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For the first time in school history, Mount Sinai High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian are twins.
Tabish and Airas Farrell have attained the top academic honors for the Class of 2025 and will share the stage next month at graduation, the school district announced.
“While we have had siblings enjoy the top spots in the past, this is the first time that twins have received 1-2 honors,” the Mount Sinai School District wrote in a congratulatory Instagram post. “Best of luck next year as Tabish and Airas will both be attending Princeton.”
The 17-year-old brothers have long shared more than just a birthday. The pair have spent nearly 18 years in the same bedroom, share a love for cello, martial arts and model UN, and both plan to study physics in college, according to a Newsday report.
The moment they learned of their academic honors was a surprise. Called to the principal’s office several weeks ago, the boys thought they might be in trouble.
“On the way there, I was thinking, ‘What did I do in the past few days?’” Airas told Newsday reporter Dandan Zou.
Instead, the good news capped off a shared journey that has included performances at Carnegie Hall and leadership roles in student government.
For Tabish, who secured the valedictorian title with a GPA of 106.19 — just ahead of his brother Airas’ 105.89 — the announcement brought a sense of closure.
“Airas and I both … dedicated a lot of our life to this, obviously with the support of others,” he said in the Newsday report. “That weight was taken off the shoulders when I heard it officially, like I could take it easy. The battle was over.”
Commitment and sacrifice
Principal Peter Pramataris noted the commitment required to achieve such high honors.
“That comes with a price,” he told Newsday. “People don’t realize what kids sacrifice to be at that level.”
Across their academic journey, it was the brothers’ close bond that gave them a unique edge.
“If I’m getting stuck somewhere and he’s not, he can explain it to me,” Tabish said. “It’s really been like having your best friend by your side all the time.”
Top photos: Tabish (left) and Airas Farrell are valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of Mount Sinai High School’s Class of 2025.
