It is with great pride and pleasure that we announce the Ardsley High School Class of 2024 Valedictorian, Derek Xu and Salutatorian, Lydia Lung. These prestigious positions of honor have been awarded to these students in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments and valuable contributions during their four years at our school. 

Derek Xu is an exceptionally talented student in mathematics, who is passionate about learning, helping others succeed, music and playing the violin. He has excelled in all subjects, taking the highest level of all courses each year. 

Derek is the Vice President of More Than Mozart and President of the Science Bowl. He also founded and is the President of the Math Club. In this role, he leads weekly club meetings, assists his peers with studying and understanding math, and organizes teams for the Purple Comet Math Meet.

Derek is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society. He has received numerous accolades, including recognition on the American Mathematics Competition 10 & 12 Distinguished Honor Rolls and high rankings at numerous major math competitions, including perfect scores on the Math Kangaroo Competition with Special Awards. He has been on the Academic Honor Roll since 2020 and is a 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalist for his perfect score on the PSAT.

In addition to weight-lifting, Derek is also passionate about playing the violin, an instrument he began learning to play when he was four. He was a member of the NY International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra for five years and the AMS Orchestra. He is a member of the AHS Chamber Orchestra and has been recognized for his performances in the All-County Orchestra and earning a perfect score at the All-State audition.

Derek will attend Cornell University in the fall, majoring in pure mathematics with the goal of earning a PhD and becoming a research mathematician. 

Lydia Lung is a passionate and dedicated student who approaches everything she does with energy, purpose, and commitment. Lydia has been on the Academic Honor Roll since 2020, was a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and AP Scholar, and is the Viola section leader of the Chamber Orchestra, Co-President of More Than Mozart, and a member of Girls Who Code. She is a member of the National Honor Society (and serves as Secretary for the school chapter) and the Spanish National Honor Society. 

Lydia has consistently challenged herself academically by taking the most rigorous classes, winning prizes in research competitions, and promoting the arts in the community. Her commitment to teamwork and collaboration is evident in her passion for music and science. 

As a student scientist and part of the Science Research Program, she specialized in bioinformatics for protein engineering, winning top prizes in numerous regional and international science competitions such as Science Olympiad, WESEF, NYSSEF, and the Tri-County Science and Technology Fair. She qualified for the final round of the NYSSEF and was a finalist in the International GENIUS Olympiad.

Lydia is exceptionally talented as a viola musician, earning roles as Principal Viola of the GWYOA Westchester Junior Strings and Assistant Principal Viola of the GWYOA Westchester Youth Symphony. She reached the highest instrumental certification under the NYSSMA and was selected for the 2022 and 2023 Westchester Area All-State Orchestra and alternate for the 2023 NY Conference All-State Symphonic Orchestra. She shows her dedication to making a positive impact on her community by volunteering for many cultural events such as the Concord Road International Day and the Ardsley Juneteenth event as well as for church celebrations.

Lydia will attend Johns Hopkins University next year, and she is considering a major (or combination of majors) in Public Health Studies, Environmental Science, and International Studies.

The students at Concord Road School celebrated Earth Day with a school-wide assembly that included poster presentations, a skit and songs. The Environmental Club shared posters about environmental causes close to their hearts, the Student Council acted out a skit about the Hudson River, and the fourth grade music classes sang songs about planet earth. All of the students came together to sing “This Pretty Planet.”