Graduation 2025: Hats off to SWR High School graduates

Portraits of Achievement

Eden YiYa Hu – Valedictorian

GPA: 104.56 (weighted)

College: Yale University

Major: Biology

Throughout her high school years, Eden has dedicated herself to her extracurriculars and the furthering of her education.

She volunteered for Global Awareness, and she was the YoungArts 2025 Writing/Fiction winner, achieved one national silver medal and three regional gold keys in the 2025 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and is recognized as both a National Merit Commended Student and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Eden also participated in a high school research program at Brookhaven National Lab last summer, during which she helped research magnet temperatures of NSLS-II particle accelerators. 

In addition to her extensive academic achievements, Eden is also an accomplished violinist. From grades 8 through 12, she was part of the Manhattan School of Music PreCollege Program. She was a member of the NYSSMA All-State String Orchestra, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, the Orpheus Ensemble, chamber orchestra and the Long Island String Festival Association, New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education and Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association festivals. Likewise, Eden participated in the Rushmore Music Festival, played in the Shoreham-Wading River Youth Ensemble and was a North Shore Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition finalist. 

To commend her for her many achievements, Shoreham-Wading River High School awarded her Underclassmen Recognition Awards for Excellence in the subjects of English, science, orchestra and history. As a result of her dedication, Eden is now poised to pursue an undergraduate degree in biology, with plans to get a doctorate in pharmacy degree and then go into pharmaceutical research.

Kerrin McGuire – Salutatorian

GPA: 104.47 (weighted)

College: University of Virginia

Major: Nursing

Kerrin has amassed impressive academic achievements during her time at Shoreham-Wading River High School.

She has completed 13 AP courses; served as president of the National Honor Society; was a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society; was a senior trainer at Natural Helpers; a member of Students Against Destructive Behaviors; was a member of the Women in Science and Engineering club; was a member of the chamber orchestra since ninth grade; and was a member of the National English Honor Society. Kerrin has earned principal’s list recognition every quarter since the start of ninth grade. Additionally, she has received gold excellence in the subjects of math, social studies, science, English, physical education and Spanish; the AP Scholar with Distinction Award; the College Board National Rural/Small Town Recognition; and Suffolk Zone Athletic Honors. 

She also played on the JV girls’ soccer team in the ninth grade, the varsity girls’ cross country team during her junior and senior high school years, the varsity girls’ winter track team for all four high school years, and the varsity girls’ lacrosse since the eighth grade. While juggling school and extracurriculars, Kerrin also worked year-round at Peconic Ice Rinks. An avid and dedicated member of her community, Kerrin worked as a lifeguard at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, a sleepaway camp for children and adults with disabilities. She volunteered for her school’s open house nights, sold tickets and concessions for Tri-M Music Honor Society events and worked with nonprofits like AGAPE and Kids Need More — programs that, respectively, collect donations to give lunches to students in need and raise funds for children with cancer. Her efforts on behalf of her community have culminated in her receiving the Thomas Cutinella Foundation 2024 Service Award. 

Having trail-blazed through her many accomplishments over the last few years at Shoreham-Wading River High School, Kerrin is excited to begin the next chapter of her life at the University of Virginia, where she hopes to study nursing as a first step toward her end goal of becoming a pediatric nurse anesthetist.

Scenes from commencement

Photos by Nicole Wagner

List of Shoreham-Wading River Graduates