Mattituck-Cutchogue graduates told they are ‘Tuckers for life’

Faculty, family and friends packed the Mattituck-Cutchogue Senior-Junior High School gymnasium Saturday as the Class of 2026 celebrated commencement, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of many different paths.

Speakers throughout the ceremony reminded graduates that while their futures may lead them to college, the workforce, the military or the skilled trades, the values they developed together in Mattituck would remain with them.

Salutatorian Ryan Harned compared the class’s journey to a game of chess, saying every challenge and success represented another move toward graduation.

“We made our moves,” Ryan said. “We took our chances. We made our sacrifices. We celebrated our victories and today, together, we can look at our board and proudly say … checkmate.”

He also urged his classmates to embrace hard work as they move into adulthood.

“This world does not owe us a single thing,” Ryan said. “You’ll always have to work hard. You’ll always have to compete for your goals … Success isn’t handed out. It’s earned, square by square.”

Valedictorian Jay Chen reflected on the shared experiences that united the class, even as graduates prepare to head in different directions.

“We may all go in different directions after today, but we all have been shaped by the same values — to work hard, look out for one another, and keep moving forward even when things become difficult,” Jay said.

Retiring teacher Jenna Valentine encouraged graduates to pursue meaningful careers and never stop growing.

“Don’t settle for a life that simply pays the bills,” Ms. Valentine said. “Find work that challenges you, fulfills you, and allows you to make differences in the lives of others. Never stop dreaming. Never stop believing in yourself. Never give up. Never stop trying. Never stop learning.”

Principal Patrick Burke closed by reminding graduates that no matter where life takes them, they will always have a home in Mattituck.

“Carry Mattituck pride with you wherever life takes you, and never forget that you will always be part of the Mattituck family,” Mr. Burke said. “You’re a Tucker for life.”

Portraits of Achievement

Jay Tian Ti Chen

Valedictorian

GPA: 101.12 (weighted)

College: University of Pennsylvania

Major: Electrical engineering

Throughout his high school career, Jay Tian Yi Chen was involved in many extracurricular activities. He served as the president of both the National Honor Society and chess club, vice president of communications for DECA, and as treasurer of Leo’s Club. He also represented the school on the cross country, basketball and baseball teams, while also being an All-County violinist and member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He was also a member of Southold Robotics Team R.I.C.E. 870.

He thanks his parents and sister, Jolin, for their support and encouragement through challenges. He also thanks his teachers, coaches and mentors for their guidance along the way as he continued to grow academically and personally.

Ryan Harned

Salutatorian

GPA: 100.64 (weighted)

College: United States Coast Guard Academy

Major: Marine and environmental sciences

Ryan’s high school journey is defined by both a commitment to academic excellence and to service. He was a member of the National Honor Society and served as a cadet lieutenant in the NJROTC program. Through drill and air rifle competitions, attending the Northeast Leadership Academy, and from mentors he learned that true leadership isn’t about the rank; it’s about the people you stand beside. Beyond the classroom, he was dedicated to the North Fork community. He played golf, ran track, served as president of the Board Game Club, was a junior firefighter with the Cutchogue Fire Department, also playing in their marching band. Ryan also values the time he’s spent volunteering at the Cutchogue-New Suffolk library and the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. As he looks forward to protecting our precious resources while serving our country in the United States Coast Guard, he plans to carry a piece of the North Fork with him. He is grateful to his leadership mentors, his parents and the community.

Scenes from commencement

Photos by Nick Mongiovi

Mattituck Awards and Honors

Catherine Abbott – North Fork Breast Health Coalition; North Fork Community Theater Scholarship; The National Honor Society Patricia Malave Memorial Scholarship.

Ingrid Yaneth Ajvix Sinay – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies).

Sarah Amiaga – St. Peter’s Award (St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Greenport).

Ryder Antonucci – Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club, Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA. 

Morelia Ayala Cuellar – Dana Raffe Memorial Scholarship.

Tyler Brown – Adams Family Business Award.

Michael Buckley – St. Peter’s Award (St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Greenport). 

Gianna Calise – Dr. Stanley P. Jones Memorial; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA.

