Superintendent’s Spotlight: Bay Orr

Eighth grade student Bay Orr has distinguished himself at Warwick Valley Middle School through his diverse interests and impressive achievements. Whether competing in national geography and history bees, dabbling in cartography from memory, performing on the violin with the honors symphony orchestra, or writing crossword puzzles for the school’s literary magazine, his wide-ranging pursuits reflect a curiosity that knows no bounds.

Most recently, Orr earned the prestigious WVMS Class of 2025 Principal’s Award, given to the student who achieves the highest overall GPA from fifth to eighth grade. Bay appreciates the recognition for the academic effort he’s put in throughout his middle school career, and looks forward to delivering a speech during the WVMS Moving Up Ceremony on June 25.

“I’m honored,” he said. “Overall we’re a very strong class. In my honors classes, I see so many kids push themselves, even when things are tough or the material is really challenging. They don’t give up and find ways to succeed.”

Orr was presented with the Principal’s Award last week during study hall, when Principal Jared Yapkowitz called him to the office.

“He said ‘Hey Bay, congratulations. You won the Principal’s Award,’ and handed me a little piece of paper that was folded up pretty neat,” Orr said. “I didn’t really know how to react at first. I try to keep a low profile, but when I saw that I felt proud of myself.”

Yapkowitz praised Bay’s character alongside his academics.

“Beyond his impressive grades, Bay leads by example,” Yapkowitz said. “He is humble, hardworking and always willing to support his peers. His dedication, curiosity and quiet leadership embody what we strive to see in our students. He truly displays the characteristics of a Portrait of a Graduate.”

The Principal’s Award news came on the heels of another remarkable accomplishment. Orr recently placed third in the U.S. History Bee Eighth Grade National Finals, hosted by the International Academic Competition in Orlando. Orr has been a formidable geography and history bee competitor for years now, earning numerous awards, but this is his first national trophy.

Orr is grateful for his middle school experiences, but he’s also eagerly awaiting high school. He’s already got plans to take classes in music theory and hopes to earn his Seal of Biliteracy in Mandarin, especially since his current Mandarin teacher, Dr. Ping Moroney, will also be teaching him in high school. He also plans on continuing his passions by joining the WVHS versions of clubs he’s enjoyed in middle school, such as the stocks club and the literary magazine.

“I like understanding how the stock market works, why stocks go up or down, what makes a stock a good investment,” he explained. “It’s important, because unlike other savings methods, the stock market usually grows at a faster rate.”

Orr is also an avid crossword puzzler, and his interest in playing the word game evolved into an interest in creating them. His puzzles can be found in the WVMS literary magazine.

“I was doing some crossword puzzles and thought, ‘Why don’t I make my own?’ It’s a common thing that happens to me when I’m doing something I really like, I end up creating my own version,” he said.

Orr also began experimenting with musical composition a couple years ago, using the program MuseScore. His observational compositions, mostly utilizing strings, are inspired by whatever catches his attention. He has many sketches of songs that he likes, but is determined not to hurry his creative process too much.

“I don’t rush myself to get things done,” he said. “Usually I get an idea and get it started, then have to go do something else and leave it for a while. Maybe I’ll come back in like two years, listen to it and get more ideas. I think most people would consider it inefficient, but that’s just how I do stuff.”

As he prepares for high school, Orr thinks back to when he was just moving up to middle school. He wonders what advice the kids who are in that position right now might find useful from the 2025 WVMS Principal’s Award winner’s perspective.

“I’d say just don’t sweat it,” he said. “When I first started middle school, I felt a little nervous, but then I realized that it was almost like a continuation of elementary school, but with some high school qualities mixed in. Take things day by day, try your best and remember to relax. You’ll adapt.”

With his characteristic calm and focused approach, Orr is ready to not sweat his own move up to high school, and he’s open to going wherever the many opportunities (and his curiosity) lead him next.

“I’m not really good at long term planning, though,” he added. “When I wake up in the morning I’ll say to myself, ‘I’ll try my best today,’ then maybe think about tomorrow.”