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Valedictorian

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Middle Country Central School District. File photo

The Middle Country Central School District announced that Michael Cosmo from Centereach High School and Saitta Roy from Newfield High School are their schools’ respective Class of 2024 valedictorians, while Gregory Mears from Centereach High School and Danica Lyktey from Newfield High School are the salutatorians.

Throughout their four years in high school, these students excelled academically, were active community members, and participated in various extracurricular activities.

Centereach High School Class of 2024 valedictorian Michael Cosmo achieved outstanding academic success during his high school tenure. His weighted GPA of 103.9 is a testament to his dedication and hard work. Michael’s academic achievements include completing 13 AP classes and two additional college-level courses. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Beyond academics, Michael has made significant contributions to all facets of Centereach High School. He serves as the GO treasurer, demonstrating his leadership and involvement in school activities. Michael’s talents extend to the arts and athletics as well. He excels as a musician, playing the trumpet in the school’s jazz band and pit orchestra, and as a varsity basketball player and captain of the varsity tennis team. He has been recognized as an Academic All-County player by Suffolk County basketball coaches.

Moreover, Michael has shown a commitment to community service, tutoring elementary students, volunteering at basketball camps, and participating in Tri-M Music Honor Society-sponsored events. After graduation, Michael plans to pursue a career in law at Georgetown University, building on his internships with local lawmakers during high school.

Centereach High School Class of 2024 salutatorian Gregory Mears also achieved academic success. His combined SAT score of 1530 places him in the top 1% of all students nationally. Gregory has completed 11 AP classes and four additional college-level courses, earning recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Merit Scholarship Commended student. He is a valued member of the National Honor Society, the French Honor Society, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

In addition to his academic achievements, Gregory is deeply involved in Centereach High School’s co-curricular activities. He holds the position of vice president of the science club, co-founded the school’s chess club, and actively participates in Tri-M Music Honor Society-sponsored events. Gregory’s commitment to community service is evident through his hours spent with the Avalon Nature Initiative in Stony Brook. As a talented musician, he serves as principal bassist in the Philharmonic and chamber orchestras. Gregory embodies the spirit of the music department and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. After graduation, Gregory plans to pursue English literature at Colby College in Maine.

Newfield High School Class of 2024 valedictorian Saitta Roy boasts a weighted GPA of 102.19 and will have the potential to graduate in June with more than 30 college credits. She keeps herself busy as a member of the school’s mock trial team, the crochet club, the newspaper club, and the pit orchestra. She is also the vice president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and president of the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, Saitta works at the Middle Country Public Library and serves as a tutor, also known as a homework pal, for elementary-age students. Saitta has accumulated over 100 hours of community service as a book buddy, making donations to Stony Brook Hospital through the crochet club, serving food at the New Lane Elementary School MVP dance, and running a station at the Bicycle Path Literacy Expo through the National Honor Society. Saitta will be attending the University of Notre Dame, where she will major in mechanical engineering on her way to law school.

Newfield High School Class of 2024 salutatorian Danica Lyktey earned the number two spot out of 324 seniors, maintaining a 101.68 weighted GPA. She took a total of 15 AP and college-level classes throughout her high school career. Danica has the potential to graduate with more than 40 college credits.

Danica is an active member of the Spanish Honor Society, the National Honor Society, and is part of the school’s varsity kickline. Outside of school, she is a competitive dancer at Inspirations Performing Arts Centre and this year she is teaching a class for 3- to 6-year-old students. Danica will be attending SUNY Binghamton in the fall, majoring in psychology.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the district’s website: www.mccsd.net.

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Rocky Point High School valedictorian Isabella Rooney (right) and salutatorian Sofia Haviland. Photo courtesy of the Rocky Point school district

Rocky Point High School is proud to congratulate Isabella Rooney as its Class of 2024 valedictorian and Sofia Haviland as its salutatorian. 

Isabella Rooney

Rooney is honored to be named the top student, calling it a privilege to earn the title in such a phenomenal class of peers. “Our school is full of so many talented, dedicated and hardworking individuals,” she said. “I could not be more excited and grateful.”

