Month: August 2026

By Angie Larrea
Hempstead High School

For Jonnae Greene, transitioning from homeschooling to Baldwin Senior High School meant more than adjusting to a new classroom. 

It meant overcoming assumptions about her abilities. And while many students might have been discouraged by the challenge, Jonnae used it as motivation.

“People started perceiving it as, ‘Oh, you need to catch up,'” she recalled. “And boom—I just started scoring from there.”  

The 16-year-old, who has spent her whole life in Freeport, began her schooling in the Baldwin public school district’s Brookside Elementary School. She was taught at home during her middle school years. She greeted returning to a traditional classroom with arms open. Overcoming any obstacles of transitioning, she is now an award-winning, family-motivated and resilient teenager who strives to succeed via vigorous work.

 “I’ll definitely say going into in person schooling, it was like you had to prove yourself, because people automatically think ‘Oh you’re homeschooled, so you’re not up to date with what other students are doing,’” she said, “but when I’m given a challenge, I become so focused on accomplishing it. So immediately when I got to school I started excelling in all my classes. You really only get one chance to do high school so I always believed I might as well do my best.”

She puts her all out there by joining the Youth Change Leader Collaborative Studios, which is a student-organized club at her school with award-winning student broadcasters. Jonnae also contributes to her school’s local news show, “What’s Bruin?” She also enjoys art, music and gaming.

Jonnae’s mother, Jamilah Greene, commented that Jonnae has always been a risk taker as well as logical and organized in achieving her goals. “Whatever her responsibilities are, she is highly disciplined. She has a remarkably high work ethic to learn.” 

Jonnae credits her mother and grandmother, Beatrice, for being a major source of motivation in her life. Jonnae describes her grandma’s house as being “wrapped in warmth and encouragement.”

Jonnae’s passion for journalism began when she enrolled in her high school’s four-year media program. “At the start of high school, I knew nothing about media.” she said.  “And then I was like, ‘you know what? If I put my mind to it, and I’m willing to put the effort in to make it work. I know I can start the journey immediately.’” 

Her dedication and willingness to embrace new opportunities persuaded her to apply to the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists. “I hope to gain more experience.” Jonnae said. “I’m excited to network and meet people from schools all around New York. I know I want to go into college for media so this gives me insight into what steps I’ll take after I graduate.”

By May Bar
Hendrick Hudson High School

Christopher Cabrera is someone who fills the room with his optimistic energy and character. 

The rising junior at Brentwood High School is known as a very cheerful and upbeat person, according to his friend Jonathan Ramos, whom he has known since the first grade. Though many people know him for his bright personality, he is also a person of many interests: social studies, photography and journalism.

Christopher grew up in Brentwood with his three siblings, Leslie, Brandon and Kimberly Cabrera. His parents, Damaris and Fredi Cabrera, are immigrants from El Salvador. Growing up in Brentwood with this background gave Christopher a unique point of view.

This is also what sparked Christopher’s interest in journalism, which he is studying in school. “Being historically educated is very important and can help in gaining a perspective into the wider world,” said Christopher, whose favorite subject is history.

Christopher sees journalism as a way to change the world, but he also takes a more hands-on approach. He volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, helping to build houses for families that don’t have one. On one project, Christopher got to sign his name on a wall of a house. This memory is very special to him because it exemplifies Christopher’s commitment to “help this beautiful family have a house.”

Film photography is also a major interest for Christopher. “I found this old Pentax camera that my dad used to have and I thought that if I could get this to work, I could experiment around with it.” Christopher said.

Jonathan said that Christopher believes “photography as a medium is incredible since photography is one of the few things where you can capture a moment rather than just picturing it.”  

Another hobby is repairing old computers that would otherwise be considered e-waste. Christopher said it is a “fun side-project to bring life back into old systems.” 

Christopher’s many interests and hobbies all play a part in his work as a journalist. “I believe that my participation in the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists will both help me flesh out my current skills in journalism and further develop in other aspects that I’m currently not as proficient in,” Christopher said.

By Isabella Davis
Sacred Heart Academy

Haru Dukanac has always been surrounded by different languages and traditions.

The 16-year-old from Scarsdale in Westchester embraces the gift of languages and the insight they offer to different cultures.

Growing up in a multicultural household — her father, Vuk Dukanac from Belgrade, Serbia, and her mom, Mina Dukanac from Gifu, Japan – Haru has been surrounded by different languages and traditions from birth. 

Now, she can speak, read and understand Japanese and English, and she is currently studying French and is a member of the French Honor Society at Eastchester High School.

Her curiosity towards languages extends outside her home and the classroom. She organizes events for her school Asian Club. “Although the club isn’t big yet, it has helped me get more involved in my school community by socializing with other students from different grades, and with teachers who I have never had classes with before,” she said. 

