These high school students received the highest distinction this year. Get to know Long Island&rsquo;s more than 150 seniors.

Long Island

LI Life

LFVAL25_Grid

VALEDICTORIAN 
REBECCA HERNANDEZ 
Hempstead 
GPA: 4.08 (weighted) 
Activities: yearbook, peer tutor, National Honor Society 
College and major: Long Island University, accounting

Education

Graduations

lfVAL25_AcademyCharterSchool-Hempstead

Nassau

Academy Charter School - Hempstead

ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL - HEMPSTEAD

Rebecca  Hernandez

VALEDICTORIAN 
KARESHA DESPORT 
Hempstead 
GPA: 4.02 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, student government, debate team, Academy Queens, The Academy Mass Choir, yearbook 
College and major: University at Albany, psychology/3+3 program with Albany Law School

LFVAL25_ACADEMYCHARTERSCHOOL-UNIONDALE

Academy Charter School-Uniondale

ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL-UNIONDALE

Karesha  Desport

lfVAL25_AcademyCharterSchool-Uniondale

VALEDICTORIAN 
JESUS BARRIOS 
Amityville 
GPA: 109.28 (weighted) 
Activities: Rho Kappa Honor Society president, Scholarly Wings founder/president, Gates Scholar, Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, Horatio Alger National Scholar, student council vice president, Amityville Echo editor-in-chief 
College and major: Harvard University, computer science and applied mathematics

lfVAL25_AmityvilleMemorialHighSchool

Suffolk

Amityville Memorial High School

AMITYVILLE MEMORIAL H.S.

Jesus Barrios

VALEDICTORIAN 
IAN CHAN 
Baldwin 
GPA: 119.97 (weighted) 
Activities: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Honor Society vice president, Youth Change Leader Collaborative documentarian, Shine Youth Alive at Baldwin High School vice president, Athletes Helping Athletes, concert choir bass section leader, varsity lacrosse 
College and major: Stony Brook University Simons STEM Scholars Program, biomedical engineering

LFVAL25_BALDWINSENIORHIGHSCHOOL

Baldwin Senior High School

BALDWIN SENIOR H.S.

Ian Chan

lfVAL25_BaldwinSeniorHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
RILEY ALTMAN 
Babylon 
GPA: 105.44 (weighted) 
Activities: Class Cabinet president, varsity soccer captain, varsity basketball team captain, National Honor Society treasurer, DECA state qualifier, Business Honor Society secretary, Social Studies Honor Society activities chair 
College and major: Lehigh University, accounting

LFVAL25_BABYLONJUNIORSENIORHIGHSCHOOL

Babylon Junior Senior High School

BABYLON JUNIOR SENIOR H.S.

Riley  Altman

lfVAL25_BabylonJuniorSeniorHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
AMELIA KASTEN 
Bay Shore 
GPA: 104.67 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, Interact Club co-president, Maroon Echo co-editor-in-chief, Best Buddies Club treasurer, varsity field hockey, varsity Unified basketball 
College and major: University of Virginia, economics/mathematics

LFVAL25_BAYSHOREHIGHSCHOOL

Bay Shore High School

BAY SHORE H.S.

Amelia Kasten

lfVAL25_BayShoreHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
SHANE DUERR 
Blue Point 
GPA: 104.08 (weighted) 
Activities: varsity tennis first singles All-County, class president, Wellness Club treasurer, National Honor Society treasurer, Bayport-Blue Point Science Education Group founder, Reform Club co-secretary, Suffolk County Junior Tennis League's Youth Tennis Camp volunteer 
College and major: University of Connecticut Honors College, biology/psychology

lfVAL25_Bayport/BluePointHighSchool

Bayport / Blue Point High School

BAYPORT / BLUE POINT H.S.

Shane Duerr

VALEDICTORIAN 
KESHAVI SHAH 
East Patchogue 
GPA: 105.42 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, Math Honor Society vice president, Key Club treasurer, WISE, Science Bowl team president/captain, Quantum Information Science &amp; Technology Summer Program at Stony Brook University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MITES Semester 
College and major: Rice University, mechanical engineering

LFVAL25_BELLPORTHIGHSCHOOL

Bellport High School

BELLPORT H.S.

Keshavi Shah

lfVAL25_BellportHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
KAITLYN OCUTO 
Bethpage 
GPA: 109.13 (weighted) 
Activities: Science Honor Society vice president, National Honor Society, Girl Scouts, Art Club treasurer, French Club vice president, cross country captain, winter/spring track 
College and major: University of Florida, undecided

LFVAL25_BETHPAGEHIGHSCHOOL

Bethpage High School

BETHPAGE H.S.

