Alumni Success Stories
Dawn-Marie (Sparling) Dalsass, Class of 1990, Richmond Hill High School (NY) Academy of Travel and Tourism
I graduated Salutatorian from the New York City Academies, as a member of the Richmond Hill High School Academy of Travel & Tourism, as it was called back in 1989/90. My internship was with American Express; to this day I am still in contact with my internship supervisor.
Although I am no longer in the travel and tourism industry I owe a great deal to the Academy experience. I honestly don't know where I would be if it weren't for the guidance of the Academy, its founding teachers in Richmond Hill - Mr. Richard Graziano and Mrs. Claire Paccione - and my internship experience (which turned into full-time employment) with American Express.
I now work as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) for a large cable company in the Accounts Payable department, where I oversee the operations of our Vendor Qualifications/Due Diligence program. Because of my own internship experience, I have worked for several years with Long Island University's C.W. Post Campus to provide internships to seniors in the Criminal Justice program. Due to their fraud related studies, these students are a natural fit for our internships.
I am truly indebted to the success of the National Academy Foundation.Without the start I received from my high school Academy, I would not have had as successful a career as I have enjoyed thus far.
