As the school year comes to a close, the Great Neck Public Schools Class of 2018 reveals 601 graduates from the district’s three high schools: 276 from John L. Miller–Great Neck North High School, 312 from William A. Shine–Great Neck South High School and 13 from The Village School.
Graduation ceremonies for North and South High Schools will be held on Thursday, June 21, at LIU Post’s Tilles Center, with South’s ceremony in the morning and North’s in the afternoon. The Village School graduation is on Wednesday morning, June 20, at the school.
Details about what distinguishes the North and South High valedictorians and salutatorians follow. Winners of other significant commencement awards, including Frederic Duclos Barstow, Alan L. Gleitsman, Scott Moss and Genelle Taney, as well as the student graduation speeches, will appear in upcoming issues.
Valedictorians
The North High valedictorian is Amy Shteyman and the South High valedictorian is Kimberly Lu.
North High Valedictorian Amy Shteyman is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and a National Spanish Exam Gold Medalist. She was cofounder and president of the Neuroscience Club, president of the Pre-Med Club and president of the school’s HOSA chapter. Shteyman participated in the Science Olympiad team, Current Events Club and Key Club.
Shteyman plays the violin and piano, and is a member of the Piano Club. She has performed at Carnegie Hall through the American Fine Arts Festival and with the North High School orchestra. Shteyman was a member of the North High varsity tennis team and the varsity badminton team.
The North High valedictorian was a member of the science research program throughout her high school career. Her most recent research received the American Psychological Association Outstanding Research Award and earned awards at regional and national competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), Intel New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF), Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF) and the WAC Lighting Invitational Science Fair. Shteyman will attend Yale University in the fall.
South High Valedictorian Kimberly Lu is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor, a National Merit Scholarship recipient and a National Spanish Exam Gold Medalist. She was the founder and president of the school’s Forensics CSI Club, president of the Music Community Outreach Program, captain of the Science Olympiad team and a member of the HOSA chapter.
Lu plays the viola, violin and piano. She has performed in the All-Eastern Conference (NAfME) Honors Orchestra, the All-State Conference Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Young Ensembles Concert. Lu was a member of the varsity badminton team and served as an executive board member for the Girls’ Varsity Club for Athletics.
The South High valedictorian was a member of the science research program throughout her high school career. Her most recent research earned awards at national and regional competitions including the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology; Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF); Intel New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF); and the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF). Lu will attend Stony Brook University in the fall.
Salutatorians
The North High salutatorian is Natasha Dilamani and the South High salutatorian is Weiting Hong.
North High Salutatorian Natasha Dilamani is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor and a National Spanish Exam Gold Medal winner. She served on the executive board for the Neuroscience Club and the Key Club, and she was a member of SADD, Peer Leaders and the Pre-Med Club. Dilamani was an athlete on the varsity badminton, varsity fencing and the varsity field hockey teams.
Dilamani was a member of the science research program throughout her high school career, and her research has won awards at national and regional competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, Intel New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF), Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF) and the WAC Lighting Invitational Science Fair. Dilamani will attend the University of Pennsylvania.
South High Salutatorian Weiting Hong is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and a National Spanish Exam Gold Medal winner. He was the founder and president of the Great Neck Model United Nations and the Harbingers of Peace and Equality (HOPE) Club.
Hong was vice president of South High’s DECA Club, and he won multiple awards at state and international-level DECA competitions in Business Finance as well as Business Management and Administration. He served as president and secretary of the Math Team, and received awards through the American Mathematics Competitions, the Nassau Math Tournament and the Nassau County Interscholastic Mathematics League. Hong participated in the Science Olympiad team, Academic Outreach Club and the National History Day Club. He was a member of the varsity cross country team and a representative in Student Government. Hong will attend New York University.
