Massapequa High School is both pleased and proud to announce it’s Class of 2015 Valedictorian, Vincent Coghill.
When he was 3-years-old, Coghill read greeting cards out loud at a local stationery store, much to the amusement of shop owners and patrons who marveled at his ability to read at such a young age. Fast forward 15 years and he’s capping a stellar academic career at Massapequa High School as Valedictorian of his 616-member class.
“I read early,” he admitted, “but I’m really all about numbers because there’s always a definitive answer.”
With that sentiment— and his completion of the highest level of coursework, including 12 advanced placement (AP) classes, with a 99.66 weighted grade-point average, Coghill is looking forward to studying finance at New York University’s Stern Business School this fall and living in the midst of the greatest financial district in the world.
His penchant for business came in high school as a member of DECA or Distributive Education Clubs of America, an international association for developing business skills in areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship and finance. In his sophomore year, he competed in the state competition in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing category and finished among the top 10 in the category and overall. As a senior, he became chapter president, competed in the financial literacy category and placed fifth in the state competition, one notch away from qualifying for the international tournament. He also placed in the top 20 percent in the National Financial Capability Challenge.
While working as an intern at Rockin’ Wellness, a company that produces superfood nutritional shakes, Coghill was intrigued by the business end of operations.
“I was able to sit in on meetings between the company and financial institutions to see how the company qualified for credit and to better understand procurement procedures,” he said.
A leader on the playing field as well, Coghill captained the varsity tennis team and led the team to the 2015 Conference II Championship, one of the most exciting highlights of his high school career.
An AP Scholar of Distinction, Coghill earned the highest score of five on nearly all AP exams, is a member of the Society of AP Scholars, National Honor Society and the Business and Marketing Honor Society of New York State. He has also been on the Principal’s List throughout his high school career and earned honors for his knowledge of Spanish. He has won accolades as a copy editor for “The Chief” student newspaper. As a member of the Health and Wellness Club, Coghill became a teen trainer to teach elementary school children about the importance of wellness. He also tutored students, worked in the summer recreation program at Unqua Elementary School, his alma mater and became a Life Scout in Boy Scouting.
His inspiration for success came from his parents, who he said instilled a great work ethic and helped him manage the stress he put on himself as a child. Coghill also credits his 11th grade AP English teacher, Alice Alarcon, for freeing him of his analytical mindset that had him stuck on finding a “formula” to get a writing assignment correct and unleashing a more fluid and genuine writing style that was reflective of his own voice.
“The greatest lesson is that she never gave me guidelines on how to write; I had to learn to form my own opinions and express them my way, not someone else’s way,” he said.
Witty and personable, Coghill said while his greatest strength is being able to juggle a rigorous academic schedule and many extracurricular activities at once, his lack of artistic ability and the thought of the subject bringing his GPA down, worried him over the years. In fact, if he could change one thing about high school it would be the opportunity to improve his handwriting, he joked.
As he prepares for college, Coghill advises underclassman not to take themselves too seriously and to find the humor in everything.
“Limit your stress and let your high school years be fun ones you remember,” he said.
On a more serious note, he implores them to hold onto their beliefs.
“In a 21st century world of political correctness and fear of terror, never let others forcefully change your beliefs, and in the same vein, don’t shun the ideas of others; always keep an open mind.”
—Submitted by Massapequa Public Schools
