Kira DeBruyne (photo above left) and Cora Baird (photo above right) were the valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 2026 at Wheatland-Chili High School. Photos provided by Wheatland-Chili Central School District
Strong academic records and involvement in activities both in and out of school characterize the Class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian at Wheatland-Chili High School this year.
Kira DeBruyne is the valedictorian and Cora Baird is the salutatorian.
DeBruyne, the daughter of Susan and Timm DeBruyne, plans to attend Ithaca College this fall to study exercise science. She also looked at Syracuse University, which was her second choice, the University of Rochester and SUNY Cortland.
“I loved the campus at Ithaca; it was different than the others and also the environment,” DeBruyne said. “I liked the fact that I could also still be a part of a lot of clubs and activities at the same time like musicals, soccer and dancing.”
DeBruyne carried a 97.3 average in the classroom. She challenged herself with five Advanced Placement courses: US History, English Language and Composition, Biology, Calculus and English Literature and Composition. DeBruyne took two courses for dual credit, Spanish 4 and Participation in Government, through Monroe Community College.
Her involvement in clubs and extracurricular activities at school ranged widely. She was one of the Class of 2026 treasurers and was in National Honor Society, for which she was the treasurer. She was a member of International Club, STAR (Students Together Against Racism), Masterminds and the Big/Little program in which she helped sixth-grade students adjust to the middle school. She participated in the school musical as an eighth-grader, freshman, sophomore and senior. DeBruyne played soccer for five years and was a defender. While she did not have a goal or assist, she was a key member of a unit that recorded nine shutouts last fall. She was on the varsity swimming/diving team for four years, winning the diving event at three meets this past winter and also swimming on the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams and taking 14th (1:26.10) in the 100 free and 10th at 1:48.32 in the 100 breaststroke at the Genesee League Championship. She played tennis for two seasons and ran track for one season.
Outside of school, DeBruyne works at two lifeguarding jobs, one in Gates and the other at Riverton. She also is on a competitive dance team at Stilla Dance in Scottsville and helps the teachers with the younger students, such as guiding them with their technique. She has helped out at her mother’s business (she is an audiologist) and plays soccer with the Western New York Flash Premier team. She hopes to join the club soccer program at Ithaca.
DeBruyne has received several awards and honors the past couple of years. She received the Notre Dame Junior of the Year Award, an RIT Business and Leadership Award, the University of Rochester Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, an Etta Fraser Miller Fund Scholarship, the Lions Club of Chili Award, a New York State Scholarship for Academic Excellence, a Scott Horr Memorial Scholarship, the Valedictorian Award, a President’s Award for Educational Excellence, a Mike Skivington Memorial Scholarship, a Nellie Mobilio Scholarship Award, a U.S. Army Scholar Athlete Award, a U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award, an Achievement in a Leading Role Award from RBTL at the Stars of Tomorrow ceremony celebrating high school musical theatre productions, the Section V Girls Soccer Scholarship and the Senior Excellence Recognition from the United Soccer Coaches Association.
A desire to major in exercise science is an outgrowth of her love for sports.
My whole life I have always done sports,” DeBruyne said. “When I was little and my friends were injured, I would try to help them deal with their injuries. That led me toward exercise science and it is also a way to be around sports.”
Not surprisingly, many of her favorite memories involve sports.
“Hanging out with my friends before or after practices and games, the Homecoming Week, senior night recognition, and also the junior and senior proms would be some of my fondest memories,” she said.
Her mother and also her varsity soccer coach, Jen Quinn, are two of the people who have had a big impact on her.
“My mom has always been there for every event,” DeBruyne said. “Coach Quinn believed in me as an eighth-grader that I could be on the varsity soccer team that year even when I didn’t believe in myself and taught me how to be a leader and that it is okay to make mistakes because you learn from them, but that you should not dwell on them.”
Baird, the daughter of Jill and Jason Baird, will be attending University at Buffalo for its five-year program in music education. She also considered Nazareth University and Syracuse University.
“On a visit to UB, I got to do a trial lesson with the saxophone professor and I liked the professor a lot,” she said. “In addition, my father and two of my uncles went there. I liked the campus atmosphere and I can be in their marching band. I am looking at K-12 music education because my dream is to teach and lead a middle school or high school band.”
Baird held a 97 academic average with four Advanced Placement courses: English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, U.S. History and Music Theory. She earned dual credit for an Economics course through Monroe Community College.
Along with her academic courseload, Baird was very involved in school activities. She was in the National Honor Society where she served as its secretary, Ski Club, the Big/Little program where she mentored and helped a sixth-grader and played in the concert band, the jazz band and the marching band. She played saxophone in the concert band and marching band and bass in the jazz band. She was a member of the pit band for the school musicals. She has also taught private lessons to younger kids and worked with the fifth-grade band at Wheatland-Chili’s TJ Connor Elementary School, where she was a guest conductor for their spring concert. Baird competed on the cross country running team for four seasons and was a captain last fall, clocking a time of 26 minutes, 59.5 seconds at the Section V Class D Championship.
Outside of school, Baird has done lots of babysitting for several years. In addition to playing the saxophone and bass, she also plays clarinet, piano and guitar and has taken private lessons for a number of instruments through Roc Star Academy. She is part of two bands through Roc Star Academy and has been for about three years, playing bass and singing backup in both. She also teaches some private lessons. She played with the Hochstein Youth Wind Symphony for one year.
Baird has received numerous awards and honors, including a Youth Leadership Award from NY State Senator Pam Helming in 2025. This month, she received the Dr. Louise Sheinman-Pask Memorial Scholarship, an Etta Fraser Miller Fund Scholarship, the Lions Club of Scottsville Community Service Award, the Salutatorian Award, the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Award, the Dr. Michael O’Laughlin Outstanding Senior Award, the John Phillip Sousa Award, a President’s Award for Educational Excellence, a Scholar of Distinction Award, a County Executive Community Service Award, the U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence and the Laurence Tallman Scholarship.
Many of her favorite memories of high school revolve around music.
“Doing all the music stuff are among my favorite memories, being in the concert band, marching band and jazz band and playing in the pit band for the musicals for Mr. Zimmerman,” Baird said.
Mr. Zimmerman is one of the people who have made a big impact on Baird.
“I look up to him and he inspired me to want to major in music education,” she said. “All of my music teachers here at Wheatland-Chili and also at Roc Star Academy have made a big impact on me. Many other teachers here at Wheatland-Chili have also inspired me, like my cross country coach Mrs. Soule who models of a lot of the things that I would like to emulate as a teacher. My parents have made impact on me because they have been very supportive of all my music endeavors.”
