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RYLA District 7255 "Service Above Self"
RYLA Leadership Team
Yean Franco-Marin
Chairperson
Yean has been involved with RYLA since participating as a RYLArian...
Rich Wells
Committee Member
Rich has been part of the RYLA family along with his wife Lydia since 2002...
RYLA Youth Committee
Cristiana Anastasio
Sayville High School
Cristiana Anastasio is a dedicated and accomplished senior at Sayville High School. Throughout her high school career, she has excelled in her AP classes and selective chorale. As a passionate leader and three season athlete, Cristiana has been actively involved as the varsity fencing team captain and social media manager for the past four years. She’s also the coach's assistant on the varsity tennis team. She has contributed to the varsity unified basketball team alongside teammates with special needs. Outside of her athletic career, she has taken over the role of secretary in Model UN and founded an ENL club in which she co-presidents for students in her community. She’s been consistently working on a research program involving executive dysfunction. Cristiana dedicates much of her time to leadership club, history club, SADD, several honor societies, science olympiad, forensics labs, and peer tutoring. She has committed herself to her community through volunteering at her local fire department as a junior cadet and as a student leader at her church. Cristiana spends each summer volunteering at a VBS program and has been on a missions trip with her youth group. She considers Ryla home and looks forward to future endeavors on the youth committee!
Siobhan Bass-Adams
Brooklyn Prospect Charter
Siobhán is a senior at Brooklyn Prospect Charter High School. At school she serves as Vice President of the Model UN Club, a student ambassador, and a student intern. Outside of school shes been engaged with RYLA since her sophomore year, and also serves on the Rising Leaders Initative’s 2024-2025 cohort, learning how to advocate for students across the nation. Growing up on three continents—Australia, Africa, and North America—Siobhán cares passionately about global issues, she is passionate about human rights and immigration reform.
Milo Francois
Regis High School
Milo François is a senior attending Regis High School. Milo is engaged in many extracurriculars in school. He is an athlete for his school’s Varsity Volleyball team as well as being co-captain of his school’s varsity track and field sprinting team. He is also on the varsity soccer team and has played the sport since he was in kindergarten. Milo continues his enjoyment of soccer by playing for Long Island Soccer club year-round. Besides sports, Milo is secretary of Regis’ black student union and is Vice president of the diversity club. In addition to his school activities, Milo has a keen interest in technology and coding and has successfully built his own computer. Looking forward to the coming year, Milo is excited about the new opportunities and adventures as a member of the Youth Committee.
Lydia Hicyilmaz
Sachem North High School
Lydia Hicyilmaz is a senior at Sachem North High School and is thrilled to be a member of the Youth Committee this year! Outside of RYLA, she enjoys being involved in a variety of extracurriculars like DECA and Science Olympiad. She plays the clarinet in the Wind Ensemble at her school and has taken part in many SCMEA and NYSCAME festivals. Lydia has been a varsity swimmer and diver since 7th grade and is now serving her second year as Co-Captain. In addition to athletics, Lydia holds the position of President in the Tri-M, English, and Math Honor Societies. Her greatest passion is helping others, which is evident through her active involvement in her community. She is a member of the Suffolk County Youth Council, the Town of Brookhaven Youth Board, and serves on the executive board of the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization. On these boards, Lydia has met and worked with a multitude of people ranging from elementary school students to county legislators who have all inspired her to continue making a difference.
Jet Macalinao
Smithtown West High School
Jet is a Senior at Smithtown High School West. Outside of school he enjoys working on cars, playing video games and playing basketball! Jet moved to Long Island in the 7th grade and has participated in multiple clubs since then, such as the GSA and his E-Sports club! Jet seeks out personal connections and friendships with everyone he comes in contact with and loves socializing. RYLA is a big part of his life and has helped him to navigate situations and find a passion for helping others. At RYLA he feels like a new person, someone he can be proud of. He is excited to be a part of this year's Youth Committee.
