The Catholic Spirit 2016 Graduation Supplement

17
A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JUNE 16, 2016
GRADUATION
JUNE 16, 2016
— Ed Koskey Jr. photo
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Bishop James F. Checchio gives the homily at the
Immaculata High School Baccalaureate Mass, which
was celebrated at the Church of the Immaculate
Conception, Somerville, June 3. Commencement
exercises for the parochial school were held June 4.
18
GRADUATION
Congratulations
Catholic School Graduates
Class of 2016
Go in peace to love
and serve the world
Office of Schools
Diocese of Metuchen
732.562.2446
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
diometuchen.org/schools
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GRADUATION
By Tracy Liston
Correspondent
19
Bishop Ahr graduates encouraged to continue serving God, others
Bishop James F. Checchio hands diplomas to members of the Class of 2016 at
commencement exercises at Bishop George Ahr High School June 4.
— Mike Ehrmann photo
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Speaker tells classmates to shoot for stars, chase dreams
Christina Yang
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20
GRADUATION
Bishop George Ahr High School
CLASS OF 2016
HOME
of the
T R O J A N S
The Class of 2016 has been awarded $28 million in scholarships
Class Valedictorian: Christina Yang
Class Salutatorian: Stephanie Palyha
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Art Award: Robert O’Neil
English Award: Catherine Fernando
Chinese Award: Shariya Simpson
Spanish Award: Christina Yang
Latin Award: Catherine Fernando
Italian Award: Lauren Borowick
Math Award: Devon Bhavsar
Biological Science Award: Julia Sese
Social Studies Award: Erica Healy
Excellence in Writing Award: Anthony Cabahug
Physical Science Award: Gian Reyes
Excellence in Technology Award: Alessandra Mauro
Health and Physical Education Award: Robert Golden, Jenna Harsh
Jason Abeleda
Justin Abeleda
Jonathan B. Abouhayla
Mikayla Ann Albanese
Christiana Marie Columna
Alicante
Hayley Marie Allen
Chantal Tereza Almanzar
Nkechi Patience Amadiegwu
Saumil S. Amin
Aba Amon-Kwafo
Emily Deanna Antonisin
Alexandra Marie Antonucci
Alexa Jean Arzano
Oscar Lino Ayllon
Erica Lauren Balsamo
Andre C. Banks
Robert F. Baril
Lauren Marie Barlow
Collin Maxwell Markus Belk
Devon Bhavsar
Jasmine Alexis Blades
Lauren Elizabeth Borowick
Serina Bou Mansour
Amanda Marie Burgeson
Anthony Ruben Cabahug
Katrina Mae Cabrera
Yifei Cao
Casey Morgan Caprio
Alexander Cardoza
Dejah Monet Carman
Brandi Leigh Carrion
Deanna Rose Casazza
Catherine Therese Cavico
Isabelle Angelina Cerami
Catrina Rose Cerasani
Taeja Sequoy Chin
Sarah Nina Ciccarelli
Melanie Anna Circelli
Corey Joseph Ciszek
Emily Marie Colagrande
Megan Frances Colagrande
Alyssa Marie Corea
Adrianne Hayle Cruz
Dylan Austin Cruz
Emily Olivia Cubelo
Jessica Dallagnese
Shay Marie Decker
Connor Francis DeVoe
Julia Anne DiGiovanni
Desire M. Dortrait
Kaitlin Mary Dower
Mary Kate Doyle
Courtney Karyn Duffy
Michelle Marie Egnasko
Karen J. Elenjickal
Chioma Ugochi Enweremadu
Kyra Melek Erel
Donald A. Fackina
Jessica Marie Fajardo
Elizabeth Mary Farawell
Sophia Remi Farriella
Gabriel Trinidad Fernandez
Catherine Anne Fernando
Fitzgerald A Flores
Noah James Fontaine
Spencer Isaiah Fontaine
Thomas Vito Galante
Diego L. Gambotto
Christopher Alan Garr
Robert Daniel Gee
Allison George
Brittany Faith Georges
Jamie Lynn Gibson
Robert Joseph Golden
Monika R. Gonzalez Rodriguez
Brooke Morgan Grzeszczak
Jenna Michelle Harsh
Patrick John Hartman
Ruth Alan Hartnett
Muhua (Oliver) He
Qiyang He
Erica Marie Healy
Brinn Cecilia Hemingway
Miguel Jose Hernandez
Kieara Leola Hill
Nathalie Marie Hyppolite
Justin Edward Inigo
Karishma Krutarth Jagad
Dylan Thomas Jensen
Samantha Nicole Juarez
Lauren Nicole Jurcsek
Katarzyna Anna Kasztelan
Brooke Lynn Kazawic
Kaitlyn Knurek
Aabharan Suresh Koppal
Brianna Nicole Kovach
Meredith Ashley Kushpa
Brendan Matthew Laird
Emily Katherine Lancia
Ji Woo Lee
Katharine Faith Lee
Madison Jill Lee
Cara Joelle Lescott
Allyson Mary Lombardo
Amanda A. Loubnan
Yongki Lu
Shelby Anne Lubowicki
Dane Barry Lupton
Robert S. Mac Arthur
Lauren Elise Machalany
Celine R. Maligranda
Alexandra Julia Mandalakis
Amirthavarsini Manikandan
National Hispanic Scholar (sponsored by College Board):
Alexander Cardoza
