2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Valedictorian Lucas Kohl
This fall, Lucas, who enjoys math and science, will be pursuing an engineering degree; he is interested in attending either Duke University or Pennsylvania State University.
Throughout high school, Lucas has been involved in a wide range of activities. He has been a member of NJROTC for four years, most recently having served as the Master Chief Petty Officer, responsible for the implementation of the directives of the Commanding Officer. He is the President of the National Honor Society, organizing meetings, coordinating fundraising efforts, and planning this year’s trip to Washington, DC. He is the Vice President of DECA, a business club, and runs meetings in the President’s absence. He is a member of the High School Jazz Band and has played trumpet in the pit band for both last year’s and this year’s High School musicals, Shrek and Freaky Friday. He has also played basketball for four years and baseball, serving as the team captain in both of these sports, as well as golf. Lucas has valued these experiences for the opportunities he has been given tomeet new people, and to grow as both a student and a leader. He is grateful for the support he has been given by his teammates and fellow members of these organizations.
While not in school, Lucas likes to play golf and pickleball. He has worked numerous summers, first at Claudio’s and then at Port. And, during the Summer of 2025, he interned with the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, where he was assigned to the buildings design and sanitation divisions.
Lucas is honored to represent the Class of 2026 as Valedictorian, and is grateful for the many experiences and people who made his high school experience so memorable. He thanks his teachers for preparing him to succeed, including helping him to earn recognition as an AP Scholar with distinction, and, most especially, his parents for their constant and unwavering support and encouragement.
Salutatorian Shepherd Odell
This fall, Shepherd will attend the College of Health at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He is excited to major in Biostatistics with a minor in Biochemistry, and plans to pursue a career in the biotech industry.
Alongside his academic work, Shepherd has participated in numerous extracurricular activities. A long-time member of the Greenport NJROTC unit, he stepped into the role of Executive Officer in December 2025 after serving as Operations Officer and commander of the orienteering team. He is the Secretary of Team Rice 870, the award-winning FIRST Robotics Competition team based out of Southold High School. In addition to collaborating with his teammates on engineering issues and driving the newest robot, Shepherd serves as the human player during competitions, loading the robot and scoring points alongside the robot. He is a member of the National Honor Society and serves as the president of DECA, an organization focused on developing leaders in business fields such as marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Shepherd has also been very active in school athletics, for many years he has played football, basketball, golf, and been a member of the track and field team, while serving in leadership roles on several teams. This year, he added baseball to his athletic roster. Outside of school, Shepherd represented the American Legion, Burton Potter Post 185, in Greenport, New York, at New York Boys’ State, a week-long program focused on citizenship and leadership training. Beyond his academic and extracurricular commitments, he has spent several years working in local restaurants and serving as a swim instructor.
Shepherd is grateful to his parents for their constant support, encouragement, and guidance, which have helped him reach this milestone. He is honored to serve as Salutatorian, and appreciates the many opportunities and relationships that shaped his high school experience.