Allayev and Ronan Stand Tall as Top Seniors
Salutatorian Victoria Ronan (left) and valedictorian Bekmurod Allayev (right) plan to pursue finance and medicine in college. Photo: SiQing Lin
By TIFFANY DONG and SIQING LIN
As Midwood’s class of 2024 prepares to toss their mortarboards into the air, let’s take a moment to celebrate the academic feats of our top two scholars: Bekmurod Allayev and Victoria Ronan.
With a staggering GPA of 103.64%, Allayev has received the distinguished title of valedictorian, while Ronan, with a remarkable 101.96%, has clinched the title of salutatorian.
Allayev was recently accepted to Columbia University, where he plans to pursue the premed track.
He remembers the transition from remote to in-person learning as a turning point in his high school career. "I went from zero APs remote to three APs in person, so it was a pretty big jump,” said Allayev. “I was taking AP Chem, the fourth quiz of the year, and I straight up failed because it was so hard."
“That was a massive wake up call for me because I was used to pretty much doing nothing and passing with flying colors," he said. “Now I put in five times more studying hours into all of my classes.”
Balancing a rigorous course load of AP classes and their overlapping deadlines was a challenge.
“The most difficult thing was definitely time management,” he said. “I would have to proportion everything perfectly or I would completely fail everything.”
It was nearly impossible to maintain extracurricular commitments alongside his demanding workload, he said, but he was able to attend Key Club and Red Cross while also undertaking research internships at Brooklyn College during the summer.
In his limited free time, Allayev plays football, volleyball, and soccer with his friends, as well as video games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Valorant. “I really like competing with people and trying to be the best,” he said.
His friends describe him as “self-driven,” “motivated,” and “ambitious.”
“Bekmurod always knew what he wanted to do and how he was going to do it,” said Hailey Lau ’24. “He put all of his effort into every class no matter what subject it was.”
“He’s been an example to me that whatever dreams you have, you definitely can achieve them,” Eric Lau ’25 added.
Mr. Cameron Jahn, an AP Chemistry teacher, said he was not surprised that Allayev had earned the title of valedictorian. “He’s extremely bright,” Mr. Jahn said. “He was in the top 1% of students I ever met in AP Chemistry.”
“What sets him apart is his exceptional ability to think critically, his willingness to ask insightful questions, and his dedication to exploring topics beyond the curriculum," said Ms. Cynthia Ly, an AP Biology teacher. “His strengths lie in his ability to remain composed under pressure, his willingness to seek help when needed, and his commitment to continuous improvement. He also demonstrates a passion for learning that inspires others.”
Ronan, our salutatorian, had a hard time believing it when she heard news. “I just kept saying ‘you’re lying’ when my guidance counselor told me,” she said. “I knew I was kind of high up in the ranking, but I didn’t know I was salutatorian.”
She spoke of her struggle to find balance in life while still prioritizing academics.
“That was hard because of course I want a social life,” she said. “I had to lose sleep, which I am not happy about. But I think in the end it was worth it because I got the best of both worlds and I got something out of it.”
Ronan is also the president of the BioMed Society Club and a talented dancer. “Since I was little and up to my first two years of high school, dance was my ‘sport,’” she said. “That was my mental health and helped me keep my sanity.”
She also goes to Saturday school for Ukrainian culture, language, and history. “It’s really shaped my identity,” she said.
Ronan, who plans to attend Baruch College and pursue a career in finance, cited her parents as a vital source of encouragement. “They helped me stay motivated because they really pushed education,” she said. “But they were very reassuring and they always told me that I had potential and I could reach whatever goals I set for myself.”
Her teachers offered high praise. “Victoria is very hardworking; she goes above and beyond what she needs to do,” said Mr. Daniel Krieger. “I first met her in senior year and I knew from the get-go she was different from others.”
“She has a very positive attitude,” added Ms. Stacy Goldstein, her Science Research Teacher. “If something doesn’t go the right way at first with the procedure of an experiment, she starts to research. She buckles right down and doesn’t get sidetracked.”
“I know she will succeed in everything she wants to do in life, and I’m really proud of her,” said Mr. Krieger.
Ronan gave a lot of credit for her success to those around her. “The community I surrounded myself with at Midwood were very smart kids,” she said. “Just being around them pushed me to be better and also I kind of pushed them. So I think it is that back and forth relationship that really helped me.”
Her friends described her as “responsible,” “committed,” and “hard-working.”
“Some may say, ‘If you want something done, do it yourself.’ I say, ‘If you want something done, ask Victoria,” said Lizzy Szegedi, her dance partner.
“Ever since I met her when I was a sophomore, she’s been a friend I know I can count on whenever I need help or advice,” said Rain Wu ’25.
Lucy Guo ‘25 said, “We were research partners, so we had to mutually help each other on the project we were doing. She helped me a lot. She managed to schedule our participants and organize our whole project. Without her, I don’t know if I would’ve pulled through.”
The roles of valedictorian and salutatorian symbolize not only having the top grades in one’s class, but also hard work, resilience, and dedication. As Allayev and Ronan close off their high school journey, we should also recognize the collective journey of the entire senior class, which has shown resilience and dedication rebounding from the Covid years to embark on an exciting new chapter of their lives. Good luck with everything, Class of ‘24!