter Track

Spring Sports: Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Badminton, Girls Badminton, Unified Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Boys Tennis, Boys Track & Field, Girls Track & Field, Girls Flag Football.