Academic and service awards announced at Third Day Honors

At the Third Day Honors ceremony held at Friends Academy on Tuesday, June 10th, the Upper School academic, athletic, and arts departments announced this year’s special recognition awards. At the same time, the Friends Cum Laude Society inducted new members from the senior class. Senior Vedant Rawat of Dix Hills (Cornell University) opened the ceremony with a religious reading and a moment of silence. Senior Ava Ward of Lattingtown (University of St. Andrews, Scotland) played a rendition of Prelude Opus 28 Number 2 by Chopin on the piano.

Senior Vedant Rawat gives opening remarks

The students recognized and the colleges the graduating seniors will be attending are:

The James E. Gardner Headmaster’s Commendation Award is presented to students in the graduating class who have demonstrated the qualities of kindness, integrity, cooperation, effort, cheerfulness, participation in school activities, and unselfishness, all irrespective of athletic or scholastic aptitude and achievement. This year’s recipients are Aislinn Frazer (West Virginia University) of Seaford and William Davis (Bowdoin College) of Port Washington.

The Roger Erickson Humanities Scholarship enables a deserving student to pursue his/her interest in the humanities (philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history, language, and more) during the summer months and ensures, that a love and appreciation of literature, fine and performing arts within the Friends Community continues in the memory of former English teacher Roger Erickson. This year’s recipient is junior Eleanor Lawton Flatters ‘26 of Oyster Bay.

Roger Erickson Humanities Scholarship recipient Eleanor Lawton Flatters '26 receives the award from Upper School Principal Mark Schoeffel

The Martin Jacobson Scholarship Award is presented in honor of Marty Jacobson, a devoted teacher, coach, mentor, and Athletic Director for 38 years. This scholarship goes to the student who exemplifies those leadership qualities that Marty sought to instill:  integrity, commitment, inner strength, resiliency, vision, intensity, empathy, and caring service. This year’s recipient is junior Jared Williams ’26 of Amityville.

Former Athletic Director Marty Jacobson poses with award recipient Jared Williams '26 and his father

The Brian James Hom Scholarship Award is presented in honor of Brian Hom ’11, who passed away in 2011 and left a lasting impact on all who knew him through his passion for social equity and justice, innate generosity and personal warmth, wonderful sense of humor and smile, and unparalleled commitment to excellence as a runner and scholar. He genuinely respected all people and sought to restore dignity and hope to the world. The scholarship honors a student who embodies Brian’s qualities and lives according to his motto, “I am the me I choose to be.” This year’s recipient is junior Natalia Gambino ’25 of Glen Cove.

Henry Koelmel accepts the Brian Hom Scholarship Award from Head of School Paul J. Stellato

The Elizabeth Young Durante Community Service Award is presented in honor of Elizabeth Durante ’06, who passed away in 2009. This Community Service Award is given to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to serving those in need. This year’s recipient is senior Cc Saad (Barnard College) of Roslyn Harbor.

Elizabeth Young Durante Community Service Award winner CC Saad receiving award from Director of Student Affairs Camille S. Edwards 

Roger Erickson English Award

​​​   Will Davis (Bowdoin College)
   Aislinn Frazer (West Virginia University)
   Zhucheng (Eric) Ding (Princeton University)

French Award

   Taylor Fernandez (Howard University)

Spanish Award

   Tomas Puente-Teixidor (Villanova University)
   ​​​​​​​Erica Na (Columbia University)

Latin Award

  Bryan Bin ‘26

Chinese Award

   Ross Yablans (Washington University in St. Louis)

 Elizabeth Roosevelt History Award

   Max Katovitz (University of Virginia)
   Ross Yablans (Washington University in St. Louis)
​​​​​​​   Joy Biondi (Duke University)

