WVCSD Superintendent’s Spotlight: Cristina Ceglia

Warwick Valley High School senior Cristina Ceglia was one of eight students to take on the high school’s Senior Project course, a nationally recognized program that combines project-based learning, real-world performance opportunities and professional networking. To complete Senior Project, students must meet the demands of the project’s “Four P’s”: choose a Project, write a Paper, build a Portfolio, and give an adjudicated Presentation.

Ceglia’s project was a documentary that delved into the lives of first responders affected by 9/11. The impact of her production has extended beyond the walls of Warwick Valley, earning a place in the 9/11 Museum & Memorial archives, a recognition Ceglia said she never could have anticipated or even imagined.

”I began reaching out to survivors and first responders last October,” Ceglia explained. “One of my subjects is a survivor of the 9/11 attacks who worked in the towers. Once they saw what I had in mind, they encouraged me to aim even higher than just a school project.”

Ceglia worked on her film from October through May, and her project culminated in a well-received presentation to the district’s Senior Project adjudication board in June. Ceglia said it was the belief that people shared in the potential influence of her documentary that encouraged her to submit the film to the 9/11 archive for consideration. Despite lingering reservations about publicizing her project, she now reflects proudly on its journey, and said she felt overwhelmed when she got the news that her documentary had been accepted. “I got an email confirming that it was being placed in the archives, and it was such a surreal moment,” she recalled.

Ceglia was an exchange student this year, born and raised in Italy to a family of non-English speakers, and the first WVHS exchange student to take part in the Senior Project. Ceglia said that her journey to the states was initially driven by a passion for languages and cultural exchange. “Learning English became my goal at a young age,” she said. “I started attending language camps in Ireland when I was 10, and by the time I was in eighth grade, or maybe my freshman year, I knew that I wanted to try and study in the U.S.” But she also knew how expensive that prospect could be, so, without her parents’ knowledge, Ceglia applied for – and won – a scholarship to study abroad. The award made her exchange year in Warwick possible.

Her documentary, crafted over months of interviews, research, writing, shooting and editing, aimed to highlight the critical role of first responders, and to never forget the gravity of their sacrifices. “Growing up with both of my parents in law enforcement, I witnessed firsthand the sacrifices they make,” Ceglia explained.

Reflecting on her experience, Ceglia acknowledges the challenges of coordinating interviews and navigating unfamiliar processes. “Organizing interviews was daunting, but the support of responders like Mr. Raph, Ms. Keneally, Mr. Fleming, and the 9/11 Museum made it possible. It all came together.”

Looking ahead, Ceglia plans to attend Baruch College in New York City, where she will major in international and public affairs, with aspirations of becoming an attorney.

”I hope my documentary serves as a reminder that young people can engage meaningfully with global issues,” Ceglia added. “We have the capacity to bring about change and foster understanding, even in complex and emotional subjects like 9/11.”