4 New York Students Making The Empire State Proud

New York is full of bright, driven young people making a difference in and out of the classroom. That’s why Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to spotlight students excelling in academics, athletics and community service.

Check out four exceptional New York students making a big impact. And if you know a student who deserves a shoutout, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate them for a chance to be featured as a Star Student on Patch!

Andrew Reid (East Northport, NY) —An East Northport teenager turned his passion for restoring donated or unwanted holiday decorations into more than $16K for the Ronald McDonald House Charities NY Metro.

Andrew Reid, 19, transformed his family’s home into a holiday lighted winter wonderland with more than 500 restored holiday decorations, along with his mother, Christine. The family presented a check for $16,023.20 in donations raised by visitors of their light display to representatives from Ronald McDonald House Charities NY Metro. Read more here.

Emma O'Kame (Westhampton Beach, NY): A Westhampton Beach High School student has earned the opportunity to be a part of a prestigious research program.

This summer, Westhampton Beach High School junior Emma O’Came will be attending the Stony Brook Simons Summer Research Program. She is the second Westhampton Beach High School student to earn entry into the highly competitive program — only 4 percent of all applicants are accepted. As part of the six-week program, O’Came will be working under the mentorship of Dr. Kathryn Gunn in the university’s department of biochemistry and cell biology. (Read more here.)

Anthony Ammirati (Mattituck, NY): A Cutchogue East Elementary School student has made his hometown proud. Sixth grader Anthony Ammirati’s artwork was selected for the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fine Arts and Essay Exhibition, sponsored by the New York State Education Department, the district said.

Inspired by Dr. King’s six principles of nonviolence, Anthony’s artwork was one of the 1,000 pieces chosen for display from the 2,208 submissions from 67 public and private schools statewide. The exhibit can now be viewed online here. Read more here.

Cari Einbinder (Bellmore, NY): A junior at John F. Kennedy High School is doing her part to combat food insecurity. Cari Einbinder has launched the "Buy a Slice, Donate a Slice" at a local pizzeria.

"Through my Leadership II class, I had the opportunity to engage in a civic action project in which I advocated for a cause and issue that was important to me," she said.

Einbinder's initiative offers customers at Piccolo Ristorante in Bellmore "a simple way to give back."
By adding a slice (or more to your order), they will get donated as a voucher every two weeks to local families in need through the district's food pantry Community Cupboard. Read more here.

These exceptional students are just a glimpse of the incredible talent in New Jersey. The future is certainly looking bright! If you know a Star Student making an impact in your community, nominate them today to be featured on Patch!