Meet Ward Melville's Co-Salutatorians

Seniors Ariel Yang and Jack Zhou have been named Ward Melville High School's co-salutatorians, capping a high school career filled with accolades and activities for both of them.

Yang has been named an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit Finalist, and regional winner of the National Science Bowl. She also served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper Kaleidoscope, and also participated in Science Bowl, Quiz Bowl, Math Team and Color Guard. Yang has also been tutoring physics, chemistry, psychology and other subject areas, and has volunteered at the Stony Brook University Hospital Sleep Center. She also enjoys playing the piano, knitting, and reading.

"I have always had a healthy interest in things,” said Yang, who will attend Stony Brook University in the fall as a member of the Engineering Scholars for Medicine program. “The more I discovered, the more I realized just how little I knew! There is always more to learn.”

Zhou has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction and finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. His name is not a newcomer to Patch – earlier this school year he was named an and Siemens semifinalist.

Among Zhou's activities: cellist in the chamber orchestra and pit orchestra, Science Bowl captain, Kaleidoscope science editor, and Future Business Leaders of America participant.

“I like learning in all areas,” said Zhou, who is headed to Harvard University as a biomedical engineering major. “It’s more than learning the facts, I enjoy understanding the skill set needed to understand those facts. I think it
is important to understand the broad picture.”