Congratulations North Shore High School Valedictorian and Salutatorian!
The North Shore School District is very proud to announce the names of the two members of the Viking Class of 2024 who have been named this year’s Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Congratulations Sofia Martini (Valedictorian) and Claire Tao (Salutatorian)!Each of these students has devoted many long hours and an enormous amount of dedication and hard work to their studies at North Shore to receive this high recognition. The valedictorian of the graduating class is the student with the highest weighted grade point average, while the salutatorian of the class of 2024 has received the second-highest weighted grade point average.
Principal Eric Contreras said, “Sofia and Claire are two exceptionally talented students. They have promoted academic scholarship, scientific research, athletic prowess, and artistry in multiple domains inside and outside the high school.”
Congratulations to Sofia Martini, the Valedictorian of the North Shore School District. Sofia’s academic achievements include recipient of the Harvard College Book Prize, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal, Bausch and Lomb Science Award, Long Island Science Congress Honors Award (junior and sophomore year), Junior Award for Excellence in Social Studies, American Citizenship Award (sophomore year), and Excellence in Mathematics Department Award (freshman year). She is president of National Honor Society, president of Mu Alpha Theta, and a member of the World Language Honor Society and Rho Kappa. Sofia’s athletic achievements are also outstanding. She has participated in the Science Research Program and her research attempts to explore genomic diversity and potential virulence factors in the genomes of various Histophilus somni strains, which is a gram-negative bacteria that causes systemic disease in bovines. Her goal is to pursue a career in the healthcare industry.
Sofia is also a Varsity Scholar Athlete and has played on the Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse teams since eighth grade and freshman year respectively. Her team recognitions include Varsity Soccer All-County (junior year), Varsity Soccer All-County Honorable Mention (sophomore year), and Varsity Lacrosse All-Conference (junior year). In addition, Sofia received the Community Service Merit Award (freshman, sophomore, and junior years) and has volunteered at the local library and in PAL Lacrosse clinics.
Congratulations to Claire Tao, the Salutatorian of the North Shore School District. She recently was recognized as a National Merit Semifinalist and a member of the National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honors Society), She is also fluent in Mandarin. During her high school years, Claire has been actively involved in science and has performed her science research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine focusing on glioblastoma and immune system receptors. Claire’s goal is to pursue a career in medicine and to find a target for glioblastoma. She has also worked at a physician’s clinic and a physical therapy clinic.
Claire also has been enthusiastically involved in many extracurricular activities including the president of the High School Portfolio Club, vice president of the Micro and Anatomy Club, and a member of the Chamber Orchestra and Mathletes!
Principal Contreras concluded by saying, “Sofia and Claire are celebrated and respected by everyone. As high schoolers, they already have a spectacular list of storied achievements. They are impeccable examples of students who embody our shared values that permeate their work in all their endeavors. They have pursued diverse and impressive journeys as scholars, athletes, artists and researchers, and their journeys will continue to impress us all in years to come. We are proud to call them our graduates.”
Please join us in congratulating both Sofia Martini and Claire Tao for their hard work at the North Shore Schools. The Class of 2024 is an extremely talented one and we are just so proud of them all. We wish them both the best of luck now and in the future discovering their dreams.
Go Vikings Go!
Article and photos by Shelly Newman