Garden City High School Senior Spotlight: John Scarlata

GARDEN CITY, NY — This week's Garden City High School Senior Spotlight honoree is John Scarlata.

Scarlata has spearheaded numerous fundraising endeavors that made a difference to many families in need. He is also a dedicated student and athlete and is actively involved in his school and community.

Last spring, Scarlata coordinated a food drive for the INN in Hempstead. He raised more than $4,000 in donations from friends, neighbors, teammates and family members and was able to purchase groceries and provide a monetary contribution to the facility. He continued his work with the INN over the summer and took on the role of an ambassador, assessing needs and communicating with residents. He volunteered his time providing pickup service from community donors as well as vendors and restaurants across Long Island, and also participated in curbside food drives and helped organize food at the INN.

Scarlata's charitable efforts have extended into the current school year. He led the class of 2021 in a Thanksgiving food drive that collected 15,000 pounds of food for the INN, as well as a Holiday Coat Drive in December that yielded 700 coats. He arranged for free laundering services of the donated items and also purchased brand new coats with $1,000 raised by the senior class.

In addition to his philanthropic dedication, Scarlata has served as varsity track and field team captain and is a member of the varsity soccer team, with a variety of athletic awards and accolades to his name. He is a Principal’s List honoree and plans to attend Fordham University after he graduates.