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Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital's Great Robotic Challenge 2025. Photo from Mather Hospital

Students from four local robotics teams recently got a surgeon’s view as they tested their skill at operating a next generation da Vinci®  surgical robot in Mather Hospital’s Great Robotic Challenge. The event was part of the hospital’s marking its milestone 10,000th robotic surgery.

Teams from Longwood, Smithtown, Miller Place and a combined Port Jefferson-Mount Sinai team took turns sitting at the robot’s control panel as a surgeon would, viewing a high definition, 3D image of a “surgical” area. The task was to maneuver the robot’s arms to pick up rubber rings and place them on a series of cones. Longwood had the best overall score in the challenge.

Prior to the competition, Arif Ahmad, MD, Director of Mather Hospital’s Robotic Surgery Center of Excellence, gave a presentation on robotic surgery and its current and future uses, including telepresence. Telepresence with Intuitive Hub allows live sharing of a procedure, using two-way audio and video, enabling surgeons who are in another geographic location to observe and mentor colleagues during robotic-assisted surgeries in real time.

Mather Hospital is in the top 10% of hospitals on Long Island performing robotic surgery, using five da Vinci® surgical robots. The hospital, which was the first Robotic Surgery Center of Excellence in New York State and an Epicenter in Robotic Bariatric Surgery, has performed over 10,000 robotic surgeries since 2011, consistently investing in advanced technology and highly skilled surgeons.  

The most common robotic surgeries at Mather are bariatric and general surgery, followed by gynecology, thoracic, and urology. Approximately 99% of our bariatric cases are performed robotically. The average length of stay for patients undergoing robotic surgery is two days. 

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Plants need stems to survive. They provide structural support and connect the roots to the leaves and flowers, making it possible to bring water, nutrients and sugars throughout the plant.

Similarly, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) serves a critical function for society.

As with the rest of a plant, STEM is not the only part that nourishes our culture, but it does offer critical support that makes it possible to adapt to future challenges and to push the frontier of human knowledge.

This week, we and scientists around the world celebrated the long-anticipated grand opening of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, a telescope and camera so advanced that it has already spotted 2,400 asteroids we hadn’t previously seen.

This state-of-the-art camera was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, making it possible to see deep into space and to ask questions about changes around us as well as dark matter and dark energy.

“NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory reflects what’s possible when the federal government backs world-class engineers and scientists with the tools to lead,” Harriet Kung, acting director of the DOE’s Office of Science said in a statement.

Indeed!

This project echoes some of the cutting edge science efforts that the federal government supported after World War II.

STEM funding supports translational research, which addresses questions like what molecule can scientists target to slow or stop the progression of cancer or what plant genes can enhance resistance to disease or environmental extremes. It can also support basic research that explores what causes a cell to divide, to die, or to differentiate.

Both of these areas of research have led to important discoveries that have contributed to society. Researchers credit their achievements with the opportunity and knowledge they received from previous generations of scientists who, like runners in a relay race, pass the baton to the next generation of great thinkers and explorers.

Science funding has among the highest returns on investment of any federal funding, Cutting funding to areas like the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal programs can impede the ability of science and society to grow and respond to change.

The current budget proposal for 2026 suggests a 40 percent cut to the NIH, which would reduce the number of institutes from 27 to eight. Yikes!

Further up the chain, societal growth also depends on supporting the education of students who can go from a classroom where they learn about what’s known to a field where they can rewrite the textbooks they had studied.

Canceling grants to STEM education not only threatens the students who miss out on chances to learn, but also society, which won’t benefit from the spark of inspiration these students receive.

The federal government must continue to invest in STEM. The future growth of our society – with businesses, cures for diseases and an expanding knowledge base that enables us to live healthier and better lives – depends on it.

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By Anisha Makovicky

America is the land of opportunities they say, we just have to work hard and we can succeed. As a high school student, I have watched the current administration strip students such as myself of the opportunities that will allow us to build a successful future. The current funding cuts do not impact just science research but also education. According to a report published by Education Week in May 2025, the National Science Foundation, under the Trump administration, canceled over 400 grants for STEM education.

