Best Friends Named Top Two Students At Islip High School

ISLIP, NY — The top two students of a graduating class may be known to compete against each other. But this year at Islip High School, thevaledictorian and salutatorian are each other's biggest fans.

Islip School District announced on Friday that best friends Timothy Mak and Anthony Lopez were recently named valedictorian and salutatorian respectively.

According to a press release, the pair "have supported each other in reaching this pinnacle of high school academic achievement."

Mak, who earned a 106.19 weighted GPA, serves as vice president of the school’s National Honor Society, president of the Interact Club and co-president of Mathletes, the district said. An AP Scholar with Distinction, he also serves as a junior commissioner of Keep Islip Clean Club and plays on the school’s varsity tennis team.

In his spare time, Mak is a junior instructor and second-degree black belt in mixed martial arts. He has not yet decided which college he will attend, but plans to major in finance/accounting.

“It’s been a lot of work since eighth grade,” Mak said. “Growing up with all my friends through this journey, and Anthony being my best friend since middle school, we worked together and through it, so it's not really work. It's doing something you enjoy and moving on to the next chapter of your life. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us.”

Lopez, who earned a 105.13 weighted GPA, serves as president of the school’s World Language Honor Society, captain of the Science Olympiad team and co-president of Mathletes. An AP Scholar with Distinction and Gates Scholarship finalist, he also works as a citizenship preparatory class co-teacher for Pronto. Lopez will attend Princeton University, majoring in biochemistry.

“Throughout my years of high school, I’ve worked so hard, and it’s nice to finally see
it all come to fruition,” Lopez said. “So here I am now at the end goal, and it’s nice to see
what I have left in my future.”