The Middle Country Central School District is a community of exceptional students whose achievements continuously deserve acknowledgment. Congratulations to Wazdi Khan, Julissa Spooner, Jessica Cohen, and Lilly DiGiamo for being named the District’s students of the month in October.
“Wazdi, Julissa, Jessica, and Lilly are great examples of the smart, talented, and driven students in our District,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “Recognizing and congratulating the work and the accomplishments of our students is one the wonderful highlights I look forward to each month. I am incredibly proud and inspired by the continuous efforts our students put into their academics and extracurriculars as exemplified by these impressive four students!”
Centereach High School student Wazdi Khan is a well-rounded student who serves as the high school’s GO President. He was instrumental in the planning and the great success of Centereach High School’s pep rally and Cougar Carnival for Homecoming. Wazdi is involved in numerous clubs, including the history club, yearbook club, and environmental club. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, and Chamber Orchestra. Academically, Wazdi truly excels. His GPA ranks him in the top ten percent of the Class of 2023. His transcript is truly impressive with the diversity of courses he has taken. Wazdi will graduate this year with 12 Advanced Placement courses and three additional college-level courses. These could give Wazdi over 40 college credits before graduating from high school. The Centereach High School senior applied to numerous schools, including Stony Brook, New York University, Cornell, and Columbia University. At college, he plans to study computer science.
Newfield High School student Julissa Spooner is full of positive energy and is always looking to make the world around her a better place. She volunteers at Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook and has worked as a camp counselor at Centereach Pool Camp. She has been named an All-Long Island fencer and plans on continuing at the collegiate level. In addition to fencing, she is a member of DECA, Vice President of the Class of 2023, GO President, and plays bass in the high school’s orchestra. Julissa has the potential to graduate in June with 30 college credits. She applied to Oneonta, Binghamton, and Suny Albany. Given her love for the planet, she’s looking at majoring in environmental engineering. She is also very interested in environmental policy.
Dawnwood Middle School eighth-grade student Jessica Cohen is the perfect example of a school leader. She plays soccer and basketball for Dawnwood Middle School and also played junior varsity softball. She will be trying out for volleyball and is also considering trying out to play lacrosse this year. Outside of the classroom, Jessica has been involved in many activities both inside and outside of school. She was a member of the drama club stage crew where she worked in the south booth to control the lights and sound. She was a member of the Lego club, art club, service club, and Vice President of the photography club. During the summer, Jessica sells 17 different flavors of snow cones in her driveway. Jessica’s overall average for her 6th and 7th grade school years is 97.88 and her average for the first quarter of this school year is 99.
Selden Middle School eighth-grade student Lilly DiGiamo is the very personification of service to others. It is her nature to think of those who are less fortunate. Shortly after the war in Ukraine began, Lilly organized a drive at Selden Middle School to gather medical supplies to be sent overseas to the battlefront. She collaborated with a church in New York to get the supplies to where they were needed the most. Lilly is a member of the Selden Middle School tennis team, member of the National Honor Society and plans on joining the Youth for Humanity Club and hopes to make the volleyball team later this year. She maintains a very high average in all her classes; her quarterly average has always been 96 or better since the beginning of sixth grade.