New Hyde Park Memorial High School names valedictorian and salutatorian

Marco Valle and Clayton Yu are the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the New Hyde Park Memorial High School class of 2025.

“After we found out, it was such a great moment to be around the people that got us to this point — our family, our guidance counslours, the administration that creates such a friendly environment at New Hyde Park,” Valle said about when he and Yu were told they were at the top of their class.

Valle is well-regarded as a remarkable student who is disciplined, curious and passionate about his studies. He excels across all academic disciplines and has enrolled in many advanced, accelerated and Advanced Placement courses. His success in the classroom is evident through his overall GPA of 102.85.

“When it comes to academics or class ranks, it’s so easy to get overly competitive and there to be a disconnect within the students and feeling one against the other and they’re battling for a spot, but I think what’s helped me get this far and help me stay levelheaded is just having friends that challenge me and also support me along the way,” Valle said.

Valle said he learned how to bounce back from low grades. He didn’t let any low grade define him and he said he used that as motivation to improve next time.

One of Valle’s many positive qualities is his sense of leadership, and he confidently displays this through his roles as the president of the Class of 2025, treasurer of the Student Council, a tutor for the history Regents exam and the features editor of the school newspaper The Chariot.

Valle has also participated in the school’s award-winning Model United Nations team and has received Best Delegate Awards for his debating accomplishments.

Along with his involvement in the school community, Valle is a Boy Scouts Troop Instructor for Troop no. 544. Through his work with the Boy Scouts, he participated in a service project to restore the Tanglewood Preserve in Lakeview. Valle directly benefited the school through his Eagle Scout project, fundraising and building three fully designed podiums for New Hyde Park’s Model UN chapter.

Additionally, during the summer before he entered sophomore year, Valle secured an internship position with Tom Suozzi’s campaign.

If a student has a goal to become the top of their class, Valle said they should conduct self-analysis before they begin trying. He said they must fund out what works best for them academically because not all students learn the same.

“What works for one student may not work for another,” Valle said. “I know specifically for myself, I loved the remind app, which kept me organized. I loved extra help sessions, I loved making quizlets and making review materials and flash cards.”

Valle hasn’t committed to a school, but said he want to study economics, math and statistics after graduation.

“I was really excited. I was kind of surprised,” Yu said about being told he was the salutatorian.

Yu said the number one contributor to him becoming the salutatorian was his parents. He said they have been supportive throughout high school, especially during his late nights of studying and finishing projects. He also said his passionate teachers who wanted him to do well helped him earn this status.

Yu is an intellectual and humble student who is known throughout the building as a genuinely kind person. His academic prowess shines through his overall GPA of 102.66. Due to his high scores on the PSAT, he was recognized as a National Merit Semifinalist.

Yu self-taught the Algebra 2 curriculum and tested out of the course, scoring a 97 on the Regents exam. During his junior year, he also completed a multivariable calculus class at Nassau Community College. This fall, he is enrolled in an elementary linear algebra class at the local college.

Among his accomplishments, Yu spent last summer completing the Regeneron Pharmaceuticals High School Mentoring Program, where he conducted and presented research on Differential Gene Expression Analysis on RNA-Sequencing Data.

Yu also attended the Columbia University Science Honors Program for a Data Science class.

Additionally, Yu has volunteered over 60 hours tutoring younger students.

Along with his academics, Yu is a French Horn player and a pianist, dedicating his time as a member of the school’s band, marching band, pit band and selective wind ensemble. This year, he was selected to perform in the All-State Symphony Orchestra on the French Horn.

In a message directed towards young scholars, Yu said they should not be afraid to ask questions. He said if they don’t understand something, then they should ask their teachers for help immediately.

“Find support from teachers, friends and local tutors,” Yu said. “There’s a bunch of resources out there and there’s so many things that we may not realize that could definitely have a big impact on the educational experience.”

Yu hasn’t committed to any school, but said he wants to study and research biology after graduation.