Service drives Mineola High valedictorian, salutatorian

Noah Manskar
Sandra Pinto (left) and Elizabeth Ryan are the valedictorian and salutatorian of Mineola High School, respectively. (Photos courtesy of the Mineola school district)

Sandra Pinto and Elizabeth Ryan have each been involved with at least 10 clubs, honor societies and sports teams in their time at Mineola High School.

But they said their school’s culture of community service is one of the things that has shaped them most. Both have served as presidents of the Falk-Sysak Student Service Center, which offers volunteering opportunities to Mineola students.

“Mineola students are truly lucky to have so many amazing opportunities to give back to those in need,” Pinto said in a written response to questions.

Now Pinto and Ryan, both 18-year-old Mineola residents, are set to cross the stage on Saturday as the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of Mineola High School’s class of 2017.

Pinto is heading to Adelphi University in Garden City, where she plans to study in the Honors College, majoring in biology with a focus on pre-veterinarian studies and minoring in Spanish.

In addition to serving as president of the Student Service Center, Pinto volunteers as a youth ambassador for the Save the Children Long Island Council, the Cold Spring Harbor-based affiliate of the national Save the Children charity.

She has also served as president of the National Honor Society and has done statistics for the school’s varsity football team.

Ryan will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where she plans to study biology. She intends to go to medical school after college, she said.

Ryan volunteers at the Ozanam Hall Nursing Home in Bayside, Queens, and is a peer tutor. She has also been co-president of the National Honor Society and co-captain of the girls varsity basketball team, along with her participation in several other clubs.

Pinto was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in her freshman year, which she called the biggest challenge of her high school career.

While the diagnosis led to a “complete lifestyle change,” Pinto said it came to motivate her to achieve her goals.

“My perspective changed completely and I learned to appreciate the little things in life that I had once taken for granted,” she said. “Although the transition was difficult, I am glad that I was able to turn something so negative into something much more beautiful.”

Ryan said the volunteer experiences offered through the Student Service Center are unlike any she has seen at other high schools.

“I have been so blessed to be a part of it, grow in humanity myself, and watch even some of the hardest hearts learn the value of giving back,” Ryan said in her written responses.

Ryan said she lacked confidence when she came into high school, but her varsity basketball coach helped build her up over the years.

She said she now strives to “do one thing every day that scares you,” as Eleanor Roosevelt said.

“I believe the greatest lesson I’ve learned in high school is that you never stop learning,” Ryan said. “As much as it is a cliché, it is the God-honest truth that no matter what, you’ll never be perfect, and willingness to be wrong and evolve is the key to both achievement and happiness.”

 

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