The secrets of their success

Monroe-Woodbury’s top 25 students share their thoughts on academic achievements CENTRAL VALLEY - The countdown to graduation at Monroe-Woodbury High School is underway now that officials have announced the Class of 2011’s top 25 students. Principal David Bernsley called them role models for others as he announced their names over the school’s public address system in classic sports announcer fashion on May 4. His comments included providing brief information about each student, including their school and extracurricular activities as well as the volunteer work most are involved with in the community. The school’s event included honoring those 25 students, along with their parents, at a luncheon in the school’s wrestling gym attended by other high school administrators and district officials. Parents had gathered in the gym awaiting the arrival of their children. When they realized Bernsley’s announcement had begun, they quickly walked into the high school’s main lobby, with each relishing the moment their child’s name was announced along with Bernsley’s comments about them. Hugs greeted students as they arrived from classes for the luncheon celebration. A “Top 25” ranking is a time-honored tradition seen in virtually every aspect of life, signifying success based on a variety of criteria in addition to hard work. With that in mind, The Photo News posed this question to them: “What is the secret to your academic success? 1. Valedictorian Shang Wang “Hard work. Determination. My mom’s rice.” Wang is currently president of the student council, mock trial, and Latin Honor Society, as well as vice president of the National Honor Society. He is the saxophone section leader in wind ensemble and jazz ensemble, and is also a member of the varsity soccer team. Wang also has been involved in Odyssey of the Mind, STARS (Students Teaching Aid Reduction Strategies), LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy, Dedication), EXPAND, track and has volunteered at St. Anthony Community Hospital. He has also conducted research at New York University’s Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine in Sterling Forest over the past two summers and has helped to discover the mechanism behind the onset of asthma in people exposed to World Trade Center dust resulting from the Sept. 11 attacks. Wang will attend Harvard University and plans to major in biology or political science before moving onto graduate school. 2. Salutatorian Jesse Schacher “Staying organized and doing everything on time.” Schacher is the treasurer and a leading witness on the mock trial team, a co-captain for the math team, and is a member of the National Honor Society as well as SPQR, the Latin Honor Society. He is also involved in EXPAND, plays trumpet in the wind ensemble, and sings in the voice ensemble. Schacher will attend St. John’s University and will major in actuarial sciences. 3. Alanna Perlstein “Budgeting your time and being diligent.” Perlstein is a four year varsity tennis player and was the captain during her senior season. In addition to playing tennis, she dances at a local dance studio four nights a week. She has been a member of SAVE (Students Against Violation of the Earth) for four years, STARS (Students Teaching AIDS Reduction Strategies) for three years and was a LEAD mentor. Perlstein has been a member of Interact for four years including holding the positions of treasurer, vice- president and president. She is a member of the National Honor Society, SPQR, the National Latin Honor Society and was named an OCIAA Senior Scholar Athlete for Monroe-Woodbury.. Additionally, Perlstein has done volunteer work for Good Samaritan Hospital, the Monroe Temple, and Pediatric Occupational Therapy Solutions. She also participated in a teen leadership program that volunteered at summer camp for disabled children. Perlstein will attend the Honors College at the University of Maryland, College Park where she will major in community and behavioral health. 4. Jessica Skowronski “I always work hard and stayed focused.” Throughout high school, Skowronski has participated in several clubs and activities, including junior varsity and varsity soccer, Interact, SAVE (Students Against the Violation of the Earth), STARS (Students Teaching AIDS Reduction Strategies), and the National Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. She will attend Boston University as a pre-medical student while majoring in biology and plans to become a doctor. 5. Nicholas Mitchell “Sleep. Relaxation. Study. Work hard.” Mitchell was a part of a variety of organizations including LEAD, National Honor Society, Strolling Strings, EXPAND, and Scientific Research. He is currently serving as president of the schools’s chapter of Amnesty International and as co-captain of the Monroe -Woodbury math team. Mitchell is an active Eagle Scout in his Boy Scout troop and completed community service at the Town of Monroe Dog Shelter. Mitchell will attend The Cooper Union’s Albert Nerken School of Engineering in the fall. 6. Elise Van Gelder “Having a passion for learning.” Van Gelder is treasurer of both the National Honor Society and the Italian Honor Society. She teaches cello lessons to younger children outside of school and takes lessons on various instruments such as cello, piano, and classical guitar. In addition to music, she is an active member of the Monroe Volunteer Ambulance Corps. She plans to receive her EMT certification and continue volunteering as an EMT. She will attend Colgate University to study physics and music. 