Bayside native grows away from home

Sebastian Sabella was neither a poor student nor one lacking responsibility as a Bayside teenager attending St. Mary's High School in Manhasset, L.I. He did not have problems getting his work done or staying out of trouble, either. Nevertheless, he still wasn't content with his surroundings.
Therefore, when he was informed of the opportunity to attend Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA through the Boys Club of New York's (BCNY) Independent Schools Placement program, he couldn't turn it down.
Sabella took a trip down south to visit the school and loved it. Three years later, the decision to leave the city life for the rural tranquility of the south has treated the developing hoops star well.
This 6-foot-4 shooting guard is a three-year starter on Episcopal's nationally ranked basketball team, and runs track. He has maintained a 3.0 average, no small feat considering the demanding academic standards at the school. He is taking challenging courses such as fresh water ecology, a class where students travel throughout the community, taking water samples from different bodies of water. Then there is his favorite subject, economy, and government. Sabella plans to study business in college. &#8220It just fascinates me,” he said. &#8220All types of international business.”
Because of these accomplishments, Sabella was chosen by the BCNY as their 2006 Frank Scott Memorial Scholarship Award, which is given each year to a Boys Club member who exudes greatness in academics, leadership skills and above all, a love of sports, which will be presented at their 31st annual All Sports Hall of Fame Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria on November 1.
&#8220It's a real honor,” he said. &#8220I feel real special. I'm receiving it with one of my co-students, Simeon Brown. We're both excited to receive this award, that they chose us out of all the Boys Club members.”
Involved in the BCNY department of education for the last four years, Sabella has been a part of their Academic All-Star summer team and was selected to participate in the Academic All-Stars trip to Italy last summer.
Sabella feels his biggest achievement at Episcopal, beyond athletics and academics, is actually the maturity he has developed. At Episcopal, students are treated like adults. They are expected to get their work done on their own, without pushing and prodding. &#8220I've definitely learned a lot responsibility and dedication,” he said in a phone interview with The Queens Courier. &#8220Procrastination is not good. You have to get your work done, get your papers in on time.
&#8220You don't have parents looking down on you all the time,” he continued. &#8220A lot of people don't do well in college because they're not ready for all the freedom. You get the college feel here, taking care of yourself. … It'll help me in college and with getting a job in the future.”
He admits it was tough at first, &#8220because I didn't know too many people,” Sabella recalled. &#8220But after a few weeks, I got used to it. There's a lot of work and I wasn't used to the amount of work I got. I've gotten used to managing my time, knowing when to do work and when to have fun.”
His mother, Linda, has noticed the change, too. &#8220It's been a wonderful experience for him,” she said. &#8220Going away from home prior to college has made him very independent. He's much more mature. He's used to handling everything himself. They have advisors and faculty members who help, but pretty much they're on their own. It's quite challenging academically [but] he was able to do it.”