Isabella Canberg – Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mindy Cooper Memorial Scholarship.

Jackson Case – Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund; Mattituck Chamber of Commerce : Leonard Llewellyn Memorial; Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies) Commitment to School to Career Success.

Ava Catania – Southold Rotary – Jere Jacobs Performing Arts Scholarship.

Emma Celic – Friends of the Mattituck-Laurel Library Scholarship. 

Jay Chen – Friends of the Mattituck-Laurel Library Scholarship; H2M Architects & Engineers STEM Scholarship; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; NYS Education Department Academic Excellence Scholarships; Society of Mayflower Descendants Compact Awards Program.

McKenna Clark – Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA; North Fork Lacrosse Club Scholarship; Southold Town Police Benevolent Association Scholarship; Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital Scholarship. 

Jordyn DeMatteo – Mental Health Student Leadership.

Casey Dickerson – Chuck Adams Excellence in Journalism Scholarship; Louise Seaver Schmidt Scholarship; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA.

Corey Dickerson – Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mildred Boyce Memorial Scholarship.

Fiona Dunn – Louise Seaver Schmidt Scholarship; Mattituck Chamber of Commerce; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA.

Scott Edgett Jr. – Dylan Newman Forever 5; East End Lions Club Scholarship; Kimberly Ann “Be the Difference” Memorial; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; North Fork Chamber of Commerce Scholarship.

Jillian Fogarty – Cutchogue Fire Department Stanley Victoria – Wayne Glover Memorial Scholarship; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA.

David Fohrkolb – Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund; Cutchogue Fire Department Stanley Victoria – Wayne Glover Memorial Scholarship.

Amber Freeman – Cutchogue Fire Department Stanley Victoria – Wayne Glover Memorial Scholarship.

Valeria Funez – Mattituck High School SADD Club Service Scholarship.

Kaitlyn Garrett – Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship.

Gavin Gilbert – Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA.

Estefani Gomez – Cutchogue Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary ; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Southold Town Police Benevolent Association Scholarship ; Student Council Student Involvement & Dedication Scholarship.

Greyson Gunder – Bobby Johnson Memorial Scholarship.

Matthew Haas – Mattituck Fire Department Auxiliary; Mattituck Fire Department Scholarship.

Melody Hammerle – NYSCAME Suffolk Chapter Senior Scholarship.

Trey Hansen – Aldrich Sports & NOFOKC Athletic Scholarship; Dylan Newman Forever 5; LIMAGS Science Award 2026; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA In Memory of Past President Karen Ross; North Fork Anglers John Nugent Memorial Scholarship. 

Ryan Harned – Cutchogue Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary; Cutchogue Fire Department Jason & Steven Cooper Memorial ROTC Scholarship; Dylan Newman Forever 5; Griswold-Terry-Glover American Legion Post No. 803; LIMAGS Science Award 2026; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; North Fork Environmental Council Howard Meinke Memorial Scholarship; NYS Education Department Academic Excellence Scholarships; Southold Town Police Benevolent Association Scholarship; Southold Town Republicans; Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP Community Service Scholarship.

Colin Heeg – Ammirati’s of Love Lane Scholarship; Mattituck Fire Department Auxiliary; Mattituck Fire Department Scholarship; Peter Rauseo Memorial Wrestling Scholarship.

Tobias Howard – Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA Scholarship.

Jake Hutchinson – Ammirati’s and Ryan’s Team Scholarship; Neefus-Stype Insurance Agency Business Scholarship.

Julian Kalish – Black Sheep Bagel Baking Scholarship; Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund; NYS School Facilities Association, Suffolk County Chapter Scholarship. 

Olivia Kennedy – Flying Point Foundation for Autism Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship.

Zoe King – NYS Education Department Academic Excellence Scholarships; Society of Mayflower Descendants Compact Awards Program.

Ethan Linker – Amano Restaurant Scholarship.

Genry Lopez Javier – Southold Rotary – Excellence in ELL Scholarship.

Brian Lynch – Cross Sound Ferry Scholarship.

Laura Mahon – DECA Scholarship; Dylan Newman Forever 5 Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA; Southold Rotary – Walter Krupski Scholarship.

