{"id":213714,"date":"2026-04-29T05:55:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T05:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/213714\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T05:55:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T05:55:25","slug":"manhassets-valedictorian-on-faith-redefining-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/213714\/","title":{"rendered":"Manhasset\u2019s valedictorian on faith, redefining success"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Thomas Grygiel learned he had been named valedictorian of Manhasset High School<\/a>\u2019s Class of 2026, he was surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really fully expect it,\u201d said the 18-year-old. \u201cI was just really grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sense of humility is a defining trait for Grygiel, one that those closest to him say has always set him apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe always comes home and tells us how brilliant his school friends are,\u201d said his mother, Lisa Grygiel. \u201cHe\u2019s humble. He\u2019s not just focused on himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grygiel, the youngest of three siblings, grew up in a close-knit household where intellectual curiosity and conversation were part of daily life. Family dinners could turn into discussions about calculus, and learning was encouraged not as a task, but as a passion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe gave him a strong reliance on family,\u201d his mother said, noting the influence of both immediate and extended relatives, including all four grandparents. \u201cThat foundation is everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a foundation that helped Grygiel thrive in one of Long Island\u2019s most competitive academic environments. Drawn early to science and space, he developed a strong work ethic over time, paired with a natural curiosity about the world around him.<\/p>\n

Read More: Surprise filing leaves first-time candidate unopposed in Manhasset school\u00a0board race<\/a><\/p>\n

But for Grygiel, achievement has never been the end goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think success is living a rich life,\u201d he said. \u201cTitles and achievements only bring a certain amount of joy. It\u2019s about surrounding yourself with good people, being loving and generous, and finding beauty in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

That philosophy is closely tied to his faith, which Grygiel said plays a central role in shaping how he lives and treats others.<\/p>\n

\u201cFaith is super important to me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big part of who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Manhasset High School, Grygiel balanced academics with a demanding schedule that included four years on the varsity swim team, where he served as captain. Coach Matthew McGrane described him as both talented and unusually mature from the start.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was focused, supportive and always positive,\u201d McGrane said. \u201cHe really cared about being part of something bigger than himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

That mindset came into sharp focus during this year\u2019s county championship, when Grygiel and his relay teammates overcame a significant time deficit to qualify for the state championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just rose to the occasion,\u201d McGrane said. \u201cIt was incredible to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ForFor team captain Thomas Grygiel, success in the water is only one part of the equation. He believes a truly rich life is rooted in faith, purpose, and being good to those around you.<\/p>\n

Outside the pool, Grygiel found another outlet in music, singing with the Kinsmen boys choir. Performing \u201cThe Parting Glass\u201d at the school\u2019s annual holiday concert became a meaningful tradition for him\u2014one he first admired as a child watching his older brother on stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019ll always carry with me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Despite a schedule packed with academics, athletics and activities, Grygiel maintains a sense of balance. He runs regularly through Munsey Park to clear his mind and often heads to the waterfront at the Port Washington Yacht Club to watch the sunset, which he described as a quiet ritual that reflects his appreciation for life\u2019s simpler moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe finds beauty in nature, whether it\u2019s here or traveling,\u201d his mother said. \u201cHe really takes it in.\u201d<\/p>\n

At home, she added, Grygiel is still just \u201ca regular kid\u201d. His room can be messy, and water bottles tend to pile up\u2014but he\u2019s also dependable for the family, quick to help neighbors and committed to his summer job as a lifeguard.<\/p>\n

Read More:\u00a0Manhasset\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Run for Katie\u2019 keeps legacy of strength alive 15\u00a0years later<\/a><\/p>\n

As Grygiel prepares to choose between several top colleges, including the University of Virginia, Georgia Tech and the University of Notre Dame, he said he\u2019s most excited about finding purpose beyond himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to do something that has an impact,\u201d he said. \u201cSomething bigger than just me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, as he prepares to leave home, he is already thinking about the legacy he hopes to leave in the community that helped shape him.<\/p>\n

Growing up in Manhasset meant being surrounded by a culture of achievement. While these values pushed him toward excellence, he now hopes to balance that drive with something more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that sense of community stays the same,\u201d Grygiel said. \u201cThere are strong, caring groups, whether it\u2019s teams or choir or different parts of the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

If there is one thing he would change, it is the pressure students place on themselves through what he calls \u201cgrinding all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope people can still work hard, but also take a breath and experience the life around them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

His perspective reflects both where he has been and where he is going. It is a view rooted not just in achievement, but in balance, purpose, and a deeper understanding of what it means to live well.<\/p>\n

\u201cLive a rich life,\u201d Grygiel said. \u201cFind joy in the life around you, and try to be good to people.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Thomas Grygiel learned he had been named valedictorian of Manhasset High School\u2019s Class of 2026, he was…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":213715,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9,24,63,122,124,123],"class_list":["post-213714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}