The administration has even cut funding for PBS Kids, which was created to bring STEM education to children of lower class families. I can’t imagine any benefits to discouraging our future doctors, engineers, scientists and leaders from science. If high school students are not allowed to start pursuing science early, they will be set back in the future. And since one day we will all depend on this next generation of scientists, doctors and engineers, setting back high school students will set back our whole country, not just in science. 

Everyone should be worried about cuts to science and education funding. These affect entire families, students and educators. Parents are worried that their children will lack future opportunities to become involved in STEM fields. High school students are primarily affected by the loss of programs and reduced chances to gain experiences to form their career ideas. Educators and teachers are not able to do their jobs and support students as they did in the past. Knowledge generated by scientists trickles down to the high school curriculum but if science is limited, there will be less knowledge passed down, meaning that future high schoolers will be at a lower standing. This domino effect will have a cascading impact on future generations. 

A well rounded education is important for everyone, not just students who aspire to attend competitive colleges. As a society, we believe a high school education is crucial for making informed decisions and helping one understand the world better. This is especially relevant because for many people, a high school diploma is the highest level of education they will receive. Federally funded education programs offer different ways of learning both in and outside classrooms. Experiential learning such as hands-on curricula through internships, public education programs, museums and field trips expand upon the standard public school curricula. This is important because students learn in different ways and non-classroom learning experiences are especially beneficial for students with learning disabilities or different capacities to engage. These diverse types of opportunities are necessary to ensure every student is given a chance to succeed. 

Over 50% of NSF funding cuts have been to education programs, according to the Hechinger Report. 1,400 grants have been cut, and 750 of those were to STEM education. That equates to about $775 million that could have helped students engage with STEM. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began the cuts to reduce diversity, equity, and inclusion in scientific research. While it is understandable to want our federal government to run efficiently, cutting scientific research and education will have little effect on the efficiency of our government and the lasting impacts will put our entire nation at a disadvantage. It is imperative that we protect our equal access to education in order to create a better future.

Anisha Makovicky is a student at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School. 

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From left, Matteo Gravinese, Zen Pinkenburg and Kaylie Michael. Photo from Rich Acritelli

By Richard V. Acritelli 

This year’s valedictorian of Rocky Point High School is Matteo Gravinese. He will be attending Carnegie Mellon as an engineering and mathematics major next fall.  This special young man holds an astounding 107.19 grade point average, and he is one of the most well-rounded student-athletes to have graduated from Rocky Point.

Gravinese, through a BOCES grant, has successfully completed college Calculus III and linear algebra and he enjoys studying how physics and math is applied to real life situations.  Gravinese has a “fire” to understand the world around him and to put forth his best efforts to succeed at all endeavors.  Achieving a perfect score on the American College Test (ACT) Exam was a proud moment for Gravinese.   This National Merit finalist has constantly been placed on the Principal’s List, and is a member of the Science, Mathematics, English and National Honor Societies.   Gravinese is also a drum leader in the marching band and taught himself how to play the piano.

Over the last four years, Gravinese ran varsity cross country and winter and spring track.  He was the captain of the cross-country team for the last three years, a two-time all-league athlete and an academic all-county runner. Through Matteo’s disciplined training regiment, he established a sound example to the younger runners on how to best prepare for all types of practices and races. On May 30th, Gravinese took first out of 160 runners through the VFW Post 6249 Joseph Dwyer PTSD 5K Race.  This year, Gravinese helped the spring track team win a league title and ran a 4:40 mile.  In  his limited amount of spare time, Gravinese provides a nurturing environment as a valued employee at the North Shore Youth Council.

A kind soul who is always pleasant and positive, Gravinese lost his father,  Giulio Mario Gravinese, at thirteen years old.  As a middle school student, Gravinese assisted his mother to care for his ailing father who suffered from cancer.  During his earliest years, Gravinese handled family tragedy; he supported his mom and has been a strong role model to his sister Chloe. 

Graduating second in the class is Zen Pinkenburg with a 104.81 grade point average. He will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to study aerospace mechanical engineering.  Armed with a big smile, Pinkenburg stated that he was “a nerd from day one”.  Pinkenburg has successfully completed every type of advanced placement honors course and taught himself college calculus.  A constant fixture on the Principal’s List, Pinkenburg was accepted into the National, English, History, Math and Science Honor Societies.  Pinkenburg works well with others through ornithology, chess and cricket and is president of the math team, secretary of the senior class and treasurer of the National Honor Society.

Pinkenburg thrived playing viola in the orchestra for seven years and has taught himself the saxophone.  He has successfully entered aerospace mechanical engineering and robotics competitions.   Pinkenburg produced research alongside sPHENIX collaboration, and with his good friend Om Patel, they moved to the second round of scientific research on calorimeter data reconstruction and competition that were both held at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Pinkenburg garnered notoriety at the University of Arkansas “First Lego League” international event to place well in the robotics category.

Guidance Counselor Michael Conlon advises both Pinkenburg and Gravinese and said: “Matteo and Zen are two of the brightest students I helped guide through their high school careers and now through their future paths.  These two young men share the gift of possessing the intelligence found only in a few peers their age who walk this earth.   They represent the epitome of excellence; while uplifting those around them and both are motivated to achieve greatness now and in the future.”

Kaylie Michael is an enthusiastic young lady who has amassed a 104.18 grade point average, the third highest of the class, and she will be attending Cornell University next fall where she will pursue her goal of becoming a pediatric oncologist.  She has been placed on the Principal’s List, gained a National Merit Commendation and the College Board Small Town Recognition.  Managing multiple tasks, Michael enjoys volunteering her time at the Rocky Point STEM night.

Before her junior year, Michael enrolled in pre-calculus and linguistics at a summer educational program at Harvard University.  Michael was accepted into a Brookhaven National Laboratory program that conducted studies on particular physics that simulated radiation in space.  Demonstrating her academic versatility, Kaylie participated in a summer school law program at Columbia University and was pleased to examine criminal and constitutional law at this prestigious college.

An academically passionate young lady, Michael is the president of the Math Honor Society, secretary of the English and Art Honors Society, and was accepted into the National, English, Science and Mathematics Honor Societies. In her limited spare time, Michael relishes her role as a gymnastics coach at Spins, where she instructs the fundamentals of a sport that she loves.  For the last several years, Michael is also a talented cheerleader, coaches younger girls, and recently performed well at a large competition at Wildwood, New Jersey.  Amazed by her academic prowess, Guidance Counselor Mrs. Holly Rizzi said, “Kaylie Michael excels in every area of her life.  Her intelligence combined with her incredible drive and ambition makes Kaylie an individual who will rise to overcome every challenge to continue her path to success!”

 Michael’s parents are immensely proud of her for being the first member of their family to strive for a college diploma.   Principal James Moeller is amazed at the abilities of these top three students at this high school as being “some of the most productive students that I have ever seen within my career as an educator and administrator.  They are simply wonderful young adults who have made this district proud of their many triumphs.”

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By TBR Staff

TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. Here are the scholars leading Earl L. Vandermeulen’s Class of 2025 in the Port Jefferson School District.

Sara Freitas: Valedictorian
 • GPA: Weighted – 103.0; Unweighted – 99.5
 • Activities: Interact Club (President), Investment Club (President), Environmental Club (President), International Club (Secretary), LEO Club (Secretary)
 • Attending Brown University to study Applied Mathematics

Jax Moore: Salutatorian
 • GPA: Weighted – 102.88; Unweighted – 99.64
 • Activities: Science Olympiad (Grades 9–12; 3-time medalist), GSA (Secretary), National Honor Society, Virtual Tutor, Save A Pet volunteer, STEM program (Grades 9–11), Fall Play, Environmental Club Fundraiser Organizer
 • Attending Binghamton University to study Biochemistry with a minor in Spanish