View more photos from Third Day Honors on our Flickr

Four-year participants in Arts Programs

   Wyatt Bancroft (Skidmore College)
   Shawn Beaman (Colby College)
   Jonah Casey (University of Maryland)
   Daiwei (David) Chen (University of Virginia)
   Jameson Clarke (McGill University)
   Caz Costagliola (University of Connecticut)
   Zhucheng (Eric) Ding (Princeton University)
   Petra Fakiris (University of Miami)
   Tyler Ferdinand (New York University)
   Taylor Fernandez (Howard University)
   Alexandra Fodera (Villanova University)
   Lara Fortunoff (Emory University)
   Christina Grasso (University of NotreDame)
   Maddie Halliday (University of St. Andrews-Scotland)
   Molly Halliday (University of St. Andrews-Scotland)
   Max Katovitz (University of Virginia)
   Lyra-Anne Ku (Columbia University)
   Edward Li (The New School)
   Tristan Ohrstrom (Trinity College)
   Sophia Oliveri (Providence College)
   Shawn Paris (Purdue University-Fort Wayne)
   Diane Qiu (New York University)
   Persephone Reeves (University of Chicago)
   Matthew Rubin (Cornell University)
   Zoe Rubinsky (Louisiana State University)
   Cc Saad (Barnard College)
   Krista Sensale (Massachusets College of Art and Design)
   Grace Skolnick (Lehigh University)
   Eleni Vrahatis (Lesley University)
   Andrew Wang (Columbia University)
   Ava Ward (University of St. Andrews-Scotland)
   Morgan Washington (The George Washington University)
   Emma Wu (Cornell University)
   Ross Yablans (Washington University in St. Louis)
   Lucy Yang (Barnard College)
   Minnie Yu (New York University)

Mathematics Award

   ​​​​​Junhao (Eric) Jiang (Washington University in St. Louis) 

Science Award

   Alex Pietraru (Cornell University)
​​​​​​​   Vedant Rawat (Cornell University)

Technology Award

   ​​​​​Jonah Casey (University of Maryland)
​​​​​​​   Terry Ye (University of Southern California)

Outstanding Female Athlete

   Aislinn Frazer (West Virginia University)

Outstanding Male Athlete

   Clarke Beard (Wake Forest University)

Members of the Class of 2025 inducted into the Cum Laude Society are:

   Joy Biondi (Duke University)
   Daiwei (David) Chen (University of Virginia)
   Zhucheng (Eric) Ding (Princeton University)
   Lara Fortunoff (Emory University)
   Christina Grasso (University of Notre Dame)
   Madeleine Halliday (University of St. Andrews)
   Molly Halliday (University of St. Andrews)
   India Harris (Georgetown University)
   Junhao (Eric) Jiang (Washington University in St. Louis)
   Lyra-Anne Ku (Columbia University)
   Lillian Lee (Villanova University)
   Erica Na (Columbia University)
   Benjamin Notaris (Georgetown University)
   Starling Ryan (Yale University)
   Riya Sarwal (University of Southern California)
   Aerin Satovsky (University of Michigan)
   Zoe Schoen (Vassar College)
   James Tsunis (Yale University)
   Ziang (Andrew) Wang (Columbia University)
   Morgan Washington (The George Washington University)

2025 National Merit Scholarship Program Finalist: 

   Terry Ye (University of Southern California)

2025 National Merit Scholarship Commended Students: 

   Daiwai Chen (University of Virginia)
​​​​​​​   Thomas Crisci (Georgia Institute of Technology)
​​​​​​​   Zhucheng (Eric) Ding
​​​​​​​   Taylor Fernandez
​​​​​​​   Jhanvi Gambhir (New York University)
​​​​​​​   Madeleine Halliday (University of St. Andrews)
​​​​​​​   Matthew Martin (Rice University)
​​​​​​​   Erica Na
​​​​​​​   Benjamin Notaris (Georgetown University)
​​​​​​​   Zoe Schoen (Vassar College)
​​​​​​​   Morgan Washington (The George Washington University)

2025 National Merit African American Recognition Program Award:

​​​​​​​   Myles Cooper-Boyce (Providence College)
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​   Keoni Wang (Northeastern University)

Class of 2024 College Matriculations
* Indicates more than one student attending

Photos by Alvin Caal/Friends Academy

Enrolling students from age 3 through Grade 12, Friends Academy is guided by its Quaker heritage and the principles of integrity, simplicity, patience, moderation, and a peaceful resolution of conflict. The school is located on 65 acres at the intersection of Piping Rock and Duck Pond roads in Locust Valley/Glen Cove.