Meet the Shelter Island High School Class of 2022
On Friday, June 24 at 5 p.m., 13 proud graduates of Shelter Island High School will receive their diplomas. Here’s a look at these fine young Islanders, and all that they’ve accomplished.
Ariana Carter
Ariana plans to pursue a degree in psychology, but said she hasn’t decided how she would apply that knowledge to a career.
During her high school years, she’s been a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the High Honor Roll. She achieved the highest overall class average in algebra in the 9th grade; chemistry in the 10th; and geometry in the 11th.
Ariana was chosen to represent Shelter Island at the Suffolk County Youth Leadership Summit during her sophomore and junior years. She was selected as chief executive officer, human resources and chief financial officer for accounting and finance in her junior and senior years for the Virtual Enterprise Program, which provides students with business and entrepreneurial experiences.
Community service projects have included coordinating the Volleyball Dig Pink Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser; participating in the National Honor Society Cardboard Campout fundraiser; cleaning lawns for senior residents; volunteering with the staff for the Shelter Island 10K/5K and the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer 5K fundraiser, helping with the event registration and running the course to raise money.
Ariana has been a member of the Unity Club since the 10th grade. She was part of the backstage crew for the Drama Club when she was a ninth grader, and played clarinet in the Jazz Band when she was in the 10th grade.
Ariana was named a scholar athlete every year since the 9th grade for her combined excellence in both academics and sports. Running has been a constant for her throughout high school. She became captain of the cross country team this year. She and her fellow runners were Suffolk County Class D Champions when Ariana was in the 10th grade. In 9th and 10th grades, she received a Suffolk Country All-League Award.
Captain of the winter track team this year, Ariana was co-captain last year and a team member since she was in the 9th grade. She received the Winter Track Coaches Award when she was in the 9th and 10th grades.
When she was in the 9th and 10th grades, she also captained the spring track team, and played varsity volleyball, on the team that took the Suffolk County Class D Championship this year. Ariana has worked at the Shelter Island Yacht Club, the IGA and Grady Riley Gardens. At the yacht club, she worked at the snack bar and as an attendant and front desk receptionist during the summers of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
She will miss friends and family, but she knows one part of the Island she will miss most — the beach.
Myla Dougherty
“I’m going to miss the great people that I’ve grown up with and who watched me grow — my family, the close community, the beautiful nature that surrounds us and the water,” said Class Valedictorian Myla Dougherty.
She’s bound for Williams College at the end of the summer but hasn’t yet decide on a major. She’s admired and grown close to all her teachers, but offers “a special shout out” to Devon Treharne. Ms. Treharne guided her from her freshman English class to her college English class and instructed her in journalism skills. “She’s made me a better writer, journalist, editor and overall better person,” said the co-editor of The Inlet, the award-winning student newspaper, “I feel as though I can confide anything in her, and I know we’ll be staying in touch after I leave.”
Myla has had numerous achievements. She was inducted into the National Honor Society in grade 10 and is the society president this year. She has been an Advanced Placement Scholar in her junior and senior years; has been class president for the past two years. Myla also contributed feature articles to the Shelter Island Reporter last summer. In DECA Business Club competition, she was a New York State Competition trophy winner, International Career Conference qualifier and competitor in Human Resources Management.
Throughout her high school years, she has participated in community service and activism efforts, including helping to organize the 2020 Black Lives Matter Community March and campaigning for a mascot change for the school that year. She’s participated in raising funds for Habitat for Humanity and given her time to house- building efforts. She was a founding member of the school’s Unity Club in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Myla participated in food drives to support the Shelter Island Food Pantry, volunteered for the Shelter Island 10K, helped raise money at a Ukraine Bake Sale event this year, and raised awareness and money with other students through the Volleyball Dig Pink Breast Cancer Research effort.
She raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; participated in the Lion’s Club Annual Island Wide Cleanup effort The Nature Conservancy’s Annual International Coastal Cleanup and Earth Day Trail Cleanup,.
