Why Does Blind Brook Not Have a Valedictorian?

At almost every high school graduation, no matter what city or state, you would expect to see graduates in caps and gowns, families and friends toting flowers and balloons as congratulations, and speeches from faculty and the school's highest achieving students.

But at Blind Brook High School's graduation tonight, one of these traditions will be noticeably absent—the school has no valedictorian.

Blind Brook, one of the most well regarded schools in the country and recently ranked among America's Best High Schools, does not rank its students.

In a senior class with 89 graduates, rankings could cause unnecessary competition in an environment that is already academically rigorous, according to Blind Brook Superintendent William Stark.

"Most of the high achieving school districts do not issue class rank," Stark said. "It hasn't seemed to have any impact on the acceptances of students to prestigious schools." 

Stark may be right, as the district announced this week that 96 percent of this year's graduates will be headed to four-year colleges, with some attending schools such as Cornell, University of California at Berkeley, Brown University and the University of Virginia.

Stark said that not having a valedictorian has been a longstanding practice in the district, possibly dating back to the 1970's when the district was first formed. He also said the school does not present awards to students at graduation because "the feeling is that graduation is a time for everyone to be recognized."

Instead, a committee comprised of teachers has chosen two student speakers—Justin Starr and Jackie Mamorsky—to deliver speeches to their fellow graduates.

Mamorsky, who will attend Rochester Institute of Technology and major in criminal justice, said it has been her childhood dream to speak at graduation. She is hearing impaired and said it was important for graduation attendees to "listen to someone who is 'different' than hearing students."

"My graduation speech is about challenges we may have in our lives and how we have to be courageous to overcome our challenges," she said.

Justin Starr, the second graduation speaker, said he is glad that both he and Mamorsky will speak at the graduation. The school typically selects only one student speaker, but allowed both Starr and Mamorsky to give speeches this year because they had different and unique stories to tell, Starr said.

Starr, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania, said he wanted to speak at graduation because he has such great memories of his high school career.

"I felt like it was a good idea to share some final thoughts about Blind Brook with my classmates and the community as a whole," he said.

His speech will address the importance of traditions. He said he agrees with the district's policy of having student speakers address the audience rather than a valedictorian.

"Blind Brook is so small that rankings would create even more competition," Starr said.

Starr said he will fondly remember many traditions at Blind Brook, from the annual scavenger hunt at the beginning of senior year to students painting and writing a message on a giant boulder behind the school, a ritual that almost every Blind Brook senior class has followed.

"It's an end to a chapter of my life and it's an end to a chapter in all of our lives," Starr said. "I'm excited for what's to come."