Victoria Ferraro and Ethan Chen have been named Wantagh High School’s Class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.
Ferraro had a 108.428 grade point average and has taken 14 Advanced Placement classes throughout her four years in high school.
“I was so proud of myself that all of my hard work and dedication paid off,” she said.
Ferrone is president of the National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society, a member of the Business, English, Science and World Language honor societies. She is also involved in Health Occupational Students of America and Mathletes.
Outside of school, Ferrone participates in All-Star Cheer, traveling the country for competitions. She is also a coach for the Wantagh Arrows youth cheerleading program, a volunteer tutor for the Schoolhouse SAT Boot Camp program and a summer camp counselor with the Town of Oyster Bay.
“I just really always had a drive to be the version of myself that I could be. “I really worked hard to obtain it all,” Ferraro said.
In college, she said she wants to major in mathematics and is eager to explore possible career paths.
Chen had the second-highest grade point average in the class, with a 3.108 and 12 AP courses.
Chen is the president of the Science Honor Society, vice president of Wantagh Animal Rights and Recycling, treasurer of the National and Math honor societies and a member of the Key Club, Mathletes and World Language Honor Society. He runs with the cross-country, winter and spring track teams and is a summer volunteer at the Wantagh Public Library.
“After freshman year, I thought to myself, I’m already doing pretty well, so might as well keep going,” Chen said.
He said he wants to major in biomedical engineering and possibly become a doctor.
Paul Guzzone, the principal of Wantagh High School, said the honor for the two seniors is a testament to their combination of intelligence and work ethic.
“Victoria and Ethan are tremendous academic scholars, but even more importantly, they are tremendous people,” Guzzone said in a statement. “They are going to go on to do great things and make Wantagh High School proud.”