Gabriella Mannino – Ammirati’s of Love Lane Scholarship; Cutchogue Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

Mason Marengo – Clear River Environmental Scholarship; NYS Education Department Academic Excellence Scholarship.

Madyson Maroska – James D. and Mary Norris Memorial Scholarship; Southold Town Police Benevolent Association Scholarship.

Luke Mauro – Cutchogue Fire Department Stanley Victoria – Wayne Glover Memorial Scholarship.

Claire McKenzie – Mattituck-Cutchogue Athletic Booster Club; Principal’s Award.

Cindy Melgar – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies); Mattituck High School SADD Club Service Scholarship; Mental Health Student Leadership.

Amy Morataya Cojon – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies).

Kaitlyn Oliver – Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund; Dylan Newman Forever 5; Mattituck Fire Department Auxiliary; Mattituck Fire Department Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Mental Health Student Leadership; Principal’s Award; The Julia Helen Leonard Scholarship.

Cormac Orlowski – Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund.

Audriana Parker – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies) Commitment to Vocational Training Program.

Joshua Pena – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship in Memory of Army Major Karl K.C. Cutler.

Livia Perrin – Mattituck Chamber of Commerce; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Lions Cliffy Saunders Memorial Scholarship; Mattituck-Cutchogue Secondary PTSA; Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association Community Service Scholarship; Principal’s Award; Southold Rotary – Interact Scholarship; Student Council School Spirit & Leadership Scholarship; The Class of 1969 Zulewski Family Scholarship; The Richard Zulewski Mattituck Student Award.

Erin Quarty – Mental Health Student Leadership.

Grace Quinn – Aldrich Sports & NOFOKC Athletic Scholarship; Kimberly Ann “Be the Difference” Memorial; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship.

Christopher Ramirez Soto – Southold Rotary – Vocational Scholarship.

Holly Reventlow – Cutchogue Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary; Principal’s Award; Stephen Stakey Memorial Scholarship.

John Schwarting – Cindy Goldsmith Agosta Scholarship Fund.

Julia Sheldon – Cutchogue Lions Club – Chris Hurley Memorial Scholarship; James D. and Mary Norris Memorial Scholarship; North Fork Community Theater Scholarship; SCMEA Scholarship.

Jack Sheppard – ClearRiver Environmental Scholarship.

Saida Sican – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies).

Raia Slick – Dylan Newman Forever; East End Lions; Mattituck Lions Club Scholarship; Robert Keleher Private Foundation Career/Educational Aspirations.

Anthony Soto – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies); North Fork United Soccer Scholarship in Memory of Morgan West.

Stella Tatarka – Dr. Fred M. Carter II Memorial Soccer Scholarship.

Kimberlin Villavicencio – Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies); Mattituck High School SADD Club Service Scholarship; Mental Health Student Leadership.

Brooke Walling – Friends of the Mattituck-Laurel Library; Greater Jamesport Civic Association; Kaitlyn Doorhy Strawberry Queen Memorial Scholarship; League of Woman Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork Scholarship; Mattituck Cutchogue Teachers Association Scholarship; Mattituck Fire Department Scholarship; Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies- President); Mattituck High School SADD Club Service Scholarship; Mental Health Student Leadership; SCOPE Member District Scholarship; Southold Rotary Club Community Service Award; Southold Town Police Benevolent Association Scholarship; Times Review Media Group Student Journalism Award.

Kurt Westerman – Mattituck High School – School Store Scholarship (Best Buddies).

Ainsley Williams – Mattituck-Cutchogue All-Class Reunion Scholarship; Mindy Cooper Memorial Scholarship; North Fork Breast Health Coalition Scholarship.

Mehmet Yuzbasioglu – Suffolk Association of School Business Officials Scholarship.

