Manhasset High School seniors Andrew Batteria and Walter Stackler were named among 3,500 winners of college-sponsored scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Batteria is the recipient of the National Merit Tufts University Scholarship, while Stackler has been awarded the National Merit Carleton College Scholarship.
Batteria is a gifted student, musician and athlete. He has been recognized by the College Board as an AP Scholar with Distinction and is a member of the National and Italian honor societies.
Apart from academics, he engages in numerous extracurricular activities that reflect his multifaceted interests. He is passionate about singing and belongs to the most selective choral groups. Leading by example and with a positive attitude, he commands the attention of his fellow musicians as a section leader and student conductor, and he contributes his talents to his school and community as a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
Batteria is also a fierce competitor on the football field. As captain of the junior varsity and varsity teams, he has demonstrated his ability to rally his peers through his leadership. His love for football extends beyond his own participation, as he has volunteered his time working with middle school athletes in a flag football league. He has also worked hard to become a certified lifeguard, a role in which he has served for the past two summers.
Stackler is active in service to his community and has continuously challenged himself as a student, musician and actor. As a result of his hard work and academic ability, he was recommended for the most rigorous classes offered and inducted into the Spanish Honor Society.
An outstanding violinist, Stackler is a four-year member of the symphonic orchestra and was inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He was recognized twice by the New York State School Music Association as an All-County musician and, in 2017 and 2018, after scoring a perfect 100 on his solo, he was distinguished as All-State and played in the All-State Symphony Orchestra at the annual NYSSMA Winter Conference.
Stackler was also selected as first violinist for the Long Island Youth Orchestra and has spent the past two summers attending the New England Music Camp, where he was named an honors musician. Along with his love for music, Stackler is a talented actor and has participated in several productions with the Manhasset Theater Program.
Within the community, he has served as a volunteer for the Plandome Junior Fire Department for two years.
