This is the second time Westbury’s Tiffany Shaw will wear the title of valedictorian. She was also valedictorian of the Westbury Middle School graduating class.
“I was excited when I found out,” Shaw said. “I was happy and I felt very blessed.”
Shaw was born in Westbury and has attended Westbury schools throughout her whole academic career. Among the highlights of the last four years are going to all county for violin (she’s been a violin player for 10 years) and scoring 100 on her chemistry regents. She was also concert master for the orchestra and involved with the math and crochet clubs. Outside of school, she is actively involved in her church, Caldwell Temple A.M.E Zion in the Bronx.
In the fall, she’ll be attending the Hofstra Honors College and majoring in chemistry, to get one step closer to her dream of becoming a gastroenterologist. She said she’ll miss all the wonderful people she’s met throughout high school, including her teachers and dean Marcia Crayton.
Isabel Amaya was named salutatorian of the senior class. She’s taken six AP classes and has been active in several extracurriculars throughout her high school career, including serving as president of national honor society, co-secretary of the senior class, doing community service with interact club, and being involved with the Spanish National Honor Society. She was also on the softball and swim teams, being named an all-conference swimmer.
Amaya credits three teachers as her “rock” and helping her through the highs and lows of high school.
“Ms. Khairoola, Mrs. Ottaviano and Ms. Follo have always been there for me. They were always there to tell me I’ll be successful and remind me that I have to take care of myself as well,” Amaya said. “High school can be very frustrating and I felt like I was going to give up but they were always there and made me feel like I was able to accomplish anything.”
In the fall, she’ll head to Lehigh University where she plans to double major in bioengineering and Spanish. But she said she’ll always remember her time at Westbury.
“I loved being involved in different programs and I loved my experience at Westbury High School,” Amaya said. “I really appreciated my class and I’m never going to forget them.”
Congratulate Shaw, Amaya and the rest of the class of 2015 at the Westbury High School graduation at the Tilles Center on the campus of LIU Post Friday, June 26.