National Merit Scholarship Program – Letter of Commendation:
Devon Bhavsar, Allison George, Stephanie Palyha, Gian Reyes
Bishop Bootkoski Religion Award: Lauren Machalany
Perfect Attendance Award: Erica Healy, Miguel Hernandez
2016 Benjamin Banneker Award for Excellence in Science: Cara Lescott
Stanley Briski Memorial Scholarship: Brianna Kovach, Dylan Jensen
Robin Cone Memorial Award: Philip Yang
Kathleen Duffy Memorial Award: Katarzyna Kasztelan
Kelley McCaffrey Scholarship: Reilly Mullin
Alfonso Munoz Memorial Award: Luke Roche
The Karen Trautvetter Award: Christiana Alicante, Alessandra Mauro
Jessica Lynn Maran
Dylan Joseph Marek
Abigail Markey
Alessandra Christine Mauro
Michael Vincent Mazzei
Katrina Anastasia McCarthy
Rishi Raj Mehta
Robert Edward Meier
Brianna Michelle Melodick
Chiara X. Mercado
Matilda Jean Rose Mercer
Michael Mesaros
Patrick Michael Molloy
Samaria Lizabeth Mosley
Marissa Anne Mulligan
Reilly Rose Mullin
Alex Josue Munoz
Joo Eun Myung
Angelo Vincent Napoli
Elizabeth Rose Nelsen
Vy Thi Tuong Nguyen
Ziwen Michael Niu
Eric Ian O'Keefe
Kate Marie O'Leary
Robert Lee O'Neil
Victoria Joan Olexsa
Tiffany Mesoma Onyeze
Nia Olivia Oxley
Stephanie Julianne Palyha
Miten Romin Patel
Zhiwei Peng
Shannon Rose Pepe
Melissa Pokorny
Kristian Gaspard Polycarpe
Gillian Anne Popino
Sydne Monet Powers
Kaitlyn Marie Prendergast
Nicole Michele Pychewicz
Caroline Mary Rankin
Jenna Michelle Reckfort
Alexandria Isbel Reguinga
Daniel Manuel Reguinga
Joshua Caleb Reilly
Zachary A. Repsher
Gian Sealtiel L. Reyes
Brianna Taylor Rhodes
Joseph John Risoli
Luke Francis Roche
Angela Marie Ruhnke
Andrew Dale Ruzicki
Dina Saba
Anthony James Schinella III
Nicholas D. Scotto
Jesus A. Serna
Julia Catherine Sese
Pooja Shah
John Patrick Sheedy Jr.
One Tingley Lane, Edison, NJ • (732) 549-1108 • www.bgahs.org
Shariya Shaniece Simpson
Alexis Nicole Sofo
Stephanie Julia Spada
Justin Luis Stancavich
Joseph Tejedor
Anthony Vincent Tirri
Jeffrey Robert Toth
BaoDung Jade Tran
Nadia Mai Tran
Danielle Victoria Lusung Tria
Dante Anthony Trigo
Daniel Joseph Trimboli
Andrew J. Tuzzo
Doraliza Urena
Jillian Nicole Vassallo
Kyle Adam Veltre
Martin Phillip Verendia
Angelina Rose Viggiano
Jiaying Wei
David James White
Destiny Castel Williams-Blake
Christopher Ryan Wilton
Alexander Stephen Woodrow
Brittany Iman Woodson
Zeming Xu
Christina Yang
Philip Li-Kuen Yang
Madison Eastright Zieger
Bishop George Ahr High School
pa, Alexandra Mauro, Alexandria Reguinga, Joseph
Risoli, Alexis Sofo, Christina Yang, Philip Yang
Most Improved in Band: Nkechi Amadiegwu, Alexandra Antonucci, Katharine Lee
Most Improved in Chorus: Andrew Ruzicki, Jeffrey
Toth
Meritorious Contribution to Music: Kieara Hill.
Meredith Kushpa, Alexandra Mandalakis, Alexandra
Mauro
Outstanding Dedication to Music: Catherine
Cavico, Christina Yang
Woody Herman Jazz Award: Philip Yang
Louis Armstrong Award: Miten Patel
Fred Waring Award for Chorus: Alexandra Antonucci, Emily Lancia, Mitel Patel
National School Color Guard Award: Alexandria
Reguinga
National School Marching Award: Ruth Hartnett
National Choral Award: Christina Alicante, Alexis
Sofo
Patrick S. Gilmore Award: Catherine Fernando
John Phillip Sousa Award: Allison George
National Hispanic Scholar (Sponsored by College Board): Alexander Cardoza
National Merit Scholarship Program Letter of
Commendation: Devon Bhavsar, Allison George,
Stephanie Palyha, Gian Reyes
Perfect Attendance Award: Erica Healy, Miguel
Hernandez
Academic All-Star Award (Sponsored by My Central Jersey.com, Home News Tribune & Courier
News): Kyle Veltre
Catholic Daughters Queen Courtship of Mary
#1743 Award: Chiara Mercado, Anthony Tirri
Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition
(6th District of New Jersey): Alexa Arzano
Devine’s Pharmacy Scholarship: Kaitlyn Knurek
Diocese of Metuchen Respect for Life Video Finalist: Elizabeth Nelson
Diocese of Metuchen “Respect Life” First Place
Winner: Elizabeth Nelson
Delta Sigma Beta Sorority, Inc. – Central New
Jersey Chapter Award: Jasmine Blades
Herff Jones “Believe in You” Award: Rishi Mehta
Herff Jones Award for Journalism: Jamie Gibson
Middlesex County Guidance Council Caring
Award: Katrina McCarthy
Middlesex County Principal and Supervisors As-
sociation Outstanding Student Award: Christina
Yang
Middlesex County Scholar Athlete Award: Brittany Georges, John Sheedy Jr.
