Sergeant Michael S. Curtin was appointed to the NYPD in January 1988 after serving 12 years in active duty in the United States Marine Corps. He was originally assigned to the Emergency Services unit in 1991 but saw his police career interrupted when he was called to duty during Operation Desert Storm. Serving on the front lines, he held the rank of Gunnery Sergeant and retired from the Reserves as a Sergeant Major. After returning to the NYPD, he responded to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and was assigned to the Oklahoma City rescue efforts.
Michael Curtin was promoted to Sergeant in 1995 and subsequently served as a security guard at Walt Whitman High School. On September 11, 2001, he was called into action and tragically perished during World Trade Center rescue efforts. The students recognized for this award are nominated by their teachers in his honor for demonstrating exemplary citizenship. Rather than emphasizing academics or athletics, these awards focus on character and compassion. They are about how students live their daily lives and how much they do for others without asking for anything in return. They are about what makes Whitman such a special place, and what makes South Huntington such a special community.
Congratulations to Walt Whitman’s 2023/2024 Michael S. Curtin Citizenship Award recipients:
Katelyn Adams, Syed Ahmed, Ingrid Alas Castillo, Zafirah Ali, Christopher Alvarenga Paz, Chelsea Artz, Matthew Blair, Juliet Boccia, Daniel Borden, Daniel Bozic, Rosalia Campo, Natalie Canales Cruz, Blake Carmosin, Heilin Chavez, Brittny Cisneros Campos, Joshua Clopper, Lizette Colato, James Cruz, Juan Diaz Chica, Chloe Driscoll, Robert Dunn, Damitrae Ellis, Alexandro Feliciano, Diego Flores, Cayla Garcia, Urthanishcar Georges, Daniel Golembiowski, Garrett Goodwin, Madison Gottlieb, Jesse Green, John Hackett, Iliana Halegua Hale, Griffin Hamilton, Nicolas Hampton, Surya Hans, Maritza Hernandez Gomez, Andresa Hernandez Perez, Chase Hinson, Nicholas Humann, Natalie Jerome, Marissa Karcher, Lauren Kispert, Thomas Kliampas, Sarah Larice, Daniela Licona, Anne Marie Lindor, James Lombardi, Emma Lucana, Dakota Madrid, Mackenzie Magee, Peter Maniatis, Smarlyn Marte Nunez, Milagros Mendez Espinal, Alex Messerschmitt, Marcus Nazario, Katie Nunez, Kathleen O’Mara, Hannah O’Neill, Jeffry Ochoa Martinez, Alexandra Palazzo, Zachary Pasquini, Elian Perez Santana, Tamia Russell, Kahlief Sands, Andrew Shaneberger, Nicholas Simonetti, Tyniah Smith, Raymond Spatafora Seiller, Delana Steenson, Gregory Tenner, LaMaya Trotman, Osmid Velasquez, Jasmine Veliz Carrillo, Miladys Vila Saz, Timothy Wagner, Luke Wiggins, Sawyer Wright
Michael S. Curtin Citizenship Award Slideshow
Teachers who nominated this year’s award recipients were invited to join in the celebration of their students.
Students proudly take their picture with the citizenship award plaque, which will be displayed at the high school for years to come.