South Country School District’s head athletic trainer, Gina Harris, has been recognized with the prestigious District 2 Athletic Trainer of the Year Award by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee and as a finalist for the National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award.  She will formally accept her award in June at the 76th NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in Orlando, Florida.

Harris earned the recognition for her dedication, professionalism, mentoring and volunteerism following a nomination and application process. She was selected from a pool of applicants from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

It’s an incredible honor to be named the District 2 Athletic Trainer of the Year,” said Harris. “I’m proud to represent my region and even prouder to make a meaningful impact on the lives of the student-athletes I work with every day.” She added, “Athletic training is about more than injury care — it’s about connection, mentorship and helping young people grow through adversity. We’re not just building stronger athletes — we’re helping shape stronger, more resilient individuals.

Harris, who has served as head athletic trainer at Bellport High School since 2017, is a board-certified athletic trainer with over a decade of experience in emergency response, injury prevention and athlete performance. She earned her Bachelor of Science in athletic training from SUNY Cortland and her Master of Science in exercise physiology and sports nutrition from LIU Brooklyn, where she worked with high-caliber athletes, including three-time Olympic medalist Brendon Rodney and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman.

She recently completed a Master of Science in applied clinical nutrition from Northeast College of Health Sciences, enhancing her ability to support student-athletes in both performance and recovery through an integrative approach to care.

In 2023, Harris was nationally recognized as the sole recipient of the Henry Schein Medical Rising Star Award, presented to one emerging athletic training professional across all practice settings in the country. This prestigious award honors early-career athletic trainers who demonstrate exceptional clinical skill, leadership and impact on the profession.

“Mrs. Harris is a tremendous asset to the South Country Central School District,” said Martino Sottile, director of health, physical education and interscholastic athletics. “Her professionalism and care for our student-athletes is unmatched, and she consistently goes above and beyond for our kids. She is constantly looking to grow and expand, earning various certifications and continuously evolving. It's no surprise to me that she is being recognized as one of the best athletic trainers in the nation.”

The South Country School District extends its congratulations to Harris on this impressive accomplishment.

 

Date Added: 4/24/2025

The South Country School District congratulates seniors Ella Masem and Nevaeh Pedraza on being named to Newsday’s Top 50 Long Island Girls Track and Field Athletes. Ella, who has committed to run at Syracuse University, was recognized for running 2:12.86 in the 800-meter at the Nike Indoor Nationals, earning her the fifth-best time among Long Island runners. Nevaeh was recognized for jumping 18 feet, 2 inches in the long jump, earning 13th place in the state. She also ranked 18th in the state in the 55-meter race.

 

Date Added: 4/23/2025

Bellport High School students had an opportunity to explore future college and career options at the guidance department's Spring College and Career Fair. During the event, students learned more from college representatives, local business professionals and emergency personnel.

Date Added: 4/15/2025

Bellport Middle School and Bellport High School trombonists recently joined 50 trombonists from across Long Island for the Longwood Trombone Clinic. As part of the clinic, high school juniors Sebastian Pistorino and Zachary St. Juste, eighth grader Claudio Pineda-Segura and seventh grader Dominick Comanzo rehearsed and performed with fellow trombonists. The students were conducted by Professor Jonathan Lombardo from SUNY Fredonia. They also played alongside members of the SUNY Fredonia Trombone Choir. The event helped the musicians learn and improve their techniques and work with college students to prepare for an exciting culminating performance.

Date Added: 3/28/2025

Bellport High School has announced the top 10 students of the Class of 2025. Leading the group are Keshavi Shah and Maya Dixit, who will serve as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, and Lily Seif, the class essayist. The three seniors earned the top spots through their outstanding commitment to academics. Rounding out the list of high-achieving seniors are Anthony Costanza, Nicole Alvarado-Diaz, Ryan Seubert, Jannat Majid, Kaitlyn Schuessler, Lauren La Grega and Erin Dupaya.

Shah is an AP Scholar with Distinction, president of her school’s Science Bowl team, vice president of the Math Honor Society, and a member of the National, Science and English honor societies. She also participates in Key Club, the Multicultural Club and the WISE program. Outside of school, she conducts research through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s MITES STEM program.

Shah will be attending Rice University on a full four-year college scholarship through the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship Program. She plans to study mechanical engineering.

Equally impressive is Maya Dixit, an AP Scholar with Distinction who will graduate with an AP Capstone diploma. She is president of her school’s Math Honor Society and French Club, vice president of the Science Bowl team, and treasurer of the English Honor Society and Class of 2025 council. She is also a member of the National, French and Tri-M Music honor societies and participates in the WISE program. As a multitalented musician, Dixit plays the French horn, trumpet and flugelhorn in her school’s jazz band and pit orchestra. On the athletic front, she is a varsity tennis player, serves as captain of her team and holds an All-League title in the sport.

She plans to study applied mathematics in college.

Lily Seif is also an AP Scholar with Distinction and will be graduating with an AP Capstone designation. She is treasurer of her school’s Science Honor Society, vice president of the Future Teachers of America Club and a former president of Key Club. She is a member of her school’s National, English and French honor societies, as well. Additionally, she participates in the WISE program.

She plans to study biochemistry on a pre-med track in the fall.

Click here to meet the Val and Sal!

Date Added: 3/18/2025