Newark High School has announced its Class of 2024 Valedictorian and Salutatorian.
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Beatrice Van Riper, whose current grade point average (GPA) is 98.53 and is the daughter of Deborah and Kenneth Van Riper is Valedictorian.
Ian Murphy, whose GPA is 98. 39 and is the son of Tere and John Murphy Sr. is the Salutatorian.
Van Riper plans to attend Nazareth University in the fall where she will double major in elementary education and dance studies.
Murphy plans to attend UNC-Charlotte and, as yet, is undecided about his major.
While at NHS, Van Riper, a National Honor Society member, has been in numerous vocal, instrumental and performing arts activities including being a member of Drama Club for four years. She also has played flute and piccolo in the Wind Ensemble for four years, as well as being a member of the Chamber Choir during the same time. She was a member of Jazz Band when she was a junior, playing alto saxophone.
She participated in Area All State Choir and All County Band as a senior and in All County Choir in 11th and 12th grades. She has been a member of Principal’s Council during her senior year.
Murphy has been involved in numerous vocal, instrumental and performing arts activities at NHS including Drama Club since 10th grade and Film Club for two years. An alto and baritone saxophone player, he’s been in Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band since he was a freshman, All-County Band for 4 years, Newark FUSION (including as a vocalist) for 2 years, Chamber Choir for 3 years; the RPO Festival High School Chorale for 2 years, All-County Choir for 2 years, Vocal Jazz for 2 years and the Barbershop Quartet for 1 year.
Additionally, he has been involved in NHS sports including: Golf for 4 years, Cross Country for 2 years, swimming for 3 years and tennis for 6 years.
In terms of honors and awards, Van Riper was the recipient of the Stephen T. Comstock Memorial Award and the Arcadia Memorial Post #2883 VFW Achievement Award in 10th grade; the Mary Putnam Recruitment Grant from the Beta Theta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society this year and the ELENBE Runner Up for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama in 9th grade.
Murphy was the recipient of the American Chemical Society Award in 2022; the ELENBE Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in 2023 and the ELENBE Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama in 2023 and in March, was one of two recipients of the Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Youth Awards.
Outside of school, Van Riper was a delegate to ALA Empire Girl’s State last summer; has performed with the Geneva Theater Guild the last two summers; has studied dance at the Palmyra Macedon Conservatory of Dance and been on a competitive team since she was in 10th grade; has been involved in Girl Scouting since Kindergarten and participated in the summer Curtain Call program since she was in 7th grade.
Outside of NHS, Murphy works with his father at Paul L. Murphy & Sons Funeral Home in Newark.