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
 Freitas: I would encourage incoming freshmen to pursue what catches their attention, no matter what that interest may be. It’s easy to lose sight of oneself in the modern world. Amongst pressures to appease others and chase a lucrative career path, I’d encourage younger students to live for themselves, work for their goals, and remain true to themselves; that is the only way true success can be achieved.
Moore: Don’t let yourself get caught up in comparison or what you “should” be doing. At the end of the day, the number of AP classes you took or your grade in a certain class don’t matter; it’s more important to explore your passions and learn something new.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
 Freitas: It’s easy to stay motivated when you change your perspective. Although it’s human nature to burn out and require relaxation, I am always able to find my way back to my studies by remembering it is a privilege, not a chore, to learn. I try to remind myself that studying is for my benefit; it’s not just an assignment. Rather, it’s my future.
 Moore: I’ve always been a very driven person who sets lofty goals for myself, and it’s that drive that motivated me to try my hardest throughout high school.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
Freitas: My study habits have shifted through the years as coursework has grown increasingly cumbersome. I’d recommend studying for tests about five or so days in advance whenever possible. It allows you as a learner to take control. By the day of the test, the material will feel second nature. Besides that, making notecards can be helpful to conceptualize information.
 Moore: The system I found that works best for me is periodically taking notes on what work I need to complete for each class I’m in. Then, when I get home from school, I’ll go through that list and start with the tasks that need to be done first. To keep myself motivated, I often start with the assignment that I think will be easiest because it’s easier to transition into doing something harder when you’re already in “work mode.” I also keep my phone in another room to avoid distractions. One of the key parts of high school is discovering how you learn best and developing time management skills.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
 Freitas: This is tentative to change, but as of now I am interested in mathematics. I’m not sure how this will look in a career, so for now my goal is to successfully complete college. I think it would be amazing to become a Mathematician, but I’m not sure if this is the perfect fit for me.
 Moore: I plan on going into medical research and/or practicing medicine.

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TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. Here are the top scholars of Shoreham-Wading River High School’s Class of 2025.

Eden Yiya Hu: Valedictorian
 • GPA: 104.56
 • Activities: Manhattan School of Music Precollege Program, Tri-M Music Honor Society, High School Research Program at Brookhaven National Lab, National Honor Society, Global Awareness Club
 • Attending Yale University to study Biology

Kerrin McGuire: Salutatorian
 • GPA: 104.47
 • Activities: Varsity Girls Lacrosse (starter since 8th grade), Varsity Girls Track, Varsity Girls Cross Country, Natural Helpers, Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Honor Society (President), Women in Science and Engineering Club, Chamber Orchestra, National English Honor Society, SADD
 • Attending University of Virginia to study nursing

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
 Hu: Make time for yourself and have fun!
 McGuire: For all incoming freshmen, I would tell them to enjoy their high school experience and to not be afraid to try new things. I would encourage them to try their best in everything that they do, and find the study methods that work for you. Everyone’s path is different and it’s important not to compare your success to your peers.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
 Hu: Balancing work with spending time with friends and family helped me come back to my studies with a fresh mind.
 McGuire: I stayed motivated throughout my studies by thinking long-term. I knew from the start that I wanted to be in the medical field, so I was determined to try 110% to reach my end goal. With good grades and a well-rounded schedule, I could get into some very difficult colleges—so I tried my very best! I was always in it to self-improve and see what I, as an individual, could work on—I tried to not compare myself to others.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
 Hu: Watching YouTube videos or AP Classroom videos on the topics I need extra clarification on was very helpful.
 McGuire: Some study habits I employed that helped me maintain high grades included watching videos and note taking, practicing questions, and creating study guides. I learned the most from watching online and AP Classroom videos that explained in depth the concepts I was struggling with, while writing down key points and details. Practice questions always helped with repetition, taking my knowledge and applying it to multiple choice and free response styles. Finally, I made numerous study guides for each unit for my classes before tests and quizzes, jotting down the most important information and the information I struggled with the most to glance at throughout the day or on-the-go.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
 Hu: I want to get into pharmaceutical research and teach private violin lessons in my free time.
 McGuire: I hope to become a pediatric nurse anesthetist. I will do this by going to college for four years majoring in nursing, then working in a tertiary hospital for one year as an RN, then going back for graduate school for three years to receive my CRNA license.

