Byram Hills High School inducted 19 seniors into the Cum Laude Society, honoring their extraordinary academic accomplishments.
The students make up the top 10% of the Class of 2026 based on their weighted GPAs.
The inductees were Lilly Alonzo, Anika Bobra, Sienna Cavada, Max Charney, Joshua Goldman, Ariana Reese Guido, Matthew Ishkanian, Chase Keller, Tyler Kravitz, Alexander Lewis, Claire Mauney, Maxwell Moy, Angelina Nie, Amanda Olego, Emelyn Rasamny, Evan Reiss, Avni Sundaram, Allison Tsay and Alexandra Zodda.
“Their outstanding academic achievement and commitment to scholarship truly set them apart,” Principal Christopher Walsh said at the Oct. 16 induction ceremony. “It's an acknowledgment of their dedication, perseverance, and pursuit of excellence, values that we always want to amplify at Byram Hills.”
During the inductees’ first month of high school, Mr. Walsh had asked them to write a quote, motto, or positive message on an index card. Though the cards offer just a snapshot in time from 2022, he noted that they are full of 14-year-old wisdom, curiosity and insight.
One read: “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you will never make it through the night.” Another said, “Be nice and that's it,” and a third offered, “Don't just surround yourself with people you can live with. Surround yourself with people you can't live without.”
The inductees’ quotes touched on perseverance, grit and determination; integrity and humility; self-awareness, purpose and optimism; kindness, compassion and community; and the importance of taking chances.
“These are the very themes that define lifelong learning and productive citizenship,” Mr. Walsh said.
“My hope is that you, in your pursuit of academic excellence, never get in the way of trying to gather these different characteristics for yourself,” he said. “Continue to develop them because that's what makes life worthwhile.”
“Congratulations to our Cum Laude Society inductees and enjoy this tremendous honor,” Mr. Walsh said.
Mathematics teacher Rebecca Barnum delivered the Cum Laude address. She shared lessons she learned from one of her favorite people: her grandmother, who lived until one month before her 100th birthday.
“I'm incredibly thankful for all of the lessons that I learned in my time with her,” she said. “She had a quiet way of teaching lessons. She didn't stand up there and lecture you. She just had little phrases and small actions that somehow just stayed with me through the years.”
One of her grandmother’s favorite sayings was, "Let's not make a whole big thing," while another was, “There can only be one winner.” The unspoken lesson her grandmother practiced every day was simple: “Love with all of your heart.”
“My grandmother's words remind me to keep life in perspective, to love fiercely, and maybe, just maybe, laugh at myself along the way,” Ms. Barnum said.
Congratulating the inductees, she said: “You've already shown yourselves to be exceptional, bright, curious, driven, hardworking, and collaborative. Your families have been your biggest supporters along the way. And before you leave for college, spend some time reflecting on the lessons that you've learned from your families and decide what's truly important to you. Those are the lessons and the values that will guide you through the next stages of your life.”
Dr. Sandra Abt, president of the Byram Hills chapter of the Cum Laude Society, congratulated the inductees and urged them to cherish their remaining days at Byram Hills.
“Appreciate the knowledge and skills that you are learning,” she said. “Appreciate your teachers and friends. Strive to make a difference and do good. Don't be complacent. Use the unexpected
in your life and the occasional failure to make good choices. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.”
“Your future lies before you,” she added. “Make the most of it.”
Dr. Abt announced the new faculty member of the society, physics teacher Dennis Covert.
The Jazz Choir performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “I Can’t Stop,” and sophomore Zachary Yoon played piano selections at the start and end of the ceremony.
The Cum Laude Society, founded in 1906, honors scholastic achievement in secondary schools. There are 382 chapters, and some 4,000 students are inducted annually.