Sachem North Senior Earns Top Hispanic Youth Award

Sachem North senior Karisa Goris-Moroff recently participated in a mock debate in Albany as part of her involvement with the Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute. The debate pits students from each assembly district in a forum discussion about a relevant topic. The students stand in for their respective leader.

Goris-Moroff represented Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick during the debate after meeting with Fitzpatrick to discuss his positions on certain bills and initiatives.

But it was her success in the debate that paid off in a big way, as Goris-Moroff was selected as one of just ten students to take home the $1,000 Angelo Del Toro Scholarship. 

With the scholarship money Goris-Moroff intends to enroll at SUNY Geneseo where she'll be on a pre-med track.

"Karisa has always focused on science and math at Sachem North," Judy Goris-Moroff, Karisa's mother, stated in an email. "This type of program was her first experience in politics and debate. The experience has opened her eyes to politics and government, something she never had an interest in."

The HYLI is a program named after the late New York Sate Assemblyman Angelo Del Toro in an effort to better involve Puerto Rican and Hispanic students in the democratic process. It's been in existence since 1990 and rolls out in a number of phases.

The scholarship award is just one of those phases to help promote extended educational opportunities for Puerto Rican and Hispanic students. Goris-Moroff's family hails from the Dominican Republic.

"Certainly the scholarship money will be helpful, but I think being one of the select few to receive it helps her confidence going  into college and is the most important aspect of the honor," Judy Goris-Moroff stated. "As a mother and community member I am proud that the voice of the Latino youth is being heard and valued."