Hicksville High School’s Class of 2009

Hicksville High School’s Class of 2009 Valedictorian is Brian Freire. Described by his guidance counselor as “one who does not just accept a challenge, but rather one who seeks it,” Freire is graduating with a GPA of 101.5 after finishing the most demanding course of study available at Hicksville High School.

During his senior year alone, Freire completed and excelled in five Advanced Placement courses and was named a Commended Student in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Fine Arts and Modern Languages Honor Society and served as secretary of the Math Honor Society during his senior year. Additionally, Freire was admitted into the Institute for Creative Problem-Solving for Gifted Math Students during his freshman year and was declared a Long Island Young Scholar of Mathematics.
Freire’s focus is not just on academics; he strives to be a leader among his peers and is passionate about athletics. During all four years of high school, Freire has played JV and varsity basketball, soccer and lacrosse. Some highlights of his athletic career include being named All-Conference Varsity Soccer Player and Varsity Soccer Champion during his sophomore year. Freire was also selected for the Empire State Soccer Team (Long Island Region), traveling to both England and Italy to play.
Freire was accepted to numerous prestigious colleges, including Duke University, Brown University, Northwestern University and New York University’s Stern School of Business. He has chosen to continue his education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Nancy Desai, Class of 2009 Salutatorian

Nancy Desai is an outstanding senior at Hicksville High School, who has earned the honor of being the Class of 2009 Salutatorian. Desai worked diligently at maintaining a stellar GPA of 100.9 and consistently ranked among the best and brightest on nationwide exams. She was among 34,000 students who placed in the top 5 percent out of 1.5 million students who took the 2007 PSAT and was named a Commended Student in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program as a result.
Desai’s passion for science was nurtured throughout her years at Hicksville High School. She was accepted into the Institute of Creative Problem-Solving for Gifted Students at SUNY Old Westbury and interned in the DNA Program at the Dolan Center and at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. During her high school career, Desai was an active board member of the Science Olympiad Team, and as a participant on the team, she won three regional medals. She has also received High Honors in the Gregory Museum Science Fair, and earned the status of Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction for her work and accomplishments in the district’s Advanced Placement Program.
Desai is also extremely active in the school community. She holds membership in the National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society, the Fine Arts and Modern Languages Honor Society and the National Math Honor Society. She participated in and placed second at the regional level of the American Legion Oratorical Contest and was an Anthem Essay Finalist in the Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contest. Desai was an active member of Hicksville High School’s Spanish Club, Math Club and History Club. She also played four years of Varsity Tennis and served as team captain senior year.
Desai will attend Boston University in the fall, where a spot in the prestigious and highly competitive seven-year medical program awaits her.