In September 2013, Matthew Kind and Brian Karaman took seats near each other in Ms. Butler’s kindergarten classroom at Seaford Harbor Elementary School. Now Kind and Karaman are Seaford High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the Class of 2026.
“Academically, both Matt and Brian are exceptionally strong, dedicated and diligent,” Suzanne Cosenza, the high school guidance counselor for both students, said in a statement.
Kind led the class with a 107.47 grade point average, and he took 14 Advanced Placement classes through his four years of high school.
He is the senior class president, student representative on the Board of Education, Parliamentarian of the National Honor Society, a member of the Shared Decision Making Committee and Athletic Leadership Council, active in Best Buddies, the Key Club and Mathletes, and a captain on the varsity football and baseball team.
Kind was a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership ambassador, completed a summer leadership experience at West Point, accompanied veterans to the National World War II museum during the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Soaring Valor trip and was recently named a semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship competition.
Karaman earned salutary honors with a 106.25 grade point average and has taken 13 Advanced Placement courses in high school.
He is the senior class treasurer, captain of the bowling team and a National Honor Society member. This year he is a drum major for the marching band, treasurer of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, an All-State musician on the clarinet and a saxophone player in the jazz band.
Karaman was also an All-County bowler who was part of the 2025 state runner-up team.
The two students said they push each other towards academic greatness, but they also have their own outside influences.
“When we started taking high school classes like Algebra and Living Environment [in eighth grade], that’s when I realized I did pretty well and that being the top of the Class was something I could pursue,” Kind said about being valedictorian.
“My main motivation, I would say, was more just about wanting to go to a good school or even potentially go to a school and not have to pay that much money,” Karaman said.
The valedictorian and salutatorian both said they want to go away to college after graduation, although neither has committed to a specific school yet.
Kind said he is planning to pursue a pre-law track with the ultimate goal of becoming a lawyer, while Karaman said he is looking to double major in psychology and pre-optometry, with aspirations of becoming an eye doctor.
