People say that high school can be an average experience at best. The class of 2023 would rather use any other word than average. Since they were freshmen, being in and out of school due to the pandemic, the seniors of John F. Kennedy Memorial High school all have their own words to describe their journey. Senior Giovanni Maglione describes his experience as extraordinary. 

Giovanni is not the first Maglione to attend JFK, nor will he be the last. His father, brother and cousins all attended JFK and next year his younger brother will be attending the school as well. They all have, or plan to leave their mark one way or another, but Giovanni has done everything he can to sit on the highest pedestal. 

Maglione entered high school his freshman year, wanting to make a name for himself as a mustang wrestler, looking up to his brother, senior Sergio Maglione. 

“My brother was, and still is the biggest role model of my life…being able to have him as a senior, just looking up to him…” said Maglione. “I am the way I am because of him.”

Despite many roadblocks along the way, like COVID-19 shortening his sophomore season to only eight matches, or tearing his ACL during his senior football season, Maglione kept his head up with one foot in front of the other. 

Maglione finished his junior wrestling season as a county champion, district runner-up and regional place winner before qualifying for states. He has entered his final season looking to achieve even higher heights, and so far has done exactly that. He has played a major role in defeating Edison High School and another significant role in making the JFK Mustangs division champions for the first time in 13 years. 

“Winning GMCs was a big highlight, it was a big win,” said Maglione. “Then Edison, my God, we finally beat Edison…. Oh yeah division champs, it meant a lot because it was not only my goal, but Coach Creighton’s and McCarthy’s as well.” 

Maglione hopes to finish his senior year as a GMC champion and push to the next level in states. After graduating, he plans to make a return to JFK wrestling as an assistant coach. 

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” stated Maglione.