Kaden Miller
Holy Trinity High School
Kaden is a senior at Holy Trinity High School. He serves on the Boys Varsity Soccer Team, Science Olympiad, and is heavily involved in Campus Ministry. He is apart of National Honor Society and is a Student/International Ambassador for his school. Kaden takes enjoyment in computers, with him having built one himself at the end of his freshman year. On a personal level, Kaden seeks out new experiences in life and believes them to be what keeps life interesting. RYLA is close to his heart as it has been since he joined the program in his sophomore year. He believes he is his truest self when he is at RYLA. He can often be found hanging out with his friends, sleeping, walking, or playing video games in his free time. While unsure where the future will take him, he knows he’ll figure it out and is beyond thrilled to serve on the Youth Committee this year. He hopes to leave wherever he went better than he found it and wants to show new RYLArians what made him love the program to begin with. Whenever he faces uncertainty, Kaden looks for a pink sky to guide him. Nothing will stop him from being at a RYLA event, or from making the best out of any situation!
Meghan Pomroy
Westhampton Beach High School
Meghan Pomroy is a senior at Westhampton Beach High School. She is the President of the GSA Club, Co-President of the Book Club, Co-Vice President of the Chamber Choir, Secretary of the Drama Club, Editor of the Seascapes Literary Magazine, and a member of the National Honor Society, the Tri-M Honor Society, Pep Band, Key Club, Mathletes, French Club, Quiz Bowl, and Art Club. Every afternoon she can be found in the auditorium rehearsing for her latest play or musical, but after school, she plays the guitar and the drums and sings. She started RYLA in her sophomore year, and is so excited to be a part of 7255’s youth committee this year!
Sanai Roberts
Valley Stream South High School
Sanai Roberts is a senior who attends Valley Stream South high school. She is a passionate student who is involved in several extracurriculars and honor societies affiliated with her school. She is currently treasurer for Math and History Honor Societies as well as Public Relations for National and Tri-M Music Honor Societies and Class Council. Sanai is also Vice President of her school’s concert and marching bands. She has been heavily involved with music since a young age and was granted the opportunity to perform two saxophone solos as primary chair at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, she participates in her school’s select wind ensemble. She also expresses her love for music through dancing on the Varsity Kick Line team at her school. In the future, Sanai would like to study business! She cannot wait for all that this year has in store for her and to make amazing memories on her journey as a Youth Committee member!
Alex Sullivan
Sayville High School
Alex Sullivan is a community oriented student at Sayville High school. She is thoroughly involved in various extracurricular activities as well as school based events. Alex is currently the president of the Science Olympiad team as well as the founder of a peer tutoring club at her school. She is involved in various honor societies such as Science National Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society and others. In addition to this, she is involved in science research, working at Brookhaven National Laboratory on their newest National Synchrotron Light Source. She is heavily involved in the medical field, volunteering at hospitals and shadowing doctors at Weill Cornell. She also involves herself in music, playing the pedal harp for charities and assisted living homes. Furthermore, Alex is in the process of a company startup, working to help represent Filipinos in their pursuit of music interest. Alex has been an active member in RYLA since her sophomore year, and can't wait for the months to come!
Emma Vail
Southampton High School
Emma Vail is a senior at Southampton High School. She is thoroughly involved in her community and participates in an array of extracurricular activities. This is Emma’s second year as co-captain of her school’s varsity soccer team, and she has been a member since her freshman year. She is also a member of the golf team, which competed in states last year. Aside from sports, Emma is the Co-President of the Environmental Club, and interned this summer for the East Hampton Department of Natural Resources to protect and monitor Piping Plovers (an endangered bird species). Emma is also the assistant coach of the mock trial team, the treasurer of the Multicultural Club, and a member of Tri-M and the National Honor Society. Emma plays violin, and has done so since kindergarten. She has been involved with RYLA since her sophomore year, and is ecstatic for her senior year on the Youth Committee!
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