The Oyster Bay High School (OBHS) chapter of the National Honor Society recently inducted new members in a beautiful candlelit ceremony in the high school performing arts center. The evening was organized by Honor Society faculty advisor Scott Knapp. The officers of the OBHS Honor Society are President Evan Mattel, Vice President Kevin Duke, Secretaru Jed Kaiser, Treaasurer Jodi Yeh, Historian Amanda Byrne and Publicity Officer Nicole Ojeda.
Ojeda led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Laura Seinfeld welcoming the audience and congratulating the new inductees.
Each year, the students of the Honor Society choose a faculty member whom the students believe embodies the traits of an Honor Society member to award an honorary membership in the National Honor Society. The honorary inductee is revealed at the high school graduation. Last June, the students picked Oyster Bay High School Music Teacher Lydia Brady. She is currently on maternity leave and could not attend. Last year’s honorary member, Oyster Bay High School Science Teacher Colleen Annicelli, was on hand to deliver the honorary member remarks. She delivered an inspiring message advising the students to find something that they are passionate about to pursue as a career. Annicelli read a message from Brady that included the Shakespeare Hamlet quote, “to thine own self be true.”
The officers of the Honor Society each lit a candle in turn and spoke of a trait that exemplifies a member of the National Honor Society. Candles were lit to signify the eternal light of scholarship, leadership, character and service.
Mattel lit the candle for Scholarship saying, “Scholarship denotes a commitment to learning. A student is willing to spend hours in reading and study, knowing the lasting benefits of a cultivated mind. Knowledge is one great element in life, which leads to the highest success, and it can be acquired in only one way- through diligence and effort. Learning furnishes the lamp by which we read the past, the torch guiding us to understand the present, and the light that illuminates the future. Candidates have the charge to continually expand their world through opportunities inherent in scholarship.”
Vice-President Kevin Duke lit the candle for Service saying, “Service can be established in the routine of the day’s work where many opportunities arise to help others both at school and in the community. A willingness to work for the benefit of those in need, without monetary compensation or public recognition, is the quality we seek in our membership and promote for the entire student body. We are committed to volunteering our time and talents to the creation of a better tomorrow.”
Yeh lit the candle for Leadership saying, “In taking initiative in the classroom and in school activities, the real leader strives to train and aid others to reach their common goals of success. The price of leadership is sacrifice—the willingness to yield one’s personal interests for the interests of others. A leader has the self-confidence to go forward when others hesitate. No matter what the power and resources may exist in a school, community or the nation, they are ineffectual without the guidance of a wise leader. To lead, is a meaningful and substantive charge to each of our members.”
Kaiser lit the candle for Character saying, “Character is the force within the individual that distinguishes each person from others. It is the force of Character that guides one through life and once developed, grows steadily within. Character is achieved and not received. It is the product of constant thought and action, the daily striving to make the right choices. The problem of Character is the problem of self-control. By demonstrating such qualities as respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring and citizenship, we may hope to prove by example that we value Character.”
Oyster Bay High School Principal Sharon Lasher administered the pledge to the new inductees. The 2017 inductees of the National Honor Society from Oyster Bay High School are Zachary Arenella, Jacqueline, Baxter, Michael Biggiani, Liam Colvin, Sarah Conway, Thomas Coor, Mikaela, Cornelious, Mary Ford, Isabella Furman, Malachy Golon, Lindsay Gorney, Jason Hom, Miranda Hutchinson, Reilly Iles, Sophie Kaiser, Lindsey Kowalczyk, Shania Kuo, Emily Lattanzio, Victoria Lattanzio, Jessica Layne, Elina Leandrou, Alexandria Lizza, Hannah Lopes, Leonardo Mangano, Margaret McNamara, Ryann O’Keefe, John O’Neill, Kaitlin Pellechia, Carolyn Poppe, Alyssa Quintana, Giovanna Ranaldo, Benjamin Rivera, Isabella Rosenthal, Michelle Ruzzier, Rachel Sabatello, Jennifer Sanchez, Emily Sarli, Julia Sherbal, Julia Tauter, Kyra Tischler, David Wiesenfeld and Robert Zahradnik.
The inductees join the current members Lance Amarilio, Laura Angelone, Nicholas Baratta, Bradley Beck, Brittany Browner, Andrew Busch, Terrance Cameron, Jack Casey, Keith Cassar, Matilde Catarino-Bechet, Gabrielle Cornelious, Kate Devereaux, Matthew DiCarali, Danielle DiMeo, Aidan Doxey, Ashley Duggan, Maggie Frankel, Alexandra Gagliardi, Cristian Garcia, Alexander Gelabert, Daniel Gelabert, Lena Gluck, Gigi Grady, Maxwell Greenspan, Ian Guarini, Ashley Hazan, Emma Ingoglia, Jenna Jarrah, Colleen Joyce, Daniel Juhasz, Kimia Khaledi, Kaela Kilfoil, Ashley Kowalczyk, Courtney Kowalsky, James Losee, Krista Marino, Cassandra Matthews, Owen McEvoy, Emily Moore, Elaine Mylonas, Bella Pace, Jason Plaia, Jennifer Rebuth, Juliette Rebuth, Aaron Rudnet, Caroline Scamell, Tyler Scognamiglio, Allison Suttenberg, Lauren Suttenberg, Jessica Thienel, Katherine Thompson, Lindsey Tiberia, Maria Torti, James Treiber, Pavlos Tsoumpariotis, Julia Vicari, Derek Vickers, Victoria Vigliotti, Jack Wieboldt, Jonathan Wong, Patrick Wygand, Sahill Yadav, Michelle Yu, Owen Zahradnik amd Nicholas Zucconi.
