Meet Massapequa's Valedictorian, Salutatorian

Meet Vincent and Bridget, the valedictorian and salutatorian of the Massapequa High School Class of 2015.

Vincent

When he was three years old, Vincent C. would read greeting cards out loud at a local stationery store, much to the amusement of shop owners and patrons who marveled at his ability to read at such a young age. Fast forward fifteen years, he’s capping a stellar academic career at Massapequa High School as Valedictorian of his 616-member class.

“I read early,” he admits with a half-smile, “but I’m really all about numbers because there’s always a definitive answer.”

With that sentiment — and his completion of the highest level of coursework, including 12 advanced placement classes, with a 99.66 weighted grade-point average — Vincent is looking forward to studying Finance at New York University’s Stern Business School this fall and living in the midst of the greatest financial district in the world.

His penchant for business came in high school as a member of DECA or Distributive Education Clubs of America, an international association for developing business skills in areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship and finance. In his sophomore year, he competed in the state competition in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing category and finished among the top 10 in the category and overall. As a senior he became chapter president, competed in the financial literacy category and placed fifth in the state competition, one notch away from qualifying for the international tournament. He also placed in the top 20 percent in the National Financial Capability Challenge.

While working as an intern at Rockin’ Wellness, a company that produces superfood nutritional shakes, he was intrigued by the business end of operations. “I was able to sit in on meetings between the company and financial institutions to see how the company qualified for credit and to better understand procurement procedures,” he said.

A leader on the playing field as well, Vincent captained the varsity tennis team and led the team to the 2015 Conference II Championship, one of the most exciting highlights of his high school career.

An Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar of Distinction, Vincent earned the highest score of 5 on nearly all AP exams, is a member of the Society of AP Scholars, National Honor Society and the Business and Marketing Honor Society of New York State. He has been on the Principal’s List throughout his high school career and earned honors for his knowledge of Spanish. He also won accolades as a copy editor for “The Chief” student newspaper. As a member of the Health and Wellness Club, he became a teen trainer to teach elementary school children about the importance of wellness. He also tutored students, worked in the summer recreation program at Unqua Elementary School, his alma mater, and became a Life Scout in Boy Scouting.

His inspiration for success came from his parents who he said instilled a great work ethic and helped him manage the stress he put on himself as a child. He also credits his 11th grade AP English teacher Alice Alarcon for freeing him of his analytical mindset that had him stuck on finding a “formula” to get a writing assignment correct and unleashing a more fluid and genuine writing style that was reflective of his own voice. “The greatest lesson is that she never gave me guidelines on how to write; I had to learn to form my own opinions and express them my way, not someone else’s way,” he said.

Witty and personable, Vincent said while his greatest strength is being able to juggle a rigorous academic schedule and many extracurricular activities at once, his lack of artistic ability and the thought of the subject bringing his GPA down, worried him over the years. In fact, if he could change one thing about high school it would be the opportunity to improve his handwriting, he joked.

As he prepares for college, he advises underclassman not to take themselves too seriously and to find the humor in everything. “Limit your stress and let your high school years be fun ones you remember.”

On a more serious note, he implores them to hold onto their beliefs. “In a 21st century world of political correctness, and fear of terror, never let others forcefully change your beliefs, and in the same vein, don’t shun the ideas of others; always keep an open mind.”

Bridget

It isn’t uncommon for Massapequa High School Salutatorian Bridget K. to greet, chat and laugh with many of her classmates as she walks down the hall between classes, which at times, she confesses, has nearly caused her to be late. But this friendly, highly responsible student with perfect attendance wouldn’t let that happen. Focused and determined, she has long been on course to graduate at the top of her class, using motivation as her greatest strength to propel her. With a 99.404 weighted grade-point average, she is heading to Harvard University in the fall to study molecular and cellular biology as a pre-med student.

“I’ve always been strong in the sciences; I really love learning how things work,” Bridget says. “I’m thinking about becoming a pediatrician because I love helping people and love being around kids.”

The first in her family to pursue a career in medicine, Bridget credits Kathleen Frontino, her 11th grade Advanced Placement (AP) Biology teacher, for her career decision. “She was a phenomenal teacher who made the learning environment feel like a home away from home,” Bridget said. “We studied different aspects of biology in depth and had a lot of hands-on experience with labs.”

Bridget continued to feed her curiosity about the field by interning for eight months at Massapequa Pet Vet.

“I loved working there. I felt involved in the daily procedures and gained first-hand experience with medicine by shadowing appointments and surgeries,” she said.

An AP Scholar of Distinction, Bridget excelled in a host of AP courses across the curriculum, is a member of the Society of AP Scholars and National Honor Society, earned honors for proficiency in Spanish and was on the Principal’s Honor Roll throughout her high school career.

As President of Key Club, she brought holiday joy to children at the Long Island Head Start program in Amityville and took part in other community service activities to help those in need. She logged in more than 120 hours of service over the past four years and earned a citation from Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano for outstanding community service.

She also participated in Science Olympiads and Mathletes, volunteered as an assistant at Camp Invention, a science–based camp run by the school district, a Teen Wellness Trainer as part of the Health and Wellness Club, and was involved in a multidisciplinary service project called “Catch a Wave for Winthrop” to benefit sick children at Winthrop Hospital. Outside of school, Bridget plays piano and is fond of playing contemporary music and pieces found on soundtracks from video games.

Her impetus for success, she says, is the example her parents set.

“My mother came to this country from Guyana at age 23 with $20 in her pocket,” Bridget explained. “She worked as a nanny, put herself through college and worked in insurance where she met my father. They both motivated me to work really hard and I took what they said to heart.”

Even through the devastating loss of her father when she was in sixth grade, Bridget pushed on as a top student in her class by “focusing on what I had to do,” she said. Through all her accomplishments, including her acceptance into Harvard, she has maintained a modest, humble composure, a quality admired by some of her closest friends.

As she sets her sights on the future, she looks forward to “being around people who share a love of learning” and becoming involved in the many opportunities that are available at Harvard. Reflecting on high school, she said, her favorite part was “all the incredible people I got to know, both teachers and students, and the great friendships and bonds I formed.”

As she graduates, she offered these parting words for underclassman: “Enjoy your time in high school. While it is important to focus on your studies, don’t forget to set aside time to get involved with extracurriculars; do things you love and spend time with friends and family.”

Courtesy Massapequa Schools