7. Melissa Kantrowitz “It’s about balance and finding a happy medium between your school and social life.” For four years, Kantrowitz assisted the Monroe-Woodbury Middle School Science Olympiad Team to victory in the regional division as well as volunteer at the Epilepsy Society of Southern New York. She is a member of Interact, a community service based club, is president of Students Teaching AIDS Reduction Strategies (STARS), is a member of the Monroe-Woodbury girls varsity swim team, the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She will attend the University of Pennsylvania where she plans to study mathematics. 8. Alex Shields “My mom. She’s always been there for me.” Shields was on the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams for two years. He was a member of the ski team last season. During his junior year, Shields was a LEAD mentor. He is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the National Honor Society. Shields will attend Brigham Young University, where he received the Heritage Scholarship, a full-tuition, four-year scholarship. 9. Rebecca Vitelli “Hard work and no sleep.” Vitelli is a member of Orange County students participating in the New Visions Education Program. She is a member of three national honor societies and is secretary for the La Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. Vitelli is also a member of STARS, senior editor of the yearbook, the school newspaper, LEAD, Interact, EXPAND, Scientific Research (she is a recipient of the Brown Sports Science Award), SADD, Strolling Strings, and teaches students violin at North Main Elementary. Vitelli also takes ballet, tap, hip-hop and jazz lessons, and volunteers at Temple Eitz Chaim. In February, she travelled to the Czech Republic where she performed on violin with fellow Orange County Youth Symphony members and a similar orchestra of Czech students in Prague. Most recently, she attended a National Festival of Music with the chamber orchestra where it received first place with a superior rating in their category and also won best overall orchestra. Vitelli will attend the University of Delaware, where she plans to major in and earn her certification in early childhood education. 10. Rachel Broderick “I would say balance. You have to have balance with your extracurricular and academic activities and your friends.” Broderick is currently president of the National Honor Society, a member of STAR and the chamber orchestra, and actively volunteers around the community by tutoring students at local elementary schools. She has been a member of student government for four years and she currently serves as her class senator. Broderick was a member of the junior varsity cheerleading team for two years and the varsity cheerleading team for two years, serving as captain of the team her senior year. Broderick will attend Northeastern University and plans to pursue a pre-med major. She hopes to attend medical school following her time at Northeastern. 11. Megan Scully “I was very focused and did what I loved.” Scully is the president of SAVE, the recording secretary of Junior Division LAOH, and is the founder of the Sacred Heart Environment Club for children who attend the school. She has been a member of the junior and varsity volleyball teams for the past four years and is a member of the National and Spanish honor societies. Scully is a National Merit Commended student and attended Empire Girls State over the summer. Scully will attend Fordham University and plans to major in international political economy with a double minor in Spanish and Irish studies. 12. Elizabeth Stevenson “Hard work and dedication.” Stevenson has been a part of the M-W musicals for the past four years, and a drama club officer for the past two, involved in various music programs. Her community service activities include volunteering at Bethany Retreat House, Little Pal’s Preschool, and Our Father’s Kitchen. Additionally, she received her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. She is also a member of the National Honor Society. Stevenson will attend Fordham University where she will study history and anthropology. 13. Jessica Dohman “Having a healthy drive to accomplish my goals.” Dohman has been a member of the drama club for four years and has performed in the spring musical every year. She is also a member of the treble choir. She is also interested in community service and is a member of the Interact Club and STARS. Dohman also takes dance classes and plays on a recreational league softball team. She will attend Loyola University in Maryland and plans to major in psychology. 14. Laura Bakst “Self motivation, hard work and balance.” Bakst has spent her senior year participating in the New Visions program. She is president of the LEAD mentoring program and an officer of the high school’s treble choir, as well as a member of the drama club, and the National Honor Society. Bakst volunteers with the developmentally disabled through HVDDSO, helping with recreational and community inclusion activities. She tutors children weekly in Hebrew at the MWJCC, and maintains a regular column, “Teen Corner,” in The Woodbury Gazette. Additionally, she spends her summers working as a lifeguard at a local community pool. Bakst will attend Cornell University where she will study pre-law and industrial labor relations. 15. Kayla Molaro “Just do the work.” Molaro is a member of the Italian Honor Society and LEAD and takes jazz dance classes. She has volunteered at YAC day camp, the Monroe Dog Shelter, and Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center. This past spring, Molaro received her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts. Her project consisted of making a sensory trail for disabled riders at Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center. Molaro will attend SUNY Geneseo. 16. Alyssa DePhillips “Time management and a lot of hard work. Making sure everything gets done.” DePhillips spent her senior year participating in the New Vision Program. She is a member of LEAD, the National Honor Society, the Italian Honor Society, and is the secretary of SADD. In the community, DePhillips volunteers in the Monroe Free Library and The Book Garden. She acts as the teen liaison to the Friends of the Monroe Free Library board. Additionally, she has been a member of the Monroe-Woodbury Soccer Club for 11 years. DePhillips will attend SUNY Geneseo as psychology major. 17. Brianna Olamiju “Hard work. Being driven. Determination.” Olamiju is a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, LEAD and Teen Outreach - where she served as president. Outside of school, she is also active in the Phi Delta Kappa educational sorority and the Woodbury Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Over the course of three years in high school, Olamiju was able to create, develop, and conduct an original science research project originating from a course in which she was enrolled. With her research, this year, Olamiju won first place in the Eastern Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and went on to compete at the state level. Olamiju will attend Cornell University as a biological science major. Afterward, she plans to attend medical school and become a doctor. 18. Tyler Albero “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.” Albero has been a member of the varsity boy’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams for four years, participating in the throwing events. During his senior year of high school, he has been taking college-level courses and observing medical professionals in a program called New Visions. Albero will attend Rutgers University at New Brunswick, but has not yet declared his major. 19. Giuliana Caranante “Hard work, long nights and a strong support system.” Caranante is vice president of Interact, treasurer of SAVE (Students Against Violating the Earth), vice president of the Italian Honor Society, and a member of the National Honor Society. She played softball, and outside of school she volunteers at the Monroe Senior Center, the Epilepsy Society of Southern New York, and with various short-term community service projects. Caranante also holds a part time job and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Carananate will attend Loyola University Maryland, majoring in psychology. 20. Kurt Spiegel “Having great teachers.” Spiegel has participated in two years of varsity soccer and four years of varsity track. He has also tutored on several occasions and was a member of LEAD. He is a member of the National Honor Society and is an officer of the French Honor Society. Spiegel has volunteered within the community and played soccer. Spiegel will attend the Rochester Institute of Technology, majoring in applied mathematics. 21. Samantha Grassi “Determination and knowing that I need scholarships to get to college.” Grassi is a senior art major. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society and SAVE, where she is currently the secretary. She is president of Academic Art and a member of the National Art Honor Society. Grassi will attend the Maryland Institute College of the Arts, majoring in illustration and humanistic studies. 22. Justin Meshulam “Hard work. Persistence. Dedication.” Meshulam is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society. Recently he completed his three year science research project where he presented his research throughout New York State. Meshulam also attended the New Visions program where he had hands-on experience in the medical field. As a musician, he plays clarinet for the wind ensemble and enjoys competing in various competitions. His musical pursuits have taken him as far as China and, most recently, to the Czech Republic. Meshulam will attend Bucknell University this fall with a major in neuroscience. 23. Daniel Fethke “Coffee and lots of sleep … I know they don’t go well together.” Fethke is a member of the French Honor Society, the Interact Club, Pendragon literary magazine, and the varsity swim team. His various interests and talents range from film and photography to biology and scientific research. Starting out as a child obsessed with dinosaurs and Jurassic Park in second- grade, Fethke’s focus moved toward movie-making as he travelled around the globe toting his father’s old VCR camera. Fethke will attend Brown University where he hopes to concentrate in genetics and research with several separate theses in film and media studies. 24. Yuzhuo (David) Xu Xu has qualified for the New York State Math League for the past four years (recently as the top scorer in Orange County), attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on medicine and has become a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Xu will attend New York University and will major in biochemistry. 25. Emily Bacher “Hard work, perseverance and coffee.” Bacher is a member of the National Honor Society and the National French Honor Society, as well as a mentor in the LEAD program. She has been involved in music, both in and out of school. Bacher is an officer of the wind ensemble and is a music mentor at North Main Elementary. She has also been involved in several all-county ensembles and participated in NYSSMA throughout high school. Bacher has been involved in community service as a member of Teen Outreach and various activities outside of school. Bacher will attend Ithaca College, where she plans to study psychology and French. Editor’s note: Yuzhuo (David) Xu was not available to provide his “secrets to academic success.”