How a Long Island high school has 21 class valedictorians graduating

NBC New York reports that Jericho High School's Class of 2026 has a record-breaking 21 valedictorians—students who maintained A+ (97 or higher) averages across all four years, surpassing the school's previous record of 15. The article is authored by Pei-Sze Cheng and includes on-the-record quotes from school administrators (Co-principal Brian Cummings, Superintendent Dr. Robert Kravitz) and three named student valedictorians, providing specificity about grading criteria and student experiences in rigorous courses like AP Physics and Calculus BC. Multiple regional outlets (Newsday, PIX11) independently corroborate the basic facts—21 valedictorians, perfect GPAs, record-breaking status—and add minor context that the school has roughly 300 seniors, confirming the rarity of this achievement. The article frames the story positively around student achievement and community collaboration, with school leaders defending the multiple-valedictorian approach as legitimate recognition of sustained excellence, though it doesn't explore broader debates about grade inflation or GPA-based achievement metrics that might add critical depth.