The Middle Country Central School District is proud to announce the recipients of the January 2025 Students of the Month honors. The award recognizes students for their exceptional academic achievements, leadership, and contributions to their school communities. This month, four outstanding students were selected: Mubashirah Hasan from Centereach High School, Rosmalin Paulino from Newfield High School, Sario Mendez from Dawnwood Middle School, and Ethan Mangieri from Selden Middle School.
Mubashirah Hasan, a dedicated and hardworking student, has shown exceptional academic promise during her time at Centereach High School. Having transferred to the district from Queens in middle school, she quickly became an integral part of the school community. Mubashirah has maintained high honor roll status for the past four years, earned a place in both the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society, and rigorously challenged herself with Advanced Placement and college-level courses.
Beyond academics, Mubashirah has been an active member of several school clubs, including the History Club, Environmental E-Stem Club, and Student Council. Her teachers and peers commend her for her leadership, positivity, and maturity. Mubashirah’s commitment extends to her community work as a tutor and volunteer at the Middle Country Library.
Looking ahead, Mubashirah plans to pursue business management and has already been accepted to prestigious schools, including Fordham University, Farmingdale State College, and SUNY Albany, with aspirations to attend NYU.
Ranked number 7 academically out of 383 students, Rosmalin Paulino is a standout senior at Newfield High School. With a 97.7 unweighted GPA, Rosie has taken 12 Advanced Placement and college-level courses, earning over 35 potential college credits by graduation. Her leadership roles include vice president of the National Honor Society, vice president of the Student Government, and vice president of The Quadrangle, Newfield’s school newspaper.
Rosmalin is known for her intelligence, work ethic, and compassion, earning praise from her teachers for her dedication and ability to lead by example. After applying to top universities such as SUNY Stony Brook, Harvard, and Columbia, Rosie hopes to major in biochemistry and attend medical school, with the goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon.
Sario Mendez, a 7th grader at Dawnwood Middle School, has been recognized for his academic excellence and leadership qualities. With a 97.2 average for his 6th-grade year and a remarkable 99.6 average for the first quarter of this school year, Sario is clearly an outstanding student. He is actively involved in the National Junior Honor Society, the orchestra, the Lego Club, and the Coding Club, among other extracurriculars.
Teachers consistently praise Sario for his intellectual curiosity and willingness to help his peers. Sario aspires to become a police officer, motivated by his admiration for his mother, who he says is his greatest inspiration.
Eighth-grader Ethan Mangieri from Selden Middle School has made a significant impact both academically and in extracurricular activities. Known for his brilliance, motivation, and hard work, Ethan has maintained high honor roll status throughout middle school and currently boasts an impressive 98.3 quarterly average.
Ethan’s talents extend beyond academics—he is an accomplished trumpet player, composer, and karate master. He has written seventy compositions, some of which have been featured in school performances. In addition to his musical pursuits, Ethan is president of the Math Team and participates in the Jazz Band, Chess Club, Lego Robotics Club, and Technology Club.
Ethan plans to double major in music and technology at Stony Brook University, to create innovative music that merges technology and artistry.
The Middle Country Central School District is incredibly proud of these outstanding students and their many achievements. They have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their studies, leadership in their school communities, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world around them. Congratulations to Mubashirah, Rosmalin, Sario, and Ethan on being named the January 2025 Students of the Month!