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Diya John

The Middle Country Central School District has announced the top students of the Class of 2025 at Newfield High School, Diya John and Jashandeep (Jash) Singh are the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Diya John

Newfield High School Valedictorian Diya John will complete her senior year with more than 50 college credits and the status of AP Scholar with Distinction. She was also selected as the winner of the Principal’s Leadership Scholarship awarded by the Suffolk County High School Principal’s Association.

In addition to her exceptional academic record, Diya is a member of the District’s Legislative Outreach Community Committee, Glamour Galz, Mock Trial Team, Dr. Gerold’s Leadership Club and the National Quill & Scroll Honor Society. In addition, she’s an active member of Newfield’s newspaper The Quadrangle, a member of the Foreign Language Honor Society, National Honor Society president, and General Organization president.

“As President of the Newfield National Honor Society, Diya is a natural leader and role model to her peers,” said Diana Cook, the district’s Library Media Specialist and National Honor Society advisor. “She is diligent, detail oriented, and truly cares about the success of her club.  Diya is always willing to help others and goes the extra mile to make sure her fellow officers and club members will be successful in everything they do from event planning, to fundraising, to volunteer work for the community.  She is the true example of a model student; always willing to help others, and always with a smile.” 

Outside of school, Diya is a volunteer teen book reviewer for the Middle Country Public Library, an art and book buddy, a member of the library’s teen advisory council and a youth volunteer with the American Red Cross’s Disaster and Humanitarian Relief efforts. She also crochets in her spare time and donates her creations to causes throughout Long Island.

This fall, Diya will study psychology at Stony Brook University as a member of the WISE program, an honors program for students pursuing STEM majors and careers. Her plans also include attending medical school with a goal of following in her mother’s footsteps and becoming a psychiatrist.

Jashandeep (Jash) Singh

Newfield High School Salutatorian Jashandeep (Jash) Singh graduated with the rank of AP Scholar with Distinction. He is a member of the Newfield High School Pit Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, has twice been an all-county viola player, and has earned the Varsity music award for outstanding musical achievement. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Mock Trial Team, Foreign Language Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society. and has earned the rank of AP Scholar with Distinction.

“Jash embodies all of the characteristics set forth by our chapter: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character,” said Ms. Cook. “He especially fits the ‘character’ trait by being a model student, an example to his peers, and an all-around nice guy who is a pleasure to be around.  Jash is always willing to help at community events and represents our school and our chapter with pride.” 

Outside of Newfield High School, Jash is a volunteer at Mather Hospital and Middle Country Public Library as a Green Teen, where he creates crafts for children, plans events and takes care of the library garden. Jash also partakes in Sewa, of selfless service, at his Sikh temple by serving food every Sunday to his congregation.

In the fall, Jash will study biology at Stony Brook University. He plans on attending medical school with a goal of becoming a general surgeon or working in internal medicine.

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TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. Here are the scholars leading Centereach High School’s Class of 2025 in the Middle Country Central School District.

Centereach High School Valedictorian Shawn Edbert

Shawn Edbert: Valedictorian

•GPA:  102.39.

•Activities: Robotics Club, Captain of the Varsity Golf Team, National Honor Society & National Technical Honor Society, French Horn. 

•Attending University of Pennsylvania

Ben Taciak: Salutatorian

•GPA: 102.0

•Activities: General Organization President (Student Body President), National Honor Society President, Environmental E-STEM Secretary, Math Team, Science Olympiad, Varsity Golf, Varsity Wrestling

•Attending SUNY Binghamton

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?

 Edbert: My biggest advice would probably be to try new things. Get involved around you and figure out what you actually want to do. From there, you can weed out the activities you don’t like and really put all your effort and talents into the things you enjoy. Another tip is don’t do extracurricular activities just to have them. Do them because you actually enjoy what they offer whether it be a sport, club, etc.