Myla has been a volunteer for the Friends of the Shelter Island Library.
A Scholar-Athlete for four years, she won Coach’s Awards in volleyball softball. She also ran winter track.
But it wasn’t just on the athletic field where she excelled — Myla was nominated in 2021 for East End Arts Council Teeny Award for best supporting actress in an original virtual production of “It’s Always the Butler,” and acted in a student-written short play for a Young Artists and Writers Project.
The Parrish Art Museum presented Myla, a member of the school’s Art Club, with an Award of Excellence for Mixed Media this year; her artwork was selected for it annual student show for the past three years. She was also selected to show her work at VSOP Projects Gallery in Greenport this year and last year.
She has worked at Sylvester Manor Educational Farm as a camp counselor and farm stand attendant; at the Shelter Island Heights Beach Club Waterfront as a lifeguard and tennis court attendant and as a town lifeguard.
Myla expects questions from those she’ll meet in the fall about what it’s like to grow up in a small town and be a member of a tiny graduating class. She’s ready with an answer:“I was in a class with 13 people, only two were boys, Anyone can play any sport they want or join any club, and most students do multiple activities. And close bonds with my teachers.”
Isabella Fonseca
Isabella is heading to SUNY Oneonta to get a masters in psychology, then plans to study neuroscience in Italy.
She was a National Honor Society member in Grades 10, 11, 12; made Honor Roll in Grade 9, 10, 11, 12; served in Student Council; Unity Club for Grades 10, 11, 12. and LEO Club Member, grades 10-12. Her awards included NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association), Grade 7, 8, 9; she received a Scholar-Athlete Award in Grades 10, 11 and 12.
She was selected to participate in leadership training at the East End Youth Leadership Summit in Grade 10. She earned the highest average in Anatomy and Physiology in Grade 11 and the Science Fair Medal in Grade 10.
In her athletic career, she was a JV Basketball Team Member in Grades 9 and 10; JV/Varsity Volleyball, JV Team Member, Grades 9 and 10, Varsity Team Member in Grade 11.
She played JV/Varsity Softball in Grades 9 and 10, was a Varsity Team Member in Grades 8, 11, 12.
Isabella was a Varsity Winter Track Team Member in Grades 10 and 11. Her events were the 55 meter dash, 300 meter dash and 4×200 meter relay.
She was active in Community Service, including the Dig Pink Volleyball fundraiser; Cardboard campout for Habitat for Humanity. She was a Shelter Island 10K Community Race Volunteer, participated in sneaker and clothing drives and the Souper Bowl in support of the food pantry. She had jobs at Kyle’s and the Yacht Club.
Although she saw limitations in living on a small Island that was “isolated from the real world,” she said she would miss “living in a safe environment and the people that I grew up with.”
She cited as her favorite teacher Mrs. Treharne. “She is very easy to talk to, is very understanding and she is very sweet.”
Dayla Reyes
Dayla is thinking about life after high school and what she’ll miss when she departs for college at the University of Connecticut.
“I’ll miss all the beautiful views and the amazing sense of community there is on Shelter Island,” she said.
Looking back on her years at Shelter Island School, she said she had the opportunity to have great experiences and participate in a wide range of activities. That helps rid her of any fear of trying new things. It also has provided her with the ability to make the best out of small things, she said.
A standout volleyball player — she was named All-Conference last year — Dayla plans to pursue studies in sports management in college and making a career in that field upon graduation.
While attending high school, she worked at the Tuck Shop, SALT Waterfront Bar & Grill, and did her share of babysitting.
Daria Kolmogorova
Daria is focused on a career as an emergency preparedness manager, a field she sees as an opportunity to care for others by being involved with homeland security and cybersecurity, but also a field that would afford her an opportunity to travel.
She’s headed for SUNY Albany where, besides her courses in the emergency preparedness field, she plans to minor in Russian.
Daria said being a part of a class of 13 can be difficult, with sometimes a lack of privacy, “but it also makes us one big family with lots of great memories.”