Middlesex County School Counselors Association Award: Daniel Trimboli
New Jersey Army National Guard Community
Service Award: Robert Baril
New Jersey Blood Services Award: Alexandria
Reguinga, Luke Roche, Dina Saba
NJSIAA Scholar Athlete: Lauren Barlow
President’s Volunteer Service Award: Ruth Hartnett
Prudential Spirit of Community Award – Certificate of Merit: Brooke Kazawic, Katrina McCarthy
Prudential Spirit of Community Award – Certificate of Achievement: Ruth Hartnett
Ronald G. Rios Charity Trust Award: Brianna
Kovach
St. Vincent de Paul: Lauren Machalany
Society of Women Engineers: Stephanie Palyha
U.S. Air Force Math & Science Award: Devon
Bhavsar, Stephanie Palyha
U.S. Army Scholar Athletes: Devon Bhavsar, Jenna
Harsh
U.S. Marine Corp Scholastic Excellence: Catherine
Fernando
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Stephanie Palyha
Salutatorian
GRADUATION
Christina Yang
Valedictorian
U.S. Marine Corp Athletic Award: Donald Fackina
U.S. Marine Corp Semper Fi: Allison George
Zolnier Student Leadership and Service Award:
Isabelle Cerami
Wegman’s Service Award: Catrina Cerasani
Woodbridge Township- 2016 Mayor’s Youth Volunteer Award: Mikayla Albanese, Brooke Kazawic
2016 Benjamin Banneker Award for Excellence
in Science: Cara Lescott
Stanley Briski Memorial Award: Brianna Kovach,
Dylan Jensen
Robin Cone Memorial Scholarship: Philip Yang
Kathleen Duffy Memorial Award: Katarzyna
Kasztelan
Kelley K. McCaffrey Memorial Award: Reilly Mullin
Alfonso Munoz Memorial Award: Luke Roche
Karen Trautvetter Award: Christiana Alicante,
Alessandra Mauro
Satoma Awards (Editor): Luke Roche
Satoma Awards (Staff): Anthony Cabahug, Alessandra Mauro, Rishi Mehta, Caroline Rankin, Julia
Sese, Stephanie Spada, Nadia Tran
Insight 2016 (Editors): Nkechi Amadiegwu, Jamie
Gibson, Alessandra Mauro
Insight 2016 (Staff): Michelle Egnasko, Elizabeth
Farawell. Erica Healy, Stephanie Spada
Student Council (President): Isabelle Cerami
Student Council (Vice Presidents): Catrina
Cerasani, Shelby Lubowicki
Student Council (Secretary): Chiara Mercado
Student Council (Treasurer): Reilly Mullin
Athletic Chairperson: Catherine Cavico
Ahr Star Chairperson: Nicole Pychewicz, Anthony
Tirri
Publicity Chairperson: Robert Baril, Jeffrey Toth
Social Chairperson: Allyson Lombardo
Alumni Relations: Brinn Hemingway
21
At top members of the Class of 2016 at Bishop Ahr High School process into the
school’s gym for commencement exercises. Above new graduates pause after
turning their tassels.
— Mike Ehrmann photos
JUNE 16, 2016
Class Valedictorian: Christina Yang
Class Salutatorian: Stephanie Palyha
Distinguished Honors: Lauren Barlow, Devon
Bhavsar, Lauren Borowick, Anthony Cabahug, Isabelle
Cerami, Sarah Ciccarelli, Megan Colagrande, Shay
Decker, Jessica Fajardo, Catherine Fernando, Brooke
Grzeszcak, Karishma Jagad, Cara Lescott, Alexandra
Mandalakis, Jessica Maran, Victoria Olexsa, Tiffany
Onyeze, Stephanie Palyha, Gillian Popino, Julia Sese,
Stephanie Spada
Academic Awards Four Years Principal List: Devon
Bhavsar, Tiffany Onyeze, Stephanie Palyha, Julia Sese
Four Years Honors Program: Christiana Alicante,
Saumil Amin, Devon Bhavsar, Isabelle Cerami, Connor DeVoe, Julia DiGiovanni, Gabriel Fernandez,
Catherine Fernando, Christopher Garr, Allison George,
Erica Healy, Katharine Lee, Allyson Lombardo, Amanda Loubnan, Dylan Marek, Katrina McCarthy, Rishi
Mehta, Kate O’Leary, Robert O’Neil, Stephanie Palyha,
Alexandria Reguinga, Gian Reyes, Luke Roche, Alexis
Sofo, Danielle Tria, Kyle Veltre, Alexander Woodrow,
Christina Yang
Distinguished Seniors Class of 2016: Devon
Bhavsar, Deanna Casazza, Isabelle Cerami, Jessica Dallagnese, Catherine Fernando, Christopher Garr,
Erica Healy, Katarzyna Kasztelan, Katharine Lee, Cara
Lescott, Amanda Loubnan, Alexandra Mandalakis,
Katrina McCarthy, Stephanie Palyha, Gian Reyes, Dina
Saba, Julia Sese, Danielle Tria, Doraliza Urena, Kyle
Veltre, Alexander Woodrow, Christina Yang
Art Award: Robert O’Neil
Biological Science Award: Julia Sese
Chinese Award: Shariya Simpson
English Award: Catherine Fernando
Health & Physical Education Award: Robert
Golden, Jenna Harsh
Italian Award: Lauren Borowick
Latin Award: Catherine Fernando
