Giuseppe Cruciata
Myself Third Spirit of New York 2005 Scholarship Winner
John Dewey High School
Kingsborough Community College
"[Giuseppe] is a young man who is quite self-motivated and driven to perfection. As his teacher, I was able to observe his performance in the classroom as well as in the laboratory. In terms of his intellectual capacity, Joseph shows great potential. He has always expressed himself clearly and creatively in both written and oral presentation. In the laboratory, he has performed all experimentation precisely and with curiosity. In working with his fellow students, I have always known Joseph to be a leader and yet supportive of their abilities and ideas."
—Science Teacher
Work, Volunteer, and Extra-Curricular Activities
- Volunteer, Coney Island Hospital
- Member, Health Occupations for Students of America
- Member, Federation of Italian Americans Organization (FIAO) Soccer Team
Excerpts from Giuseppe's Essay
Coney Island Hospital is located in the culturally diverse area of Brighton Beach. I enjoyed volunteering there over the past few months. Even though I was not given much responsibility as a volunteer, I did learn some information, which would help me become a successful physician one day. I learned about the HIPPA laws, which state that a health care provider must not use any personal bias, such as skin color or nationality, in treating their patients.
One time, I saw a Hispanic patient who had just undergone treatment for an ulcer and was in severe pain. The nurses told him that the pain was usual, and then I heard them say that "most Latinos complain too much." It turned out that the patient was bleeding internally and suffered dire consequences because they made him wait so long before stopping the bleeding. This made me realize the importance of having compassion and empathy for other people. This experience also made me feel stronger about being a physician.
Through my involvement in the community, I discovered the importance of democracy. Without democracy, people could not express themselves, whether it be performing brain surgery or researching why cancer cells reproduce so quickly. Democracy has created many compassionate and considerate people, and I plan to become one of them.