In a class of highly accomplished students, Daria has been a National Honor Society student throughout her high school years and on the Honor Roll and High Honor Roll every year. She won a Long Island Science Congress Award as a sophomore and was chosen to represent her school at the Suffolk County Youth Leadership Summit that same year. Daria also won a Rotary Youth Leadership Award in the 11th grade.
Community service projects have included the Dig Pink Volleyball event to raise money and awareness of breast cancer issues; she raised funds for Habitat for Humanity, participating in the Cardboard Campout sponsored by the National Honor Society; and contributed hours to helping to build a Habitat house. Daria helped in the Bake Sale to raise money for the Ukraine and participated in the Hero Squad Fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma. She contributed to the Sneaker/Clothing/ Food Drive efforts to raise money for several charities dedicated to assisting with homelessness and food insecurity.
She’s been a PTSA student member and volunteer for several years, assisting with events including the Back to School BBQ, Boutique, Book Fair and Wingo. Daria’s also volunteered for the Shelter Island 10K for many years; participated in Community Cleanup efforts and has been a Sunday School volunteer at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
She credits former art teacher Stephanie Sareyani for recognizing her talents through her middle school and high school years. “She has always supported my artistic curiosity, never denying me anything and always trying to get me anything I needed,” Daria said. “I will always be extremely grateful to her.”
Music has also been important to her, with participation in the band, Jazz Band, Select Choir and chorus and participating in the New York State School Music Association Program.
She has been a class representative to the Student Council in grades 10 and 12 and class secretary in grade 10. As a DECA Club member, she competed in Suffolk County Regional Competition, and has also has been a staff member of the school newspaper, The Inlet, writing and taking photographs. As a staff member of yearbook, she’s contributed photographs and worked as a graphic designer.
Daria was a founding member of the Unity Club and a member of the Leo Club, the junior arm of the Lions Club for the past three years.
She was named a scholar athlete for her academic achievements while contributing to the success of several teams. They included the volleyball, winter track, the spring track and the cross country.
Add to those achievements her summer work experience at the Tuck Shop, Dering Harbor pool and at Kyle’s. She has also worked at the Islander.
Along with several classmates, she said she will miss the beach and Shelter Island sunsets when she heads upstate for college.
Olivia Overstreet
Olivia recalls her experiences at Shelter Island School as “very fun,” with the positives starting with teachers. She named her 6th grade English language teacher, James Bocca; physical education coaches Kristin Andrejack and Erin Mulrain; music teacher Lauren Farkas and elementary school teacher Michael Cox as most memorable.
Speaking of science and math with Mr. Cox, Olivia said, “It was one of the best experiences in my life, He really just had a passion and loved what he was doing and it showed.”
This fall, Olivia will head to SUNY Albany to major in psychology, preparing for what she hopes will be a career as an outpatient psychologist.
Through her high school career she’s prepared herself for next steps. She was initiated into the National Honor Society in the 10th grade and has been on the High Honor Roll since the 9th grade.
Class secretary in her junior and senior years, Olivia was class treasurer in the 9th grade and has won awards in music and sports.
Every year since she was in the 5th grade, she has participated in the New York State School Music Association programs and in was in the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association programs.
A scholar athlete, Olivia won a Varsity Track Coaches Award as a junior and participated in the East End Youth Leadership Training Event with students from other high schools.
Along with high academic performance and leadership abilities, comes community service. For Olivia, that’s included being a Leo Club member, the junior Lions Club organization dedicated to service, and she has helped raise money and awareness of breast cancer issues through the Dig Pink Volleyball fundraiser. She’s also participated in Habitat for Humanity fundraisers; been a volunteer for the Shelter Island 10K; participated in the National Honor Society-sponsored Cardboard Campout; helped with the Sneaker Drive; and a Savers Clothing Drive to raise money for the American Cancer Society. In addition, she participated in a Habitat for Humanity project this year helping clean the yards of elderly Island residents.
Olivia has competed in the DECA Business Club Suffolk County Regional Competition; performed and served with the backstage crew at the Drama Club; and coordinated school events for the Unity Club.
