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We are proud to announce Chinmayi Goyal as Valedictorian and Emily Tian as Salutatorian for the Yorktown High School Class of 2025. Please join us in celebrating these two exceptional students and their remarkable achievements.
Chinmayi Goyal – Valedictorian
What are your academic plans for next year?
I want to dive deeper into mathematics and its applications in artificial intelligence. Wherever I go to college, I look forward to continuing the research I’ve been working on for the past two years. I’m excited to keep learning and experimenting with new ideas.
What are your favorite subjects and what do you enjoy most about them?
Math is definitely what makes my world click. I genuinely love it, and it brings a lot of happiness into my life. What I like most about math is how simple it is, yet how applicable it can be. I also loved AP Politics & Government last year; as a STEM person, it helped me understand the world around me through various perspectives and interesting discussions.
What extracurricular activities have you been involved in?
I’m the founder of our school’s American Computer Science League Club and am involved in Science Olympiad, Math Team, Math Honor Society, and Robotics. I’m also an editor-in-chief of the school newspaper (VOICE) and on the Varsity XC Team.
Of which accomplishments are you most proud?
I’m most proud of the research I’ve conducted as part of the Yorktown Science Research Program. My research has taught me how to persevere after failures and not give up when results don’t meet my expectations. I’ve learned to accept the unexpected and to value the journey over the destination.
Who or what has inspired/motivated you the most in your education?
I’m inspired by all the teachers I encountered at YCSD. They believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my passions, always ready to listen and help. I’m especially thankful to my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kalogris, who gave me the book, “Hidden Figures.” She motivated me to bring out the best in myself. I’m also grateful for my friends and family, who have supported and inspired me every day through thick and thin.
What is your favorite memory at Yorktown CSD?
It’s tough to pick just one. I remember when I moved to America from India in third grade, and my classmates were so excited to tell me all about snow and how American currency worked. I’m really grateful to them for helping me adjust to a new life. In high school, I cherish the little moments: eating Takis while copy editing articles for the VOICE and snacking on “fruits and veggies” during shenanigans in Science Olympiad.
Emily Tian – Salutatorian
What are your academic plans for next year?
I plan to attend college and study some combination of math and computer science for interdisciplinary applications.
What are your favorite subjects and what do you enjoy most about them?
I feel like my high school experience would not be complete without studying a variety of subjects, but I generally enjoy math-related subjects the most. This year, my favorite subjects are statistics and physics. I find it satisfying how statistics puts numbers in context and I love all the fun labs in physics.
What extracurricular activities have been involved in?
I play soccer year-round on club and varsity teams. I also play cello in various school orchestras and manage the online site for the student newspaper, The Voice.
Of which accomplishments are you most proud?
I’m most proud of playing “Le cygne” at the Tri-M Music Honor Society coffeehouse as an underclassman. I was definitely scared to play solo in front of people but I signed up anyway and mostly overcame that fear.
Who or what has inspired/motivated you the most in your education?
Sr. Contreras' constant reminders that “mistakes don’t matter” and “little by little we will improve” have inspired me to embrace every mistake and focus on growth.
What is your favorite memory at Yorktown CSD?
My favorite memory at Yorktown CSD was trying the Chinese yo-yo in elementary school PE. I had so much fun starting from the basics, learning tricks, and untangling many, many knots.
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