Meet the valedictorian and salutatorian

Alex Boss and Mark Behar, South Side High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian this year, are both athletes, science buffs and friends.

They both want to study some kind of science when they go to college next year — Boss, at Duke University, wants to pursue engineering or computer science, and Behar, at Bowden College, wants to go into one of the sciences, though he’s not sure which one.

They’re both athletes — Boss is on the track team, and Behar plays tennis.

And they’re also both horrible studiers. “We’re two of the lowest studiers,” Boss said.

But the two have an affable air about them, and are incredibly humble about being named the two best-performing students of their grade.

“It feels good,” Behar said about their honors. “It’s a satisfying way to end high school.”

In addition to their sports, both students are also active in other school activities. Boss is a member of the Mathletes and the Political Awareness Club. And Behar is the vice president of his class.

Both are also looking forward to college and starting new paths in their educational lives.

“I’m interested in learning more about technical things,” Boss said. “We’ll see where my focus hones in on.”

“I’ve always had a natural tendency for math and science,” said Behar. “And I’ve like physics a lot over the last two years. Probably leaning toward physics, but I don’t really know. I’ve never taken computer science or classes like that.”

Boss and Behar are also both not really looking forward to giving speeches at graduation, and neither are prepared for it yet. “That’s the one downside to being valedictorian and salutatorian,” Boss said.

And as much as they’re both looking forward to their time at college, Boss and Behar admitted that they’re going to miss South Side.

“When it started off, I didn’t like it very much,” Boss said of his high school experience. “When you’re in the younger grades, you feel the things you don’t like more acutely. When you get to be a senior, you kind of rule the school, so things just bounce off.”