 Taciak: I would recommend that freshmen get as involved as they can in whatever activities the school offers. They should try things outside of their comfort zone to find their passions, then ceaselessly work to further pursue those passions throughout the rest of their high school career.

Centereach High School Salutatorian Ben Taciak

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?

 Edbert: I like to plan out the work I need to do each day so I don’t have an entire worksheet or assignment to do at the end of the week. I also prioritized having a good work-life balance. I always find it hard to just grind out school work without giving myself some fun in between. Hanging out with friends, watching a movie or show were both ways I enjoyed some time outside the classroom. Getting sleep at night was also important for me. I would never do work past 9:30 p.m. to ensure I get enough sleep and can continue my days with full energy.

 Taciak: I set small goals for myself (ex: study for 15 minutes today) so I wouldn’t be daunted by the larger tasks ahead of me. This helped me stay diligently focused on my larger goals like getting into college while minimizing burnout. I also emphasized the importance of having a work/life balance, making sure I spent time with my friends instead of solely focusing on my studies.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.

 Edbert: For the majority of my studying, I actually liked listening to noise in the background. I’ve actually put on shows in the background just to get me through all of the work I need to complete. I also like to work with other people. Teaching other peers the work I am learning helps me learn the material significantly more thoroughly.

 Taciak: For me, studying has always been difficult. I was never able to focus for long periods of time using all of the famous strategies and thus, I would work inefficiently. I felt like this for years until my brother gave me a valuable piece of advice: “Not every car works best using the same oil; you can’t expect the strategies that work for others to always work for you.” This changed my perspective and taught me to seek out what made me work as best as I could. For me, this is to go to a place like a library, use noise-canceling headphones, and play white noise while taking 5-minute rest intervals every 30 minutes.

What are your goals or career aspirations?

 Edbert: I am planning to try and get a dual degree in business and engineering. I want to try and startup my own company in the future focusing on the defense segment.

 Taciak: I hope to get a dual degree in Finance and Data Science and then work in the buy side of Private Equity.

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TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. Here are the scholars leading Ward Melville High School’s Class of 2025 in the Three Village Central School District.

Oliver Wu: Valedictorian
 • GPA: 105.36
 • Activities: Kaleidoscope Newspaper (Editor), Tri-M Music Honor Society (President), Long Island Youth Development Music Club, Bluegrass Club, DECA
 • Attending Princeton University to study Public & International Affairs

Alexander Song: Salutatorian
 • GPA: 104.84
 • Activities: Ward Melville Iron Patriots, Manhattan School of Music Precollege Program, SchoolNova TA, Tri-M Music Honor Society
 • Attending UCLA to study Computer Science

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
 Wu: The path to “success” is often circuitous. Not everything you do has to (or should) directly or immediately contribute to a goal you have. Be a good person, care for yourself and others, keep space for what you love — these things all have so much value. It shouldn’t be an expectation for you to hollow yourself out in the name of “success.”
 Song: Get enough sleep!

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?

 Wu: Nothing like Lorde’s “The Louvre” playing in the background on repeat as I stare at a question I don’t understand (yet). A lot of people say they give 110% in everything they do. I’m gonna echo Michelle Zauner’s mother and say: give 90%, always save 10% of yourself.
 Song: I pursued what I truly cared about, which gave me the motivation to keep going forward.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
 Wu: Everyone’s saying this, but I need to repeat it: we all underestimate the extent to which our technology has wrecked our brains and destroyed our ability to think with clarity. Keep reading things you enjoy! It makes focusing when you need to study so much more manageable.
 Song: I study with my friends, I use active recall, and I create practice problems for myself.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
 Wu: Something in government or government-adjacent as a policymaker.
 Song: I’m interested in robotics and computer vision.

