A Wizard's Path: Caroline Korba

When Washingtonville High School Class of 2026 salutatorian Caroline Korba reflects on her time as a Wizard, the accolades aren't the first thing that comes to mind. The people are.

From her first days at Round Hill Elementary through her final year at Washingtonville High School, Caroline built an academic career rooted in genuine involvement. She threw herself into clubs, athletics, leadership programs and community service, not to pad a résumé, but because she wanted to actually be there.

"I've always been very intrinsically motivated," she said. "I wanted to do as much as I could that was still relevant to me. I didn't want to just join something for the membership or to put it on a list. I really just wanted to have those connections."

The accolades followed anyway. Caroline was named a National Merit Scholar by Fordham University, one of the most prestigious academic honors a high school student can earn, earning a full-tuition scholarship to the Rose Hill campus and the title of this year's salutatorian at Washingtonville High School. 

Caroline's success didn't happen overnight, but was the natural result of following her own curiosity. It started in eighth grade, when she received the George Rhodes Award for the highest academic average in the accelerated program, and grew from there. She joined honor societies, led the Community Service Club and participated in Special Olympics, Best Buddies and Peer Tutoring. She became a varsity runner, competing in both indoor and outdoor track for five years, and found in her teammates some of her closest friendships.

"A lot of people complain about going to practice," she said. "But most of my closest friends are on the team. It's really fun to just have that release."

Staying true to her interests eventually carried her beyond Washingtonville. As a rising sophomore, Caroline was selected for the FBI National Academy Associates Youth Leadership Program in Virginia, a highly competitive weeklong experience drawing 64 students from across the world, including participants from Belgium, South Africa, Brazil and Canada.

Two years later, she was selected for ALA Empire Girls State, a program centered on government and civic leadership that put her constitutional knowledge to the test in ways she hadn't anticipated.

"I've had a lot of random questions about different amendments thrown at me over the years," she said, laughing.

Those experiences helped cultivate an interest in law, leading her to join the school's Mock Trial program junior year. As a senior, she stepped into a defense attorney role and helped lead the team to the 2026 County Championship. She also gained real courtroom experience through an internship with Orange County Court Judge Craig S. Brown.

Come fall, she'll take that passion with her to Fordham, majoring in history and minoring in Spanish on a pre-law track. The pairing is deliberate.

"Law is so rooted in the past," she said. "Everything's about precedent, understanding the way cases went before and the reasons behind them. I think studying history is going to set a really strong foundation for law school."

The Spanish minor carries its own purpose. During her internship with Judge Brown, she saw firsthand how often a language barrier complicated communication between attorneys and their clients, requiring an interpreter in situations where direct, personal connection matters most.

"I know I'm never going to be a native speaker," she said. "But just being able to communicate directly with a client makes a real difference. I hate not being able to say what I'm thinking. I don't want that for someone I'm representing."

It's a goal she traces back, in part, to a family trip to Spain her freshman year, when she found herself serving as the unofficial family translator, putting her three years of Spanish classes to the test. She has since traveled to Ireland, Scotland, England, Portugal, Iceland and more, with Italy on the horizon this summer. Travel, she said, is one of the great joys of her life.

"I love the first breath in a new place," she said. "When you step off the plane and get outside, and the air just feels different. I love that."

As much as she loves exploring new places, it's Washingtonville that keeps pulling her back. As editor-in-chief of The Blooming Grove Post, she found a deeper appreciation for the people around her by interviewing neighbors, teachers and local figures she might never have crossed paths with otherwise.

"Everybody here is so willing to help out, to start a new club or work with you on something," she said. "Working with the newspaper really reinforced that. It's a really strong community."

She co-founded Junior Scientists Club alongside her best friend Lila Sinacori, bringing hands-on science programming to younger students at the Moffat Library. She also served as president of the National English Honor Society and secretary of the World Language Honor Society.

Ultimately, Washingtonville is a community she plans to return to. After law school, Caroline hopes to begin her career close to home, where she already has relationships and roots in the local court system.

But first, there's Fordham.

"That kind of energy, I want to find it at Fordham, in law school, wherever I end up," she said. "I want to keep those connections."

When asked what she's most proud of, she doesn't hesitate. The answer isn't a program or an award. It's the people.

"I'm most proud of my relationships," she said. "Even with everything on my plate, I've really tried to be a present and positive part of people's lives."

One relationship in particular carries a special place in her heart.

"I FaceTime my grandfather every single day. He's 88, and he calls me his best friend."