EDWARDS -- Edwards-Knox Central School's Class of 2020 has named its valedictorian and salutatorian.

She will earn an Advanced Regents diploma with Honors, with Mastery in Mathematics and Science. Grace has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years and serves as President.

Grace has received numerous academic awards that include the Edwards Knox Outstanding Performance Awards in English, Earth Science, Algebra, Living Environment, Global History, Spanish, Geometry, Algebra 2, and High School Chorus, as well as, the Best Effort or Most Improved Award in Music Theory and Health.

She earned nominations for the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Creativity and Innovation Award, the University of Rochester’s Bausch & Lomb Science Award, and St. Lawrence University’s Augsbury/North Country Scholars Award.

Grace has a passion for anything musical. She participated every year in NYSSMA, NYSSMA All County and NYSSMA All-State. Grace was accepted to and participated in the NYSSSA Summer School of Choral Studies in 2018 and 2019 and in 2019 was selected for the Honors Recital. In 2018, Grace was a member of the SLU Community Choir and she was member in the Any Music Singers for several years. Grace’s dedication to musical theater is unmatched at Edwards-Knox. She has performed the following parts for the school musicals: King Arthur in Spam-A-Lot, Donna in Momma Mia, and The Drowsy Chaperone in The Drowsy Chaperone. She was also cast as Annio in La clamenza di Tito at NYSSSA.

She plans to attend Ithaca College to study Vocal Performance.

Salutatorian

[img_assist|nid=279897|title=|desc=Abigail Paro|link=none|align=right|width=250|height=393]Abigail Paro, daughter of Matthew Paro and Valerie Paro of Hermon, is the salutatorian of the Class of 2020, with a cumulative average of 93.5495% and earning an Advanced Regents diploma with Honors.

She has been on the Outstanding or High Honor Roll her entire high school career. Abigail has challenged herself taking nine dual enrollment or advanced placement courses.

Abigail has earned numerous awards and recognition for her schoolwork. She received the Edwards Knox Outstanding Performance Awards in English, Earth Science, Geometry, Global History, Health and AP US History, as well as the Edwards-Knox Best Effort or Most Improved Awards in Algebra, Global History 10, and Photography.

Abigail earned nominations for University of Rochester’s Frederick Douglas & Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities & Social Sciences, the Student Sage Award, the Clarkson’s Leadership Award, and Paul Smith’s Women in Leadership Award. Abigail received the Paul Smith’s Women in Science Scholarship, as well as the Foundation of Northern New York’s Evergreen STEM Scholarship.

As a member of our community, Abigail dedicates a great deal of time giving back to those around her. She is an active member of the E-K Student Government for which she has served as Secretary for three years and as the Winter Olympics Co-Chair this year.

Abigail is dedicated to the student-lead school spirit activities such as Winter Olympics and Cougar Day, as well as given countless hours of her time to the Clothing Drives and Clothing Give Away days. As a member and Vice-President of the National Honor Society, she assists twice a year with the Blood Drives and the Special Olympics Torch Run.

Abigail, along with her family, proudly participated in the Gouverneur Business Women’s Breast Cancer Walk fundraiser.

Abigail plans to attend Paul Smith’s College to study Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences.