Housatonic names Matsudaira valedictorian, Marks salutatorian

FALLS VILLAGE — Manasseh “Manny” Matsudaira of Cornwall is the valedictorian of the Housatonic Valley Regional High School Class of 2025.

He has five siblings, and his mother Rachel works at HVRHS.

Matsudaira will attend Harvard in the fall. He plans to study economics along with environmental science and public policy.

He said the idea for the combination of disciplines came from his experience with the Envirothon and his interest in conservation, the social sciences and economics.

“The economy and environmentalism sometimes clash,“ he said. “I want to find a way to help them align.”

Matsudaira has been active in sports, He is captain of the tennis, ski and soccer teams.

On his experience at HVRHS: “It’s very welcoming. It’s an accurate slice of the real world, and what you can expect in the future.”

Matsudaira is also one of 621 semifinalists in the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The semifinalists were selected from over 6,000 candidates expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in the year 2025.

Matsudaira said the letter he received said the finalists would be announced “in the next few months.”

Asked about what he does for fun, he rattled off extracurricular activities at school: Envirothon, Academic Bowl, band (he plays the euphonium, and the Night Choir.

He plays club soccer too.

And this:

“I love to cook.”

He explained that his mother is of Italian descent and his late father was Japanese.

So he is working on a fusion of the two.

“I try” he said modestly. “It’s a difficult thing.”

Matsudaira credits his family’s support for his success. “I have good role models.”

And he gives credit to his faith: “God is an important part of my life.”

Salutatorian

Tess Marks of Salisbury is the salutatorian of the Housatonic Valley Regional High School Class of 2025.

Marks will attend Tufts University in the fall. She plans to study theater and education.

Her parents are Kristen Neary and Keith Marks, and she has an older sister, Josie.

About the former discipline, Marks said she was introduced to theater at an early age, when Michael Baldwin, a family friend, organized acting improvisation activities at family gatherings. “That sparked it.”

She’s been involved in theater since the third grade, she added.

As for wanting to be an educator, she cited her mother, aunt and grandmother’s careers.

“I see a lot of value in education. I’ve gotten a lot out of it, and I want to give back.”

Marks is busy at HVRHS, as class president, with the Student Government Association, and club soccer. She played soccer and lacrosse in previous years.

She recently cohosted the Battle of the Bands with Andy Delgado. Those two also revived a tradition of a completely student-run theater production, “The Unwritten Show.”

Asked what she does in her spare time, assuming she has any, Marks said she has a big family and she likes to spend time with them.

She is also a self-admitted bookworm. Her favorite book? “The Door” by Magda Szabo.

Asked about her experience at HVRHS, she said “There are so many opportunities here. And I think the community is so supportive. I’ve gone with the Travel Club to the Galapagos Islands and I’m going to Thailand. We couldn’t do that without the community.”