Thursday, October 1, 2026
Lynbrook High School seniors Jack Murray and Aidan Michaels were not only collaborators on a research project, but have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the class of 2026.
Murray and Michaels partnered two years ago on the school district’s Project LIFTOFF — Lynbrook’s Inspirational Flight To Orbit For Future Leaders and Innovators. Their topic was “How does microgravity affect the growth of the wine cap mushroom?” and the experiment was selected for launch to the International Space Station as part of the Student Space Flight Experiments Program. The initiative is overseen by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education in the United States, and internationally by the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education.
In November 2023, the pair, then Lynbrook High sophomores, traveled to Florida to watch a NASA rocket launch carry their experiment to the space station, where astronauts tested it in orbit.
These days, Murray and Michaels are co-vice presidents of the high school’s Chess Club, and have visited West End Elementary School to teach and play chess with the younger students.
“I feel proud of my accomplishment and glad that my hard work has paid off,” Murray wrote in an email.
He is president of the Science Bowl team, which placed third at the Brook-haven National Laboratory Competition on Jan. 30 — the best finish in the team’s history. He is also a leader in the Robotics Club, which recently qualified for the Long Island Regional Competition.
Murray wrote that many teachers helped him on his journey at LHS. “The teachers and the opportunities available at Lynbrook have inspired me to try new things and reach outside my comfort zone,” he wrote, “which will help me join clubs and groups in college and beyond.”
Murray singled out school Counselor Matthew Renz and Charles Vessalico, his science teacher, for their assistance.
“Mr. Vessalico has always encouraged me to do what makes me uncomfortable in order to expand my abilities,” Murray wrote, “especially in the realm of public speaking.”
“Jack has demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, and service, all culminating in earning valedictorian status,” Renz wrote in an email. “It is no surprise that a student with Jack’s motivation and work ethic earned this recognition, as I see daily how hard Jack continues to pursue excellence in his studies.”
Murray, a violinist, was named an All County artist as a freshman, and an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and a Merit Scholar Commended Student this year. He founded the school’s Dungeons and Dragons Club, and plays violin in both the high school orchestra and the chamber orchestra. He also serves as lighting manager for school musicals and plays.
“Above all else, though, my favorite memories come from spending time with the people I have had the privilege to meet and call my friends these past few years,” Murray wrote.
He earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and for his project, he cleaned up and restored an outdoor classroom at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning at the Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre, making the space usable for preschoolers.
In 10 years, Murray wrote that he hopes “to have a Ph.D., living happily and comfortably.”
Michaels said he is “very grateful to be chosen. I feel accomplished, and it’s like a reward for all my hard work.”
He said he is especially proud of his work in the school’s Science Research program. Using roundworms, he studied mechanisms that combat fungus with maximum efficiency — research with practical implications, as fungal infections contribute to illness and death worldwide.
“I put a lot of work into it, as I do for every project, and it is kind of a result of everything I’ve done over the past three years in research,” Michaels said.
He added that one of his most important mentors for his research was when he worked with Eric Eisenstadt, a scientist and former Harvard University professor with a background in microbial physiology.
Outside the lab, Michaels is passionate about playing the French horn, and is a member of the high school’s Brass Ensemble. He also said he enjoys playing soccer. Michaels earned All-Conference honor a varsity team member.
“Aidan is an incredibly humble young man,” Lynbrook Principal Matthew Sarosy said, “but he is a News12 scholar athlete, an award where News12 came and did a segment on him for their evening broadcast in January, having found him through his athletic performance at LHS,” he said. “He’s a rare triple threat — academic, athletic and he’s musical. That’s a very special thing.”
Sarosy noted that Michaels is a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship program, among the top 15,000 high school students in the United States.
Asked what he would remember most, Michaels said, “Senior night for soccer, where parents come and celebrate with the seniors at the ceremony. That’s a great memory I’ll have for a while.”
Michaels plans to major in biology in college and become a scientist. “In terms of career, I want to be working in a lab either at a college as an internship, or as a professional researcher doing something important,” he said. “I want to do research that will help society, like addressing health issues that affect a lot of people.”
For his part, Murray hopes to study engineering and continue pursuing his passion for science.
“I am extremely proud of both of them,” Sarosy said. “It’s a unique year with the special project that Jack and Aidan partnered on. Seeing these two students representing the class of 2026 is an extraordinary accomplishment.”