Kaitlyn Ocuto

lfVAL25_BethpageHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
MARLIE RENO 
Brentwood 
GPA: 105.91 (weighted) 
Activities: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers secretary, Science Honor Society historian, STEAM Enrichment Camp counselor, Adventist Youth Ministries secretary 
College and major: Carnegie Mellon University, biological studies

LFVAL25_BRENTWOODHIGHSCHOOLROSSCENTER

Brentwood High School Ross Center

BRENTWOOD H.S. ROSS CENTER

Marlie Reno

lfVAL25_BrentwoodHighSchoolRossCenter

VALEDICTORIAN 
FARAH ALZAFARANI 
Brentwood 
GPA: 108.22 (weighted) 
Activities: Pow Wow News school newspaper key editor/writer, Brookhaven National Laboratory intern, Students for Climate Change student advocate and member, English Honor Society president, Senior Class president, New York State Mentor at Oak Park Elementary School, Unity Ambassador program representative 
College and major:&nbsp;Stony Brook University Simons STEM Scholars Program, biology

LFVAL25_BRENTWOODHIGHSCHOOLSONDERLINGCENTER

Brentwood High School Sonderling Center

BRENTWOOD H.S. SONDERLING CENTER

Farah  Alzafarani

lfVAL25_BrentwoodHighSchoolSonderlingCenter

VALEDICTORIAN 
AVERY MCCLELAND 
Bridgehampton 
GPA: 100.57 (weighted) 
Activities: Hampton Ballet Theatre School, National Honor Society president, student council president, Foreign Language Club president, Borlaug Scholar-New York Youth Institute World Food Prize at Cornell University, DAR Good Citizens Award, Marimba Ensemble 
College and major: University of Virginia, Echols Scholars Program, political science

LFVAL25_BRIDGEHAMPTONSCHOOL

Bridgehampton School

BRIDGEHAMPTON SCHOOL

Avery McCleland

lfVAL25_BridgehamptonSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
IZZY BUSCEMI 
Carle Place 
GPA: 105.15 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, Math Honor Society president, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, varsity swim captain 11th and&nbsp;12th grade, Unity president 
College and major:&nbsp;University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering,&nbsp;astronautical engineering

LFVAL25_CARLEPLACEMIDDLESENIORHIGHSCHOOL

Carle Place High School

CARLE PLACE H.S.

Izzy Buscemi

lfVAL25_CarlePlaceMiddleSeniorHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
TROY GOETZ 
Center Moriches 
GPA: 104.04 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society president, Math Honor Society president, Foreign Language Honor Society treasurer, Learn to Be tutor, all-league tennis player, tennis team captain, Empower mixed martial arts 
College and major: Cornell University, hospitality

LFVAL25_CENTERMORICHESHIGHSCHOOL

Center Moriches High School

CENTER MORICHES H.S.

Troy Goetz

lfVAL25_CenterMorichesHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
SHAWN EDBERT 
Centereach 
GPA: 102.39 (weighted) 
Activities: Robotics team, Middle Country&nbsp;varsity golf team captain, All-State band French horn, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, Rensselaer Medal 
College and major: University of Pennsylvania, mechanical engineering

LFVAL25_CENTEREACHHIGHSCHOOL

Centereach High School

CENTEREACH H.S.

Shawn Edbert

lfVAL25_CentereachHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
JACQUELINE LOPEZ 
Central Islip 
GPA: 106.84 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, Math Club president, senior class treasurer, Code.org young women ambassador, stage crew lead builder, newspaper club, STEP Club 
College and major: Stony Brook University, electrical engineering

LFVAL25_CENTRALISLIPHIGHSCHOOL

Central Islip High School

CENTRAL ISLIP H.S.

Jacqueline Lopez

lfVAL25_CentralIslipHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
LOGAN RAHNER 
Wantagh 
GPA: 99.39 (unweighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, varsity crew, Senior Leaders, CROSS, Sodality, Parish Religious Education Program 
College and major: University of Florida, engineering

LFVAL25_CHAMINADEHIGHSCHOOL

Chaminade High School

CHAMINADE H.S.

