Glen Cove H.S. honors its top students

Glen Cove High School held their end-of-the-year awards ceremony on May 30, celebrating a multitude of achievements by students of all grades. Hundreds of students were honored in the school auditorium for their academic, philanthropic and athletic efforts throughout the 2023-2024 school year, cheered on by an auditorium filled with proud family, faculty and members of the Glen Cove community.
Initially, students from grades 9 through 11 were honored, followed by the recognition of seniors who received scholarships.
“Each student being recognized tonight has demonstrated an unwavering passion for learning, a thirst for knowledge, and an insatiable curiosity that fuels intellectual endeavor,” said Allen Hudson, III, GCHS’s principal.
The underclassmen awards ceremony praised dozens of students for their excellence in fine arts, language, history, sciences, and mathematics. The Bausch & Lomb Honorary Junior Award, an award given in conjunction with the University of Rochester to honor a student who excels in science, was given to junior Mert Suyabatmaz, who was also recognized for representing the city during the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Local Exam earlier this year.
Many awards holding deep significance in the community were administered to accomplished seniors. They were presented by individuals connected to the award. The Susan Satriano Memorial Scholarship was presented by her husband Joe Satriano to students Jaden Aguillar, Matteo Cameron, and James Coelho to recognize their perseverance through times of hardship. Susan Satriano, an Oceanside math teacher, battled cancer for 13 years,

Friends of Arts & Music Enrichment Glen Cove also distributed several awards in honor and memory of GCHS teachers who went above and beyond to enrich and inspire students to achieve self-growth, self-awareness and self-creativity. The FAME Thom Ruckert Memorial Scholarship, an award intended to honor the creator of the GCHS TV studio and given to a student who displays excellence and creativity in GCTV, was presented by treasurer Mark Kohn to Harrison Velentzas.
Cameren Staley, recognized for his outstanding community service and exemplary leadership, was given the New York State Senator Jack M. Martins Rising Star Award.
The Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce was in attendance to present the Dr. Glenn Howard Jr. Scholarship to Jaida Ciampi for her exceptional essay writing, academic record, and extracurricular activities.
Finally, the ceremony was also joined by Joe Graziose and Ylisa Kunze of RXR development. They presented the RXR Garvies Point Scholarship to Jose Anaya Sanchez and Virginia Graziosi, students intending to pursue degrees in Marine Biology, Science, or Environmental Science.
The night concluded with the naming of the 2024 class valedictorian, Virginia Graziosi and salutatorian, Jaida Ciampi.
Members of the community commended the winning students on their incredible performance throughout the year, bidding their best wishes to the graduating students as they move forward into the world.
“I can assure you,” Hudson said, “looking at the students that are in front of me, our world and our town is in good hands.”