Dina Gewaily is an outstainding, focused student who has an inordinate enthusiasm for learning. She is ranked No. One in the class and is a recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal and will receive a $40,000 scholarship for her exemplary grades in math and science. In her junior year she secured a summer intership doing an engineering project at SUNY Stony Brook through the Simons Fellowship Program and as a result of this program she was able to discover a new method of separating DNA and went on to be named an Intel Semifinalist for her DNA project. Further, she is a dedicated tutor, helping young students with academic difficulties. She is a gifted musician and an award-winning flautist who has been recognized by the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York for her outstanding musical talent. She plans to attend Brown University in the fall to study medicine. As the Salutatorian of the New Hyde Park Memorial Class of 2001 Bandyopadhay has distinguished himself in many areas, but mostly in the field of Science. He was named an Intel Semi-Finalist for a project he worked on for the entire summer entitled "Myocardial Adaptation to Ischemia:Role ofAnti-death Gene Bol-2." A method to regulate the body to ward off the effects of heart attack and stroke. Further, Bandyopadhay is an accomplished musician and is proficient in both piano and violin and attends the Manhattan School of Music. Although his dad is from Calcutta, India he is a naturalized citizen having been born and raised in New Hyde Park along with his sister. In the fall Bandyopadhay plans to attend New York University Scholars Program and will major in medicine. When it was announced that Tejal Kothari has been named Valedictorian for the Class of 2001 she expressed a few words of wisdom that she has learned namely, "Self-deception is the most difficult deception. The tricks that work on others count for nothing in that very well-lit back alley where one keeps assignations with oneself." Kothari is a young woman who possesses a wide variety of interests and abilities. While at Herricks she has played Girls Varsity Basketball, Girls Softball and has run on the Cross Country Track Team. She is a member of the Key Club and served as treasurer of Amnesty International. As a DECA competitor she won honorable mention in the New York State Career Conference. A member of the Dance Theater Club She has performed in and choreographed the Annual Dance show for the last three years. This year she also served as Dance Coordinator for the High School Fashion Show. Tejal will attend Columbia University in the fall. Throughout his four years at Herricks High School Josh Hackman, Salutatorian of The Class of 2001, has been active in student government where he was involved in such activities as fund raising and public relations. This past year he served as Executive Board Vice-President. He also served as Co-Vice President of the Human Relations Club of which he has been a member since ninth grade. While in the Human Relations Club his leading activity was to promote racial awareness and to celebrate racial diversity in Herricks. A member of the National Honor Society, Hackman volunteered many hours tutoring academically challenged students. He will attend Williams College in September.