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TBR News Media sent a Q&A to local salutatorians and valedictorians, asking about the strategies that helped them become their school’s top performers. In Smithtown Central School District, an honor speaker is chosen by the graduating class of each high school instead of prescribing to the valedictorian and salutatorian distincion. Rabia Chattha is the honor speaker for Smithtown High School East. At Hauppague High School, Sara Conquet was valedictorian and Ayaan Shah was salutatorian.

Rabia Chattha
 • GPA: 4.45
 • Activities: President of Science Olympiad, President of National Honor Society, member of multiple honor societies, Varsity Track and Cross Country Teams, Volunteer Ambulance Corps, co-founder of Game4AC
 • Attending Stony Brook University to study Biochemistry on the Pre-Med track

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
Try everything from class to clubs, even if it isn’t your first choice, because you never know what you’ll end up liking. I’ve learned that high school is the perfect time to explore new interests and step outside your comfort zone.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
Rather than only focusing on one long-term goal, I set many short-term ones as stepping stones. Whether it’s aiming to get a good grade on a test coming up in a week or working toward my dream of becoming a physician, these goals keep me focused.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
My biggest study habit that has helped me is time management. I use planners and to-do lists to stay organized. After each class, if there is an upcoming test, I rewrite all of my notes, and if I notice a flaw, I practice a lot to better my weaknesses in that subject.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
In the future, I aspire to become a physician. It has been my dream since I was young to help others through medicine and to truly make a difference in people’s lives.

—————-

Sara Conquet: Valedictorian
 • GPA: 103.23
 • Activities: Chamber Orchestra, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, English Honor Society, History Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Quiz Bowl
 • Attending Vassar College to study Neuroscience

Ayaan Shah: Salutatorian
 • GPA: 102.92
 • Activities: Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, Coding Club, Chamber Orchestra (cello), Varsity Tennis, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, German Honor Society, English Honor Society
 • Attending Georgia Institute of Technology to study Electrical Engineering

What advice would you give an incoming freshman?
 Conquet: Don’t just focus on grades, even when it seems like school encompasses every part of your life. Try to enjoy your classes, especially classes with content that you enjoy learning about — this may even help you figure out what you want to do after high school. Also remember that school isn’t just about schoolwork, even if most of the time it seems like it’s just about classes and grades. Remember the people — the friends, the teachers, the coaches — that motivate you to get through the day and give you reasons to smile. Thank them, spend time with them, and remind them how important they are to you.
 Shah: My best advice for freshmen would be to take in everything. It is easy to say that a certain subject or class is useless, but you never know what you are interested in if you do not stay open to learning. The second part to this is to try everything. You are at the optimal part of your life where you can learn new hobbies and build lifelong interests, and now is the time to start. Join new clubs, participate in sports, explore new subjects, and do not let any opportunity pass you by.

How did you stay motivated throughout your studies?
 Conquet: I always reminded myself of my goals and of how maintaining good grades would allow me to get into a better college and have a more successful future. I also often engaged in friendly competition with some of my peers, and trying to get grades as high as or higher than theirs helped motivate me.
 Shah: One of the most important aspects of my life that allowed me to focus on my future goals has been my parents. They always supported my academics, pushed me toward perfection, and aided me when I was unsure exactly what I wanted to do as a career.

Please share some study habits you employ that helped you maintain high grades.
 Conquet: Actively taking notes while the teacher is instructing (in lecture-type classes), taking practice tests in a quiet environment and treating them as if they were the actual test (then grading the tests and assessing my weaknesses and strengths), prioritizing subjects based on difficulty and the dates of the exams.
 Shah: One of the best study habits has been to really focus during class and take detailed notes. Even just taking your own notes on blank paper is really helpful to memorize content. Another important point is to remember everything. A school year is not very long, so you should keep everything in mind and not let anything go.

What are your goals or career aspirations?
 Conquet: I would like to eventually conduct professional scientific research and pursue a professional degree. I would like to participate in or lead significant research which could possibly benefit the lives of others and contribute to advancements in medicine and science.
 Shah: I am going to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. I intend to particularly focus on computer hardware. As a part of this, I hope to participate in various scientific research projects to expand my knowledge and engineering skills.

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