Evangelatos is president of the Robotics Club, an engineering team that takes part in a robotics competition each year at Hofstra University. He plays the oboe, saxophone and English horn, is a captain of the volleyball and tennis teams and is president of the English Honor Society and a member of the Tri-M Music, Math and Science Honor Societies. “Clarke does have so much to offer, so many opportunities,” Evangelatos said. ”If you take advantage of them and enjoy your time here, it’ll really pay off in the end.”

The two top students’ dedication to extracurricular activities parallels their commitment to academics. The key, both said, is to experience as many different activities right from the get-go, to learn what appeals to you. “The success comes naturally if you’re doing something that you enjoy,” Wang said.

Both students have put their academic skills to use outside the classroom. For a science research project, Wang spent the last two summers working at Stony Brook Unversity, using supercomputers to analyze proteins. Evangelatos’s research project involved designing technology that could potentially detect wrong-way drivers on highways.

Both plan to study engineering in college. Wang is participating in Engineering Sciences at Harvard, a program that familiarizes him with different fields of engineering before he focuses on one. Evangelatos said he plans to study mechanical engineering.

Finishing at the top of their class didn’t faze them at all, both said. Nor did they feel any pressure to live up to certain expectations. “I don’t feel like I’m really set apart from my peers that much,” said Wang. “I have so many friends that tried so hard. We all put in the same effort.”

Asked about their favorite moment at Clarke, Evangelatos recalled winning the school’s first county championship in volleyball. Wang’s fondest memory was of a music department trip to Disney World when he was a freshman, and he and fellow members of the orchestra performed in the park.