Mamaroneck's Valedictorian and Salutatorian Honored at County-Wide Reception

Mamaroneck High School valedictorian Catherine Gerkis and salutatorian Natalie Diacovo received a warm reception and congratulations yesterday at the annual Carroll F. Johnson Scholastic Achievement Dinner.

The Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents (LHCSS) hosted the 26th annual event at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown.

Gerkis will attend Williams College in the fall. During her studies at Mamaroneck High School, she edited the school newspaper and played flute with the band. Gerkis plans on studying math and economics at Williams.

Diacovo, who will attend Columbia University in the fall, participated in the school chorus and a cappella group. She also devoted weekends to studying and researching arthritis remedies at Columbia University's science laboratories.

Gerkis and Diacovo have grade point averages of 97. Both students will speak at June's graduation ceremony.

Also honored at the reception were Rye Neck High School's valedictorian and salutatorian, Christina Baal and Midori Takasaki. Baal is a member of Rye Neck's language honor society, and Takasaki is captain of the girls tennis team.

In total, the event honored more than 100 valedictorians and salutatorians from schools in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess counties. Students were accompanied by their high school principals or headmasters/headmistresses and district superintendents.

"It's a very special event," said Dr. Raymond Gerson, a former superintendent of Dobbs Ferry who has been organizing the event for over 15 years. "We're paying tribute to these kids who know what school is all about."

The first dinner was the brainchild of Dr. Caroll Johnson, a past White Plains superintendent, who felt the area's top scholars weren't being recognized the way standout athletes and musicians were. This year, Nancy L. Taddiken, superintendent of the Edgemont School District, and Howard Smith, superintendent of the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns, co-chaired the event.

The sentiment of the students in attendance can be summed up in a single word: excitement.

"I'm relieved that high school's over," said Ethan Portnoy of Horace Greeley High School. "I'm really excited to start the next chapter of my life."

Each student received a certificate at the event applauding their achievements, as well as a copy of The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success, a book written by guest speaker Deborah Norville, anchor of CBS's Inside Edition.

Following the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Mahopac High School valedictorian Devin Wright, Benjamin Chang of Edgemont High School introduced Norville. Chang's humorous and exceedingly fast-paced rundown of her life achievements, including her Emmy awards for journalism and passion for knitting, set a lighthearted tone for the evening.

In her speech, Norville encouraged the student guests to have goals, but not be resistant to change as they move forward in their academic and professional careers.

"Life is a journey as much as it is a destination," she said. "Enjoy the ride."

James Langlois, president of LHCSS, applauded the superintendents in attendance.

"I'm proud of all of those who have helped you to get where you are," he told the students, noting the region likely boasts one of the most accomplished set of schools in the entire world.

This year, the LHCSS awarded their annual Distinguished Service Award to the 90-something year-old Johnson, who received a standing ovation.

"Of course, it goes without saying that this is possibly the greatest honor I have ever received," he said.

In addition, fifteen scholarships were awarded to students who had applied prior to the event. The scholarships, financed by corporate sponsors, were awarded based on students' service to their schools and communities, their leadership skills and quality of their written statements, according to Smith.

Midori Takasaki of Rye Neck High School, who received the Stephen A. Perelson Memorial Scholarship, was all smiles.

"I'm really excited for college," said the Harvard-bound senior. "But high school was a lot of fun, so it's bittersweet."

Westchester valedictorian/salutatorian honorees include:

Alexander Hamilton High School – Madeline Hirshan, Ladora Cromwell

Ardsley High School – Audrey Lew, James Park

Blind Brook High School – Rachel Lumish, Justin Starr

Briarcliff High School – Jeffrey Zalesin, Katie Underwood

Bronxville High School – Peter Machtiger, Kirk Swanson

Byram Hills High School – Elizabeth Mattison, Julia Mattison

Dobbs Ferry High School – Jacob Lowy, Evan Rochman

Eastchester High School – Raina Gandhi, Elizabeth Pereira

Edgemont High School – Benjamin Chang, Danie Tahara

Fox Lane High School – Grace Kwan, Christine Maroti

Gorton High School – Maria Arcadio

Hackley School – Michael Celentano, Kristen Kessel

Harrison High School – Matthew Jacobson, Alison Nathanson

Hastings High School – Kari McWalters, Lena Street

Hendrick Hudson High School – Seung Do Reiner, Leonard Rutigliano

Horace Greeley High School – Ethan Portnoy, Ezra Toback, Benjamin Zinberg

Irvington High School – Rebecca Macies, Daria Parkhomenko

Lakeland Senior High School – Akhil Neti, Nikhil Neti

John Jay High School – Royce Hwang, Michael Mitchell, Max Siegel, Anna Zhu

Lincoln High School – Jessenia Caquias, Harpreet Kaur

Mamaroneck High School – Natalie Diacovo, Catherine Gerkis

Martin Luther King Jr. High School – Nelson Padilla, Corrina Rivera

New Rochelle High School – Joshua Ackerman, Alyson Warhit

Ossining High School – Janet Butler, Florence Kuhl

Peekskill High School – Jason Dick, Alexander Velez-Green, Jessica Curtin

Pelham Memorial High School – Emelen Leonard, Anthony Ventura

Pleasantville High School – Matthew Nicolai, Emily Wessling

Port Chester High School – Michael DiFiore, Vitor DeSouza

Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES – Cory Boyle, Leanne O'Reilly

Roosevelt High School – Lariannie Medina Estrada, Neena Joseph

Rye Country Day School – Isabel Beshar, Grayson Clary

Rye High School – Samantha Lee, Alda Pontes

Rye Neck High School – Christina Baal, Midori Takasaki

Saunders Trades and Technical School – Lisa Lam, Leslyn Prasad

Scarsdale High School – Zohaib Chida, Sophia Grais

School of the Holy Child – Angelica Cusma, Katherine Hill

Sleepy Hollow High School – Tara Bonanno, Melanie Ferreira

Somers High School – Harris Karsch, Kaitlyn Nealon

Southern Westchester BOCES – Shamel Edwards

Thornton-Donovan School – Justin Pizzo, Yi Su

Tuckahoe High School – Matthew Cucino, Timothy Moroney

Valhalla High School – Lucas Lin, Patricia Trujillo

Walter Panas High School – Megan Gansfuss, Laura Pizzuto

Westlake High School – Dennis John, Dante Tufanp

White Plains High School – Reid Cohen, Joshua Jaffe

Woodlands Senior High School – Karl Habana, Kirk Habana

Yonkers High School – Stash Chelluck, Farnia Naeem

Yorktown High School – Kimberly Chen, Elbert Heng

Other Westchester-based recipients include:

Northern Westchester/Putnam Corporate Scholarship – Alec Sherman, Horace Greeley High School

Southern Westchester/Putnam Corporate Scholarship – Raina Gandhi, Eastchester High School and Semarley Jarrett, Mt. Vernon High School

Northern Westchester/Putnam Engineering/Architecture/Science/Math Scholarship – Elbert Heng, Yorktown High School

Southern Westchester/Putnam Engineering/Architecture/Science/Math Scholarship – Samantha Lee, Rye High School

Technology Scholarship – Kimberly Chen, Yorktown High School

Northern Westchester/Putnam Opportunity Scholarship – Jacob Mercado, Yorktown High School

Southern Westchester Opportunity Scholarship – Stephanie Figueroa, White Plains High School