Honorees — and close friends

There’s a casual camaraderie between this year’s Ocean-side High School valedictorian and salutatorian, David Sheynberg and Blake Smith. Even while sitting in Principal Mark Secaur’s office, where many students would feel nervous, the two never stopped their banter.

Sheynberg and Smith have been friends for years, going back to classes they shared in eighth grade. Besides the bond of friendship between them, there’s also respect — they’re each more likely to talk about the other’s accomplishments than their own.

“I know Blake’s parents and family very well, and I obviously know my own very well, and I think that the fact that both of our families never really put pressure on us to get three-digit grades on every test really helped us in the journey,” said Sheynberg. “Both of my parents were ones that always took a lot more pride in a great performance on stage or, much more importantly, some good showing of character, rather than an award.”

But the two have earned a raft of awards just the same. Smith’s research into a possible cure for cancer made him a finalist in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. He was also recently named a semifinalist in the international Google Science Fair. Sheynberg was an Intel Competition semifinalist for his work studying eating behavior. He was also invited to participate in the Long Island Psychology Fair. Sheynberg also recently starred in “Fiddler on the Roof” at OHS.

The two are such good friends because many of their extracurricular activities overlap. They both do science research, and they are both members of the high school’s team on “The Challenge” — a quiz show on which high school teams face off. Episodes are airing soon on MSG Varsity.

The two have also been members of the World Interest Club, the high school’s Model U.N. team. “We’ve both been involved since freshman year, and we both went on just about every trip. Blake had to miss one because he was out doing great things with science,” Sheynberg said, referring to Smith’s Siemens competition. “That was a very big part of our lives. It’s the Model U.N. team in our school, but I think, for both of us, it was much more than that: building great relationships, learning how to debate, learning how to think, speaking — just a great time all around.

“Being led by example and then learning how to lead by example,” he added.

While both are bound for Ivy League campuses in the fall — Sheynberg will be going to Harvard, while Smith will be attending Yale — both said that the fact that OHS doesn’t rank its students (other than the valedictorian and salutatorian) is beneficial.

“I think learning is done for learning’s sake,” Sheynberg said. “But whether it was having this GPA or one that was a couple of points lower, I would have come out of here with the same lessons and insights. So I think that’s more important.”

Smith agreed. “[Being honored] is just an added perk and a validation to what we’ve done,” he said. “And it obviously feels great. But at the same time, being second or 15th wouldn’t have mattered to me, because I’ve had a great time at this high school, and that’s what I’ll take away.”

Looking toward the future, Smith said that he was fortunate to have found his passion while working in labs during his summer vacations. He says this taught him more than just science: It showed him that you have to do what you’re passionate about in life.

“Not that I have it figured out, but I know what track I want to start with, at least,” Smith said, adding that he wanted to major in molecular biophysics. “David has several interests, but in science, the nexus between chemistry, physics and bio is contained in this one major, which I think is pretty cool. So I won’t have to give up some of my interests in different parts of the science realm. But at the same time, I’ll have a pretty good backing for med school if I choose to go, which I probably will.”

Smith went on to say that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Dr. Goutham Narla of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, and become both an M.D. and a Ph.D.

Sheynberg’s path isn’t as clear to him. “David’s problem is that he’s too good at everything,” Smith said.

“I think that, coming from a middle-class background and first-generation immigrant parents,” Sheynberg said, “there’s been a lot of emphasis on the what: What are you going to do? What are you going to make of it? What is the title on your degree? And I think those questions fall second to why. Why are you doing this? Blake talks about his inspiration from having grandparents who suffered through cancer and the intellectual thrill he gets, and I think that’s more important than the specific plans.

“I don’t know what it is, but I know that my goal is to do something that is fulfilling,” Sheynberg added, “which for me would mean something that ultimately helps others.”