Future Plans for Mattituck Graduates

Catherine Abbott – Merrimack College; Ingrid Ajvix Sinay – Employment ; Hailey Alfano – Siena University; Lester Alvarado Colocho – Employment ; Sarah Amiaga – Stevens Institute of Technology; Ryder Antonucci – Duke University; Morelia Ayala Cuellar – Suffolk County Community College; Gregory Berman – University at Buffalo/SUNY; Tyler Brown – Molloy University; Michael Buckley – University of Florida; James Bush – Employment; Gianna Calise – James Madison University; Isabella Canberg – Saint Leo University; Jackson Case – Apprenticeship program; Ava Catania – James Madison University; Emma Celic – SUNY/Cortland; Jay Tian Yi Chen – University of Pennsylvania; McKenna Clark – Flagler College;

Felix Cruz Ortiz – Employment ; Julia Cruz – Employment ; Olivia Dauer – Utica University; Jordyn DeMatteo – SCCC; Casey Dickerson – Southern New Hampshire University; Corey Dickerson – Military service, Army; Fiona Dunn – Babson College; Scott Edgett –SUNY College of Technology at Delhi; Jillian Fogarty – Hofstra University; David Fohrkolb – Endicott College; Amber Freeman – Military service, Air Force; Valeria Funez – SUNY College of Technology at Delhi. Javier Garcia – Employment ; Kaitlyn Garrett – The Ohio State University at Columbus; Gavin Gilbert – University at Albany/SUNY;

Estefani Gomez – SUNY/Cortland; Greyson Gunder – Texas Tech University; Kaitlyn Guzman – Sacred Heart University; Jason Haack – Employment ; Matthew Haas – Purdue University; Melody Hammerle – Virginia Tech; Trey Hansen – University of Kentucky; Ryan Harned – U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Colin Heeg – University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Tobias Howard – Binghamton University, SUNY; Aiden Hughes – Employment ; Benjamin Hutchinson – Saint Leo University; Jake Hutchinson – Florida Institute of Technology; Julian Kalish – SUNY/Geneseo; Page Kellershon – United States Naval Academy; Olivia Kennedy – SCCC; Zoe Isabella King – Binghamton University, SUNY;

Christian Kretschmer – Employment ; EduardocLeon Merino – Employment ; Alexander Leon Rivera – Employment ; Marisol Leyva – Career education or trade school, cosmetology; Ethan Linker – SUNY/Cortland; Genry Samuel Lopez Javier – University at Buffalo/SUNY; Brian Lynch – SUNY Maritime College; Laura Mahon – University of Tampa; Gabriella Mannino – University of Pittsburgh; Mason Marengo – Career education or trade school, manufacturing; Madyson Maroska – Flagler College; Luke Mauro – Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Claire McKenzie – Rollins College; Cindy Melgar – Mercy University; Edwin Monroy Tezen – SCCC; Chase Montgomery – Career education or trade school, STEM; Amy Morataya Cojon – SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

 Katherine Nemschick – University of Tampa; Kaitlyn Oliver – Marietta College; Maria Camila Ona – University at Buffalo/SUNY; Cormac Orlowski – Employment; Audriana Parker – Employment; Joshua Pena – SUNY/Brockport; Kevin Perez Monzon – SCCC; Sergio Perez Santos – Employment ; Livia Perrin – SUNY/Cortland; Jakeb Peterson – Employment; Joseph Piccoli – SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville; Otis Pike – SCCC; Martin Pinto – University at Buffalo/SUNY; Erin Quarty – SUNY/Oswego; Grace Quinn – Siena University; Christopher Ramirez Soto – University at Buffalo/SUNY; Oscar Recinos Giron – Employment; Holly Reventlow – Military service, Marines; Helen Schultz – Employment; John Schwarting – Employment; Joseph Scibelli – Employment; Julia Sheldon – SUNY/Fredonia; Jack Sheppard – Employment; Saida Sican – Employment; Raia Slick – Fairfield University; Anthony Soto – Career education or trade school; Kimberlee Soto – Finger Lakes Community College; Stella Tatarka – University of Tennessee; Alisson Torrento Rivas – Employment; Kimberlin Estefani Villavicencio – Fashion Institute of Technology; Brooke Walling – Providence College; Kurt Westermann – Johnston Community College; Ainsley Williams – Flagler College; Mehmet Yuzbasioglu – New York University.