By Dan Murphy
This year’s valedictorian and salutatorian from Saunders Technical and Trades High School are two young men, breaking a streak of 10 young women vals and sals from Yonkers high schools we have interviewed so far this year. Valedictorian Nicola “Nico” Altomare and Salutatorian Rushi Joshi have known each other for several years, after taking the same advanced coursework at Saunders.
Altomare will graduate with a 98.6 percent grade-point average. His favorite teachers are Mr. Nunez in electronics and computer circuitry in grades 11 and 12. “He’s my mentor and he runs the Robotics Club and I’m the captain,” said Altomare. “We spend a lot of time together and I’ve learned a lot.”
He also mentioned Mr. Marche in ECC grades nine and 10) as a favorite teacher, saying: “He got me into engineering and pushed me to become a better student and where I am today.”
One more favorite educator for Altomare at Saunders is physics teacher Mr. Zappia. “He was a great teacher who was straightforward and helped all of the students,” said the student. “He was a great teacher who taught clearly, but he was also a cool person.”
Altomare’s favorite courses are ECC, physics and trigonometry. “I have always enjoyed computers and math and science, and that’s what engineering is all about,” he said. Altomare has taken more than a dozen advanced placement and College Link courses, and has been on the Principal’s List and Club 90 (with a GPA of 90 or higher) every year at Saunders.
He has enjoyed playing basketball and baseball for the Bryn Mawr Boys and Girls Club, and has worked as a referee in the league during high school. He has also been the catcher and captain of the Saunders varsity baseball team for four years, and last summer got an internship with Con Edison, working with the professional design team creating machine parts.
Altomare applied to Harvard, Yale, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and will be attending RPI in the fall, majoring in electrical engineering. He has received a partial scholarship from RPI, but is hoping for more to reduce the cost of $75,000 per-year tuition, room and board.
“My parents can help but with two younger brothers, I don’t want to spend all the family’s college fund,” he said. “I hope to work for myself and own a technology company and make a difference.”
Lots of people helped Altomare to get to this point in his life, including his family, friends, coaches and teachers. “But my mom and dad helped the most,” he said. “They were always there and answered every question. My mom was a teacher, but then stayed at home and kept me on track.”
His advice to young students is: “Sometimes it’s a hard path, but remember there is always something you can be good at. Find that one thing and work hard to get it done.”
Salutatorian Rushi Joshi will graduate with a 98.49 GPA. His favorite teachers are Mr. Savage in economics (“He made a hard subject funny”); and his two magnet teachers Mr. Hall and Mr. Hammond in biology and chemistry (“They have both been my mentors and guided me through high school”).
Joshi said he enjoys math as his favorite subject in general, and economics. He completed six AP and College Link courses. Joshi’s extra-curricular work includes volunteering at his church, BAPS Temple, by organizing a walk-a-thon, organizing a health fair and teaching guitar.
He is also a member of the Saunders track team and has volunteered at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Joshi has been a member of the National Honors Society and UNICEF, and has received commendations from Mayor Mike Spano and former County Executive Rob Astorino for his volunteer service.
Joshi applied to one college – Dartmouth – and was accepted by early decision, and will receive a scholarship to help pay the costs. “I have two friends who go to Dartmouth and it’s a good fit for me,” he said. Joshi will study economics and business/finance, and said he hopes to have a career on Wall Street.
He thanked his family for their support. “They didn’t force me to take this path, I motivated myself to do it for them and pay back what they have done for me,” said Joshi, whose family moved to Yonkers from Queens several years ago.
His advice to young students is: “You have to make a plan and set goals and try to fulfill them. If you work hard enough and practice time management, you will definitely succeed.”
Both Altomare and Joshi enjoyed and took advantage of the opportunities provided to them and to every student at Saunders. “It’s a family, and when you pick your magnet, you stay within that magnet for all of high school and your magnet is your family,” said Altomare.
Both also took advantage of Yonkers Partners in Education for help with the college application process, and thanked YPIE counselor Ms. Rodriguez.
