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Edition Graduation Keepsake
June 22, 2023
HERALD
G R A D U A T E S Graduates Celebrating the
LOOK InsIde
the C L A S S
OF 2023
the best and brightest
Class of 2023
VOL. 23 nO. 26 BAL
Meet Clarke’s salutatorian
students earn medals for math
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Page 17
JUne 22 - 28, 2023
$1.00 $1.00
Clarke H.S.’s valedictorian heads to Cornell flowering plant from Vietnam in their yard that blooms every spring. They had the plant inside W.T. Clarke High School Vale- when they were living in Queens dictorian Matthew Vo has when Matthew was young, and it always been interested in life sci- survived the move to Long ences and biology. That’s why it’s Island. no surprise that he will pursue Matthew said his love for bioengineering at Cornell Uniplants grew as he versity in upstate spent his early life in Ithaca this fall. an apar tment in “It’s been a longQueens, surrounded time interest of by buildings and mine, just life sciencconcrete. es in general,” Vo, 17, “I think I was said. “I remember drawn to plants just when I was younger because it felt so difI always used to realferent,” he said. “But ly love anything bio I think that somerelated.” thing just feels so A longtime backright about (growing Matthew Vo yard gardener, Vo plants), like it’s the grows a lot of flowway things should ers and vegetables, and even be. (We) as a society (have) kind though his parents tell him not of lost that connection to nature to, he tries to grow apple and a lot, and I feel like my love of peach trees, too. plants just helps me maintain Philip Vo, Matthew’s father, that connection.” said that his son has always tried Bio engineering is a vast field, to grow everything, ever since he and Vo isn’t sure exactly what was little. path he wants to travel, but he’s “He just loves nature in gen- thinking it will have something eral,” Philip said. “Every time he to do with plants and agriculsees a plant, he tries to do ture. research on that particular “I personally feel like there’s plant, and it’s just become his not enough focus in those areas main interest.” compared to human health care Philip said that they grow a Continued on page 11
By MALLORY WILsOn mwilson@liherald.com
Barnum Woods goes patriotic for Flag day Students, staff and parents at Barnum Woods Elementary School donned red, white and blue on June 14 for the school’s muchloved annual celebration on the front lawn. There was no shortage of festively dressed kids in Denise DeMarco’s kindergarten class, above, and kindergartners Sal Santoro, near right, and Ayan Ramsook sported handmade flag crowns. Story, more photos, Page 3.
Tim Baker/Herald photos