Shoreham-Wading River High School is proud to announce that seniors Jacqueline Holden and Stephanie Searing have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the Class of 2020. These two well-rounded students both have impressive achievements and interests and have taken advantage of many of the district’s courses and extra-curricular activities.

Jacqueline’s achievements include involvement with the Drama Club and Tri-M Music Honor Society, where she serves each club as treasurer; leadership roles as secretary for both Women in Science and Engineering and Students Against Destructive Decisions and varsity captain of Brainstormers. Outside of a busy high school career, she is a leader in St. Mark’s Teen Choir and a Girl Scout. She will study molecular biology at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall.

Stephanie served as vice president of the National Honor Society’s Peer Tutoring, is treasurer of Tri-Music Honor Society, represented her peers as the ex-officio student member of the Shoreham-Wading River Board of Education, is a member of Mathletes, the varsity track team and varsity tennis team. Stephanie is principal violist of the Children’s Orchestral Society and participated in the Plum Island Animal Disease Center High School STEM Forum, a unique opportunity where she presented her findings on the organ shortage in America to scientists from Plum Island, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Suffolk County Community College, and Mystic Aquarium among others. She will attend Stevens Institute of Technology where she will major in biomedical engineering.

“These two students represent the exceptional programming offered at our high school,” Principal Mr. Frank Pugliese said. “Their leadership skills and well-rounded academic, athletic, extra-curricular and community involvement exemplify the goals of the Shoreham-Wading River School District – providing all students the skills required to become lifelong learners in a self-sufficient manner. We look forward to hearing more about their accomplishments in the future.”