2026 GRAD FACTS 

Hunter-Tannersville High School (Tannersville, NY) 

Onteora High School (Boiceville, NY) 

Saugerties Senior High School (Saugerties, NY) 

Windham-Ashland-Jewett High School (Windham, NY) 

Leading up to this weekend’s graduations at the four public high schools in the Overlook region, we sat down with the valedictorians from Hunter-Tannersville, Onteora, Saugerties, and Windham-Ashland-Jewett to get a sense of how they are feeling about the future.   

We talked about the impact of AI, our political system, their aspirations, how growing up in our small towns in the Catskills has helped shape who they are, and what they plan to say in their commencement message to fellow graduates, plus more. The full interview with Shelby Buryk (Onteora), Abigail Dwon (Hunter-Tannersville), Emma French (Saugerties), and Jack Pellettier (Windham-Ashland-Jewett) follows:

Looking back at your high school days, what will you miss most? 

Buryk: The routine of everything, the habits of when I study with my friends, and preparing for things. It just feels very comfortable. 

Dwon: Spending time with my friends. 

French: I will miss the people. There are so many amazing people. 

Pellettier: I think what I will miss most is sports. It has helped me develop leadership skills and help other players as well as make a lot of friends. 

The distinction of being named valedictorian carries great prestige.  What’s something about your journey that would surprise folks? 

Buryk: It’s not necessarily surprising but one of my best friends is the salutatorian and we have been friends since first grade.  I really feel like we did this together and that makes me very happy. 

Dwon: If we went back to elementary and middle school, I would never even actually imagined that I would be where I am now. 

French: I have been able to move more in a direction of working with people and embracing who I am, more so than just achieving the best I can. 

Pellettier: Sports have played a huge role in my life journey. 

On a scale of one to 10, what is your level of hope and optimism for the future? 

Buryk: I will put it at seven.  It’s easy to feel like it’s going downhill. The most important thing is caring. 

Dwon: I’d say seven or eight. If we put the work into it, there could be a hopeful future for all of us. 

French: Somewhere between eight and 10. I really believe this generation could have the opportunity to come together in new ways, with all the advances we have made and connections we’ve been able to form. I think we can really come together and improve ourselves and make a world we can be proud of. 

Pellettier: My level of optimism would be around eight. I am excited and optimistic about the future.  Still, I am a little nervous about the unknown. 

The world today confronts a myriad of problems. If you could solve one problem, what would it be? 

Buryk: Changing how we tend to view others negatively and work to come together. 

Dwon: I want to be able to help as many animals as possible. I want to travel the world to as many countries as possible to provide that help. 

French: I think that really the main drive behind all conflict is our lack of understanding  each other. We must form a foundation of connection that can help us move forward instead of regressing backwards. 

Pellettier: One problem I would like to have a hand in solving is building on the value that comes from respect and people being polite to one another. It’s as simple as saying thank you when someone holds the door for you; just being polite in general. 

Post-college, how do you see your career unfolding? 

Buryk: The path I am choosing in neuroscience, there’s no limit. That’s for sure. 

Dwon: I am hoping to obtain my Ph.D. from Cornell and from there do international animal relief throughout the world. 

French: I plan to go into the private accounting sector. I want to work with a lot of different people. And before I try to fix all of the problems of the world, I can start a little smaller by starting with the fix maybe with a local economy. 

Pellettier: I hope my career takes me around the world. I love traveling. And I am hoping that my work in engineering will allow me to explore new places. 

How has growing up in the Catskills helped shape who you are? 

Buryk: It’s been very sweet to live in a small town that I feel so connected to. 

Dwon: Growing up in the Catskills has allowed me to appreciate the outdoors. The opportunities that were given to me here have allowed me to pursue my passion for animals. 

French: Saugerties is a very tight-knit community. Everyone knows each other and so that means there’s a good support system. There’s always someone to turn to when you need help. 

Pellettier: Growing up in a smaller community has helped me get to know pretty much everyone in the school. I have had close relationships with my teachers since the classes are small. If I need extra help, they have no problem helping me with that. 

Who has had the biggest impact on your success and how will that remain with you in the years ahead? 

Buryk: It would be my parents who are my biggest supporters. They have allowed me to feel confident in myself. 

Dwon: It’s my parents. They have shown up for me in countless ways and taught me that hard work and persistence will help me get to where I want to go. 

French: I really must thank my parents. They are really motivating and supporting me through this journey. 

Pellettier: The two people who have had the biggest impact on me are my parents. They pushed me to do my best all of the time. Something that I will carry with me from them is there’s no easy way in life; there’s no easy way out. You need to work hard and show up. 

What are your plans for the summer? 

Buryk: My goal for the summer is to enjoy every little moment because I know I am going to feel homesick once I get to college. 

Dwon: I am hoping to spend time with friends and make lasting memories. I hope to go on a bunch of hikes and play my violin as much as possible. 

French: I am going to spend as much time as I can with my family.  

Pellettier: I plan to spend time with my grandparents who live in the Adirondacks, and I plan on going to Cape Cod with my other grandparents. 

What concerns do you have around how AI is likely to impact all of our lives? 

Buryk: I think it’s something that we are learning how to deal with as we go.  

Dwon: AI has had an impact on how we conduct our lives, do our work, and how we study. I think it can be a very useful tool, but too much of it could harm our society. 

French: There’s no shame in using the opportunities that are given to us. In all these times, we haven’t stopped progressing just because we’ve gotten tools to help us along the way. We have progressed more. So, this period of uncertainty is a step in furthering our own innovation for the future. 

Pellettier: A concern I have about AI is people becoming too dependent on it to the point where they can’t exactly do their job without it. I think it could be a good tool if you don’t become too dependent on it. 

Many of your Gen Z peers are voicing concerns about the age of so many of our elected officials as well as concerns about the stability of our American democracy. What are your thoughts about the future of our country? 

Buryk: I think maintaining the mindset that young people should sort of not be involved is only going to create a world where problems will continue to escalate. Now is the best time to speak up about issues and act on them as much as you can. There’s no harm to that. Young people are incredibly powerful, and they can have the most meaningful impact for the future. 

Dwon: I think by voting and getting involved within the community, you can really get your voice out there. 

French: A lot of times incumbents are re-elected and that’s how we get these very old people in office.  There’s also hope for stability by reelecting them. The crave for status quo stability plays off the idea that maybe it’s not perfect now, but it could be worse. 

Pellettier: I really haven’t had the biggest interest in following politics. I don’t see myself running for a public office, but after college that might change. 

Tease out for our readers what you will be saying in your valedictory address to fellow grads at commencement. 

Buryk: My message will touch on the now and how that is the most important moment. Let’s really cherish that moment. 

Dwon: Keep pushing for what you want to do and keep dreaming. 

French: I plan to talk about how we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect. Instead, there should be a drive to pursue our own goals rather than letting this idea of perfection decide who we become. Don’t let society dictate. You should do it on your own. 

Pellettier: The main message is that hard work pays off. I want my message to be more motivational: everyone has the potential to do good things. You just must put in the work and really want to achieve those things. 

Scott Widmeyer is a co-founder of The Overlook and president of its board of directors. Reach him at scott@theoverlooknews.com.