Math Award: Devon Bhavsar
Bishop Checchio Religion Award: Lauren Machalany
Physical Science Award: Gian Reyes
Social Studies Award: Erica Healy
Spanish Award: Christina Yang
Excellence in Technology: Alessandra Mauro
Excellence in Writing: Anthony Cabahug
Director’s Award for Outstanding Dedication
to the BGA Drama Department 2015-2016:
Christiana Alicante, Alexandra Antonucci, Kyra Erel,
Alexandra Mandalakis, Alessandra Mauro, Katrina,
McCarthy, Alexis Sofo, Jeffrey Toth
Director’s Award for Participatory Excellence
in the BGA Drama Department (two or more
years): Catherine Cavico, Elizabeth Farawell, Christopher Garr, Emily Lancia, Robert O’Neil, Stephanie Palyha, Miten Patel, Alexandria Reguinga, Luke Roche,
Julia Sese, Philip Yang
Director’s Award for Distinguished Contribution to the BGA Drama Department (One year):
Robert Baril, Lauren Jurcsek, Chiara Mercado, Marissa
Mulligan, Anthony Tirri, Alexander Woodrow
Director’s Award for Most Improved Performer
over Four Years: Alexandra Antonucci, Miten Patel,
Jeffrey Toth
Director’s Award for Excellence in Dance: Katrina
McCarthy
Director’s Award for Technical Excellence: Christopher Garr, Alessandra Mauro
Director’s Award for Excellence in Acting: Christina Alicante, Catherine Cavico, Kyra Erel, Emily Lancia,
, Alexandra Mandalakis, Katrina McCarthy, Alexis Sofo
Four-Year Involvement in Music: Christiana
Alicante, Nkechi Amadiegwu, Alexandra Antonucci,
Catherine Cavico, Elizabeth Farawell, Catherine Fernando, Allison George, Ruth Hartnett, Meredith Kush-
22
GRADUATION
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
JUNE 16, 2016
Somerville parochial high school awards diplomas to 121 graduates
By Anthony Salamone
Correspondent
³,OHDUQHGDOHVVRQ*HWWKHGHWDLOV´
said Slomka, who used her speech to publicly wish a “belated 15th birthday” to her
SOMERVILLE — On a day marking fellow graduate.
Mixing in quotations from authors
the graduates’ success, Immaculata High
School’s top academic achievers spoke at and other notable people, Slomka, who
will attend Carnegie Mellon University in
times about failure.
But valedictorian Erica L. Bower and Pittsburgh this fall, told the audience that
Jamie M. Slomka, the salutatorian, also if they are not failing, they are not learntold fellow students to turn around life’s ing. And failure to learn leads to a lack of
disappointments through encouragement, growing.
³:HPXVWDOO¿QGDEDODQFHEHWZHHQ
self-belief and prayer.
³+DYH FRQ¿GHQFH LQ \RXUVHOI KDYH healthy risks and wise decisions,” she
faith in yourself,” Bower said. “Keep go- said.
Bower delivered her “Rules for Life”
LQJDQG\RXZLOO¿QG*RG
“Immaculata has made us strong while, using a portable mic, she stood,
enough to go on to the next chapter of our sat and moved in front of the altar facing
the graduates. She started her rules with:
lives.”
Before embarking on that next “Sometimes you are wrong.” But it’s OK,
phase, the Class of 2016 gathered with Bower added, as long as you learn from
faculty, families and friends June 4 at the mistakes.
Slomka and Bower, a Hillsborough,
Church of the Immaculate Conception
for the Somerset County school’s 51st Somerset County, resident who this fall
commencement. Last year’s graduation will attend Western Connecticut State
ceremony took place at St. James Parish University in Danbury, Conn., tied for the
LQ%DVNLQJ5LGJHEHFDXVHRID¿UHDW,P- highest general academic average, PrinFLSDO -HDQ * .OLQH VDLG LQ DQQRXQFLQJ
maculate Conception.
Among Slomka’s messages in her dozens of awards and scholarships for the
salutatory address was: “Fail really bad at graduates.
Kline and Msgr. Seamus F. Brennan,
something.”
Slomka, of Lebanon, Hunterdon the school’s director, awarded diplomas to
&RXQW\ UHFDOOHG WKH ¿UVW SDUW\ VKH DW- 121 graduates, 11 of whom were recogtended her freshman year. She realized – QL]HG DV ³6HFRQG *HQHUDWLRQ 6SDUWDQV´
after arriving – that it was a classmate’s For the second year in a row, the school’s
birthday being celebrated, and she failed legacy graduates marched with their parents.
to bring a gift.
Highest General Average (Gift of Immaculata
Spartan Club): Erica Lynne Bower, Jamie M. Slomka
Excellence in Theology (Gift of Bishop James F.
