NEWS RELEASE from Cairo-Durham Central School District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2023
Cairo-Durham High School Announces
2022-23 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Cairo, NY – The Cairo-Durham Central School District is proud to announce William Sherburne as valedictorian and Antonio Brooks as salutatorian for the Cairo-Durham High School Class of 2023.
With a grade point average of 100.4, Sherburne has led the way for the Class of 2023. Academic discipline and excellence since 2019 has been shown by Sherburne in seven Advanced Placement classes, four college-level courses and two high school Honors English classes.
Sherburne, the chapter president of the National Honor Society is heavily involved in Mustang activities and clubs, as he is a four-year member of the Cairo-Durham High School annual musical, Chorus, Band and Marching Band as a trombonist, is a three-year student representative of the Student Council, was a three-year member of the Varsity Soccer team, is a two-year member of the Board Game Club and Jazz Band, and a one-year member of the Varsity Volleyball team and Hand Bell Choir.
Outside of school, Sherburne has held several leadership roles as a seven-year member of Boy Scouts and a five-year member of the Order of the Arrow. Currently, Sherburne wears many hats as a skilled laborer for McGrath’s Edgewood Falls Resort. He plans on attending DePaul University and majoring in Cinema and Film Studies with a concentration in screenwriting. One day, Sherburne hopes to be in the film industry perfecting his craft of writing.
For Brooks, a 100.1 grade point average student, leadership and accountability has been evident on numerous fronts. Two years with National Honor Society recognition, the Young Leaders Award as a junior and a four-year High Honor Roll member have been key highlights for Brooks. The salutatorian has also been seen as a contributing member of the Cairo Durham High School Morning News, an NHS tutor, a staff member and organizer of the NHS Fall Festival and the NHS Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Dinner.
Brooks served as a captain and top goal scorer of the Boys Varsity Soccer team and also played on the Varsity Volleyball team. A fan of studying philosophy, both western (Stoicism) and eastern (Taoism), Brooks has analyzed the works of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, Sun Tzu, Confucius, Socrates and Plato when not exploring nature, martial arts and hiking.
Possibly stronger than his academic accomplishments and social endeavors, Brooks has been a steady rock for his family and close friends during tough times. Brooks has been an “emotional anchor” to overcome adversity and continues to prosper in all facets.
Brooks plans on attending Cornell University and majoring in Biology with the intent of going into Bio Engineering and making a difference in the world with what he learns.
Sherburne and Brooks will graduate with the Class of 2023 on June 23 with Commencement taking place at 7:30 p.m. at the Cairo-Durham High School stadium.