Logan Rahner

lfVAL25_ChaminadeHighSchool

ACADEMIC LEADER-VALEDICTORIAN 
MEHEK SAWHNEY 
Commack 
GPA: 105.16 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society treasurer, Science Honor Society vice president, Regeneron International Science and&nbsp;Engineering Fair 2024 &amp; 2025 (3rd place Grand Award Microbiology in 2025, 2nd place 2024), Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Teens 4 Teens outreach leader, Youth Leaders for Medicine Organization president, varsity gymnastics 
College and major: Harvard University,&nbsp;molecular and cellular biology, history of science

LFVAL25_COMMACKHIGHSCHOOL

Commack High School

COMMACK H.S.

Mehek Sawhney

lfVAL25_CommackHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
MELISSA ROMANO 
Port Jefferson Station 
GPA: 105.01 (weighted) 
Activities: National Honor Society, varsity tennis captain, National Merit finalist, Law Club, TED volunteer translator, Library of Congress volunteer transcriber, Rensselaer Medalist 
College and major: Cornell University, computer science

LFVAL25_COMSEWOGUEHIGHSCHOOL

Comsewogue High School

COMSEWOGUE H.S.

Melissa Romano

lfVAL25_ComsewogueHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
ALEXANDER DEVITA 
Ronkonkoma 
GPA: 105.39 (weighted) 
Activities: Eagle Scout, National Merit Scholar finalist, U.S. Department of Education Presidential Scholar candidate, National Honor Society president, Math Honor Society president, Social Studies Honor Society vice president, chamber orchestra 
College and major: Stony Brook University, premedicine

LFVAL25_CONNETQUOTSENIORHIGHSCHOOL

Connetquot High School

CONNETQUOT H.S.

Alexander DeVita

lfVAL25_ConnetquotSeniorHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
RAFEEA RAHMAN 
Westbury 
GPA: 98.40 (weighted) 
Activities: Not provided 
College and major: Stony Brook University, engineering

LFVAL25_CRESCENTSCHOOL

Crescent School

CRESCENT SCHOOL

Rafeea Rahman

lfVAL25_CrescentSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
REZA ZORAKHSH 
Deer Park 
GPA: 110.53 (weighted) 
Activities: Spanish Honor Society president, Math team co-captain, Science Olympiad co-captain, varsity track captain, DECA, Town of Babylon Ujima minority summer internship program, Skew The Script: Data Science and AI Bootcamp 
College and major: Undecided

LFVAL25_DEERPARKHIGHSCHOOL

Deer Park High School

DEER PARK H.S.

Reza Zorakhsh

lfVAL25_DeerParkHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
VIDHI PATEL 
Levittown 
GPA: 105.06 (weighted) 
Activities: Student council president, Science Olympiad vice captain, Key Club co-president,&nbsp;World Language Honor Society, Levittown Public Schools Board of Education liaison, Division Avenue High School's Ambassadors Program, Diversity Club 
College and major: Williams College, biology

LFVAL25_DIVISIONAVEHIGHSCHOOL

Division Avenue High School

DIVISION AVENUE H.S.

Vidhi Patel

lfVAL25_DivisionAveHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
DANI POSNER 
Woodmere 
GPA: 99.15 (unweighted) 
Activities: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Commended Student, National Honor Society, DRS College Bowl&nbsp;co-president 12th grade, member grades 9-11,&nbsp;DRS Medical Journal grades 10-12, peer tutoring co-president 12th grade, member grades 9-11, Friendship Circle&nbsp;volunteer 
College and major: Yeshiva University, business

LFVAL25_DRSYESHIVAHIGHSCHOOL

Drs Yeshiva High School

DRS YESHIVA H.S.

Dani Posner

lfVAL25_DrsYeshivaHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
YONI POSNER 
Woodmere 
GPA: 99.14 (unweighted) 
Activities: National Honor&nbsp;Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, DRS College Bowl co-president 12th grade, member grades 10-11, math team, DRS Medical Journal editor grades 10-12, peer tutoring&nbsp;co-president 12th grade, member grades 9-11, Friendship Circle volunteer 
College and major: Yeshiva University, undecided

LFVAL25_DRSYESHIVAHIGHSCHOOLKRKU

Yoni Posner

VALEDICTORIAN 
SARA FREITAS 
Port Jefferson 
GPA: 103.00 (weighted) 
Activities: Interact Club president, Environmental Club president, Stony Brook University psychology research assistant, Women in STEM Summer Camp co-founder, Three Village STEM Enrichment Foundation volunteer, Investment Club president, girls varsity soccer 
College and major: Brown University, applied mathematics

LFVAL25_EARLL.VANDERMEULENHIGHSCHOOL

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School

EARL L. VANDERMEULEN H.S.