Checchio and Martinsville Knights of Columbus
Council 5959): Jamie M. Slomka
Excellence in English (Gift of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2137): Jamie M. Slomka
Excellence in Social Studies (Gift of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2137): Ethan Quinn
Derikito
Excellence in Mathematics (Gift of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2137): Eric Nathaniel
Zielonka
Excellence in Science (Gift of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2137): F. Joseph Germino
Excellence in Chemistry (Gift of the Science
Department): Eric Nathaniel Zielonka
Excellence in Physics (Gift of the Science Department): Ethan Quinn Derikito
Excellence in Biology (Gift of the Science Department): Fiona Gaile Lambino Bawagan
Excellence in Spanish (Gift of the Somerville
Knights of Columbus Council 1432): Erica Lynne
Bower
Excellence in French (Gift of the Fraternal Order
of Eagles Aerie 2137): Fiona Gaile Lambino Bawagan
Excellence in Accounting (In memory of John L.
Vossen, Jr): Courtney Michelle Enyedy
Excellence in Business Education (In memory of
John L. Vossen, Jr): Jonathan Patrick Roberts
Excellence in Journalism (Gift of the Journalism
Program): Christopher Edward Hastings Golankiewicz, Taylor Madison Muzinic
7KH\ LQFOXGHG *HUU\ DQG 0DXUHHQ
Cleary Montague of Bridgewater, whose
son, Kevin, followed his sister Mairead,
a 2014 graduate. For the Montagues –
*HUU\JUDGXDWHGLQKLVZLIH¶VJUDGXation was a year later – Immaculata has
remained true to its core mission of providing quality, Catholic-based education.
“It embraces every kid regardless of
what they do or what their interests are,”
*HUU\ 0RQWDJXH VDLG ³, WKLQN LW¶V JRW D
better sense of community.”
0DULD *DUDIROD )DEEULFDWRUH &ODVV
RI VHQW WKUHH FKLOGUHQ WR ,PPDFXlata, including Samantha. Though the
Hunterdon County teenager considered
public high school – Samantha studied in
Readington Township grade schools before Immaculata – the personal attention
Immaculata offers made an impression on
her.
“You’re never going to get that in a
public school,” Maria Fabbricatore added.
“And the religious education, there’s
nothing like that.”
Both Kevin Montague and Samantha
Fabbricatore called their graduation bittersweet.
³, UHPHPEHU WKH ¿UVW GD\ RI VFKRRO
dreaming about this day four years ago,”
Samantha Fabbricatore said before commencement. “It’s crazy that it’s here. I
can’t believe how fast the years have gone
by.”
In her remarks, Ellen F. Ayoub, suSHULQWHQGHQWGLRFHVDQ2I¿FHRI6FKRROV
Immaculata High School
Erica Bower
Valedictorian
Jamie Slomka
Salutatorian
Service to the Magnificat Yearbook (Gift of the
Journalism Program): Amanda Pauline Colangelo,
Kevin Conor Montague
Service to the Spartan Spirit Newspaper (Gift
of the Journalism Program): Jennifer Lee Bercaw
Service to Images Literary Magazine: Julia Catherine Brawley, Erica Lynne Bower
Sister Dolores Margaret Scholarship for Excellence: Vincent Michael Giampino
Connie Tarantino Memorial Award (Gift the
Tarantino Family): Allison Michelle Eckels
Music Department Award (In memory of Mrs.
Genevieve Muirhead): Erica Lynne Bower
The Marie E. Laggini Vocal Excellence Award
(Gift of the family and friends of Marie Lag-
noted the graduates’ mixed emotions of
anticipation and uncertainty. But she also
recalled their shining examples of service
— from campus ministry to pro-life work
to other outreach efforts in school and
community.
“As our beloved St. John Paul II said,
‘Be not afraid,’” Ayoub said. “The education, both academic and spiritual that you
received … will serve you well for the
future.”
She also encouraged graduates
to continue following their faith, to be
“young men and women of the Beatitudes.”
As commencement concluded, students processed out the front doors of the
FKXUFKWRZDUGDÀDJSROH
“I believe that we will graduate,”
they shouted, before hoisting their caps
into the air as one group. Families hugged,
snapped photos, carried bouquets of balORRQVRUÀRZHUV
“The one thing, the one common
thread is that we are all Spartans,” Slomka
said during her address.
Kline told the audience the graduates
have earned more than $13.5 million in
scholarships from a host of colleges and
universities.
Joseph Conry, assistant principal
for academic affairs, read the graduates’
names during the awarding of diplomas.
Bishop James F. Checchio served as
principal celebrant at Immaculata’s Baccalaureate Mass June 3 at the church.
gini): Vida B. Manalang
Excellence in Music: Service to the School,
Church and Community: Jamie M. Slomka
‘Semper Fidelis” Award (Gift of the Marine
Corps Recruiting Station): Jairo Enrique Campo
Excellence in Dramatics (Gift the Drama Department): Melissa Emily Pennett
The Edward “Ted” Gaughan Memorial Scholarship: Eric Nathaniel Zielonka
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Matthew Anthony Patino-Marsh
The John Philp Sousa Award: Eric Nathaniel
Zielonka
The Susan Bruns Award: Jocelyn Ouellette Kerekes
President of Tri-M Music Honor Society: Julia
Catherine Brawley
Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts (Sister,
Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary):
Allison Michelle Eckels
Award for Excellence in the Art Club (Gift of the
Art Club): Sarah Kathryn Burns
Marine Corps Academic Award: Ethan Quinn
Derikito
Marine Corps Athletic Award (Gift of Marine
Corps Recruiting Station): Michael Joseph Lonsdorf, Kathleen Patricia Mulkerin
President of the Student Council (Gift of Rev.
