Jonathan Sparling - Walt Whitman Valedictorian
Jon is an active guy. As one of the captains of the cross-country and winter and spring track teams he finds balance as first chair, playing the oboe in the NYSSMA Gold Award Winning Wind Ensemble. When it comes to athletics, Jon’s in it for the long haul, running in the 1000m, 1 and 2 mile and the 4x8 events, and of course cross-country. “Between track and wind ensemble you get a lot of motivation to excel, they push you forward, you want to be the best you can in your field,” said Whitman’s top ranked student. “I like activities where you can constantly improve on yourself and still be a part of a bigger picture and contribute,” said Jon, acknowledging both track coach and wind ensemble teacher played a big role in helping him achieve success.
Jon is a member of the National Honor Society as well as an AP Scholar, and a member of the National English Honor Society. He keeps busy off campus as well mentoring as a camp counselor, and volunteering at the Thomas School of Horsemanship and Park Avenue Physical Therapy. Jon will be attending SUNY Geneseo next fall where he plans on majoring in physics.“I’ve really had a fun time here getting to know everyone,” said Jon. “There is such a variety of people, the diversity makes it interesting because everyone adds to the overall experience in a good way.”
Isabel Sakarin- Walt Whitman Salutatorian
Earlier this spring Isabel Sakarin had a lot of choices to make when it came to colleges. Waiting to hear from no less than ten, we are happy to announce the Isabel will be attending Vassar College next fall. If you think that her list of co-curricular activities at Whitman gives a hint of what Isabel will be studying next year, you’d be wrong.
Isabel was a member of the cross-country team and this past fall was named the 2014 Fall Sports Scholar Athlete, along with Jon Sparling, another cross-country runner. It’s a given that she is on every ‘Minds in Motion’ list in whatever sport she participates. In the winter Isabel was a top contributor to the girls fencing team and this past season was nominated to the All-County Women’s Sabre 1st Team. She is a member of Mathletes, as well as the Art Honor Society; she speaks French, scoring in the top percentile nationally in the Le Grand Concours; and each year has been a contributing member of Body Electric, sharing her poetry to the standing room only crowd. She continues her love for ‘spoken word poetry’ beyond the Whitman campus.
So when she told us that next fall she would be studying Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, we were not surprised. This high achieving and multi-talented senior will no doubt excel in whatever she sets her mind to.
Congratulations to both Jonathan and Isabel!
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