PHILADELPHIA, NY — Indian River High School is proud to announce the academic leaders of the Class of 2026. They are: Valedictorian, Chase Fisher IV, son of Charles Fisher III and Carissa Corcorcan of Fort Drum, New York; Salutatorian, Lorilee Lapp, daughter of Thomas and Kristin Lapp of Philadelphia, New York; and Vocational Leader, Edniel Melendez-Aristud, son of Edgardo Melendez-Rivera and Kaschma Aristud-Vazquez of Theresa, New York.
Chase Fisher IV has been named the 2026 Valedictorian with a cumulative grade point average of 98.06. Throughout his high school career, Chase has taken advanced courses and will graduate with 39 college credits through Syracuse University and Jefferson Community College. He will receive a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation with Honors, and Mastery in Math and Science, while maintaining honor roll status all four years.
Chase is an active member of our school community. In addition to being inducted into the National Honor Society, he has also been involved in the French Club for the past two years. Chase has played on our Varsity Baseball team all four years of high school, finishing as top 10 in the league for batting average in his junior year and earning a selection as a Frontier League All-Star.
Throughout high school, Chase has been a member of our Jazz Band as a drummer and has expanded his musical talents through NYSSMA, Bi-County and Area-All-State programs. This year, Chase was recommended for All-State with a score of 97 and decided to participate in our school theater program. Additionally, he was invited to play as a percussionist in the 10th Mountain Division Army Band for the past two years.
Chase has been accepted to SUNY Geneseo, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and 5 more institutions. He plans to study Physics and Astronomy in the fall at University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Congratulations, Chase! Continue to make us proud as you face new challenges and adventures. We wish you all the best!
Lorilee Lapp has been named the 2026 Salutatorian with a cumulative grade point average of 97.09. Throughout her high school career, Lorilee has taken advanced classes and will graduate with 21 college credits through Syracuse University and Jefferson Community College. She will receive a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.
Lorilee has maintained honor roll status throughout high school and has been inducted into the National Honor Society. She was on the JV Volleyball team for two years and was selected as the recipient of the Heart of a Warrior Award her sophomore year.
Currently, Lorilee is participating in our spring musical, High School Musical. Outside of school, Lorilee attends church, youth group, AWANA Club and helps with Sunday School. She has received the Alpha Award, Excellence Award, Challenge Award, Timothy Award, and Meritorious Award through AWANA and actively participates in fundraising efforts to send bibles to Africa.
Lorilee’s contributions extend beyond her school and church activities. She has worked at Martin’s Greenhouse, Moore’s Farm and has consistently babysat for families in the area.
This fall, Lorilee will attend Miracle Mountain Ranch School of Discipleship, where she will continue to grow her faith and deepen her biblical knowledge while studying Equine Studies. Congratulations, Lorilee! You have a bright future ahead, and we wish you the best of luck!
Edniel Melendez-Aristud has been named the 2026 Vocational Leader, achieving a cumulative GPA of 91.86. Throughout his high school career, Edniel has consistently taken advanced courses and will graduate with 6 college credits through Jefferson Community College. He also has the potential to earn additional college credits through his Carpentry program at Jefferson Lewis BOCES. Edniel has maintained Honor Roll status and is a member of the National Honor Society. He will graduate with a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Edniel has been highly active in sports. Since joining Indian River High School as a sophomore, he has been a dedicated member of the Varsity Wrestling team, serving as captain. He has qualified for state competition twice and was ranked 2nd in Central New York (CNY) wrestling within his section and weight division. Edniel has played Varsity Football for the past two years, contributing to the team’s success in reaching sectionals and winning the championship. Edniel also participates in the Dance Club, where he showcased a dance performance in 2024 and performed in the 2025 Cultural Dance. In recognition of his academic and athletic achievements, Edniel was named a Scholar Athlete in 2025.
Beyond his school activities, Edniel has made meaningful contributions to the local community. As a member of the New Life Church, he served as the Kids Ministry Leader, and is currently involved with the TDA Church. Edniel also works with Barbosa Real Estate Contracting, where he continues to gain hands-on experience in the field of construction. Last summer, he was selected for the American Legion Boys’ State program, where he developed his civic leadership skills and gained valuable insight into our democratic government.
Edniel plans to pursue a career in Construction Trades after graduation and is pleased to share that he has accepted a job offer from Goutremout Brothers Construction, LLC. Congratulations, Edniel! We are confident that you will continue to succeed in all your future endeavors.