Lai and Ouyang named NHP class of 2022 valedictorian and salutatorian

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Laurence Lai and Emma Ouyang were selected as the valedictorian and salutatorian of the class of 2022 at New Hyde Park Memorial High School.

“Throughout the school building, Lai is regarded as a determined and focused student who goes above and beyond to succeed,” the Sewanhaka Central High School District said in a statement about the class of 2022 valedictorian.

Lai was accepted to the district’s prestigious Instrumentation and Automation program in his first year at the high school. He has taken college-level engineering courses on top of AP and advanced classes. “He displays leadership skills through his role as vice president of Mathletes and is an active member of Science Olympiads, Service League, Spanish Club and the varsity rifle team,” the statement continued.

Outside of school, Lai serves as vice chair of design for the New Hyde Park Asian American Community of Culture and is also a volunteer web designer for the New Hyde Park Chinese Association. Additionally, he is a project leader of the MasksNOW initiative of the Youth of Ethical Societies Long Island. In this capacity, he has assisted in supplying fabric masks to local places in need amid the pandemic. Lai also tutors younger students over virtual technologies on subjects ranging between chemistry and biology through the Alliance of Youth Leaders.

The school district said that Ouyang, the salutatorian of the class, “is recognized as an intelligent, determined and personable student with exemplary academic and extracurricular accomplishments.”

Ouyang was selected as a semifinalist in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program and has been part of several advanced programs, such as Columbia’s Science Honors Program, the Institute of MERIT Math Research Program and the Northwell Health Nursing Exploration Program.

Additionally, she is a member of Mathletes, the Lance Yearbook, National Science Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society and the varsity cross country and track teams. Ouyang is also an accomplished violinist and is a current member of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, All County Orchestra, the New Hyde Park String Ensemble and the Sewanhaka Central High School District Orchestra.

In addition to her academic studies and extracurricular activities, “Ouyang works diligently to make a difference in her local community,” the district added. She is the current president of the New Hyde Park Asian American Community of Culture. In this role, she has been responsible for social media outreach and leading Lunar New Year celebrations. During the summer of 2020, she taught second and third graders basic music principles via Zoom.