As advocates for each other’s success, Massapequa High School seniors Kathleen Cooney and Meghan Walsh are seeing the results of their hard work and mutual encouragement. They were recently named the top-ranked graduates for the Class of 2026.
Kathleen, the valedictorian with a 101.104 grade point average, attended Birch Lane Elementary School. She has taken 13 Advanced Placement courses and particularly enjoyed her science and history classes. As a sophomore, she started the Wellness Club, and is also a member of the Spanish Club, field hockey and flag football teams, and National, Art and Spanish honor societies. Kathleen works as a lifeguard in the summers, gives swimming lessons, has volunteered at the Massapequa Fire Department’s blood drive, and tutors high school students in geometry and middle school students in math.
Meghan is the salutatorian with a 100.935 GPA. The Fairfield Elementary School graduate has enrolled in 12 Advanced Placement courses, with math and French being her favorite subjects. Meghan also took College Art of Baking and College Creative Food Preparation classes, and now uses the skills she learned to make customized cakes. She is president of the French Club, Key Club and Mathletes, a member of Chiefs Challenge and Students Against Destructive Decisions, and was inducted into the National and French honor societies. Outside of school, she coaches gymnastics.
Sitting in her anatomy class, Kathleen was called down to the guidance office and brought to Principal Barbara Lowell’s office. With her parents on the phone, she learned that she earned the top rank in her class. Meghan was in her college psychology class when she got the call to come down for the good news.
After high school, Kathleen wants to enroll in a physician assistant program in which she would earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees within seven years. She aspires to be a physician’s assistant in a maternity unit. Meghan plans to double major in both mathematics and French, and wants to pursue a career as a mathematician. She hopes to live for at least a few years in France, a country she is planning to visit next summer.
Valedictorian and salutatorian are among the many accolades they have earned. Both students are AP Scholars with Distinction and have been consistently named to the Principal’s Honor Roll. Kathleen is a scholar athlete, was selected to the High School National Academic Squad and will earn an AP Capstone Diploma. Meghan received the College Board National School Recognition Award and was a silver medalist in the Le Grand Concours National French Exam, placing 15th overall in the nation among Level 4 students.
Kathleen and Meghan are grateful for the many opportunities offered at Massapequa High School from rigorous courses to a wide variety of clubs and sports. They also credit their teachers who have been very supportive and go above and beyond to help their students.