Later this month, students in the Columbia High School Class of 2022 will receive their diplomas at graduation and set out into the world – attending college, entering the workforce or joining the military. Everyone in the East Greenbush Central School District is proud of this class and everything they have overcome to reach this milestone. To celebrate the Class of 2022, we will be featuring seniors this month and their exciting post-graduate plans. Congratulations to the Columbia Class of 2022!

Columbia High School seniors Julia Hannum and Justin Sapienza were selected as the Class of 2022 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Both students have had accomplished high school careers and will graduate Summa Cum Laude (with high honors). They both have weighted GPAs over 100.

Valedictorian
Julia Hannum

Ms. Hannum is a member of Amnesty International, Mock Trial, Student Council, National Honor Society and both Science National Honor Society and Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society.

She will study Biology at SUNY New Paltz in the fall with the goal of becoming a high school biology teacher.

“I want to give students what my teachers gave me,” she said, “a safe place and to share knowledge of a subject with them.”

Salutatorian
Justin Sapienza

Mr. Sapienza is president of the National Honor Society, a member of the Science National Honor Society, Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society and the treasurer of the senior class.

He has played basketball, baseball and volleyball for Columbia High School, helping the volleyball team win the Division 1 Regional Championship this past fall and advance to the state finals.

Mr. Sapienza will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall.

Congratulations!