Msgr. Seamus F. Brennan): Daniel Moises Reyes
President of the Senior Class: Nicholas G. Fari
President of the National Honor Society and
Tutorial Service to the School: Fiona Gaile Lambino Bawagan, Kristen Elizabeth Reilly
President of the Spanish National Honor
Continued on next page
But back to my point. We will be
wrong sometimes. We’ve all been wrong,
but, as I was once told, don’t be afraid to
I know you all are expecting to hear an ex- fail epically. Throw your heart into everytensive, bittersweet speech about the memo- thing that you do. If we live our lives being
ries of high school and the new adventure afraid to be wrong, we will only end up in
that is our future. Traditionally, the vale- the shadows, and we’ll STILL be wrong
dictorian is expected to ramble on through sometimes. I know I was always afraid to
a discursive speech using all the desired make mistakes when I was younger. It took
erudite and sophisticated language imagin- VRPHRQHWRSXVKPHEXW,¿QDOO\JRWWLUHG
able. But that’s not me. And Mrs. Bonham of standing around watching people learn,
told me to be myself, so I’m just going to put excel, and achieve while I was hiding in
my own little spin on this. I’m not any older the background. It takes a leap of faith, but
or wiser than any of you sitting here in front it’s worth the risk. It’s OKAY to be wrong
of me. That’s the truth. But I’ll take this op- sometimes. It’s okay to be wrong a lot of the
portunity to do what I’ve been doing every time as long as we learn from these mistakes.
day for the past four years and say what I Even when you make mistakes bigger than
think. My thoughts are captured primarily in leaving your research paper on the printer at
my rules for life, so I’ll share a few of those home the day it’s due, just remember that
you leave it in the past, where it belongs.
with you today.
When I was younger, I saw so many You pick yourself up, admit that you made a
things that I felt were strange and illogical. mistake, and learn from what you’ve done.
And I decided to make a set of rules for Keep your head up and your heart strong.
So apparently, my profound advice
myself to live by so that I could try to avoid
becoming a manifestation of all of those is to watch Veggie Tales and fail epically.
things. I mean, I was a pretty weird kid, but Okay then, next rule. This is a good rule.
these guidelines really helped me. So I hope I once read this quote, and I think it really
\RX IHHO WKH VDPH ZD\ DIWHU ,¶P ¿QLVKHG speaks the truth, even if part of it is a bit
telling you about some of these rules on my bizarre: “There is no problem we cannot
ignore, confront, plot against, or run over
Yellow Brick Road through Life.
with the car.”
Okay. Here we go.
This one’s great. If someone walks up
First rule: “Sometimes, you’re wrong.”
to
you
today and asserts an opinion that is
That can mean absolutely anything. It’s
wrong to be dishonest, but it’s also wrong different from your own, what do you do?
to call a tomato a vegetable, despite what You shrug and accept their opinions. You
Veggie Tales told us. Well, Veggie Tales was consider their thoughts and value their input,
wrong, and we still watched it, right? We EXW\RXGRQ¶WVWDUWD¿JKWRYHULW7KHUHDUH
still listened to a cucumber sing songs about so many small problems we will all inevitawater buffaloes and a hairbrush despite the bly face in college and beyond. We need to
Continued on next page
fact that it was utterly absurd.
Continued from previous page
JUNE 16, 2016
The John H. Van Cleef, Sr. Scholarship: Kyle
Francis Majkowski, Kelsey Elise Seber
Francis M. Comune Award (Gift of Martinsville
Knights of Columbus Council 5959): Cara Anne
Griffin
The John Collins Memorial Scholarship (Gift
of Ancient Order of Hibernians and Knights
of Columbus, Somerville Council 1432): Adam
David Baurkot
Kelly Elizabeth Gibson Memorial Scholarship:
Joanna Marie Bragg
The Kristne A. Culley Memorial Scholarship
(Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Culley): Darah
Waskin
The Susan Kelly Memorial Scholarship (Gift
from her classmates Class of 1980): Ashley
Elizabeth Dalessio
The Richard D. Tyler Memorial Award (Gift of
Mrs. Richard D. Tyler): Derek Joseph Walker
An Award for Merit (Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Ribbans): Ryan Paige Markowski
The Robert Briski Citizenship Award (Gift of
Carol Briski): Jairo Enrique Campo
IHS Alumni Scholarship (Gift of the Office of
Advancement and Alumni Relations): Kevin
Conor Montague, Samantha Marie Fabbricatore
The Monsignor Eugene B. Kelly Memorial
Award (Gift of Paul Kemper): Anthony Robert
Zannella
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Society (Gift of the Spanish National Honor
Society): Cara Anne Griffin
President of the French National Honor Society (Gift of the French National Honor Society):
Jamie M. Slomka
Christian Spirit Award (Gift of the Immaculata
High School Spartan Club): Genevieve Anne Wietecha, Vincent Michael Giampino
Campus Ministry Award: Tomas Xavier Minsavage, Kristen Marie Cummins
U.S. Army Green Beret - Staff Sergeant Andrew
T. Lobosco Scholarship Award (Gift of Felix Ciattarelli of Value Towing): Peter Francis DeSantis
Law Enforcement (Gift of Somerville Police Benevolent Association Local 147): Daniel Moises
Reyes
The Esther and Joseph Cusick Memorial Award
(Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cusick): Catherine
Marie Yorkgitis
Branchburg Rotary Club Scholarship: Julia Catherine Brawley, Genevieve Anne Wietecha
The Rotary Club of Somerville and Bridgewater Music Scholarship: Vincent Michael Giampino
The Rotary Club of Somerville and Bridgewater Scholarship: Michael Diana
Somerville Business Professional Association
Scholarship for Service to the Borough of
Somerville: Athletic Award: Kristen Elizabeth
Reilly, Music Award: Erica Lynne Bower
GRADUATION
By Erica Bower
Valedictorian
23
Valedictorian offers rules for life
24
Bower tells IHS graduates, 'Stand up for yourself and your values'
GRADUATION
Continued from previous page
choose our battles; the small ones, a lot of
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Michael Lonsdorf towers above Msgr.
Seamus F. Brennan, director of Immaculata, as he receives his diploma during
graduation ceremony on June 4.
— Ed Koskey Jr. photo
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!
ST FRANCIS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, METUCHEN
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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Graduated June 21, 2016
Bentley University, Waltham, Ma.
She is the eldest daughter of Benito and
Febe Demaclid-Chua of Edison, New
Jersey. Awarded a General Excellence
Awards in her Class of 2008 at St. Matthew
School in Edison, a 2012 Valedictorian
graduate of Mother Seton Regional High
School in Clark. She received a bachelor's
degree in Actuarial Science, with a minor
in Business Studies, English and Literature.
Awarded Summa Cum Laude and the
Weafer Award for Academic Excellence
(Valedictorian) of 2016 Class.
While at Bentley University, she was the
Vice President of Administration and
Editor in Chief of Newsletter of Alpha
Kappa PSI, was named to the President's
List eight times and worked in the Writing
Center as a tutor. She will pursue a career
as an Actuarial Consultant in Aon Hewitt.
GRADUATION
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G R A D UAT E
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL
SOMERVILLE
PROUDLY CONGRATULATES OUR
8TH GRADE CLASS OF 2016
“...All through the years may Mary watch,
and keep you ‘neath her care.”
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL
where faith meets academic excellence
41 Mountain Ave.● Somerville, NJ 08876 ● 908-725-6516 ● www.icsschool.org
PERTH
AMBOY
CATHOLIC
SCHOOL
Class of
Bb
JUNE 16, 2016
2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
with pride
congratulates
our
26
GRADUATION
St. Bartholomew School
and Parish Family
Congratulates
our
Class of 2016
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Through the years we shared together we watched you
grow and mature becoming amazing gentlemen and ladies.
You have taken on challenges without hesitation
and inspired everyone around you with your
selfless volunteer and community service work.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
We are very proud of you.
Congratulations on a job well done!
Father Thomas Walsh, Mrs. Ann Wierzbicki,
St. Bartholomew School Faculty, Staff, and Students
and the entire Parish Community
St. Bartholomew School, 470 Ryders Lane East Brunswick, NJ • 732-254-7105 • www.stbartseb.com
Congratulations
Class of 2016!
Sara Barpi
Justin Braine
Claire Froehlich
Ryan Gluchowski
Ryan Gonzalez
Faith Gregory
Parker McCall
Rachelle Menguito
Nicole Pellegrino
Briana Pimenta
Joseph Porcaro
Taylor Salmon
Kiera Scales
Anthony Seraji
Zandrea Urbano
Christian Verlingo
May Our Lord bless and keep you
in His loving care.
Congratulates our
Class of 2016!
DANIEL GONZALEZ
CHIBUIKE AMADI
GEORGE GONZALEZ
GINA ARMENTO
ISABELLA GONZALEZ
BERNADETTE AVILA
ALYSSA JANOWSKI
ASHLEY BAUSCH
COURTNEY KENDERES
BROOKE BELMONTE
FRANK KRANICK
THERESA BILLINGS
BRANDON MARTINEZ
PETER BRITT
AZIA MELENDEZ
NICOLE BUDKA
RAFI NACHED
BENJAMIN CAMPOS
SARAH OHNMEISS
ANDREW CASTELLO
ABIGALE ORTIZ
ALICIA CASTRO
TRINITY QUIATCHON
MICHAEL CERAMI
CHRISTIAN RHODES
BETHANY CICCARELLI
ANDREW ROARTY
CHARLES CUTIGNOLA
THOMAS ROARTY
SKYLAR DEGEORGE
NICOLE STADTMILLER
VINAY DODIA
BRIAN TANCULSKI
DANIEL DOMINGUEZ
CASSIDY VELTRE
WILLIAM DOYLE
COLIN ZELMAN
TAYLOR ECCLES
NICOLAS GALETTE
GRADUATION
Sayreville
St. John Vianney School
27
Our Lady of Victories School
420 Inman Avenue, Colonia, NJ 07067
732-388-1662 ∙ www.school.sjvianney.com
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
JUNE 16, 2016
GRADUATION
COngratulations
GRADUATION
28
29
— Mike Ehrmann photo
— Marlo Williamson photo
— Marlo Williamson photo
— Marlo Williamson photo
— Marlo Williamson photo
— Ed Koskey Jr. photo
— Marlo Williamson photo
The Diocese of metuchen catholic high schools
— Ed Koskey Jr. photo
Bishop george ahr
immaculata • st. joseph
Mount saint mary
— Mike Ehrmann photo
JUNE 16, 2016
JUNE 16, 2016
— Mike Ehrmann photo
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
— Ed Koskey Jr. photo
30
GRADUATION
Mount Saint Mary Academy bestows diplomas on 100 graduates
By Stacey Daly
Correspondent
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school's chapel to begin commencement exercises. The class had a 100 percent
acceptance rate to college and a combined $17 million in scholarships and grants.
