Lynbrook High School Names Its 2017 Valedictorian And Salutatorian

Lynbrook High School has announced that Thomas Postiglione and Hannah Burton have been named the class of 2017 valedictorian and salutatorian.

The two seniors have distinguished themselves as innovators, leaders and humanitarians who have passionately applied their knowledge and skills to help others.

Postiglione is an AP Scholar with Honor, expecting to complete 10 AP courses by graduation. He was the 2015 school winner in the American Mathematics Competition and a 2016 silver medalist in the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair. As captain, he led the high school team to a fourth place finish in the 2016 Brookhaven National Laboratory Long Island High School Regional Science Bowl. He said that his most memorable experiences in high school came through his participation in the science research program. He received honorable mention from the 2015 Long Island Science Congress, and submitted research to the Regeneron Science Talent Search.

Outside of school, Postiglione attended special programs in engineering and mathematics at Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University and SUNY Old Westbury. His interest in technology inspired him to become a volunteer for e-Nable, an online community that assembles 3-D printed prosthetic hands for people in need. He also volunteered at MercyFirst, helping struggling Long Islanders improve their lives by expanding their knowledge of robotics and 3-D technologies. In addition, he was also a member of the varsity baseball team.

“I was pleasantly surprised that I achieved this honor,” Postiglione said. “I thank my parents for instilling the value of education in me from an early age and supporting me through all my endeavors.”

Burton, who also has a mind for math and science, was the school winner in the 2016 American Mathematics Competition, and has participated in the DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition, the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Competition, the Long Island Science Congress and the Nassau County Science Competition. A student leader, she was a four-year member of the Student Government Association, and served as class president her sophomore through senior years.

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was in kindergarten, Burton has been actively involved in furthering diabetes research and education. She was honored for her involvement in Winthrop University Hospital’s Pediatric Diabetes Program, where she proposed a research idea that she is now developing with the pediatric endocrinology department. She also volunteers as a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation youth advocacy leader, was a four-time JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes team leader and mentors children with Type 1 diabetes. In addition, she was a member of the varsity tennis and track and field teams.

“I would most like to be remembered as a friendly and welcoming classmate who studied and worked hard to do well in school,” said Hannah. “Achieving this honor makes me feel like all of my hard work paid off in the end.”

Photo: Lynbrook School District