She was part of the volleyball team that won the Suffolk County Class D Championship, and competed with the cross country team, which won a Suffolk Country Class D Championship. She ran Vtrack throughout her high school years and was team captain and played softball and was on the cheerleader squad.
Olivia worked at the Shelter Island Yacht Club during the summers and Gardiner’s Bay Country Club and will do so this summer.
Lily Page
Lily is headed out west to Northern Arizona University to major in environmental studies. Her interest was sparked by growing up in a town with many people focused on saving the environment.
Her long-term goals are simple: “I just want to live a life where I’m happy and in a place I really enjoy.”
She describes Shelter Island School as “super small,” and unlike school in many areas, she knows everyone and her teachers are in students’ personal lives.
Lily is a member of the National Honor Society who credits her induction to academic performance, leadership, character and community service. She’s been on the Honor Roll and High Honor Roll since she was in the 6th grade.
Selected to represent the school at the East End Youth Leadership Summit, Lily placed first in the science fair, qualifying her to participate in Science Congress Regional Competition. She’s been class treasurer for the past two years and social media manager for the SITV Instagram account this year
Lily become a Leo Club member when she entered the 10th grade. The Leos are the junior arm of the Lions Club, which is dedicated to community service. She’s participated in the annual Lions Club Earth Day cleanup since she was in the 9th grade. Part of her community service has been participating in Dig Pink Volleyball fundraisers and awareness campaigns for breast cancer.
Along with other National Honor Society members and friends, she has been part of the Cardboard Campout to raise money and create awareness of homelessness. During the past two years, she’s participated in raising money for Habitat for Humanity.
She participated in the sneaker drive this year and last; participated in the Girl Scout Annual International Coastal Cleanup throughout her high school years; and was a Camp Youth Assistant at Mashomack Preserve.
Lily also was a camp counselor for the Shelter Island Historical Society.
Sports have included varsity volleyball, winter track, softball and cheerleading. She was named a scholar athlete every year since she was in the 8th grade.
Lily was selected to participate in the National Athletic Leadership Desire to Lead Program this year.
As an inaugural member of the Environmental Club, Lily has encouraged students and teachers to use environmentally friendly products. She organized a Day of Silence in support of LGBTQ+ people as a member of the Unity Club and competed in Regional DECA Business Club Competition in the field of hospitality management.
She performed in two school musicals — “The Addams Family” and “Matilda,” and was a member of the Yearbook Club and the Select Choir.
Throughout her high school years she’s worked, as a store clerk at Ace Hardware, and Finley’s Fiction and Black Cat Books, and at Gardiner’s Bay Country Club.
She will miss Walter Brigham, math teacher and information technology coordinator. “He’s so funny and such an understanding person,” Lily said.
And on her way to Arizona, the Island girl will also miss being surrounded by water.
Emmett Cummings
Emmett preferred not to provide information on his post graduation plans or high school activities.
Bella Springer
Bella is a young woman with a thirst for knowledge. She hasn’t made a firm decision yet about what path she will follow, but she knows she wants to explore the world, experience different cultures, visit beautiful places and meet amazing people.
Her stepmom’s family has a beautiful farm in Costa Rica and she is considering moving there for a couple of months to experience the environment and learn the language. She expects to be taking courses there, some online and, possibly, some in person.
“They have amazing animal safe havens and rehabilitation centers with unique wildlife that I know I can learn a lot from,” she said.
While she said she will miss the unique environment that is Shelter Island, she has long contemplated leaving because her time with her classmates has been difficult.
“The beauty in the environment has kept me going,” she said. “This Island and all it has to offer has saved me more times then one,” Bella said.
“There is nothing like walking down a beautiful beach, on secluded paths in the woods or watching the sunset to make one feel so much better,” she said.
Although she had a good experience with her classmates as she was growing up, because of rumors others chose to believe, she became isolated from them and was excluded from class events and field trips this year.
