At the Top of Their Class: Harborfields Celebrates Its 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
This year, Harborfields High School’s top academic honors belong to Valedictorian Leo Lin and Salutatorian Michelle Diner. Earning the top rank in a graduating class requires exceptional academic ability and dedication, and Leo and Michelle exemplify both. However, what truly distinguishes them is how they elevate their school community through hard work and service.
Leo’s passion for learning and his willingness to embrace challenges are evident in his rigorous schedule of AP coursework. Throughout high school, Leo has earned numerous academic excellence awards in Algebra, AP Chemistry, and AP Computer Science. He was named an AP Scholar with Distinction, a designation recognizing students who achieve an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on at least five exams. Additionally, Leo has been recognized as a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Leo is deeply committed to the Harborfields school community, and most of his extracurricular activities are centered around service. He’s volunteered at a local camp, guiding students through computer games and robotics challenges. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society (Social Studies), and Honoria Hispanica (Spanish), where he participates in various community service activities. He is an active member of the Robotics team, the Interact Club, and the Multicultural Club. Through the Multicultural Club, Leo helps spread awareness of other cultures. He even formed a subcommittee for Asian culture and helped organize a dumpling sale for Lunar New Year.
Throughout high school, Leo has been part of Science Research, which has provided opportunities to participate in Science Olympiad, different science-based challenges, and Environthon, a competition featuring both an exam and presentation focused on environmental issues and solutions. Beyond academics, Leo is an extremely talented runner. He captains the Cross Country team and participates in both Winter and Spring track.
Leo plans to study Engineering in college.
Salutatorian Michelle Diner stands out as an exceptional member of the Class of 2026. It’s hard to imagine how she balances so many commitments while excelling in them all.
Michelle has earned academic excellence awards in Algebra, Earth Science, and AP US History. She was also named an AP Scholar with Distinction and honored by the College Board’s National Recognition Program. She was also named a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
As an underclassman, Michelle was inducted into the Tri-M Honor Society (Music), the Rho Kappa Honor Society (Social Studies), and the National Honor Society. This year, she became a member of Honoraria Hispanica, the Spanish Honor Society. Her strength in mathematics earned her selection for the Mathworks Math Modeling Challenge, where she collaborated with other students to solve a real-world problem using advanced mathematical modeling and analytical reasoning. Equally gifted in science, Michelle lent her talents to the Robotics Club where she worked as an engineer, helping to build a robot and participate in competitions.
Michelle is also a highly accomplished musician. Her talents on violin have led her selection for the Long Island String Festival Association, the Suffolk County Music Educators Association, NYSSMA, and NYSCAME. As a junior, she earned a nearly perfect score at the NYSSMA All-State competition.
Beyond academics, Michelle’s commitment to service is reflected in her involvement with the Pet Awareness, Art Club, and Habitat for Humanity, where she contributed to a building a home for a family and served as Treasurer. She is also a member of “Junior Friends” at the Harborfields Public Library, helping both in the library bookshop and in the library’s garden bed at Robert Kubecka Memorial Garden. She is also part of the Study Buddies program at the library where she helps younger students with homework and studying. In addition, Michelle has volunteered her time with Spectrum Expression to brighten the lives of autistic children through music.
With an academic and extracurricular resume as strong and versatile as Michelle’s, she will be an asset to any college she decides to attend.
Through their excellence, leadership, and commitment to service, Leo and Michelle have created a lasting legacy within the Harborfields community that will continue to inspire future students.
