Melville, NY - December 5, 2016 - Fourteen students were selected as candidates for the first-ever Students of the Year program on Long Island. These students are all compassionate high school students from both public and private schools across Long Island who are supporting the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) to raise funds for blood cancer research and cures. More than one million Americans are living with a blood cancer; and every three minutes one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
Congratulations to the following selected Students of the Year candidates:
Ledis Benitez, Wyandanch Memorial High School
Austin Coven, Sophia Kim and Jean Yoo, Jericho High School
Amanda Epp, Paul D. Schreiber High School (Port Washington)
Jordan Heller, Syosset High School
Katherine Heller and Ashleigh Parsons, Bay Shore Senior High School
Evan Jaslow, Bradley Mussman and Zachary Luchs, Roslyn High School
Maya Kovic and Alyssa Robb, Deer Park High School
Clara Leyendecker and Laila Drosman, Valley Stream North High School
Avi Nessim, North Shore Hebrew Academy High School
Jordan Ozley, Steven Secreti and Julia Jassey, Half Hollow Hills West High School
Catherine Rice, Hauppauge High School
Vanessa Shapiro, Fusion Academy of Woodbury
Anthony Sica, Paul D. Schreiber High School (Port Washington)
Audrey Zhong, Molly Gross and Sarah Zubli, Jericho High School
Students selected by the Leadership Committee for their amazing leadership, passion to find a cure for blood cancers and involvement in the community. The candidate (or team) who raises the most money at the end of the six weeks is named Student(s) of the Year. The winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship. In addition, three students will be selected to receive a Citizenship Scholarship Award of $500 each based on their campaign’s commitment to community, leadership and the LLS mission.
“These students are an inspiration as they embody the idea that anyone can make a difference with hard work and dedication,” said Sara Lipsky, Executive Director of LLS’s Long Island Chapter. “These students are helping to make an impact on the lives of cancer patients, not someday, but today. LLS is leading the charge in exploring new paths to cures and treatments, with almost 300 cutting-edge research projects underway, many in the promising new areas of immunotherapy and personalized medicine. In addition to finding blood cancer cures, many of the treatments LLS has helped fund are now helping patients with other cancers and chronic diseases.”
The campaign will kick off on February 9, 2017 and will culminate with an Awards Ceremony on March 23, 2017 at the Fox Hollow, where the winners will be announced. The night will be a celebration of all the students’ collective efforts as they enjoy a fun-filled evening with friends and family.
