Wednesday, July 9, 2025
When Ian Chan and Rihanna Hodge were pulled aside one afternoon in late May and told they’d earned the top two spots in Baldwin High School’s class of 2025, their reactions were nearly identical — shock, then silence, and then tears.
“I was in disbelief,” Chan, the valedictorian, said. “I still kind of am.”
“I just remember calling my mom,” salutatorian Hodge said. “We both cried.”
The news capped off four years of persistence and self-discovery for both students, whose paths to valedictorian and salutatorian weren’t always defined by straight lines or perfect scores. Their stories reflect not just academic excellence, but resilience — something that doesn’t show up on a transcript.
Chan, 18, grew up in Baldwin and said his family’s work ethic deeply shaped his academic outlook.
At first, school was routine for Chan — he fared well, but never saw himself as the kind of student who would lead his class. That started to shift around his sophomore year, when a chemistry teacher, Rebecca Seepersad, showed him he was capable of more than he thought.
“She showed me that I was capable of a lot more,” he said. “That’s how I got a 100 on the chemistry Regents, and I didn’t think I could. She had a higher expectation for me. I ended up meeting those expectations.”
His junior year marked a turning point, stepping away from sports like basketball and leaning more toward track and lacrosse, which gave him a stronger sense of discipline and allowed him to focus more on academics, he said. He also began confronting test anxiety and mental health challenges — something he had quietly struggled with for years.
Chan now speaks openly about his experience with an eating disorder — which also helped him clarify his future. He plans to study biomedical engineering at Stony Brook University, with the long-term goal of helping design treatments for the disorder.
“I hope to give back to people who struggle with the same thing I did,” he said. “I want to help people and give back to my family.”
Outside of school, Hodge, 17, trained as a competitive dancer, which left little time for clubs or events. That changed during her junior year, when she joined the track team and began working closely with school administrators, including principal Neil Testa, as his student leader.
“Being involved in the school is what leads to success, because when you stay away, then you kind of lose track,” she said. “I found different ways to leave a mark within the school.”
One of her biggest contributions was helping launch Culture Fest, a now-annual event celebrating Baldwin’s diversity through dance performances, international food, music, and a school-wide celebration of identity.
Her academic motivation was internal, but also deeply personal. During her sophomore year, her father suffered a sudden heart attack while driving, with her in the car.
He survived, but his recovery took months. Through it all, she stayed on top of her schoolwork, rarely letting on what she was carrying emotionally behind the scenes.
“I was dealing with a lot during that time and tried not to let it find me at school or at dance,” she said. “It was a lot to keep to yourself, but I believe it helped me to keep pushing and give him something to be proud of.”
Hodge plans to study on a pre-med track at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, aspiring to become a pediatrician. She’s also interested in how artificial intelligence could help personalize care.
The names of Chan and Hodge will soon join those etched onto a plaque at the high school’s entrance — a tradition honoring each year’s valedictorian and salutatorian.
When told about the tradition, Chan said he was aware of the plaque, but still is at a loss for words.
“It’s definitely a crazy feeling,” he said. “When you’re there in the high school forever, you got to leave your legacy — that’s a special feeling.”
