Taking top honors for the high school’s Class of 2015 are valedictorian Ethan Fields and salutatorian Kody Miller.

Fields, whose weighted GPA was 102.20, is a member of Islip’s National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society, serving as the latter’s treasurer. A highly skilled horn musician and singer, he has performed in a multitude of ensembles, including the high school’s choir, advanced choir, Swing choir, wind ensemble and jazz band, earning numerous All-County and All-State recognitions. He also has performed with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York and Nassau Suffolk Performing Arts Center Band, at the New York Summer Music Festival, and annually in the school musical. He will attend SUNY Fredonia this fall, where he plans to study music composition and sound recording technology.

An AP Scholar and National High School Scholar, Miller finished with a weighted GPA of 101.70. He is also a member of the school’s National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, a participant on Islip’s Science Olympiad and cross-country teams, as well as a recipient of the Clarkson University High School Achievement Award and the National Academy of Future Science and Technology Leaders Award of Excellence. A dedicated Boy Scouts of America patrol leader, he also serves as a youth group leader at United Methodist Church. Miller will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, majoring in aerospace engineering.

Fields attended the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association’s 21st annual Valedictorian Luncheon, held on May 27 at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch Hotel in Hauppauge. The celebratory event was punctuated with music provided by his classmates in the Islip High School Jazz Ensemble.

Congratulating Fields and the other Suffolk valedictorians on their hard work and academic achievements were Susan A. Schnebel, SCSSA president-elect and Islip School District superintendent of schools; Dr. Roberta A. Gerold, SCSSA president and Middle Country School District superintendent of schools; Dr. Charles T. Russo, SCSSA vice president and East Moriches School District superintendent of schools; and Lars Clemensen, SCSSA secretary and Hampton Bays School District superintendent of schools.

Keynote speaker Roger Tilles, a member of New York State’s Board of Regents encouraged the valedictorians to always put things in perspective, develop a backbone, become proactive and involved, use their imagination and creativity, and find a job that matters.

“Love what you do and feel that it matters,” Tilles said. “There is no greater fun than that.”  

Each valedictorian was called to the stage to receive a certificate and gift of recognition. During their acknowledgment, the universities they plan on attending were announced, along with their intended majors.