For the fourth consecutive year, Walt Whitman High School has been designated a School of Distinction by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). The prestigious award celebrates high schools where student-athletes excel in both athletics and academics. 

Walt Whitman High School continues its tradition of excellence, joining an elite group of honorees across Long Island and New York State. Walt Whitman is one of only 20 public high schools in Suffolk County—and among just 118 statewide—to earn the top-level School of Distinction award. Furthermore, out of the 118 schools granted Distinction status, Walt Whitman is one of only 33 schools across the state with more than 30 teams that needed to qualify, underscoring the exceptional scale of this achievement.

Earning School of Distinction status requires a high level of performance across an entire athletic department. To qualify, 100% of a school’s varsity teams must earn the Scholar-Athlete Team Award during their respective seasons.

To achieve a Scholar-Athlete Team Award:

• At least 75% of the team roster must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of 90 or higher.
• At Walt Whitman High School, all 32 varsity teams met this rigorous benchmark.

"Earning the NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete School of Distinction recognition is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the dedication our student-athletes, coaches, teachers, and families demonstrate every day. We are incredibly proud that our students continue to excel both in the classroom and on the field of play. This achievement highlights the culture of excellence that defines Walt Whitman High School and reinforces our commitment to developing well-rounded student-athletes who strive for success in all they do,” said South Huntington’s Athletic Director David Barth.

 

Walt Whitman Principal Dr. John Murphy agrees it’s important to balance the athletic skill of our student-athletes with their overall academic growth because their path after high school or college will not, in many cases, result in an athletic career. “We know that most of those students who are student-athletes in high school won't be on an athletic team at the post-secondary level. So it’s even more important that academics take precedence just as much as, if not more than, athletics or sports. We do that through eligibility rules to make sure they’re staying on top of their academics while they’re training and competing. With this recognition, it shows we’re doing it right,” said Dr. Murphy.

NYSPHSAA serves as the governing body for public high school interscholastic athletics across New York State (excluding New York City's public school system). South Huntington is in Section 11. The organization says the purpose of the School of Distinction and School of Excellence Awards is to unite athletic departments in challenging every varsity team to achieve statewide academic recognition through the NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete program. "The commitment demonstrated by our member schools to academic excellence continues to be one of the greatest strengths of educational-based athletics," said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. "These awards recognize entire school communities that value success in the classroom as much as success in competition."  

Congratulations to the scholar-athletes and coaches of these Walt Whitman teams for their success in contributing to our School of Distinction status.

 

Fall Sports:  Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Field Hockey, Boys Volleyball, Girls Volleyball, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Girls Tennis, Gymnastics, Golf

 

Winter Sports: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Fencing, Girls Fencing, Boys Wrestling, Girls Wrestling, Bowling, Cheerleading, Boys Winter Track, Girls Winter Track 

 

Spring Sports: Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Badminton, Girls Badminton, Unified Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Boys Tennis, Boys Track & Field, Girls Track & Field, Girls Flag Football

 

Click here for more information on the NYSPHSAA announcement.