Sachem High School North Class Of 2023 Valedictorian And Co-Salutatorians Announced

LAKE RONKONKOMA, NY — Sachem High School North administrators have tapped their picks for valedictorian and salutatorians for the Class of 2023, according to a news release from the Sachem Central School District.

Alexa Ginis has been chosen as the valedictorian and Sara Breitenbecker and Gianna Marchese, the class' co-salutatorians.

Ginis’ passion for learning has been evident in the classroom, and through her work with the district’s early childhood internship program, school district officials said. In her junior and senior years, she spent two periods of her day working with pre-k students and experiencing all that goes into being a teacher. Her desire to work with children has led to her tutoring at the Sachem Youth Center and serving as a SCOPE group leader at Hiawatha Elementary School’s after-care program.

Ginis has taken seven Advanced Placement courses and 15 honors classes and is an active member of the national history and foreign language honor societies for which she has served the community.

Breitenbecker is highly involved in the Sachem North school community, school district officials said. She has been enrolled in rigorous coursework, is active in a total of five honor societies, and most recently, has become a member of the school’s Recycling Council after her interest and awareness of environmental issues was ignited while taking AP Environmental Science.

She was also a member of the junior and senior class clubs and was instrumental in planning school activities.

Breitenbecker is also a student-athlete and a leader on the playing field where she received post-season honors on the field hockey team and also was a member of the girls' lacrosse team. She volunteers for the Sachem Public Library, helps coordinate Sachem North’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, and has participated in fundraising efforts for cancer research and disaster relief.

Marchese is highly involved in music and the arts, district officials said. She is a four-year member of the championship marching band and was selected to participate in the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is the president of the high school's prestigious pit orchestra, music council, and is the vice president of the Northwind News website.

Her success in the music arts and in the classroom earned her a spot in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She is also a member of other organizations, including the PTSA, senior class government, Model United Nations, and the Science Olympiad team.

She also performs at school events and sports games as a member of the varsity Arrowettes team, and outside of school, volunteers her time with the Sachem Community Youth Services. She also dedicates herself to serve the larger Sachem community by pitching in at monthly road cleanups, charity walks, and other events.

Ginis will continue her passion for early childhood education at the University of Hartford, while Breitenbecker will study psychology at the University of Connecticut, and Marchese will attend Stony Brook University to pursue a degree in computer engineering.