Two close friends rise to the top of their class

Umika Hathiramani and Angelina Belgiorno are accustomed to pushing each other to great academic achievements — and those efforts have catapulted them to the top of Seaford High School’s Class of 2024.

The high school seniors have been close friends since middle school and have always pushed each other to reach their highest limits. This support for each other has resulted in Hathiramani and Belgiorno being named the high school’s valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Both said they were surprised by the honor, but it made them extremely proud of one another.  

“Angelina has always been so hardworking and academically driven,” Hathiramani said, “and I know that this is a huge accomplishment, so I was really happy for her, that she got to have that, and that we get to do it together.”

The two met at the lunch table at Seaford Middle School — Hathiramani had attended the Manor School, while Belgiorno came from Seaford Harbor School. Both were part of friend groups that knew each other and sat together at lunch, so they all sat at the same table, where Hathiramani and Belgiorno got to know each other better. Hathiramani said they had similar interests and shared a few classes, but high school is when their friendship strengthened.

“We grew so close so quickly,” Belgiorno said.

In the 10th grade, by coincidence, they were enrolled in the same classes — whether it was world history, Spanish or English. During this time, they spoke to each other every day, and learned a lot about one another’s hobbies and passions.

“We both had very similar interests,” Hathiramani said. “We’re both academically driven. We just felt comfortable talking to each other, and we were both on the same page, and that was what initially sparked our friendship.”

Hathiramani said that marching band is where their bond really grew. Both played the flute, so they sat next to each other during band class. They said marching band was a more relaxed atmosphere than other classes, because most of their friends also were there. That’s when the duo started talking more about topics outside of academics, according to Hathiramani.

“It was one of the few classes where we were all together,” Hathiramani said of band, “and we were doing something fun that we enjoyed, so it was a great experience to have with all of us.”

Upon entering their senior year at Seaford High School, Hathiramani held a weighted grade point average of 104.653, while Belgiorno’s was 104.557, the two highest among their peers. During her senior meeting early in the school year, Hathiramani was told she would be valedictorian.

For Belgiorno, being named salutatorian was much more of a surprise. In the beginning of her AP Spanish class, she briefly left the room. When she returned, the principal, Nicole Schnabel, and the assistant principal, Alex Mantay, had arrived in the room to give her the good news. Belgiorno said she was surprised and didn’t understand what was happening. At first, she thought she was in trouble, but then her classmates congratulated her, and they told her she was named salutatorian. Belgiorno described it as a great moment and could see everyone was happy for her.

“It felt like a movie,” she said. “Like, how can it be so perfect? How can it work out like this? I was just so happy.”

Belgiorno said it took a while for the news to sink in, but when it finally did, she felt proud and grateful to have worked so hard and to be recognized for her work. Afterward, the best friends met at the school’s guidance office and congratulated each other.  

“You could tell how happy they were for each other,” Mantay said. “It was a really nice moment.”

Both students said they help each other as much as they could with their academics, while also checking in on each other’s mental health.

“We’ve supported each other, but we’ve also pushed each other,” Hathiramani said, “because we see the potential we both have.”

After high school, Hathiramani plans to major in business with a concentration in sustainability and marketing. She hopes to work for big corporations, so she can find ways for companies to become more sustainably aware and environmentally friendly.

Belgiorno said she wants to major in public health, so she can learn about strengthening the health of communities and how to protect people from disease and environmental issues.

“I feel like that kind of education would equip me to become a better physician when I’m older,” she said.

Hathiramani said she is proud and honored to represent Seaford High School as valedictorian, adding that she has dreamed of the honor since middle school, and had worked toward it since.

For both students, walking together at their graduation ceremony will be an unforgettable experience.

“It’ll be an honor that we’ll share forever,” Belgiorno said. “It’ll always be special to us and important to us.”