Whiz Kid: Alexa Ruggiero Musician, Honor Roll Student, and More

Name: Alexa Ruggiero -- Age 17

School: Miller Place High School - 12th grade

Whiz Kid's Accomplishment:
Alexa has been a well rounded student during her four years at Miller Place High School.  She has been on the Honor Roll since her freshman year and has challenged herself with three college level courses.  She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Foreign Language Honor Society for Italian.  Alexa has been a member of her school's select chorus and was the recipient of the Select Chorus High Achievement Award.  She has participated in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) competitions each year since 2007.  Her high scores earned her a spot in the Suffolk County Music Educators Association (SCMEA) and the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education (NYSCAME) festivals.  The best vocal performers in the county are selected for these festivals. She had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the National Honor Society induction, the Varsity football playoff game and the Dig Pink fund raiser.  In addition, the senior sang "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked in the Pop Jazz Concert.

Keys to awesomeness: Alexa is an active member of her high school's Varsity Club and Service Club.  She was on the Varsity spring track team for one season and on the JV and Varsity volleyball teams for four seasons. An active community volunteer, she has been a Girl Scout for the past 12 years, earning the Bronze Award and Silver Award while participating in many community service activities, including volunteering her time with the Lighthouse Mission and the Island Dog Foundation.  She also volunteers for the United Methodist Church and her volleyball team's annual Dig Pink fund raiser for breast cancer research and awareness.  Alexa is a junior firefighter with the Sound Beach Fire Department.

Through the years, Alexa has been employed as a camp counselor for the North Shore Youth Council and a babysitter.  She is awaiting her college acceptance letters and considering a career as a speech language pathologist or an educator.