By Jeff Lipton
Town Supervisor Kate Murray and members of the Hempstead Town Board honored Herrera and eight other women who live or work in the Town of Hempstead at the annual Pathfinder Awards ceremony. Herrera won an award in the category of High School Senior. The awards are given in recognition of Women's History Month, which is celebrated in March.
"These are remarkable times, and women are achieving goals that were unattainable a generation ago," said Murray. "The women we are recognizing this year have broken down barriers in the business world, provided health care to the poor, volunteered at nursing homes and have set a high standard for our young people and have proven themselves role models and inspirations to us all.
"Oskarina Herrera is an exemplary student at Lawrence High School who excels in everything she does."
Herrera is Lawrence High's senior class president, and is involved in a wide variety of activities at the school. "From Key Club to Government in Action, Peer Group to the African American Club, she can often be found initiating and attending meetings and fund-raisers after school," town officials said in presenting the award.
Herrera is also one of the chief editors of the school yearbook, president of the Homecoming Committee, vice president of the African American Club and head captain for sports night. She said she is most proud of her nomination to and attendance at the National Young Leadership Conference last summer in Washington, D.C. She sacrificed other summer opportunities to spend a few weeks in Washington with other teenagers interested in leadership and political issues.
Town officials said that through her work with various school organizations, Herrera continues to contribute to the betterment of the Five Towns community. They commended her for her participation in Rock 'N Wrap It Up!, the hunger-awareness and food-recovery program. Additionally, she has been involved in Lawrence High's Focus on Helping America program, volunteering at the Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.
"It feels pretty good," Herrera said of the award. "I started doing all charity work when I was young. I like it very much. It feels good after I help people."
With all of her extracurricular activities, she still manages to maintain a 91.8 grade point average, officials said. Throughout high school she has taken almost all honors-level courses as well as several Advanced Placement and college-level courses. This year she has a schedule full of honors and AP courses. She has also studied two languages, Spanish and Hebrew.
Herrera said she will attend NYU in the fall, and wants to pursue a career as a pediatrician.
"For her outstanding leadership qualities and dedication to her high school and fellow peers, the Town of Hempstead is privileged to recognize Oskarina Herrera as the 2005 Pathfinder in the category of High School Senior," said Murray.
Besides Herrera, the honorees included LeVada Felder of Freeport, for humanitarian work; Roseanne Gullens of Wantagh, for volunteer work; Lois Beedenbender, a Town of Hempstead employee; Sam Carrell of East Rockaway, for arts and entertainment; Marion Romeo of Seaford, for business; Ann Corbett of Floral Park, for community affairs; and Josephine Parlagreco of Bellmore, for education.
"Each of these women is truly extraordinary," Murray said during the ceremony. "They are all deserving of this honor, and it is an extreme pleasure to have this opportunity to recognize them for their many accomplishments.
"Our honorees today have accomplished much and have set a high standard for all young people. Our Pathfinder honorees represent the very best that our town has to offer. These women offer career and avocation paths that will inspire others to realize their fullest potential."
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