Fairport High School is proud to announce David Munechika as the Valedictorian and Emily Pollack as the Salutatorian of the Class of 2020. These two accomplished seniors have achieved the highest and second highest grades in their graduating class of 485 students.

Munechika is founder and president of the Computer Science Club, co-president of Fairport High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society, president of Fairport High School Orchestra, and captain of the Math Team. Munechika is the recipient of several awards including the Notre Dame Club of Rochester Junior of the Year, Chemistry Achievement Award, and Tom Anastasi Freshman of the Year. He is a 2020 National Merit Finalist Scholarship Winner.

Munechika is an accomplished pianist and cellist. As a cellist, he is a student at the Hochstein Music School, has participated in Area All-State and All-County Orchestras and performed in numerous recitals and solo festivals each year. He is principal cellist with the Fairport High School Orchestra and has also performed as a pit orchestra musician for several high school musicals. He has also enjoyed sharing his talent by composing, arranging, and performing music for residents at the Leo Center for Caring and many area nursing homes. As a pianist, Munechika is a student in the Nazareth Community Music Program. He has performed in numerous recitals, examinations, and competitions each year. He won the 2017 Rochester Area Junior All-Star Piano Competition and was runner-up for the 2020 Hochstein Recital Competition and 2019 Statewide Nazareth College Piano Competition. In 2020, he earned the Howard Hansen Certificate of Merit for excellence in piano performance. As jazz pianist in the Fairport High School jazz ensembles, Munechika has performed at numerous charity concerts and community events each year. 

Munechika is also an accomplished varsity athlete. As a member of the Cross Country Team, he earned All-Greater Rochester Honorable Mention, 2nd Team All-County, and the Fairport Red Raider Award. He qualified for the Section V Championship and Monroe County Championship in 2018 and 2019 and was a State Qualifier in 2019. He participated in the Fairport basketball program throughout high school and earned New York State Scholar Athlete recognition.

Munechika’s family includes his father Stacy; mother Catherine; brother Brian Smith; and sister Katie, a 2017 Fairport graduate. He is the recipient of the Stamps President’s Scholarship, a four-year, full-ride scholarship at Georgia Tech, where he will study computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.

Pollack is an officer in Fairport High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society, Class of 2020 treasurer since 10th grade and member of Fairport A Cappella. She is also a member of the Math Team and competed in the state math meet in 2019. Pollack is the recipient of several awards including the 2020 National Merit Finalist Scholarship, gold award on the National Spanish Exam in 2018 and 2019, Marie Lynch Memorial Literary Award, Tom Anastasi Freshman of the Year Award, and NYS Academic Excellence Scholarship.

Pollack started studying singing in seventh grade when she began vocal lessons with Susanna Adams, who studied at the Eastman School of Music. The vocal student turned into a four-time member of the Area All-State Choir. Pollack was also selected six times for New York State School Music Association solo festivals in which she earned six perfect scores. She also earned second place at the Geneseo Young Artists Competition 2019. Pollack is in the Polyphonic Mixed Choir at FHS and has performed in several school musicals at FHS, Martha Brown and Minerva DeLand.

Pollack started dance lessons at 2 years old and started competing at 5 years old. As a competitive dancer with Elite Studio of Dance, she has been a Top 5 soloist at Empire Dance Challenge, Starquest Dance Competition, Starbound National Talent Competition, and others.

As a volunteer at The Advent House, a hospice home, Pollack says she feels honored to provide care to people in their last days and hours of life.

Pollack’s family includes her father Michael; mother Stacey; brother Brian, a 2014 Fairport graduate; and sister Brittney, a 2017 Fairport graduate. She is planning on attending Cornell University in the fall to study biology.