It is with immense pride that Walt Whitman High School was able to recognize and celebrate their exceptional students at the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society induction ceremony on March 28, 2023. Rho Kappa is the only national organization for high school students that recognizes excellence in the field of Social Studies. The mission and purpose of the Walt Whitman Chapter is to acknowledge excellence not only in social studies but also civic engagement, leadership, community service and scholarship.
We were delighted to welcome 33 new inductees and honor 27 senior members into the Walt Whitman Chapter. These students share a common excitement and enthusiasm for learning about historic trends that have shaped the world we know today, allowing their knowledge of historical eras and the important contributions of individuals and groups within history to aid in their abilities to contribute to their own communities. New inductees, Harper Garvey and Amanda Knudsen, demonstrated this sense of enthusiasm at this year’s ceremony by reading essays each had written on historical events and eras that had personal meaning to them. We are thankful to this group of students for their dedication to exemplary leadership, exceptional achievement in Social Studies, and their energetic dedication to community service.
A special thank you goes out to co-advisors Jillian Casey and Ralph Milazzo for making this year’s induction ceremony possible, Social Studies Department Chairperson Dr. James Corcoran, as well as our Social Studies Honor Society Officers, President Natalie Gugliuzza, Vice President Emily Rollman, Treasurer John Addis, and Secretary Joseph Lombardo.
Congratulations to our 2023-24 Inductees: John Adams, Isabella Alvear, Christopher Boettger Smolich, Kelly Breaton, Makayla Castillo, Sameera Chaudhry, Porter Chetty, Paul Chinsky, Emma Creighton, Genevieve Esposito, Romel Farquharson, Helen Flores, Cayla Garcia, Harper Garvey, Kaitlin Guttler, Caroline Hidalgo, Amanda Knudsen, James Lettis, Angelina Liclican, Courtney Magee, Kaitlyn Mondry, Eliana Montague, Chelsea Murphy, Shaun Murphy, Megan Rankel, Emily Redelman, Sophie Ross, Alexander Seeloff, Venus Stewart, Nina Thomas, Brennan Thompson, Aurelia Turano, and Kaylee Vera.
Congratulations to our seniors members: John Addis, Jordan Badalamenti, Marina Bonvicin, Kate Buckshaw, Sofia Caporusso, Shelly Chen, Hasham Choudrey, Sydney Cusack, Sawyer Diamond, Michaela Grosso, Natalie Gugliuzza, Emma Kowalczyk, Joseph Lombardo, Lorianna Mattutat, Colin Murphy, Jacob Philip, Alexa Rapacciuolo, Samantha Regalado, Lauren Ritchie, Emily Rollman, Shaelyn Scharpf, Elizabeth Schreiber, Monica Sorto, Angelina Todaro, Candida Villalta Meza, Kasey Wagner, and Nicole Yerys.
Commitment to community service and leadership is the foundation and cornerstone of being a member of Rho Kappa.
Senior members were honored by recieving the Rho Kappa cords to be worn at graduation in June.
Vice President Emily Rollman lit the blue candle at the ceremony to represent service. The Walt Whitman Chapter encompasses volunteers who lead by example and are strongly dedicated to the South Huntington community, to helping others, and being active participants through their roles as club leaders, captains, team-players, managers, student officers, and scholar-athletes.
Students and their proud parents gathered in the South Cafeteria for light refreshments after the ceremony.