Outside of school, Haru spends her summers as a counselor at Tokyo Frost Valley, a summer camp located in Claryville, New York. The camp was established in 1979 to help Japanese American youth learn the language, enjoy the outdoors and build a strong sense of community. Haru has attended this camp since she was seven, which has allowed her to make lifelong friends and learn more about her Japanese heritage.

“I’ve built so many relationships with people that have been going strong for years now, and it’s such a unique experience that I look forward to every other summer,” she said. 

Her love for language studies and embracing the cultures around her has not only enriched her understanding of different backgrounds and introduced her to new people, but it has influenced her love for writing and has helped her develop meaningful connections among her family, friends and those around her.

“Haru is an amazing listener,” said her friend Rebecca Derise from Eastchester High School. “Haru is definitely a very curious person who loves to know about my life and the lives of our friends. She is very good at telling stories and showing her concern for others and their lives.” 

“I feel as though my gravitation to learning about different cultures correlates to my love for writing because I’ve been exposed to so many different people and environments and all of those people have their own story of how they got where they are now,” Haru said. 

Her passion for writing and sharing stories led her to join her school newspaper club, where she covered topics such as new classes, schedule updates and any changes that have taken place in the school environment.

This summer, she hopes to continue developing her skills at the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists.  

Haru explained, “I signed up for this program as I was searching for opportunities for me to explore my skills and interests and utilize them in a more serious atmosphere. I want to see if I really am interested in taking on journalism as a career, even though I know that the skills I learn and the skills that I polish will be greatly valuable.”

By Kayci Guardado
Central Islip High School

Given a notebook by her family because they were often too tired to listen to her talk, 16-year-old Yennifer A. Soriano began her writing career for a silent audience.

“I liked to talk a lot when I was a little kid, so my family wasn’t here enough to hear me talk or was too tired to listen, so they gave me a notebook and I would write anything,” Yennifer recounted. “My family always saw me writing about food reviews, stories, anything.” 

The art of putting words on paper gradually evolved into journalism. “When I finally entered school, I was in book programs, reading, anything literature-related.” This caught the eye of her Hempstead High School AP seminar teacher, Cara Franchino, who introduced her to the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists. 

Driven by a desire to test her passion in the real world, Yennifer applied to the program to “see journalism from sort of a professional form instead of the usual self-learnt form of journalism.” Ultimately, her main goal is to discover whether she wants to turn her lifelong love for storytelling into a professional career.

Yennifer’s friend of nine years, Zierrah Owens, said, “I think Yennifer deciding to pursue journalism is realistic. After knowing her for many years and being with her as we grew, I think her passions directly and indirectly point her in the direction of pursuing journalism, so this isn’t a surprise.”

Behind her relentless drive is her older brother, Jason, whom Yennifer credits as her greatest role model and a vital figure in shaping her storytelling journey. ”My mom wasn’t really around when I was little because she was busy working,” Yennifer explained. “So, the only person I really had was my older brother and he taught me a lot that I still use today.”

Jason deeply influenced Yennifer’s perspective and her desire to support others. “What I want people to remember me is how no matter what I was always there like how others were for me,” she said. 

This dedication for showing up is demonstrated in her daily responsibilities. “I babysit two little kids. I have done it consistently for about a year.” She does it while being on the Principal’s List, participating in the art club and crafting media in the photography club. 

Balancing her work ethic requires navigating a complex home life. “There are some days where it is great, some days where it is horrible and I want to leave. However, my family … will always be at the top of my list that I care about.” 

By Haru Dukanac
Eastchester High School

Isabella Davis has always been adept at socializing, which she believes defines her and is a critical attribute of becoming successful as the journalist she someday wants to be.

Isabella (Izzy), a rising junior at Sacred Heart Academy, describes Freeport, where she resides, as “a small, close-knit Catholic community” where she attended Catholic schools. “My faith has always played a huge part in my upbringing and has shaped the way I live and my perspective on life!”, she said.

 Isabella believes that a part of her faith is growing to appreciate and respect other people, which fueled her interest in learning about other people’s religions, backgrounds and cultures. These interests are reflected by the activities that she does inside and outside of school. Isabella is the secretary of her school’s Spanish Club, goes to Mandarin school on Sundays and regularly teaches at St. Aidan’s Parish, a religious school in Williston Park, after school. 

An especially eye-opening exposure to other cultures was going to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador for community service in February. There, she painted a K-12 school and had the opportunity to communicate with children in Spanish and English, being bilingual. She listened to different stories and how children there lived. “I gained a new perspective on what life and education is like for youth across the equator,” she explained.

Isabella’s positive attitude is attested to by her friend, Violet Dindyal, who participated with her on the school track team. “Izzy works so hard in track and always encouraged us to do our best,” Violet said. “She brings everyone together in our group, so we all feel included and supported.” 

Isabella’s been surrounded by people who are more into math and science while she leans towards humanities and English. She signed up for the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists this summer because she wants to meet people with her similar interests, particularly writing, and polish her skills. “It’s very rare to find someone with as many similar interests as you,” she concluded.