“I didn’t enjoy coming to school for awhile because of all the rumors,” she said. She thought she would have enjoyed school and been engaged if the situation had been different. What gave her a sense of peace were those teachers and staff members who supported her.
“I have a good amount of favorite teachers” with those who “have helped me throughout the year,” Bella said.
She is proud of receiving MVP awards in volleyball and softball and getting an honorable mention at Teeny Awards, she said. She is also glad to get through high school “and being cool while doing it.”
Bella has been active in the Drama Club, Debate Club and Science Club.
She has held jobs as a lifeguard and at 18 Bay, Gardiner’s Bay Country Club, the Islander, Vine Street Cafe, Isola, Eccentric Bagel and the Tuck Shop during her high school career. Those, too, provided her a “safe haven,” she said.
Francis Regan
Francis (Franny) is salutatorian of the Class of 2022.
She describes her class of 13 members as “like a little family.” She’s bound for a relatively small school next year — Providence College in Rhode Island — a choice she selected both for its academic offerings and its size. But when she talks about Shelter Island with the new friends she will make there, she will tell them how students know their teachers “personally” and let them know there’s no fast food chain restaurants on the Island.
“I will miss the water and the beautiful nature,” Franny said about leaving the Island for college. She will also miss being able go walk for two minutes to reach the beach, driving with her friends to see a sunset every night.
But most of all, she said she’ll miss her friends on the Island.
Her favorite teacher has been Walter Brigham, who teaches math and coordinates information technology for the district. Mr. Brigham is “funny and is always doing something extra to keep the class engaged,” she said. “His class is never boring. He’s clearly passionate about what he teaches.”
She is thinking of majoring in education or social work, but wants to explore a couple of other fields before making a final decision.
Franny was inducted into the National Honor Society when she was in the 10th grade based on academic success, leadership, character and community service. Her name was consistently on the High Honor Roll list in grades 6 through 12. She’s served as secretary of the local chapter for the past two years and was inducted into the Junior National Honor Society as a 9th grader. She has been Student Council secretary this year and was Class President when she was in the 9th and 10th grades.
Franny was selected to participate in the Desire to Lead National Athletic Leadership Program as a junior and represented the school in the East End Youth Leadership Summit and competed at the Regional Long Island Science Congress when she was in the 8th and 9th grades.
Franny has garnered awards for an outstanding score in New York State School of Music Association competition in grades 5 through 9 and the All State New York State School of Music Association in grades 10 and 11.
She was selected to participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators Association programs in grades 6 through 11; the Jazz Suffolk County Music Educators Association in grade 11; and the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education program that same year.
She was in the Jazz Band in the 9th grade and the Select Choir in grades 8 through 11. She was Shelter Island TV anchor, and video producer in grades 11 and 12 and part of the school’s team that won a BASH Award — Broadcast Awards for Senior High — sponsored by Newsday and Stony Brook University’s School of Communications and Journalism. Franny also has been co-editor of the school paper, “The Inlet.”
As a member of the Drama Club, she’s had lead roles in “The Adams Family” and “Matilda” and was a lead in the film, “It’s Always the Butler.” ”
She helped organize the Unity Club’s Day of Silence in support of LGBTQ+ individuals for the past three years and was a DECA Business Club member, competing in Regional Competition for the past three years.
Franny has been a Lion’s Club Junior Leo Club since the 10th grade and has assisted the Shelter Island Bucks Collegiate Baseball Team in managing the scoreboard, organizing catering and she sang the National Anthem at every game.
Community service efforts have included the Dig Pink Volleyball fundraiser and awareness campaign for breast cancer for the past four years; participated in raising funds for Habitat for Humanity with participation in the National Honor Society’s Cardboard Campout.
Franny has been a volunteer for the Shelter Island 10K, collected sneakers for those who couldn’t afford them, been a camp youth assistant at Mashomack Preserve and a camp counselor at the Shelter Island Historical Society. She has been a Scholar Athlete every year since the 8th grade, participating in volleyball where she was team captain in grades 9 and 10. She was a cheerleader this year.
