Marlboro High School (MHS) is proud to announce that Kahlan Moran has been named valedictorian of the Class of 2024 and Sophia Montalbano is this year’s salutatorian. These students excelled not only academically during their High School careers, but in a wide array of sports and extracurricular activities as well.
Kahlan earned top honors with a weighted grade point average (GPA) of 102.664. She has maintained a rigorous course schedule at Marlboro, filled with several Advanced Placement (AP) and college-level courses. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Jazz Band, Drama Club, and Youth and Government Club. Outside of school, she is involved in karate and during the summer, she works at Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa.
The daughter of Jamie and James Moran, Kahlan has been a Marlboro Central School District student since Kindergarten. Although she is uncommitted at this time, she will likely be attending SUNY Geneseo in the fall to study Biochemistry.
“If I stick with Biochemistry as a major, I think it could lead to a job in medicine, research, or teaching,” she said.
Kahlan says that she will miss the friendships she has made at MHS, as well as the supportive faculty members who have had an impact on her throughout her time at the school, most notably, Dr. Jason Orsen. “Dr. Orsen is a really awesome Band teacher, and he always encourages us to improve as musicians,” she said. “He convinced me to take Music Theory last year, and it was a really interesting class.”
Sophia, whose weighted GPA is 102.486, also took on a full course load, which included several AP and college courses. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Youth in Government Club, and competes in gymnastics outside of school. She also volunteers at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.
Like Kahlan, Sophia says she will miss spending time with her friends and the many teachers who have influenced her at MHS.
“[Science teacher] Mr. Hisel has helped me find my voice and be comfortable in the classroom, and [Art teacher] Mrs. Elder has continued to inspire me the past four years,” she said.
Sophia, who is the daughter of Barbara and Joseph Montalbano, has also been a Marlboro student since Kindergarten. She is deciding between attending Lehigh University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and plans to major in Civil Engineering.
“As a career, I’d like to do anything in the engineering or architectural field,” she said.
Rounding out MHS’s Top 10 for the Class of 2024 (in order of rank) are Deni Menendez, Thomas Rusk, Claire Devine, Emersyn Lazar, Harrison Solomon, Kalista Birkenstock, Matthew D’Angelo, and Chyanne Negron.
MHS is extremely proud of all of its hard-working seniors!