Luke Dignazio

College level sports, and other institutional activities, I believe, help a student become fully integrated and assimilated to the the school they are attending. Therefore it helps with adjustment and transition from high school to college since you will be with people of the same interests and experiences you are dealing with.

One of my teammates, suffered a tragic family loss recently. I was part of a group that put together a fundraiser (golf outing sponsored by the football and wrestling teams) for his family to help them financially so they can stay in the school district. We solicited businesses and individuals for prize donations, hole sponsors and participants.

Having two older brothers successfully attend college as student athletes, (football and rugby Moravian College) has shown me what is needed to achieve this goal. Having a healthy athletic performance is not only eating right, working out and practicing hard, it is meeting with teachers and advisers, attending class and study halls or getting tutors and combining everything so things come together smoothly. To do this a daily time schedule has to be prepared and adhered to, stay ahead of the class syllabus, and address any challenges immediately.

At the end of my junior year, I was elected to the student council board as a Student Ambassador. My role as an ambassador will be to work with community groups, ie. seniors and adolescents, to help our school outreach into the community with reading groups or performances etc.

Additionally, at the end of my junior year, the West Essex faculty selected me to become a member of the school's Peer Leadership program. This program is designed to assist the incoming junior high students become acclimated with the senior high school. Within the Peer group itself, the faculty has selected me to become the senior peer leader.

Both programs will allow me to give back my positive experiences I've had a West Essex and hopefully help reflect those on others so they too can enjoy the experience what high school can bring them.