By Dan Murphy
Congratulations to this year’s ValedictorianAlice Wong, and Salutatorian Gabrielle Schnorbus, from Yonkers Middle High School. Valedictorian Alice Wong will graduate with a GPA of 104.3, tops among all Yonkers High School graduates in 2021. Alice’s School Activities include Science National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Math Honor Society, RoboticsTeam Director of Motion, Science Olympiad Vice-Captain, Film Club Director, Audio Visual, Club, International Gala, HOSA Club, CASE Club, Coding Club.
Awards, Honors and Scholarships for Wong include the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, Superintendent’s Honor Society Club 90, High Honor Roll and Principal’s List 2017-2021.
Community Service for Alice include teaching science to elementary students, AP Chemistry tutor, Robotics events volunteer, Julie Kupersmith, M.D. P.C. volunteer.
Alice also enjoys competitive horseback riding at the national level, piano, singing, song writing, Kung Fu, R statistical programming, Filipino and Indian dance, creative writing, theater, video games, fluent in Fujianese. Her favorite composers to play are Liszt and Chopin.
Alice’s favorite teacher at YMHS was Dr. Lesia Kaszczak, IB Biology. “I love all the sciences! AP Chemistry and IB Biology are my favorite classes.”
Wong was accepted to SUNY Stony Brook Honors, SUNY Binghamton Honors, University of Rochester, Northeastern University Honors, Cornell University, New York University, Dartmouth College, and Barnard College. She will be attending Dartmouth and plan to major in Bio-Chemistry.
“I do plan to study the social determinants of health from the microscopic to macroscopic levels. I want to address the prominent health disparities that result from sociocultural and socioeconomic circumstances because different levels of access to healthcare and healthcare education is a problem across communities varied in sociocultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. From research and personal experiences, I have discovered that this global issue is prominent and requires proper intervention.”
Wong said about YMHS, “I love how open, accepting, and diverse my school is. I have gained at least one new insight and learned at least one new perspective from everyone I have met for this reason.”
Advice for future students? “You should never lose sight of what is important to you. It means to plan and pursue your future goals, and to be resilient even when life does not go according to plan. But, it also means to cherish the people you love whether it is your friends or your family, and to give back to your community with an open heart and open
mind.”
YMHS Valedictorian Gabrielle Schnorbus will graduate with a 103 GPA. Her favorite teachers are Christopher Rader; IB English 11 Teacher and Honors English 10 Teacher, and her favorite classes are IB Biology, IB English, and IB Math.
Gabrielle’s school activities include Flying Trapeze Performer, Science Olympiad Captain, Youth Climate Ambassador representing New York at the 2019 National Climate Summit, Groundworks Hudson Valley employee, Intern at Northwestern Mutual, Private Tutor in AP Chemistry, Writing and Reading Comprehension, Trigonometry, Algebra I, Geometry, Earth Science, and Living Environment/Biology. and a member of the Italian Club. GSA (Gender-Sexuality Alliance), Mathlete, and the Volunteer Club.
Schnorbus was accepted to Cornell, Harvard – waitlist, Oberlin, SUNY Stony Brook Honors College, SUNY Binghamton, Manhattan College and Manhattanville College. While she waits to see if she is accepted into Harvard, she will attend Cornell if a spot at Harvard doesn’t open up. “I hope to double major in Environmental Science and Business Management/Economics, and minor in Political Science. I want to link sustainability with corporations and introduce more sustainable business practices into public policy. I would also like to research plastic-eating bacteria and other possible solutions to pollution and climate change.”
Gabrielle enjoyed her high school years at YMHS, “and the student body’s effort to make the most of whatever opportunities were given to us. The hard work and determination of the students showed up in the many student-run clubs I entered throughout the years, the constant student fundraising for trips, and the many times students volunteered to help teach or tutor their peers.”
Her advice to a future Val or Sal? “Don’t focus on your GPA or each test grade – focus on putting out your best effort at any given moment, which will get you further. If you ever need help, don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers and teachers.”
