Syosset High School recently announced that Yash Samantaray is the class of 2017 valedictorian and Benjamin Rhee is the salutatorian.
“Yash and Ben are two exceptional students who we have already heard much about,” said Principal Dr. Giovanni Durante. “In addition to being at the top of their class, they are very involved in their respective extracurricular activities and both have received numerous accolades to date. I’m sure there will be more great things to come from both of them and I wish them continued success in the future.”
Samantaray is president of the high school Mathletes team, a three-time letter winner with both the varsity tennis and badminton teams and a violinist in the school’s chamber orchestra. He is also an executive board member and web designer for the National Honor Society, was an American Invitational Mathematics Exam qualifier, won gold and bronze medals at the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair, and was a semifinalist in the Siemens Science Research competition and a prizewinning scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. He has been named a National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar and Presidential Scholar candidate this year.
Rhee serves as editor-in-chief of the high school newspaper The Pulse, is senior class treasurer and vice president of Model Congress. He has reached the finals and semifinals in National Chemistry and Biology Olympiads, respectively, along with being named a Regeneron prizewinning scholar and achieving multiple honors while participating in Mathletes. Rhee is also a violinist with the school’s chamber orchestra, has served as concertmaster, is the Chamber Music Club president and was selected for All-National and All-Eastern ensembles. He was named a National Merit Finalist and a National AP Scholar of Distinction.
Samantaray plans to major in material science engineering and is awaiting word from Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale, among others. Rhee will major in biosciences and has been accepted to Harvard, but has yet to make a final decision.
—Syosset Schools