The valedictorian has taken more than two dozen Advanced Placement, honors and college-level courses while at the high school. In her senior year alone, she has taken seven AP classes while dancing and training for more than 20 hours each week. 

“It has been extremely difficult to balance studying and homework with the physical and emotional demands of Irish dance,” she said. “But this year has taught me a lot about time management and the value of a positive mindset in achieving one’s goals.”

Rooney is a member of the History Honor Society, Homecoming Float Design team, Math Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Student Council and Yearbook Club.

Her community involvement includes participation in various back-to-school and toy drives for the Heather N. Kaplan Foundation. She is also involved in the National Art Honor Society’s Mr. Gobbles charity, the Student Council holiday clothing drive, peer tutoring with the English, Math and Science honor societies and teaches classes at Inishfree School of Irish Dance in Sayville, sharing Irish culture through community performances.

Among many other awards, she has been honored as a third-place recipient in the Mid-Atlantic Region in Irish Dance, placed eighth in the country in Irish Dance, 18th in the Irish Dance World championships and honorable mention in the 2023-24 Suffolk County High School Art Exhibition.

Rooney plans to attend university to study molecular biology. She also looks forward to traveling more after graduation, studying abroad in the United Kingdom and Ireland to further her education and Irish dancing career.

She will leave her fellow high school peers with these wise words, “You will never regret hard work.”

Sofia Haviland

Sofia Haviland takes pride in her accomplishment as salutatorian. “It makes me feel like all of my hard work the past few years has finally paid off,” she said.

When asked about her greatest accomplishment in high school, Haviland noted her role in organizing a clothing swap event as the president of the Human Rights Club, helping to promote sustainability in fashion and discourage the overconsumption of clothing. “This experience taught me the importance of community and working together to create an impact and real change,” she said.

Haviland has taken advantage of many of Rocky Point’s AP, honors and college-level courses, including 12 AP courses and 12 honors courses. She is a member of the high school’s Human Rights Club, where she has served as president for the past two years, and is secretary of the National Science Honor Society. She is a member of the History Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Honor Society and the New York State Math Honor Society. She is also a member of the school’s pit orchestra and the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York.

Among many different awards, she has been selected to both the Long Island String Festival Association Division III Orchestra and the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association Division III Orchestra. She looks forward to joining the freshman class at Boston University where she will major in chemistry.

Haviland leaves her classmates and future high school seniors with the wise words, “Relax, don’t stress over the little things.”

The 2024 Rocky Point High School graduation will take place Wednesday, June 26, at 6 p.m. at the Upper Turf Field.

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File photo

Rocky Point High School announced that Ashlynne Xavier and Fiona McEvoy have been named the class of 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Valedictorian Ashlynne Xavier has made the most out of her high school career. She has taken part in Stony Brook University’s Women in Science and Engineering program and the high school’s science research program. She plays viola in the pit orchestra, is a member of the Human Rights Club and has played soccer and lacrosse at both the junior varsity and varsity levels.

Photo from RPSD

Ashlynne is a National Merit Scholarship recipient. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society and the New York State Mathematics Honor Society and is on the Principals Honor Roll. She has received a Long Island Science Congress Merit Award and an East End Arts Teeny Award. She has been honored with a Research and Innovation Grant and a Rush Rhees Scholarship through the University of Rochester.

Ashlynne’s interests in the community include playing lacrosse with the Long Island Yellow Jackets, being a mission team member and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity through her church and holding a job as a veterinary assistant and a store associate.

Salutatorian Fiona McEvoy also has an impressive high school résumé as a National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and New York State Mathematics Honor Society member. She is the Class of 2021 Student Government treasurer. She was also a participant in the Women in Science and Engineering program at Stony Brook University in addition to the university’s iSTEM program. 

