Benjamin T. Halpin, son of Linda and Mark Halpin of Ghent, NY, is Chatham High School’s Class of 2022 Valedictorian.
Throughout his high school career, Benjamin was a member of National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Student Government, Boys’ State and the Smart Grid CURENT Program at RPI. He served as a primary delegate for CHS at the American International College Model Congress, and he competed on the varsity Soccer and Track teams.
Benjamin has been an active participant in the local music community, performing as principal flutist of the Empire State Youth Orchestra, the NYSBDA Symposium Honor Band, and multiple NYSSMA Area All-State festivals, as well as being a member of the school band and the Ghent Town Band and Marching Unit. In addition, he was interim music director at Chatham United Methodist Church and has performed in pit orchestras for CHS musical productions.
Alongside his extracurricular activities, Benjamin has been an active volunteer for St. James Catholic Church and regularly served at the Claverack Free Library before the pandemic.
He has received multiple Excellence in Effort and Student of the Quarter awards, The Rensselaer Medal, The Gellert Cornell Admissions Invitation and a Certificate of Exceptional Community Service from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
This fall, Benjamin will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying in the field of engineering.