Deer Park National Merit Semifinalist Is All-around Achiever

Andreas Stamatakis, a student from Deer Park, has been named a semifinalist in the 59th annual 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program, a competition that recognizes academic achievements, according to a statement from the school district.

A senior in the high school, Stamatakis was ranked second in Deer Park’s top 10 of the Class of 2014 and was recognized for his  test results in the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. He placed among the top one percent of over 1.5 million student who took the PSAT as juniors in New York State. He was named an AP Scholar of Distinction, scoring 100 on seven out of 12 Regents exams and he got a perfect 5 out of 5 on all six Advanced Placement exams that he took.

He also serves as president of the Deer Park Academic Team and is a member of the school’s National Honor Society, Italian Honor Society and Math Team.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Andreas possesses the intelligence, focus and determination to accomplish great things in the future,” said Meryl Fischer, his guidance counselor. "He is a young man of rare ability whose potential is unlimited. Wherever he goes, he will leave his mark as he has at Deer Park High School.”

But Stamatakis' achievements actually go beyond the school walls and traditional academics for kids of his age.

He has worked as an intern in the physics department at Brookhaven National Laboratory last summer. He wants to take a double major in economics and physics after her graduates this year.

He is serving as co-president of the Science Olympiad team and as president of Suffolk County DECA for 2013-2014. a business-focused school organization. Stamatakis finished in first place in Suffolk County DECA competitions and in the top 10 in New York State in both 2012 and 2013.

He is also fluent in Italian and Greek and has competed on the school varsity swim team for the past five years.

Along with about 16,000 other semifinalists, Stamatakis will continue in the competition for 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring.