Bridgehampton High School is proud to announce that seniors James Fairchild and Autumn Coffey have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the Class of 2019.

James has an impressive high school résumé, which includes taking numerous honors and Advanced Placement courses. He is also a sportsman and has participated in varsity tennis, varsity swimming and junior varsity basketball. A member of the high school’s robotics team and Future Farmers of America, James was also a recipient of the DAR Good Citizens Award and the President’s’ Education Award in recognition of outstanding academic excellence.
His community involvement includes teaching coding to fourth- and fifth-grade students and working closely with South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center, guiding underclassmen in designing and constructing an educational aquaponics system.

He cites his accomplishments – including his time spent on the robotics team where he designed with a team of peers and mentors – as additional lessons in communication and leadership.

“It feels that all of the work and time committed to my education has truly empowered me to study and to achieve anything I wish,” James said.

James’ research paper addressing food insecurities in Liberia was published by the New York Youth Institute and critiqued and complimented by multiple international experts at the Global Youth Institute. James was also named a Borlaug Scholar by Cornell University, and he is a potential candidate for a Borlaugh-Ruan International Internship. He would like to study computer science, business or architecture in the future.

“Take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you, and trust that the dots will connect,” James said, sharing words of wisdom with his fellow classmates.

Autumn is excited and proud of her honor as salutatorian of the Class of 2019. Her accomplishments include taking numerous challenging Advanced Placement, honors and college-level courses and being named to the school’s high honor roll. She is also a member of the school’s robotics team and was honored as an Academic All-County student for basketball. She is involved locally in the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center. Her post-high school plans include majoring in nursing and possibly studying abroad.

Asked about her recognition as salutatorian, Autumn said, “I am happy to have achieved something so amazing. I am happy that all of my hard work has paid off.”

Commending both students on their exceptional achievements, Principal Michael Miller said, “James and Autumn are both wonderful students who represent the well-rounded educational experiences at Bridgehampton High School. Their commitment to academics will certainly drive their future successes.”