David Neese, Shelter Island School’s salutatorian

David Neese, this year’s Shelter Island School salutatorian, believes that hard work and  preparation are the foundation of his success. Still, he noted that a group of dedicated teachers and enjoying the act of learning and discovering one’s interest certainly played a role.

His academic journey led him to discover that his interests lie in computer science and computer engineering.

When the Reporter stopped for an interview last week at the Shelter Island School, one last day of formal classes stood between David and a walk across the stage at graduation. He took a break from studying to discuss his high school experience and what the future holds.

When referring to his final rank, David said he and his fellow students were not competitive but rather supportive of each other’s goals. “We just tried our best,” David said, congratulating his fellow graduates.

Relieved that the most stressful parts are over, he’s also thankful for his support system at home.

His parents’ hard work and love, he said, have instilled a drive in him to never lose sight of his goals.

While David said he was grade-focused and had put in his share of sleepless nights, he knows the Shelter Island community helped get him to where he is.

Preparedness, David knows, is key to an optimal outcome. It’s something he learned from each of his teachers throughout his high school career.

Though he has excelled in each subject, he has a passion for computer engineering and computer science.

His interest in computer engineering stems from a curiosity of “how systems operate within larger computer networks” and great teachers he’s been “lucky” enough to sit in class with.

“My teachers were fantastic and definitely part of the reason I love the subject. Their energy, enthusiasm and ability to convey complex material to the students makes them really great,” David said.

This fall, David, like many of his classmates, will leave Shelter Island behind to start college. He’s set to attend The State University of New York at Stony Brook, commonly referred to as Stony Brook University. “It was a very easy decision,” he said of his choice, citing its great computer programing and system management courses.

David says that the one of the biggest changes he expects is definitely the much larger number of students he will interact with relative to Shelter Island School.

“It’ll be weird not having everyone know your name,” he said.

At Stony Brook University, David is planning to study systems management and other computer science related courses.

He already knows one important thing about a college education: what matters most is the work you put into receiving it. It’s a lesson learned and applied throughout a successful high school career.

He’s looking forward to taking a couple of weeks to relax, work at a mechanic shop on the Island, visit some of his favorite beaches, and watch Bucks games until he heads to Stony Brook University and the next journey that awaits.