Throughout her whole life, Roslyn resident Ariana Barlas has attended only one school.
“I’ve attended St. Mary’s School since I was in preschool,” Barlas said in a phone interview.
Now the valedictorian of the Manhasset Catholic school’s class of 2020 is saying goodbye to the place that nurtured her dual interests in science and the performing arts.
Barlas cites her classes in biology, physics and chemistry as some of her favorites at St. Mary’s.
“Chemistry mixed biology, which is what I love, and math, which I also love,” Barlas said.
She recalls performing fun experiments in the chemistry lab, spraying chemicals on different flames to get them to change colors and making test tubes look like mirrors.
“I put a Christmas ribbon on mine,” Barlas said. “I still have it hanging in my room.”
In addition to science, Barlas became heavily involved in the school’s performing arts programs, taking part in recitals and concerts as a soprano vocalist. She was also named school cantor in her senior year, and performed at parish masses on the first Saturday of every month.
Barlas also took leading roles in musicals, with her most interesting part being in the school’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.”
“As a sophomore, I was cast as Bloody Mary,” Barlas said. “She was this old, grumpy woman who wanted everything her way. It was really different from any other role I ever played, and it brought me out of my comfort zone.”
Other school programs include serving as a eucharistic minister, which involved distributing communion at the school’s masses, and as a Senior Shepherd, leading underclassmen retreats and peer groups.
Outside of St. Mary’s, Barlas was a member of the swim team at Sid Jacobson JCC in East Hills. She later earned her lifeguard certification and became a member of its pool staff, teaching swimming lessons.
“I had to help a lot of 4-year-olds to get used to the water and show them it was their friend, like I’d learned when I was younger,” Barlas said.
The daughter of two emergency physicians, Barlas says she’s “always known” that she wanted to be a doctor. Her interest was solidified at age 14, when she began volunteering in the emergency department at Glen Cove Hospital.
“I started volunteering and fell in love with it,” Barlas said. “Nurses and doctors were so kind, and anything could happen when you were in there. One second it was quiet, one second it was crazy. I’d speak with the family of patients, I’d get them blankets and pillows, anything to make the visit better.”
In the fall, Barlas plans to attend the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science for a bachelor’s of science in microbiology. Upon graduation, she will then attend SUNY Upstate Medical University for her M.D. degree as part of her program.
“I fell in love with both schools when I saw them,” Barlas said.
St. Mary’s has adjusted its celebrations for the coronavirus pandemic, Barlas says, by holding a baccalaureate mass and commencement over online video.
“The school sent seniors a link to a recorded mass to make us feel like we were actually there,” Barlas said. “I got to sit with my family and watch it, it was a nice way for us to gather together. They also sent us a link for a 10 a.m. graduation ceremony.”
All portions of the graduation ceremony were prerecorded, from the naming of graduates to administrators’ comments. Barlas even prerecorded her valedictorian speech and and her performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
“I’m glad they’re doing this. It’s a great way for us to celebrate our graduation, and it’s a great chance for us to be all together,” Barlas said.
As she goes upstate to continue her education in an uncertain world, Barlas has words of wisdom for any student willing to listen.
“Always stay focused,” Barlas said. “Academics had always come first to me, but I know that time goes by in the blink of an eye, so be open to anything that the experience throws at you. By senior year, you might love something else entirely. If you have a goal you want to achieve, just go for it.”
