This year's heads of class
A brief look at the 2009 valedictorians and salutatorians 0 comments below
Shouling Zhang, valedictorian
GPA: 102.25
Join the club: A member of the Environmental Club and Math Club.
Your serve: A member of the varsity volleyball team and the Island Volleyball Academy. Shouling also served as a summer counselor for the Lions Sports Camp's summer volleyball program.
Community service: A member of the Leo Club, Math Peer Tutoring, Brookhaven Youth Court, annual food drives, the Empire State Games for Physically Challenged, Character Breakfast, Read Across America Literacy Program, Senior Citizen Prom, Safe Halloween and Sports Day. Fundraising participant for the American Heart Association, the Side Out Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and Awareness.
College plans: University of Rochester
Parting words: "I aspire to become a pediatrician or pediatric physician assistant, in order to help children battling medical difficulties. I love the global medical field and wish to explore it fully."
Jessica Chaffkin, salutatorian
Academics down to a science: An Advanced Placement scholar, Jessica has received an American Chemical Society Award and an award from the American Physics Teachers Association for academic excellence in physics and highest achievement in mathematics and social studies for a female senior. She was a member of the student council, an officer of the student government, a member of the Legislative Committee and the Mock Trial team.
Community service: A member of Amnesty International and served as vice president of the World Language Club. Donated services to Relay for Life, the NYS Empire Games and a community character breakfast.
Bring it on: Varsity cheerleader, coach for LYSA youth team, and member of the lacrosse team and chorus. Participated in NYSSMA and SCMEA.
College plans: Georgetown University
Parting words: "I hope that the lessons I have learned from each of my experiences lead me in the right direction in the future."
Amanda Wilutis, valedictorian
GPA: 100.4
And the award goes to: Received General Excellence Awards in biology, global history honors, computer literacy, chemistry, AP world history, French, health, pre-calculus honors, AP English and journalism.
The write stuff: Reporter and editor-in-chief of the high school newspaper, editor-in-chief of the school yearbook. Wrote two full-length novels during two summers in high school.
On the job: Employed at the Cedar Beach Nature Center for the Town of Brookhaven.
College plans: Vassar College
Major: Undecided
Parting words: "I plan to experiment with a wide variety of classes my freshmen year, from animal-related subjects to psychology to film and dramatic writing."
Theresa DeLucia, salutatorian
GPA: 99.7
A good sport: Varsity softball player, member of the varsity volleyball and basketball teams. She has been captain of both the volleyball and softball teams. Received two all-division awards and one all-league award for softball and two all-county academic awards, split between volleyball and basketball.
Treasured member: Served as secretary then treasurer of the Miller Place Future Business Leaders of America Club, treasurer of the National Honor Society, member of the National Foreign Language Honor Society, member of Mathletes, Varsity Club and the Senior Freshman Mentoring Program.
Reaching out: She is an altar server at St. Louis DeMontfort Church, participated in multiple breast cancer walks and has donated her hair to Locks of Love. Theresa has also been an umpire at North Shore Little League.
College plans: Northeastern University
Major: Chemistry
Parting words: "Work as hard as you can and have fun while you are doing it because life, especially high school, is too short. Everyone knows their limits, but I'm sure if you push yourself a little bit and enjoy the moment, the rest will take care of itself in the end."
Mount Sinai High School
Justin Gallagher, valedictorian
GPA: 100.8 (weighted)
Head of the class: Selected as the district's most outstanding science student, Justin is an Advanced Placement student in calculus BC, English literature and composition, statistics, studio art: drawing, U.S. and global history and calculus AB, as well as having taken Syracuse University Project Advance's Spanish 201 and advance biology course. He was a member and president of the National Honor Society.
Count me in: Justin participated in the M3: Moody's Mega Math Challenge, Stony Brook University's Protein Modeling Challenge, as well as a one-of-a-kind Antarctic ice core study. A member of the Math Team, Foreign Language Club and History Club. Justin played golf for Mount Sinai for four years, two of them on the varsity team.
Community servant: A basketball coach, camp counselor, St. Charles Hospital volunteer, Make-A-Wish volunteer, math tutor and Relay for Life participant.
Portrait of an artist: His work was featured in Youth Art Showcase in 2008 and 2009 and Go APE art showcase. His artwork was given first place for best landscape/interior artwork by Long Island Academy of Fine Arts. He has worked periodically as a freelance artist.
College plans: Cambridge's Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Major: Architecture
Parting words: "Family has always been an important part of my life," Justin said. "I was also deeply inspired by many of my teachers and realized my love of science and math in addition to art."
