Warwick Valley High School announces class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian

Warwick Valley High School has named seniors James Curtis and Nathan Link as the class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

“Our valedictorian and salutatorian truly embody the Warwick Valley Portrait of a Graduate. They are thoughtful, driven, and engaged learners who have embraced every opportunity to grow,” said Warwick Valley High School Principal Dr. Georgianna Diopoulos. “Their success is a testament to their hard work and the strong community that supports them.”

James Curtis, Valedictorian

For James, the stars have always been the goal — literally. His passion for space and astrophysics took root in first grade and never let go. That curiosity drove him through Warwick Valley’s rigorous Science Research Project, a three-year, undergrad-credit-earning program run in collaboration with SUNY Albany, where James spent his time studying and compiling data on exoplanet transits using the NASA TESS telescope database. He will present his findings at the Science Research Symposium in June.

James’s academic record speaks for itself. He was officially recognized as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation — an honor that begins with scoring in the top one percent of high school seniors nationwide on the PSAT, and then requires a student to maintain a consistently high academic record across all four years of high school, write an essay, and earn strong SAT or ACT scores confirming their earlier performance. James more than delivered on that last requirement, scoring a 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT to back up his perfect 1520 on the PSAT. Superintendent Dr. David Leach, who presented James with his Finalist Certificate of Merit in a small ceremony at the high school, put it simply: “That, I think, is the highest SAT score I can recall out of this district. I could be wrong, but that’s incredible.”

James is also a member of both the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and has competed on the DUSO Region Math Team and the Orange County Academic League Team. As captain of the WVHS Wildcats Robotics Team, he led the squad to the Excelsior Regionals, where they earned the Best Robot Design award. He credits robotics as a formative experience. “It was very helpful, especially in terms of cooperation and working with other people,” he said. “You have to work with other people in order to accomplish anything in that.” He has also served as a tutor and mentor to middle school students through the National Honor Society.

James is currently wrapping up his WVHS Science Research Program project, three years of in-depth study during which he used the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) database data to analyze light curves of two exoplanets. This fall, James is beginning his major in physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y., with a likely minor in astrophysics. He also hasn’t ruled out further study into the field of quantum information sciences. James earned a significant merit-based scholarship from RPI. What is James most looking forward to as he begins college? “More classes; interesting stuff,” he said. “Just keep on learning!”

Nathan Link, Salutatorian

Nathan Link is the kind of student who throws himself into everything, always looking for new challenges and experiences. In fact, just this past year alone, Nathan played varsity football (and started most of the season) for the first time, performed a lead role in the school musical following his first audition, and joined the golf team... for the first time! He’s also continued competing in track. “I’ve just been trying a bunch of new things,” Nathan said. “I think that really helped me — now I’ve seen that I can do that and still be successful in those areas.” And he sees that same spirit of openness carrying him forward: “I won’t be as uncomfortable with joining new clubs or taking brand new classes that I’ve never had any experience in.”

Academically, Nathan has been equally impressive. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and was recognized as a National Merit Commended Student — placing him among the top three to four percent of test takers nationwide out of more than 1.5 million students who took the PSAT. He credits AP World History and AP Chemistry as the courses that truly challenged him to find his own approach to learning and studying.

Music has also been a constant thread throughout Nathan’s time at Warwick Valley. He has played piano for ten years, sung in Warwick Valley choruses since elementary school, and currently performs with the Meistersingers, the high school’s audition-based choir. His two older sisters are pursuing degrees in music and dance, and their influence has kept him connected to his own musical side. He may even minor in piano performance in college. “It’s nice to have something that lets me express myself,” he said. “It’s something I can always go back to.”

This fall, Nathan will head to Michigan State University as a physics major. He earned a full-tuition scholarship through the university’s competitive Honors College selection process, which included written essays, a comprehensive exam, and an in-person interview. The Honors College, home to roughly 4,000-5,000 students within a university of 40,000 undergraduates, will give Nathan the flexibility to take more of the classes he wants and fewer of what he doesn’t need. “Instead of taking a bunch of English and history classes that I won’t necessarily need as much for going on to work in science, I can take more classes that either I’m interested in, or that are going to directly help me progress with my major,” he said. “It’s going to be a really good mix of getting the college experience I want and balancing that with academics.”

“On behalf of the entire district, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to James and Nathan on their truly remarkable achievements as valedictorian and salutatorian of our high school. They have distinguished themselves among a graduating class that is filled with exceptionally bright, talented students,” said Leach. “James and Nathan, your accomplishments exemplify outstanding intellect and perseverance that will continue to take you far. I’m very impressed, and you should be extraordinarily proud.”

James and Nathan will deliver their valedictory and salutatory addresses during commencement on Saturday, June 27.