Hispanic Students From the Huntington Area Honored for Academic Excellence

Nineteen local Hispanic high school students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement at the 21st Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration Program last week.

The Huntington Town Council and members of the Town’s Task force in honoring the students at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School on Friday.

Student Achievement Awards were presented to:

• Karen Avila, a John Glenn High School junior
• Monica Cramer, a Commack High School senior
• Alexis D’Alessandro, a Half Hollow Hills High School West senior
• Jessica DeVilla, a Half Hollow Hills High School East junior
• Aron Friedlander, a Cold Spring Harbor High School senior
• Jordy Gomez, a Half Hollow Hills High School West junior
• Juan Gonzalez Contreras, a Walt Whitman High School senior
• Danielle Melgar, a Huntington High School senior
• Kyle Mitra, a Commack High School junior
• David Morales, a Half Hollow Hills High School East senior
• Dean Noriega, a Half hollow Hills High School West senior
• Sabrina Palacios, a Huntington High School senior
• Nathalie Poblete-Infante, a John Glenn High School junior
• Epiphany Ramirez, a Walt Whitman High School junior
• Keylin Rivas, a Harborfields High School junior
• Caroline Rosales, a Harborfields High School junior
• Rose Savocchi, a Northport High School junior
• Sofia Suarez, a Huntington High School senior
• Katherine Vasquez, a Cold Spring Harbor High School senior

The Town also presented the Community Service Award to Suffolk County Police Officer Claudia Delgado.

Delgado was the daughter of Colombian immigrants who learned English in ESL classes and went on to graduate from Deer Park High School. She went on to major in dental hygiene at the New York College of Health Professions and Farmingdale State College. She joined to Suffolk County Police Department six years ago after working as a dental hygienist in a pediatric dental practice. Delgado was assigned to a sector car responsible for Huntington and Greenlawn before becoming the Second Precinct’s community liaison officer. She regularly communicates with community leaders to help organize community events and she has spoken on Univision about bridging the gap between the police department and the Hispanic community.

Belinda Alvarez-Groneman, a retired detective and special assistant to the Suffolk County Police commissioner, delivered the keynote address. She challenged the audience, especially the students being honored, “to take on the responsibility of helping others.”

Alvarez-Groneman joined the SCPD in 1981 as a community service aide and became a police officer four years later. She was cited five times for outstanding police work before becoming the first woman to join the Commissioner’s staff and served as president of the Suffolk County Police Officers’ Hispanic Society from 1989-1993. She has been active with many community groups and currently serves as president of Pronto of Long Island Inc. and chairs both the Suffolk County Community College Foundation Board and the Town of Islip Youth Board, as well as serving on the staff of U.S. Rep Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley).

The Scholarship Sponsor was the Palacios Law Group and contributions were also made by United Health Care, the Dental Offices of Dr. Milhim & Associates and Anaconda Latin Fusion Bistro.