Focus on Alumni Page

The Riverhead School District  invites our ALUMNI to share what has been happening in their lives.

yes you can / yes you will / yes they did!

WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS SUCCEED

JASON GEVINSKI - CLASS OF 2010                                                     

       Jason Gevinski spoke in Unit on War and Peace in RHS English Class
RHS English teacher Sharon DiGiuseppe iteaches a unit entitled "War and Peace in Literature" to her 12R English classes. This unit encompasses three important works of literature (The Things They Carried, an HBO film "Taking Chance", and The Kite Runner).
        Fortuitously, after a webquest and prior to reading The Kite Runner, SPC Jason Gevinski, an airborne MP in the U.S. Army and a 2010 alumnus who is currently home on leave, agreed to speak to her class about his experience at the Combat Outpost Bowri Tanah, located on the Pakistani border, in Afghanistan. (Jason is currently stationed at Fort Richards in Anchorage, Alaska following his tour in Afghanistan.) He gave the students a bird's eye view of his experience with slides taken from the observation points where he provided overwatch throughout his deployment in Afghanistan. He also shared with the class his knowledge of the people, the culture, food, religion, political and social issues of Afghanistan. >More

CLASS REUNION - CLASS OF 1992                                                     

Click on Photo to see it in a larger format.

(November 6, 2012) The Class of 1992 had their 20 year reunion at Swan Lake Golf Course this past Saturday. Lisa Blinn & Joanne Belson spearheaded this event, and we all had a great time!

Thanks,
Lisa Douglas

A hardy group of RHS alumni--They didn't let a small detail like a hurricane interfere with their reunion!

 

ALAN HORN

ALAN HORN - Class of 1960
COLLEGE: MBA from HARVARD
CAREER: CHAIRMAN OF THE DISNEY STUDIOS (Former Chairman of Warner Bros. Studios)

BURBANK, Calif. – May 31, 2012 – Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, announced that Alan Horn has been named Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios effective June 11. Horn will oversee worldwide operations for The Walt Disney Studios including production, distribution and marketing for live-action and animated films from Disney, Pixar and Marvel, as well as marketing and distribution for DreamWorks Studios films released under the Touchstone Pictures banner. Disney's music and theatrical divisions will also report to Horn. Horn has been a prominent figure in the film and television industry overseeing creative executive teams responsible for some of the world's most successful entertainment properties including the Harry Potter film franchise and the hit television series Seinfeld among others. >Read More

ALSO SEE: 1960 was the year childhood friends Alan Horn and Howard Gassert — who both lived in Aquebogue at the time — graduated from Riverhead High School. (MORE from the NEWS REVIEW)

BRYAN ERWIN

Bryan Erwin, '93
Director, Advocacy Center
International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce

Bryan Erwin was selected to serve as the Director of the International Trade Administration's Advocacy Center by President Obama in September 2010. In this capacity, he is responsible for coordinating U.S. Government resources and authority in order to level the playing field on behalf of U.S. business interests as they compete against foreign firms for specific international contracts or other U.S. export opportunities.

Bryan writes, "I grew up in Riverhead. I am a third generation Riverhead High School graduate. I received my BA from George Washington University, with a major in Political Science and minors in Economics and Sociology. I went on to get my Masters of Public Administration from Cornell University with a focus on International Trade and Finance.

My commitment to public service comes from a long family tradition. My family fought to preserve the Union and free the slaves during the Civil War. My father, grandfathers and great grandfathers volunteered for military service during the Vietnam War, WWII and WWI, respectively. Moreover, my wife has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar."

>More Work-Related Information (http://export.gov/advocacy/eg_main_024229.asp) and >More Personal Information (http://www.commerce.gov/blog/2011/07/11/spotlight-commerce-bryan-erwin-director-advocacy-center-international-trade-administ)

SCOTT C. JARZOMBEK

Scott C. Jarzombek, '94
Director, Pawling Free Library
NYS Digital Literacy Advisor
Likes the Mets and Gardening

Scott Jarzombek graduated (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Hartford with a BA in Sec. Ed. and History and earned a Masters from the State University at Albany in Library Science. While at the University of Hartford, he received the Presidential Volunteerism Award for his work in the Hartford, Connecticut School District. Later, while working for the Albany Public Library, he was awarded the NYS Library Assoc.'s Pied Piper Award for developing a program that introduced inner city children and teens to the creation of Web 2.0 content. (Linked In)
 
Since 2000, Scott has worked in public libraries. He is a regular speaker at library conferences on the topics of serving urban populations and social media marketing. He has also done media and book reviews for national journals and local publications. Currently, Scott is the director of the Pawling Free Library and a member of the NYS Digital Literacy Advisory Group.
 
Scott's interest in bands has continued past high school. He has
played in several bands over the years. He lives in Holmes, NY with his wife, Lindsay, and their children. The couple has a two-year-old son and a new baby boy. He still keeps his skateboard in the car, just in case.

TRICIA RAYBURN

Tricia Rayburn - '96
Career: Author
BA - Middlebury College in Am. Lit. / MFA - LIU
Visit her Website and Blogspot

Tricia Rayburn's first book, The Melting of Maggie Bean, was a final project for her Masters degree. "I was in an MFA program at LI University, nearing the completion of a creative writing degree that I wasn't sure how I'd use once I got it," she shared with second graders at Riley in 2010. "Our final assignment was to write the first 30 pages of a young adult novel . . . ."

