Carissimi Colleghe e Colleghi,

I hope you had a truly dynamic and active start to the new academic year even if you had to rely on Zoom meetings or in-person wearing masks.

As teachers, we play an important role in helping students move from dreaming to becoming. We encourage and direct students to continue to pursue their dreams by becoming members of the National Italian Honor Society/Società Onaria Italica and by registering for the AATI National Italian Examination.

On behalf of everyone, as President of the Società Onoraria Italica, I would like to congratulate Teresa Sengel, World Language Chairperson at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, NJ for accepting the position of Vice-President of the Società Onoraria Italica and Bruna Boyle, Adjunct Professor at the University of URI, for accepting the position of Treasurer/Secretary.

I would also like to congratulate Elisabetta Franchi, the recipient of the $1,000 scholarship offered by the Società Onoraria Italica. Elizabetta has just begun her master’s program at Brooklyn College. In bocca al lupo, Elisabetta! A second scholarship of also $1,000 was awarded to Karen Morano to complete her master’s degree at la Scuola Italiana di Middlebury.

In the Fall of 2020, The Società Onoraria Italica and the ITA-AATI, NY chapter, sponsored a virtual presentation on Gianni Rodari, Quando la fantasia diventa impegno, by Prof. Tania Covertini.

This past spring, the Italian Heritage and Culture Committee-NY, Inc. and the American Association of Teachers of Italian-Società Onoraria Italica sponsored the essay contest “Dante 700!” to encourage high school students in the Tri-state area to write about their study of the Italian culture and history. The winners (one in each category) received a monetary award of $200:

1) Harry Finnegan, a 9th grader from Don Bosco Preparatory High School in NJ, for his essay written in Italian on Analyze Dante’s legacy and influence in the world, submitted by Prof. Karen McSherry.

2) Sebastien L. Schonfeld, an 11^th grader from Fox Lane High School, for his essay written in Italian on Dante Alighieri, submitted by Mrs. Vittoria Buzzetto.

Again, we applaud Harry and Sebastien and we would like to remind teachers to encourage all their students to participate in this annual essay contest.

In addition, on behalf of the Società Onoraria Italica, I would like to congratulate the following students for distinguishing themselves on the AATI National Italian Contest Examination. Each received a monetary award of $100.

During the academic year of 2020-2021, a total 2,468 students were inducted into the Società Onoraria Italica. Below is a complete list of active schools:

Colorado

• Centennial High School – Pueblo
• Central High School – Pueblo

Connecticut

• Bristol Eastern High School
• Derby High School – Derby
• Fairfield Warde High School – Fairfield
• Greenwich High School – Greenwich
• Francis T. Maloney High School – Meriden
• John F. Kennedy High School – Waterbury
• Mercy High School – Middletown
• Newington High School – Newington
• Northwestern Regional High School – Winsted
• North Haven High School – North Haven
• Plainville High School – Plainville
• Staples High School – Westport
• Southington High School – Southington
• The Hopkins School – New Haven
• Trumbull High School – Trumbull
• Wethersfield High School – Wethersfield
• Woodland Regional High School – Beacon Falls

Florida                                                                                                                                    

• Gulliver Preparatory School – Pinecrest
• International Studies Preparatory Academy (ISPA) – Coral Gables
• La Salle High School – Miami
• Mater Lakes Academy – Hialeah

Illinois                                                 

• East Leyden High School – Franklyn Park
• Elk Grove High School – Elk Grove
• Glenbard North High School – Carol Stream
• IC Catholic Prep – Elmhurst
• Marist High School – Chicago
• Marmion Academy – Aurora
• Resurrection College Prep – Chicago
• Rolling Meadows High School – Rolling Meadows
• York Community High School – Elmhurst
• Wheeling High School – Wheeling

Maryland

• Everett High School – Everett
• John F. Kennedy High School – Silver Spring
• Medford High School – Medford
• Nipmuc Regional High School – Upton
• Woburn Memorial High School – Woburn

Massachusetts

• Arlington High School – Arlington
• Billerica Memorial High School – Billerica
• Medford High School – Medford                                                                        
• Winchester High School – Winchester
• Woburn Memorial High School, Woburn

New Jersey

• Academy of the Holy Angels – Demarest
• Bridgewater-Raritan High School – Bridgewater
• Brick Township High School – Brick
• Cedar Grove High School – Cedar Grove
• Cresskill High School – Cresskill
• Don Bosco Prep. High School – Ramsey
• East Brunswick High School – East Brunswick
• Elizabeth High School – Elizabeth
• Elmwood Park Memorial High School – Elmwood Park
• Freehold Township High School – Freehold
• Governor Livingston High School – Berkeley Heights
• Henry P. Becton Regional High School – East Rutherford
• Indian Hills High School – Oakland
• Jackson Liberty High School – Jackson
• Jackson Memorial High School – Jackson
• P. Stevens High School – Edison
• Kearny High School – Kearny
• Madison High School – Madison
• Mount Olive High School – Flanders
• Mount Saint Mary Academy – Watchung
• North Brunswick Township High School – North Brunswick
• North Plainfield High School – North Plainfield
• Notre Dame High School – Lawrenceville
• Ocean Township High School – Oakhurst
• Old Bridge High School – Matawan
• Paramus Catholic High School – Paramus
• Paramus High School – Paramus
• Parsippany Hills High School – Parsippany Hills
• Paul VI High School – Haddonfield
• Piscataway High School – Morganville
• Point Pleasant Beach High School -Point Pleasant Beach
• Roxbury High School – Roxbury
• Seton Hall Prep – West Orange
• John Vianney High School – Holmdel
• Peter’s Preparatory – Jersey City
• Vernon Township High School – Vernon
• West Essex High School – North Caldwell
• Westwood Regional High School – Township of Washington
• West Milford High School – West Milford

New York

• Ardsley High School – Ardslay
• Brentwood High School – Brentwood
• Carle Place High School – Carle Place
• Centereach High School – Centereach
• Clarkstown High School -West Nyack
• Deer Park High School – Deer Park
• Eastchester High School – Eastchester
• Elwood John Glenn High School – Elwood
• Farmingdale High School – Farmingdale
• Fordham Preparatory School – Bronx
• Francis Lewis High School – Fresh Meadows
• Garden City High School – Garden City
• Half Hollow Hills High School – Dix Hills                                                                        
• Harborfields High School – Greenlawn
• Hendrick Hudson High School – Montrose
• Islip High School – Islip
• John F. Kennedy High School – Bellmore
• John Jay Sr. High School – Hopewell Junction
• Kings Park High School – Kings Park
• Lakeland High School – Cortland Manor
• Mahopac High School – Mahopac
• Manhasset High School – Manhasset
• Maria Regina High School – Garden City
• Maria Regina High School – Hartsdale
• Massapequa High School – Massapequa
• Monroe-Woodbury High School – Central Valley
• McClancy Memorial High School – East Elmhurst
• Newfield High School – Selden
• North Babylon High School – North Babylon
• Our Lady of Lourdes High School – Poughkeepsie
• Pearl River High School – Pearl River
• Pelham Memorial High School – Pelham
• Plainview Old Bethpage JFK High School – Plainview
• Port Chester High School – Port Chester
• Preston High School – Bronx
• Roosevelt High School – Yonkers
• Roy C. Ketcham High School – Wappingers Falls
• Rye Neck High School – Mamaroneck
• Sachem North High School – Lake Ronkonkoma
• Sanford H. Calhoun High School – Merrick
• Sewanhaka High School – Floral Park
• Somers High School – Somers
• Dominic High School – Oyster Bay
• Francis Preparatory School – Fresh Meadows
• John the Baptist – West Islip
• Joseph Hill Academy – Staten Island
• Tappan Zee High School – Orangeburg
• The Wheatley School – Old Westbury
• Tuckahoe High School – Tuckahoe
• Valhalla High School – Valhalla
• Walt Whitman High School – Huntington Station
• Walter Panas High School – Cortland Manor
• Wellington C. Mepham High School – Bellmore
• West Islip High School – West Islip
• Yonkers High School – Yonkers
• Yonkers Montessori Academy – Yonkers
• Xavier High School – Manhattan

Ohio

• Boardman High School – Boardman
• Poland High School – Poland

Pennsylvania

• Reed Henderson High School – West Chester
• Bishop Shanahan High School – Downingtown
• East High School – West Chester
• Nazareth High School – Philadelphia
• Villa Joseph Marie High School – Holland

Rhode Island                                                               

• Cranston High School East – Cranston
• La Salle Academy – Cranston
• Westerly High School – Westerly

                 Puerto Rico

• Academia del Perpetuo Socorro – San Juan
• Academia Maria Reina – San Juan
• Saint John’s School – San Juan
• TASID Dorado – Dorado

I would like to remind ALL advisors of the SOI that when you submit your requisitions, please indicate the date of the induction so that I will know when to forward the material to you for the ceremony. Also, when you send an email, please make sure to write the name of your school and its state after your name as required by the application. Even though, I know most of you by name, there are times when I am unable to remember the name of your school. Timely intervention is critical sometimes on both parts.

And finally, I would like to thank all the teachers and the AATI Regional Representatives for your support in helping us meet the needs of many students enrolled in Italian programs.

Wishing you and your students a great academic year,

Lucrezia Lindia

President, Società Onoraria Italica

https://aati.uark.edu/national-italian-honor-society/