Congratulations Class of 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian!

Longwood High School has named Casey Muchirahondo as valedictorian and Diego Moreno as salutatorian of the Class of 2026, recognizing two students whose academic achievement is matched by leadership, initiative, and service to their school community.

Casey Muchirahondo has built an exceptional record in research, the arts, and student leadership. Since ninth grade, she has conducted research at Brookhaven National Laboratory, working at the National Synchrotron Light Source II on protein crystallography and the biodegradation of microplastics using infrared spectroscopy. Her research is expected to be published in the Protein Data Bank.

At Longwood, Casey serves as concertmaster and president of the Chamber Orchestra and is a two-sport captain in varsity golf and tennis, earning All-League, All-Division, and four-time MVP honors. She founded the school’s Unified Golf chapter, expanding participation from 10 to 50 students, and created SiSTEMatics!, a media and tutoring network that highlights and supports minority women in STEM. She also serves as president of both the STEM for Girls Club and the Math Honor Society.

Her academic honors include the Harvard Book Prize, the American Chemical Society High School Student Award, and AP Scholar with Distinction. She has earned both the Seal of Civics and the Seal of Biliteracy in French. Casey will attend Yale University to study Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry.

Diego Moreno has combined strong academic performance with leadership focused on community, culture, and mentorship. As president of the National Foreign Language Honor Society, he has led initiatives that expand cultural awareness and strengthen world language programming across the district.

He is a recipient of the Town of Brookhaven Hispanic Recognition Award, recognizing his academic achievement and contributions to the local community. Diego is an active member of My Brother’s Keeper, where he supports mentorship and leadership development for younger students, and participates in the Chess Club, contributing to a competitive and collaborative student environment.

His involvement across leadership, mentorship, and student activities reflects a consistent commitment to his school community. 

Diego plans to study Mechanical Engineering in the fall.

“Casey and Diego represent the best of what Longwood students bring to their classrooms, their teams, and their community every day,” said Principal Dr. Sam Ahmed. “Casey’s work to create opportunities for other students and Diego’s leadership in building connections across our school community reflect an impact that extends well beyond academic achievement.”

The Longwood Central School District congratulates both students on their achievements and the contributions they have made to the Longwood community.