Herricks High School has announced its valedictorian and salutatorian for the 2025 graduating class.
Herricks Public Schools named Shannon Hong as the class valedictorian and Sharath Venkatesan as the salutatorian. The two students had the highest GPAs among a senior class that encompasses 362 students.
Hong held a perfect GPA and had more than 10 5’s on Advanced Placement Exams. The scoring ranges from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). The valedictorian’s studies have also taken her outside of the classroom.
Hong has done research at multiple New York schools, including Stony Brook University, NYU, Columbia, and MIT. She is also working to perfect her submission for this year’s Regeneron science research competition.
Hong’s work in the community has also propelled her early life. She founded and is also the president of Unsilenced Scholars, a student organization that has led efforts to protect educational rights and advocate against the banning of literature. In addition, Hong is the president of the Enviromental club, a volunteer as a Youth Ambassador for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, a peer mentor, and an award-winning writer.
She is planning to major in environmental studies with a focus on ecology and evolutionary biology.
Venkatesan has involved himself in many studious and extracurricular activities. He has participated in multiple research projects, summer programs, and competitions, including this year’s Regeneron Science Research Competition.
Venkatesan holds leadership roles in the Science Olympiad, Rube Goldberg Club, Robotics Club, and the South Asian Student Association, as well as being the founder of a nonprofit organization called “A Second Print,” which focuses on the use of 3D printers to build prosthetics, helping to shape a brighter future for those in need.
The salutatorian is also the captain of the Herricks boys volleyball team and a two-time All-State tuba player.
Venkatesan wants to study in the medical field as he approaches his college career.