Ralph Scerbo Jr., salutatorian
GPA: 99.542 (weighted)
Advance forward: An Advanced Placement scholar, Ralph successfully completed AP courses that included environmental science, calculus AB, world history, U.S. history, calculus BC, literature and composition, and microeconomics. He also completed Spanish 201 3/4, a course offered through Syracuse University's Project Advance. Ralph is a member of the National Honor Society. On three occasions he was selected as student of the month by his teachers for the fields of science, social studies and business.
Team player: A member of Interact Club, History Club, SADD and the Peer Leadership program. He also spent a year with the robotics team and was a dedicated member of the math team.
Game on: Ralph was a member of JV soccer, varsity spring track and varsity tennis.
Sense of community: Attended annually Mather Hospital's Walk for Hope and the Cedar Beach Cleanup.
College plans: Northeastern University
Major: Undeclared
Parting words: "I was very fortunate to grow up in Mount Sinai. I've met a lot of good people and have had a lot of fun times."
Rocky Point High School
Sarah McDonnell, valedictorian
GPA: 104.94
Academically speaking: Sarah is an Advanced Placement scholar, a Commended Scholar for the National Merit Scholarship Competition, named on the Principal's Honor Roll, a participant in Mock Trial and the Mock Trial Summer Institute, and a student council officer.
Extra, extra: Participant in the Mark Twain Literacy and Art Contest, the Ethnic Pen Writing Conference and the Alice Hoffman Young Writer's Retreat. A member and officer of the Science Club; competed in the Science Olympiads, the High School Science Bowl, the Earthstock Festival and the Long Island Envirothon.
Strike up the band: As a french horn and trumpet player, Sarah was a member of the marching band, band, concert band and pit orchestra. Participant at the NYSSMA Festival, SCMEA All-County Band and the Brass Quintet.
Your serve: Tennis team.
Community service: Worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a member of the Leaders Club and a Sunday school teacher at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
College plans: Providence College
Major: Double major in political science and business
Parting words: "I hope to pursue a career as an assistant district attorney, where I can combine my sense of justice with my desire to make any difference I can in the world."
Alexandra Santiago, salutatorian
GPA: 104.91
Academic excellence: An Advanced Placement scholar, member of the National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society. Class president in grades 10 and 11, executive vice president in grade 12, president and executive vice president of the Student Council, named on the Principal's Honor Roll.
Good sport: A member of the varsity soccer, basketball and spring track teams.
Join the club: Member and president of the Science Club, Math Team, Future Business Leaders of America, Mock Trial Team.
Community service: Junior and senior counselor for the North Shore Youth Council, soccer referee for St. Anthony's CYO.
College plans: Stony Brook University
Major: Environmental science and business
Parting words: "The most essential qualities a person must have to be successful are honesty, hard work, integrity and the drive to improve. Life isn't about having the highest GPA or the most goals scored in a game; it's about being the best person you can be."
Shoreham/Wading River High School
Katelyn Gostic, valedictorian
GPA: 103.81
Class leader goes green: Katie has participated in student government and served as president in her senior year. She and her co-president helped establish a plan to implement a recycling program at the high school. The program will begin pending the receipt of a grant from Assemblyman Marc Alessi.
The write stuff: Editor of the school newspaper, the Wildcat Pause, Katie has won several journalism awards from both Newsday and the Long Island Press.
Good sport: Played varsity field hockey and varsity winter and spring track. Co-captain of the field hockey team and competed in the Long Island Championship twice. Received an all-county honorable mention and an Outstanding Senior award from the Suffolk Field Hockey Coaches' Association. She likes to run, mountain bike and ski in her free time.
Serving the community: Volunteer coach for community programs track and field hockey clinics. She has helped coaches organize scholarship road races each Thanksgiving. Katie and the SWR salutatorian helped create an interactive science demonstration each year for the elementary school science fair.
College plans: Will attend Princeton University in the fall of 2009.
Major: Engineering
Parting words: "My proximity to the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant exposed to me the conflicts created by America's need for energy," Katie said. "I plan to study engineering with hopes of pursuing a career in the field of alternative energy to preserve the environment and to do so in a safe, cost-effective way."
Emily Throwe, salutatorian
GPA: 103.13
Academic interests: Emily followed her main interests, math and science, through classes and extracurricular activities. Mathletes, chamber orchestra, Brainstormers and the National Honor Society.
Game on: Attended the American Regions Mathematics Competition.
Community service: Volunteer for the Dennis Puleston Osprey Fund.
On the job: Emily spent hours outside of school working at the Wading River Veterinary Hospital.
College plans: Will attend the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in the fall 2009.
Major: Animal science
Parting words: "I plan to continue my education in veterinary school and eventually hold a job in research or clinical practice."
* Carolyn Thorenz
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