Valedictorian, Salutatorian Named

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Weston High School students Angela Zhao and Maximilian Rutkowski have respectively been named Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the class of 2026.

Valedictorian: Angela Zhao

Ms. Zhao’s “academic accolades and achievements are countless,” said school counselor Meg Sullivan, adding that Ms. Zhao “has been incredibly successful in our most rigorous courses.”

As the first female captain of the school’s VEX Robotics program, Ms. Zhao rebuilt the team after original middle school members moved on. The team’s achievements include success at several tournaments, the Connecticut State Championship Innovate Award, and Weston’s first-ever qualification for the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championships.

This past summer, Ms. Zhao was accepted into the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute, where she explored real-world engineering challenges.

“I count myself among the many teachers and staff members at Weston High School that feel lucky to have had her as a student,” said Ms. Sullivan.

Salutatorian: Maximilian Rutkowski

Mr. Rutkowski “is one of the most intellectually curious students I have encountered,” said counselor Meredith Jackson. “His questions go far beyond the syllabus, and his independent explorations span disciplines from physics to philosophy to medicine.”

She said Mr. Rutkowski taught himself college-level chemistry in the absence of a formal AP class, achieved a perfect PSAT score, won the prestigious Harvard Book Award, and has earned multiple distinctions in Latin.

He earned individual and team honors in the Science Olympiad, helped lead his engineering team to qualify for the national competition, holds office in several clubs, and plays violin in the school’s pit orchestra and the Western Regional Orchestra.

As a sophomore, Mr. Rutkowski pursued Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, obtained it, and now volunteers with Weston EMS. “In all aspects of his life,” said Ms. Jackson, “Max exemplifies resilience, intellectual vitality, and a rare combination of humility and ambition.”