A student member of the PTSA since the 9th grade, she participated in Girl Scout activities from the time she was in kindergarten through the 11th grade.
With all this, Franny found time for jobs at The Stand at SALT, the Islander, the Tuck Shop, and as a Town lifeguard and at Hamptons Swim.
Valeria Reyes
Valeria has definite plans for the future, and not just for the next year. She will be going to Colgate University, where she plans to study economics. That is just one, very important step for the bright future she foresees, living in New York City or Boston and having a job she loves.
She’s got plenty of experience on the work front that she can put in her career resume. She’s worked at the Tuck Shop, Finley’s Fiction and Thriftknd, as well as being a valued babysitter.
Valeria has made her mark as a student and athlete, playing softball, volleyball and basketball. She has earned a place in the National Honor Society, whose members participate in community volunteer programs as well as academic achievements. She took part in DECA programs and served in the Unity Club as well as the Leos, the young Lions community organization.
Although she’s excited to be making plans that will take her away from the Island, she admits there is one thing she loves and will miss very much: “Having the beach 1 minute away.”
Angelina Rice
Angelina will be attending Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S. C., pursuing a major in Sustainability and Coastal Resilience.
Her academic achievements include membership in the National Honor Society and earning High Honors in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12. She was an inaugural member of National Junior Honor Society; Class Secretary, Grade 9; Yearbook and School Newspaper Journalist; and in Science Club in Grade 12.
In Long Island Teen Institute Leadership Training, she was chosen to represent Shelter Island High School in Grades 8 and 9.
In sports, a major commitment was club volleyball, The LI Blaze VBC, Grade 9, team competed in the northeast region. She took part in volleyball, serving as team captain in grade 12; in softball and the cheerleading squad. She has received a Scholar-Athlete Award and earned the JV Volleyball Coaches Award.
She described having great teachers, singling out one: “I will take any opportunity to tell anyone that Ms. Mayo is my favorite teacher, woman and human being. She has been my best friend in the school since 7th or 8th Grade and has been such an amazing part of my support system during high school.
She’s taught me so many meaningful lessons and values outside of the classroom that I will cherish forever.”
Active in many school Community Service efforts, Angelina took part in the Volleyball Dig Pink Event; Habitat for Humanity’s Cardboard Campout and lawn cleanup for senior citizens. She has been a Shelter Island 10k/5k Race Committee volunteer and a Shelter Island Bucks summer baseball volunteer.
“I will miss my friends so, so, so much,” Angelina said when asked what would be most difficult about leaving the Island.
Evan Schack
Evan has a plan to take what he learns in college and apply it to a career in writing or media management.
He’s headed for SUNY New Paltz to study digital media management and writing.
Evan anticipates the transition from a small school to a much larger college will be a “jarring change.” But his aim is to try to regain the feeling of close bonds with his new classmates and neighbors that he’s known throughout his schooling on the Island.
“It will be strange leaving a place that was so close and tightly-knit compared to a place that will have a much larger scale,” he said.
Shelter Island teachers were all “awesome.” He especially appreciates the support he received from English teacher James Bocca. “Whenever we covered something in his class, it felt like a fun time among friends, as opposed to just a dull class experience, and that experience was extremely beneficial to me.”
To focus on any one moment that made his experience on the Island special is impossible, he said. He thinks of going places with friends, whether it was the prom, the beach or the senior trip. “I felt I was overcoming my fear of the unknown by having my friends around me,” Evan said.
He enjoyed writing a play for Stony Brook University’s Young Artists and Writers Project. He also attended the Science Congress and was consistently on the Honor Roll and has been a member of the National Honor Society, involving him in many volunteer projects.
He sang in concerts throughout his elementary and middle school years and learned to play the trumpet, and participated in band concerts. He also played basketball and worked at Slice, the Island’s local pizza restaurant.
”I can honestly say that everything I did felt meaningful, like I was doing something to help my community,” Evan said. “It gave me a sense of purpose.”
