District announces valedictorian, salutatorian
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. » Anne Lemek and Rachel Reinking have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the New Paltz High School Class of 2021.
Lemek, daughter of Sarah Dudley-Lemek and John Lemek, earned a grade average of 100.967 while pursuing various interests outside the classroom, including poetrywriting and soccer, according to the New Paltz school district.
Lemek is a member of the National Honor Society and the high school math club, and in her three years on the varsity soccer team, she earned scholar-athlete status each year.
Lemek also is in a dualenrollment Spanish class through SUNY New Paltz and a science research dual-enrollment program through SUNY Albany.
Lemek plans to major in biology in college but has not yet decided where she will go.
“I have always been interested in learning how and why everything around us works, and science classes are generally good at teaching that,” Lemek said in a statement.
Reinking, daughter of Jeffrey Reinking and Samantha Irvine, earned a grade average of 100.788, is a member of the National Honor Society and is a National Merit Scholarship Commended student.
Reinking also takes classes in modern dance and ballet and works as a dancer and choreographer in the Barefoot Dance Company.
She is a member of the Elting Memorial Library Youth Advisory Group.
Reinking has a wide range of interests and enjoys studying almost every subject, the district said.
“To me, having a great teacher is equally as important as an interesting curriculum, and my favorite classes have been taught by the teachers who have made the most impact on me,” Reinking said in a statement.
She plans to attend college next school year but has not yet committed to a school or a major.