Meet Yorktown High School's Valedictorian Michael Beechert

Michael Beechert will graduate from this month with the special distinction of achieving top academic rankings in his class. He has been named valedictorian.

Not only has he earned top grades, he has been an active member of the school. Beechert plans to attend Dartmouth College in the fall and while he has not decided on a major, he is leaning towards a double major in government and math or economics.

The 18-year-old has participated in wind ensemble, pep band, jazz band, full orchestra as a part of the band program, where he served as an officer and section leader. He has also been a part of math team, VAASA, Science Olympiad, Envirothon, and has written opinion articles for the school newspaper, The Voice.  

Beechert has been on the varsity tennis team the past three years and is currently a captain. Along with his doubles partner, Neil Jacobsen, he won the Conference I doubles championship (only the second time in 20 years a Yorktown team has done this) and qualified for the sectional tournament. The high school senior has also participated in the Columbia University Science Honors Program and has taken classes through the Honors Program at Westchester Community College. 

Patch interviewed the student to get his take on his high school experience and plans for the future.

Patch: Did you imagine you'd be named top student – was this your goal?

Michael Beechert: While I was thrilled to be designated the top student in the grade, becoming valedictorian was not a specific goal I had set for myself; rather, it was a by-product of hard work and the culmination of my various academic interests.

Patch: Was there a particular class or academic experience that changed you?

Beechert: While so many of my high school classes have been great, there are two that I feel obligated to mention. The first was Honors Earth Science in 8th grade with Michael Salmore; the second was AP European History this year with Steve Rome. Both of these courses were taught by incredible and passionate teachers that conveyed their respective subjects with intelligence, dedication, and joy. Additionally, I've taken several classes at Westchester Community College, the best of which was an online English literature course on the American Dream taught by Dr. Jim Werner. I have also developed a fascination with the subject of economics, which I have explored independently with Mr. Adam Accetta and through an online course through the Harvard University Extension School.

Patch: In your opinion, is there anything you'd like to see the school district do differently?

Beechert: Yes. I would like the physical education exemption reinstated for all varsity athletes. Additionally, I would like for the administration to adopt more liberal policies regarding course placement and the granting of credit for outside courses or independent work. I can speak to the issue personally since I ran into a few roadblocks when trying to gain credit for the various economics courses that I had studied outside the high school. Finally, the administration has set an unfortunate precedent that suppresses any sort of discussion or dissent regarding administrative policies; such an attitude has stifled students' and teachers' free speech.

Patch: What's your dream job of the future?

Beechert: I don't have any firm career plans right now, since I'm sure that I would enjoy doing any number of things. However, I think I would like managing a business or corporation, preferably one that I've set up. Entrepreneurship has always interested me, so hopefully I will explore that in the future.

Patch: What will you miss when you graduate high school?

Beechert: I won't enjoy leaving behind many of the people that I have met over the past years. I will obviously miss seeing my friends on a daily basis, but it will also be very difficult to leave the many teachers that I have come to like. Leaving Ms. Kluga and the band program will be difficult, as will departing the tennis team under Coach Roger Dayer. 

Patch: What was your experience at Yorktown High School like?

Beechert: My experience was at times not enjoyable and at times very enjoyable. I relished taking courses that challenged me on an intellectual level and loved getting to know the instructors behind those classes. I formed many friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. The extracurricular activities I participated in, such as band, Envirothon, Science Olympiad, and the tennis team were phenomenal. On the other hand, I found much of the work at the high school to be tedious and unfulfilling. At times, I was frustrated with the stagnancy of the place, and for a while seriously considered graduating a year early. However, I made a good decision in staying for my senior year, which has been fun.  

Patch: Please share a funny or embarrassing story about your high school experience?

Beechert: The entirety of my performance in Mr. Al Reid's AP Chemistry class is an embarrassing story. Apart from that, I am a serial procrastinator, which has led to some very late-night and even early-morning scrambles to complete assignments, and even caused me to ask my date to prom two months later than I should have (sorry, Jen).

Patch: What advice will you give YHS juniors?

Beechert: I would advise the juniors to work hard, but not kill themselves in the process. There's much more to school than homework and studying, and unfortunately, focusing entirely on academics often comes at the expense of enjoying your four years in high school. Find a hobby or interest that truly enthralls you and explore that; doing so will make the high school experience so much richer.  

Patch: What are some objectives of your valedictory speech? What message do you hope to send at graduation?

Beechert: Getting back to my point about procrastination, I actually haven't even written my speech yet. I don't have a specific theme in mind right now, but I'll come up with something good. The graduation ceremony is pretty long, so hopefully whatever I say will interest whomever is awake enough to listen.

Patch: Four fun, quick questions. Ready? What's on your iPod, what's your favorite late-night snack, your favorite book and what comfort item will you bring from home to college?

Beechert: Well, I'm like the only person in America without an iPod, but I do listen to artists ranging from Jussi Bjorling and Franco Corelli (opera) to Iron Maiden (heavy metal). I'll eat whatever's in the fridge at the moment. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the greatest thing ever written.  And I haven't come up with a list yet, but as long as I pack contact lenses and a heavy sweater, I'll be fine.  

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