     That was the beginning of her series of Maggie Bean books. Ms. Rayburn's book Maggie Bean Stays Afloat was chosen by First Lady Michelle Obama, as part of her Let's Read. Let's Move initiaitve in 2010. Tricia (aka T. R. Burns), who lives in East Quogue with her husband and her little dog, Murphy, has a new series of books coming out. The first book in the Merits of Mischief series is entitled The Bad Apple. This one is about a little boy named Seamus Hinkle. Don't miss it!

     Tricia writes, "I'm extremely grateful to the teachers I had growing up, including Mrs. Ralston and Mrs. Hagen at Riley, Mr. Jiran and Mr. Euell at Pulaski, and Mr. Glanz, Mdme. Nystrom, and Mrs. LeCann at RHS, who helped inspire a lifelong love of learning. Mr. Euell was an especially big proponent of reading, and I finished more books in his class than any other. This had a huge impact and I believe helped guide me toward my current career.
> SEE Simon & Schuster for more information / Cool Multimedia Promo

HOPE OSBORN

Hope Osborn - Class of 2004
Career: Soprano - Performing Artist
BA & MA - Westminster Choir College - Vocal Performance / Visit her Website
Hope Osborn, Soprano, RHS alumnus from the class of 2004, and winner of numerous vocal prizes was the Guest Artist in a recital presented by the Friends of the Riverhead Library. The concert was Sunday, April 15th in the Library.
    Ms. Osborn made her professional operatic debut with the Delaware Valley Opera Company. She has participated in the CoOperative Program for two years and sung in the Florence Voice Seminar in Florence, Italy. She has appeared as a soloist at the Lincoln Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and the New Jersey State Theater. Listen online to her music.
    Among her many awards, Ms. Osborn has twice received the Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Most recently, she was awarded a grant from the Wagner Society of New York. She is also a vocal and piano teacher in the tri-state area and has given various Master Classes.
     Hope received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and was a student of Laura Brooks Rice.

ERICA SANDERS (DANNAKER)

Erica Sanders (Dannaker)
Class of '97
Career: Senior Software Engineer
B.A. / A.B. - Harvard University -
Computer Science
Visit her LinkedIn Page

Erica Sanders (Dannaker) was the 1997 Valedictorian at Riverhead HS. She attended college at Harvard University where she received a B.A. / A.B. in computer science in 2011. Erica, who participated in drama in high school, was in the Quincy House Drama Society and was a radio DJ at WHRB while at Harvard. She is now married and living in Seattle, WA.
    Erica started her career in computer science with Microsoft in Seattle, WA. She followed that with positions in software design with Bag Borrow or Steal and PayScale. Erica is currently the Senior Software Engineer for Wishpot . . . "the best online wishlist and wedding registry service. It allows users to add items from stores anywhere, share with friends and get price alerts . . . www.wishpot.com."
   Erica is also a member of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology--"an organization that seeks to increase the impact of women on all aspects of technology. . .".

CURTIS HIGHSMITH, JR.

CURTIS HIGHSMITH, JR.
Class of 1990
Career: HSBC Senior Premier Loan Consultant
Bachelors Degree - Bryant College
Major: Business
Visit his LinkedIn Page

Curtis Highsmith is Riverhead's "go to guy" to MC and inspire a crowd. He gets the crowd going at the Homecoming Pep Rally each year and acts as Master of Ceremonies at events throughout the community. One of those annual MC events is the "Say No To Drugs" March sponsored by CAP at the Pulaski Street School. This year Mr. Highsmith's son, Curtis Highsmith, Jr., is the main speaker at this event.
     Curtis played for the Riverhead Blue Waves Football Team throughout high school, including the 1988 Rutgers Trophy Championship Team. He is the senior premier loan consultant for HSBC Bank and the chair of the Southampton Village Architectural Board of Review and Historical Preservation.
    "Mr. Highsmith is an excellent role model for Riverhead youth," notes CAP Director Felicia Socozza. "He has achieved success in spite of the many challenges that our youth continue to face today."

MEGHAN DAVIS
Meghan Davis was the 2011 Salutatorian.
Follow her
thru India.
Meghan Davis in India - Blog

MIGUEL MAYSONET

MIGUEL MAYSONET
Class of 2009
Career: Student & Football Star
College: Stony Brook University

AStony Brook senior running back Miguel Maysonet was named to the 20-member Walter Payton Award watch list announced by The Sports Network. The award is presented annually to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Maysonet was named to the FCS Preseason All-American third team.
     As a junior in 2011, Maysonet led the Seawolves' run-based offense, rushing for 15 touchdowns and a Big South Conference- and school-record 1,633 yards. He was named Big South Offensive Player of the Year in a season in which Stony Brook went undefeated in conference play and reached the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history.
     "We count on his ability to be consistent and to produce positive plays," Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore said. "He's got great balance, he finishes plays and he gets in the end zone a lot."
      Maysonet starred at RHS, winning Newsday's 2008 Hansen Award winner as the best player in Suffolk. When Hofstra dropped its football program, Maysonet transferred to Stony Brook. >NEWS