Photo from RPSD

Fiona participated in the high school’s Debate Club, Human Rights Club, Mock Trial and Student Government. She was a member of the varsity track team and junior varsity soccer team. She has held positions in the local community and has received various honors and certificates for her volunteer service, including a Long Island Science Congress Achievement Award. Fiona attended the SPARK Research Program at Brookhaven National Laboratory, was a student facilitator at the Human Rights Institute at Iona College and was a presenter at the high school’s annual Science Research Symposium. She also attended the Adelphi University Pre-College Program for Science Medicine and Health and the Lebanon Valley College Health and Biomedical Sciences Summer Camp.

Following graduation, Ashlynne is bound for the University of Rochester where she plans to major in biomedical engineering with possible minors in American Sign Language, music or political science. Fiona is headed to Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she plans to major in chemistry on the pre-med track.

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Mount Sinai High School. File photo by Kevin Redding

Elaina Varriale has been named Mount Sinai High School’s class of 2021 valedictorian. 

Photo from MSSD

She said began getting involved with the school during her freshman year with the student government, staying in the club throughout her four years and serving as acting president during her senior year. Involved with both music and sports, she played volleyball and was a member of chamber orchestra. A member of the National Honor Society, she became held the title of secretary.

With an overall GPA well-above 104, she will be attending Cornell University in the fall, studying in the college of engineering. She plans on focusing mainly on chemical engineering. 

Elaina said she was surprised when she found out she was the class valedictorian. 

“I know how hard I’ve worked throughout the years, but I know that there are a lot of really great, hardworking people in my grade, my friends included, so I was a little surprised.”

She said the honor was rewarding. 

Before she leaves for university, Elaina will be working and spending as much time with her family and friends as possible. 

Paige Brauer was named as Mount Sinai High School’s salutatorian. While maintaining a 101.6 GPA, she participated in extracurriculars like Best Buddies, Athletes Helping Athletes, Peer Leaders, FACs, and played on varsity volleyball and varsity track. 

While not in school, Paige volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding facility, as well as at Mather Hospital where she shadowed several different doctors. 

In the fall, she will be attending Georgetown University, studying human science and pre-med in hopes of going into surgery.

Photo from MSSD

“My family has played a huge role for pushing me to do my best,” she said. “I also love staying busy, so between work, volunteer, school, sports, and clubs, I always had something to be doing when I wasn’t hanging out with my friends. Staying focused on my end goals really helped me continuously push myself over the last four years.”

Paige said she was caught by surprise to find out she was going to be salutatorian.

“I was so excited,” she said. “It was such an honor and I couldn’t be happier.”

She said she’s planning on spending as much time with her friends before they all go away to school.

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Photos from Comsewogue School District

Comsewogue High School announced Sydney Carter as the class of 2021 valedictorian and Anthony Lin as class salutatorian.

Throughout her high school career, Sydney has challenged herself in Comsewogue High School’s most demanding college preparatory curriculum. As a result of her efforts, Sydney has maintained an overall grade point average of 104.12. 

Photo from Comsewogue School District

Equally as impressive, Sydney has been involved in a wide array of activities including but not limited to Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Indoor Track, Varsity Spring Track & Field, WISE, National Science Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, National Honor Society, Girls Leader’s Club, National Merit Finalist, and participation in SCMEA/selection for All-County this year for flute. 

Whether in the classroom or as a participant in one of these activities, Sydney’s moral character, motivational skills, eagerness to help others, teamwork abilities, and determination have been inspirational. 

Sydney will continue to make her mark as a chemistry major at the university level.

Anthony Lin has had an outstanding career at Comsewogue High School. He has equally balanced his stellar academic accomplishments with numerous activities in and outside of high school. 

Photo from Comsewogue School District

Of note, he is National Merit Commended Student, Renssalaer Medal Winner, AP Scholar with Distinction, President of the National Honor Society, Team Lead and Camp Counselor for Tzu Shao Volunteer Organization, president of the Science Club, has done research at the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, Varsity Tennis Captain, Varsity Academic Quiz Bowl Captain, and National Science Bowl Team Captain.

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Photo from PJSD

The Port Jefferson School District announced that Peggy Yin and Massimo Cipriano as the class of 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. 

