Superintendent’s Spotlight: Hank Wendell

Warwick Valley High School senior Hank Wendell has built a reputation as a leader, athlete, musician and voice of reason among his peers.

He serves as one of three student liaisons to the Warwick Valley Board of Education and as President of the National Honor Society. Outside the classroom, Wendell runs cross country and track, plays tenor saxophone in the wind ensemble and competes with the debate club.

He applied last year to be a Board of Education student representative, drawn to the opportunity to speak on behalf of his classmates. After several rounds of interviews, he was selected along with two peers. As one of three representatives, Wendell takes turns giving updates at board meetings and sharing student perspectives on district matters.

At the first meeting of the year, he was asked to weigh in on the district’s new cell phone policy.

“I was honest and I said that nobody likes it,” he said. “But I also added that it’s probably good for us.”

Last year, Wendell decided to take on a new challenge by joining the debate club. He took to it immediately, and shortly after his first debate, he was elected president.

“People encouraged me to join, and I ended up winning my first debate,” he said. “I like the art of debate, and I like trying to voice my opinions in a way that’s persuasive.”

Although he’s picked up new activities along the way, the common thread connecting his academics, athletics and music is discipline.

“You need to have discipline to be able to manage the balance,” he said. “If you’re able to get through a race like that and have the discipline to train for it, I feel like you have that same discipline in the classroom.”

That focus has helped him stay committed to running since middle school, while also balancing a full academic load, including AP Physics and biology labs, and his spot in the wind ensemble.

He plans to pursue a pre-med track in college with the goal of becoming a doctor. West Point’s competitive pre-med program is first on his list, though he has several schools in mind.

To prepare, he has sought out opportunities for personal growth and leadership, including West Point’s Summer Leadership Program, where he trained alongside students from across the globe and experienced life as a cadet.

As a testament to his leadership, Wendell was nominated by the Parents Club of West Point and received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award. He also attended American Legion Boys’ State, a week-long program where he served as sergeant-at-arms in a simulation of state government.

“I learned that democracy is messy,” he said. “It showed me how delicate it is, and how quickly things can go downhill.”

Looking ahead, he said he is excited to return to the track after an injury sidelined him last season, earn the best grades he can and prepare for college, where he also hopes to continue running.

His advice to younger students is rooted in the discipline he practices daily.

“Don’t waste time,” he said. “I procrastinate a lot, and it catches up with you. Don’t procrastinate, because it makes everything harder to manage.”