Top 10 People of 2011

Students, volunteers, athletes and business owners made Patch's Top 10 People of 2011. Review what makes these community members stand out with our list below.

1. Tiffany Harrington -

Blue Point resident Tiffany Harrington may excel as a leader, but her ability to learn from others is one of the traits that placed her among 230 other students, five from Long Island, who were named Bank of America Student Leaders. As part of the program, Harrington attended the week-long Bank of America Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, and interned at the Education and Assistance Corporation (EAC) in Ronkonkoma this summer.

2. Steve Kuhn -

Patch caught up 42-year Sayville resident Steve Kuhn, a Sayville clammer who makes his living on the Great South Bay. Kuhn talked about his creation – Clam Power – as it marked its 40th anniversary.

3. Erin Nicosia -  

After finding much success at the , longtime Sayville resident Erin Nicosia decided to fulfill her dream and open her own shop. in West Sayville opened in early summer 2010.

4. Shannon Murphy -

In her 17 years, senior Shannon Murphy has mastered a foreign language and the art of dance, but lately her academic skills have taken center stage, garnering her national recognition as a Commended Student.

6. It's a tie! Bayport-Blue Point and Sayville Class of 2011 Valedictorians

Brandon O'Brien -

Valedictorian Brandon O’Brien said he worked extremely hard in high school to earn the top spot in his class. He was president of the Ecology Club, vice president of National Honor Society and co-captain of the Science Olympiad Team, all while taking 10 AP classes.

O’Brien joined Ivy League this fall at Cornell University. He is studying natural resources.

Tracey Rosa -

Rosa also headed to Cornell University this fall. She is majoring in Human Biology, Health, and Society and would like to be a pediatrician. Rosa on the varsity swim team for five years, and served as co-captain for the last two years. She was also president of the national honor society her senior year and took part in two other community service clubs, Anchor Club and SWEEP, an environmental service club. The science-minded student participated in the research in science and engineering program, in which she conducted a genetics study on dragonflies.

7. Michelle Gillette -

Bayport-Blue Point alum Michelle Gillette saw an opportunity to launch a business dedicated to the preparation and sale of only gluten free goodies. Gillette’s bake shop, Ms. Michelle’s Urban Gourmet, located at 572 Middle Road in Bayport, had a grand opening celebration Memorial Day weekend 2011. Gillette may be self-taught in gluten free baking, but she does have a culinary background: She holds a degree in Pastry Arts and was a culinary instructor at the Ross School (Lower) in Bridgehampton. It was through her time at Ross that Gillette discovered the need for readily available, freshly baked gluten free products. Her bakery has been a hit since it opened.

8. Jennifer McNamara -

FDNY Firefighter John F. McNamara's widow Jennifer works to fulfill her husband’s last wish by creating a foundation in his name to raise money for a Blue Point community center. Establishing a center would bring a cherished wish of John’s to fruition. Blue Point's own John and Jennifer discussed the idea towards the end of his life. In 2009, John lost his life to what his family said was a 9/11-related illness, as he worked at Ground Zero for an extended period of time- both as a first responder, and later, as a tour guide.

9. Laura Rogacki -

The chamber president started an adoption support group called “Mommy’s Angels." There is no charge for hopeful adoptive families and individuals, families that have already begun the process or people who just want to find out information. Rogacki explained that she was fortunate enough to have a friend support, encourage and cheer her on as she navigated the adoption journey and she is looking forward to sharing that with other families.

Meetings are held the first thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the . Contact Laura Rogacki, 631-363-5794 to inquire.

10. Sayville Football and Bayport-Blue Point Lacrosse teams

Sayville left with an abundance of hardware at this year's Suffolk County Football Coaches Association dinner. The Golden Flashes won the Rutgers Trophy, presented to the top team in Suffolk County annually. It's the third time in school history (2004 and 1972) they've won the honor. Rob Hoss was honored as top coach, while Steven Ferreira won the top QB award.

In the fall, Sayville Westhampton Beach in the Suffolk County Division III championship and Lawrence in the Class III Long Island title game. The Golden Flashes were the only undefeated team on Long Island this season with a 12-0 record.

LAX County Title Comes To Bayport-Blue Point

The Phantoms topped Mt. Sinai 8-7 on June 1 to capture the Suffolk County Class C title. On June 4, Bayport-Blue Point outscored Nassau County Class A champ Cold Spring Harbor 8-1 in the second half en route to a 13-6 victory and the Long Island Class C title. B-BP’s cinderella season ended June 11 [Bayport-Blue Point Boys Lacrosse Falls in Title Game] with a 14-6 loss to Cazenovia in the state Boys Lacrosse Class C championship game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.