Valedictorian Peggy Yin has had numerous academic accomplishments throughout her high school career. She was captain of the Science Olympiad team and has been a top medalist in both state and regional competitions. As a junior, she helped initiate a partnership to mentor elementary students in science fair projects. 

Photo from PJSD

Peggy served as the editor-in-chief of the Mast literary magazine, president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, president of the Latin Club, captain of the Academic Team, an officer of the National Honor Society and an officer and treasurer of the Drama Club. This year, she helped to spearhead a food drive that raised more than $3,000 and food donations for those in need. Peggy is a founder and editor-in-chief of the news media platform, The Current, and is collaborating with Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) on several initiatives. 

She has served as a summer intern at both Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, where she worked on cutting-edge projects.

Peggy is a National Merit Scholarship finalist, Battelle Scholarship recipient and a Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist. Music plays an important role in her life and her musical achievements are plenty with All-County, All-State and All-Eastern honors as a vocalist and flutist among them. She has performed twice onstage as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, has been on the Manhattan School of Music Dean’s List for three years and has been a recipient of five international vocal competitions.

She is active in community and volunteer initiatives, including serving as a youth ambassador for Concerts in Motion and a live radio show host and broadcast engineer for China Blue on WUSB 90.1 FM. 

Salutatorian Massimo Cipriano has excelled in many of his classes in Port Jefferson. 

He was a member of the Student Organization as a freshman and sophomore and served as secretary for the class of 2021. He served as a student representative for the district’s PTSA and three years as president of the Varsity Club. This year, he was co-president.

Photo from PJSD

Massimo has also been a Royal, a three- sport athlete in his high school career, as a member of the soccer, basketball, and baseball teams. He was also part of the founding team members of The Current, the independent online newspaper, where he is the head of the sports column. 

He participates in numerous volunteer and community service actions and recently helped spearhead a pen pal program with veterans at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook. 

Citing English as a favorite subject, Massimo would like to study journalism when he begins college in the fall.

Massimo used his four years in high school to tap into many of the school’s offerings, helping him to become a well-rounded scholar. He commends several high school teachers with encouraging him to continue to embrace the world with kindness, empathy and a positive mindset, and values the mentors and role models they are to him. He is also pleased to have been a student in the district since childhood, citing his gratefulness to a school community that has encouraged lifelong relationships and inspired him to keep his best foot forward.

Both students were honored at a virtual celebration hosted by New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), recognizing the accomplishments of Long Island’s most accomplished students. 

“It was a great pleasure speaking with these remarkable students and hearing about their future plans, accomplishments and favorite memories from high school,” Palumbo said. “We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and congratulate them and their parents on their significant accomplishments.”

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Photo from MPSD

Graduating with the class of 2021 of Miller Place High School, Kyla Bruno will be leaving as valedictorian, finishing at the top of her class with a weighted GPA of 102.34. Kyla plans to attend college at Northwestern University and will be majoring in mathematics, with a minor or double major in music. 

Photo from MPSD

Throughout her high school career, Kyla has accomplished a tremendous amount academically. She was awarded AP Scholar with Honors, Performing Arts Teeny Award for Outstanding Instrumentalist, and was recognized by the College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program.

Consistently achieving honor roll while enrolled in all AP and honors courses, Kyla has also received Special Recognition of Excellence in language arts, geometry, Spanish, and orchestra. She was additionally named an All-State Musician. 

Not only is Kyla academically gifted, but is a very active athlete as well, earning the Scholar-Athlete Award for tennis and track. She is a member of both the spring and winter track teams and was recognized as All-League and All-County on her tennis team.

Leaving with a 101.30, the second-highest GPA in the Class of 2021, Jason Cirrito was named salutatorian at Miller Place high school.

Jason was notably awarded for his academic excellence, but also had a big involvement in his community. He achieved High Honor Roll for every marking period since 9th grade and received awards for Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors and the Geometry Honors Award.

He was also given the Outstanding Acts of Kindness Award for helping his classmates and community members without expecting anything in return. 

Spending his time at the Port Jefferson Library, Jason helped coordinate events and also served as the assistant coach for the Miller Place Parent Teacher Organization basketball team. 

To add to his stellar academic and community service achievements, Jason was known as an involved student-athlete. He was a member of the cross-country team, soccer team, and the winter and spring track teams. 

This fall, Jason will be attending Vassar College and plans to major in math education and become a secondary math teacher.

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Northport High School. File photo

By Leah Chiappino

In light of graduation season, Northport High School has named Peter DeTolla and Alea Brummel valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Peter DeTolla

Like all members of the Class of 2020, both students have attempted to rise to the challenge of celebrating senior year in the face of a pandemic, while mourning the loss of classic senior moments, such as prom and traditional graduation.

“I definitely would have preferred to have finished my senior year in school with all of my classmates, but I am trying to make the best of the situation,” Brummel said. “While I am sad that I didn’t get many of the opportunities I would have had if we had been in school, I am extremely grateful for the efforts our principal Mr. Danbusky and all of the other staff and teachers at Northport High School who have made efforts to ensure we get a special ending to our senior year such as lawn signs or the drive-by parade we had.”

“The pandemic was really a slap in the face, as everyone in the Class of 2020 missed out on the best part of high school,” DeTolla added. “However, my school made a great effort to make us feel appreciated and I thank them for that.”

DeTolla finished high school with a 102.78 grade point average and plans to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, with hopes of becoming a mechanical engineer.

The valedictorian was involved in Students for 60,000, a Northport High School-based service organization dedicated to helping the needy. Through the club, DeTolla went on a service trip to Nicaragua, which he says was a highlight of his high school experience. “My experience in Nicaragua as a part of Students for 60,000 is something I’ll never forget,” he said. “I’ve become so appreciative of the life I have, and those trips are a big reason for that. The memories and friends I made there are truly remarkable.”

DeTolla added that another highlight from high school was beating Ward Melville High School “on their home turf,” at a record-breaking lacrosse game.

“It was a euphoric feeling that I share with every member of the team,” he said.

One of four children, DeTolla said he grew up in a close, well-rounded family, something he attributes to his success.

“My mother and father, Aimee and Peter, raised me to be a balanced individual with a strong work ethic and kind spirit,” he said. “Our family is very close, and I can’t imagine not being a part of it … I would like to thank every teacher, coach, older cousin and any other role model in my life for giving me the tools to succeed.”

Alea Brummel

Brummel, who earned a 101.62 GPA, is headed to Baylor University in the fall to study chemistry and mathematics on a pre-med track, with the hopes of working in sports medicine. For the salutatorian, it was her combined love of sports and science that led her on this path. At Northport, she was the head student athletic trainer and was able to assist the district’s athletic trainer in treating and rehabilitating injured student-athletes. The times when she was working directly on the football field, she said, were some of her favorite memories from high school.

“I am a huge football fan, and it was awesome to not only go to games but to also get to work as a student trainer for the games,” she said. “It was an amazing experience to be on the field with the players, and I am hoping to potentially pursue a career in sports medicine so it was incredible to get to see what the atmosphere is like.”

Despite her school and training commitments, Brummel also was involved in community service through her church. For the past two years, she has gone on a service trip to the Dominican Republic over February break.

Brummel said she has loved growing up in Northport and “had an amazing experience at Northport High School.” She praised all of her “amazing teachers,” but gave special thanks to her AP Chemistry teacher, Don Strasser, as his class was a major factor in Brummel choosing chemistry as a major. She said her math teachers likewise fueled her passion for mathematics, and that she is deeply grateful to her mentors in the sports medicine program, Tracey Braun and Shawn Scattergood. Brummel thanked her family for “always being incredibly supportive of me and always being there for me.”

She advised next year’s senior class to take the time to cherish senior year.

“Make sure you take advantage of all of your opportunities and make sure to have fun and enjoy your senior year,” she said. “This year especially has shown us, not everything is guaranteed to happen as expected, so make the most of what you experience — go to the game, go to the dance, go out with your friends.”

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Kings Park High School. Photo by Rita J. Egan

By Leah Chiappino

Kings Park High School graduating seniors Celina Ma and Taryn O’Connor have earned the title of valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Celina Ma

With the coronavirus, Ma and O’Connor have had to make the best of celebrating the conclusion of their senior year of high school in the face of a pandemic. Ma says that she has found positivity through the darkness.

“Losing my senior year to the COVID-19 pandemic was heartbreaking and disappointing, to say the least,” she said. “But through adversity, comes growth. While we have all experienced a great loss, I think the Class of 2020 has also gained a new resilience and strength that will serve us well for the rest of our lives.”

O’Connor added that while the restrictions have been disappointing, she has hope for
the future.

“I was definitely disappointed over losing the end of my senior year due to COVID-19, she said. “I found it difficult to transition to online classes, as I find that I work best in a classroom environment. I was also looking forward to all the events for the seniors that happen in the final months, whether it be prom or the Senior Countdown on the field. However, I’m happy that the school is trying to arrange an in-person graduation ceremony, and I’m hopeful that restrictions will eventually loosen so that the class can get to graduate together.”

Ma earned a final grade point average of 108.42 and will attend Duke University in the fall to study in their pre-med program. Well on her way to a career in medicine, Ma has conducted biochemical research at Peter Tonge’s laboratory at Stony Brook University on the “development of novel, boron-based bivalent inhibitors against Staphylococcus aureus” over the past few summers.

“It really opened my eyes to what the science research field was like, and I learned so much during those 10 weeks,” she said. “It was also super fun being able to get hands-on doing different chemical reactions and laboratory procedures.”

She has won multiple awards for her research. Ma is also a National AP Scholar and a National Merit Scholar. She is the captain of the varsity tennis team and is a co-president of Independent Science Research, Model UN and Science Olympiad, as well as the vice president of Mock Trial. She volunteered as the entertainment chair of the Kings Park Relay for Life and at her local food pantry. A dedicated piano player, she was an all-state qualifier, playing as both a soloist and an accompanist.

Despite all of these accomplishments, Ma said her favorite high school memory has simply been relaxing with her friends during junior prom. “[It] was a rollercoaster of a day,” she said. “I had two AP exams back to back, going from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. I was super stressed after I finished because I was already late to prom pictures and still had to get ready, but I think the anxiety of the day ended up making the fun of the night all the more memorable. I made a fashionably late entrance to prom pictures and had a blast dancing with my friends all night.”

In line with her favorite memory, she advises next year’s seniors to “make the most of every moment. After the stress of applying to college is over, enjoy your final days of being a high schooler, and don’t forget to thank all the teachers/faculty you’re leaving behind.”

Ma credits those around her for helping her achieve her success.

“There are so many people who have helped me get to where I am today,” she said. “I’d like to thank my family first and foremost, my friends, my teachers and administration for their endless support. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Taryn O’Connor

O’Connor finished high school with a final GPA of 106.59 and will attend Harvard University in the fall where she is set to study applied mathematics.

A daughter of Irish immigrants, her family settled in Kings Park a few years before she was born. O’Connor said she loved growing up in Kings Park’s tight-knit community. “Throughout my time in Kings Park, I have spent a lot of time with friends, and have made many memories along the way, whether it be from walking on the beach or getting a slice of pizza,” she said. “In school, I made invaluable connections with my teachers that I will never forget.”

The salutatorian cited the school’s annual Relay for Life event as her favorite high school memory.

“Each year, it was a fun-filled day with friends, whether it be at my team’s tent, on the field, or walking around the track,” she said. “Plus, the event sheds light on the importance of supporting the fight against cancer, and I believe that it is a great way to get the community together.”

O’Connor was also the captain of the Math Team and Trivia Team, the co-president of Model UN and Independent Science Research, the vice president of Science Olympiad, the treasurer of the Mock Trial team and a member of the Relay for Life committee. She was a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and ran in the cross country, winter track and spring track teams.

When asked to give advice for next year’s seniors, O’Connor stressed the importance of setting goals and sticking to them. She added her teachers and parents have helped her to do so in her own life.

“Their guidance ultimately helped me to achieve the goals that I set for myself,”
she said.

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The Eagle banner at Hauppauge High School. Photo by Rita J. Egan

By Leah Chiappino

Hauppauge High School has named Caroline Fortmeyer and Devin Capece as its valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Caroline Fortmeyer

The graduates have had to finish their senior year and celebrate their achievements in the midst of a pandemic. Yet, Fortmeyer said that the situation has taught her resilience and perspective.

“Although it was very unfortunate to have my prom canceled and graduation delayed, this entire experience has transformed my life in ways that are far more important than these events,” she said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has yielded lessons of resiliency, innovation and gratitude for our entire society.”

Capece added that he chose to look at the positive aspect of having online classes, such as the fact his family grew closer together.

“We can’t change the fact that COVID-19 has forced us to distance ourselves from others and that all of the senior moments that we had been looking forward to were suddenly stripped away, but we can control whether we allow it to destroy our spirit,” he said. “I am hopeful that this crisis will display the resilience of our generation and teach us to find value and hope in a dire situation. … I am grateful that this period has provided all of us with the time to reflect upon what is truly important.”

Fortmeyer earned a final grade point average of 102.61. She is headed to Northeastern University in the fall where she will major in business. The valedictorian said that she is uncertain about what her specific career path will look like, but that she hopes to work with people in a math-oriented field. At Hauppauge, she was National Honor Society class president and was a member of the Mock Trial club and the chamber choir. The choir took her to competitions in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida and allowed her to perform at various community events. She said the choir’s trip to Disney last year as her favorite high school memory.

“It was truly an unforgettable experience,” she said.

Having lived in Hauppauge her entire life, she said the community is one of the things she will miss the most when she goes away to college.

“I am grateful to have grown up in such a supportive community,” she said. “In fact, some of my earliest memories involve attending school events with my brothers. It always amazes me how our community is so united especially during the most difficult of times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Fortmeyer credited both the support of her family and the education she received as factors leading to her success.

“I cannot express sufficient gratitude to my parents for their tireless support and advice, which has been invaluable to me,” she said. “I thank them for their patience, love and for teaching me the most important life lessons. I would also like to thank all of my teachers, for their commitment and dedication has been so impactful. Since the day I began kindergarten, I have felt welcomed and supported by every teacher that has entered my life. I am beyond grateful to have learned from such knowledgeable teachers and people of admirable character.”

Devin Capece

Capece finished his senior year with a 102.18 GPA. He is set to attend Purdue University to study chemical engineering. He is unsure what he would like to do as a career but is certain that he wants to use his education to help solve societal problems he is passionate about.

The salutatorian was involved in a number of honor societies, was a varsity tennis player and played the saxophone with the advanced jazz band. He was president of the ethics and debate club, secretary of the robotics team, and competed in the Model United Nations competition. He also volunteered with Vincentian Leadership Institute to go on various community service trips throughout New York City and was a Eucharistic minister and outreach volunteer at Christ the King Parish. Capece also worked with Long Island Cares to organize food drives.

Capece said his favorite high school memory was hanging out with friends and ordering pizzas late at night at the hotel during the trip to the Festivals of Music in Virginia Beach he took his sophomore year.

One of four boys, Capece credits his close-knit family for his success.

”Both my parents are the most giving people in the world, and represent love at its core,” he said. “Of course, no family is perfect, but it’s the imperfections that make it perfect. My parents have always taught us positive values, most notably selflessness and doing good for others, but have also made us aware that nothing good ever happens without hard work.”

Specifically, he thanked his mother for helping him navigate the college search. She “helped me to figure out which schools were best to apply to, and she became a database of college information,” he said. “I am truly thankful that she has put so much effort into my life, and that she enjoys doing so.”

Capece also thanked the high school band director, Andrew Monsen, and credits him for making his experience in the music department so enjoyable.

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