Sara Freitas

lfVAL25_EarlL.VandermeulenHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
ABRAHAM STILLMAN 
Springs 
GPA: 106.65 (weighted) 
Activities: Century Club vice president, academic team president, track and field team captain, East Hampton Town Youth Task Force&nbsp;student representative, East Hampton Town Tick Advisory Committee student representative, Lions Club Student of the Month in September, published peer-reviewed article in the International Journal of Stroke 
College and major: Columbia University, biology

LFVAL25_EASTHAMPTONHIGHSCHOOL

East Hampton High School

EAST HAMPTON H.S.

Abraham Stillman

lfVAL25_EastHamptonHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
RYAN FLAD 
East Islip 
GPA: 110.31 (weighted) 
Activities: New York State&nbsp;Math Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society vice president, varsity academic team captain, Long Island Youth Orchestra principal trumpet, All-State trumpet 2x, Rensselaer Medal recipient, stage manager 
College and major: The&nbsp;Ohio State University, materials science and engineering

LFVAL25_EASTISLIPHIGHSCHOOL

East Islip High School

EAST ISLIP H.S.

Ryan Flad

lfVAL25_EastIslipHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
AVA PERSICO 
East Meadow 
GPA: 108.42 (weighted) 
Activities: English Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, Science Honor Society, American Sign Language Honor Society, College Board's National First-Generation Recognition Program, Extraclassroom Activities&nbsp;Fund president, Six-Word Story National English Honor Society contest winner 
College and major: Hofstra University, BS/MS in physician assistant studies

LFVAL25_EASTMEADOWHIGHSCHOOL

East Meadow High School

EAST MEADOW H.S.

Ava Persico

lfVAL25_EastMeadowHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
TIMOTHY POLAND 
East Rockaway 
GPA: 106.27 (weighted) 
Activities: Class officer vice president 9th grade, president 10th grade, member 11th-12th grade, student council secretary 10th grade, president 11th-12th grade, varsity cross country captain 12th grade, Key Club secretary 10th grade, vice president 11th grade, president 12th grade, National Honor Society president 12th grade, CANstruction captain 10th grade, member 9th,11th-12th grade, Unified basketball captain 12th grade 
College and major: Hofstra University, accounting

LFVAL25_EASTROCKAWAYJUNIORSENIORHIGHSCHOOL

East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School

EAST ROCKAWAY JUNIOR-SENIOR H.S.

Timothy Poland

lfVAL25_EastRockawayJuniorSeniorHighSchool

VALEDICTORIAN 
AMANDA SELIGMAN 
Manorville 
GPA: 108.32 (weighted) 
Activities: AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma, National Merit Commended Scholar, National Honor Society, chamber orchestra president, Sinfonia vice president, student ambassador 
College and major: Georgia Institute of Technology, electrical engineering

lfVAL25_Eastport-SouthManorJuniorSeniorHighSchool

Eastport-South Manor Junior Senior High School

EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR JUNIOR SENIOR H.S.

Amanda  Seligman

VALEDICTORIAN 
CALEB LOPEZ 
Elmont 
GPA: 102.29 (weighted) 
Activities: Science Honor Society vice president, Key Club social scene coordinator, Student Government Congress, Tri-M Honor Society, National Senior Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta president 11th-12th grade, senior jazz band first chair 
College and major: Stony Brook University, nursing

lfVAL25_ElmontMemorialJuniorSeniorHighSchool

Elmont Memorial Junior Senior High School

ELMONT MEMORIAL JUNIOR SENIOR H.S.

Caleb Lopez

VALEDICTORIAN 
DAVIN LI 
Greenlawn 
GPA: 99.42 (unweighted) 
Activities: National Merit Commended Student, Huntington Township Senior Scholar Athlete, Suffolk County Champ 200 meters, News 12 Scholar Athlete, varsity soccer captain, All-State symphony orchestra violinist, All-County orchestra 
College and major: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mathematics

lfVAL25_Elwood-JohnGlennHighSchool

Elwood - John Glenn High School

ELWOOD - JOHN GLENN H.S.

Davin Li

VALEDICTORIAN 
SHEA HIOTIDIS 
Massapequa Park 
GPA: 104.20 (weighted) 
Activities: marching band drum major, Key Club vice president, National Honor Society president, boys varsity tennis team captain, All-State orchestra bassoon 2023 and 2024, Juilliard Music Advancement Program, Juilliard Preparatory Division 2023-2024 principal bassoon, NYS Seal of Biliteracy 
College and major: Georgia Institute of Technology, chemical and biomolecular engineering

Long Island's 2025 valedictorians

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