— Marlo Williamson photo
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Valedictorian reflects on lessons learned in, out of class
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Julia MacDonald
Valedictorian
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school's chapel. In her comments, Mercy Sister Lisa D. Gambacorto, directress, LQ D ZHOOHVWDEOLVKHG KLJKO\DFDGHPLF
spoke about the class' "enormous amount of service throughout the world."
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— Marlo Williamson photo
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Continued on page 32
31
GRADUATION
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
JUNE 16, 2016
32
Speaker advises classmates to live each day with gratitude, purpose
GRADUATION
Continued from page 30
us. The opportunities they have afforded
us, the responsibilities they have granted us, and the times they have stretched
us have all contributed much to our academic and personal growth since freshman year.
I think Carl Jung described well the
kind of education we have received at
Mount when he said: “One looks back
with appreciation to the brilliant teachers,
but with gratitude to those who touched
our human feelings. The curriculum
is so much necessary raw material, but
warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”
We have not only been taught many
different subjects to prepare us for college and our future careers, but have
been nurtured as individuals to face the
new set of challenges and opportunities
in the years ahead.
Which brings me to the second lesson I have taken from our high school
experience: We still have so much to
accomplish.
For all of our well-placed gratitude, we should not feel completely
VDWLV¿HG 2XU MRXUQH\ LV QRW FRPSOHWH
Soon the world will be entrusted to our
generation. And the problems of the
world — political, economic, social,
and environmental — will be our problems to tackle. Because we are women
of the Mount, we have a commitment to
our communities and the wider world
to face those problems and be part of
the solution. As graduates of Mount St.
Mary Academy, we are called, each and
every one of us, to leave a special positive mark, no matter how large or small,
for humanity and the future.
On the onset of our quest, I think it
prudent to remember the words of Catherine McAuley: “The simplest and most
practical lesson I know…is to resolve to
be good today, but better tomorrow. Let
us take one day only in hands, at a time,
merely making a resolve for tomorrow,
thus we may hope to get on taking short,
careful steps, not great strides.”
And as I look before me, I am
FRPSOHWHO\ FRQ¿GHQW WKDW WKH &ODVV RI
2016 will take the necessary steps to
leave its mark on our world. It is true
that sitting here today we don’t have
answers to many of society’s pressing
issues. In some cases we don’t even really know the questions. But if there is
one thing I do know, having learned this
by spending time with you, is that you
are intelligent, resourceful, resilient,
and unstoppable women. Looking back
at the experiences Mount gave us over
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Mount Saint Mary Academy
Julia MacDonald
Valedictorian
Valedictorian: Julia MacDonald
Salutatorian: Jugdip Khokher
High Honors-Four Years – 4.0 GPA or higher:
Kristen Belger, Mary Day, Jugdip Khoker, Julia MacDonald,
Christine Rosato, Madelynn Wellons, Caleigh Wozniak
National Merit Commended Scholars: Sabrina
Guiao, Julia MacDonald
National Hispanic Achievement Scholar: Joanna
Lucas
2016 Central Jersey Academic All-Star: Julia
MacDonald
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski Award for Religion:
Christine Rosato
these last four years, I realize that this
was the best preparation possible for the
challenges to come. I take heart, and am
grateful, that such promising hands are
preparing to accept those challenges and
such determined feet are taking the next
steps. Congratulations, Class of 2016.
It has been a great privilege to stand
among you these past four years.
May you live each day with gratitude and purpose. I salute you and God
bless you.
Above, members of the Class of 2016 at
Mount Saint Mary Academy, Watchung,
leave the school's chapel carrying their
diplomas. Right, Msgr. William Benwell,
diocesan vicar general and moderator
of the curia, gives the benediction at
commencement exercises for the allgirls, college preparatory school.
— Marlo Williamson photos
Jugdip Khokher
Salutatorian
School Leadership Award: Hannah Ciullo, Udochi
Esomonu, Allyson Toolan, Brianna Tucciarone
School Spirit Award: Claire Alessi
Catherine McAuley Award (Gift of the Sisters of
Mercy): Udochi Esomonu, Emma Maloney
Sister M. Eloise Claire Kays Memorial Award
(former directress of MSMA): Mackenzie Lawlor,
Allyson Toolan
Sisters Mary Kerwin ’45 Award (former directress of MSMA): Katherine Ellis, Bridget Loeffler
Sister Diane Szubrowski, RSM Humanitarian
Service Award (former NJ Regional Community
President of the Sisters of Mercy): Alanna Berger
Outstanding Leadership Award: Brianna Tucciarone
Seniors at Mount Saint Mary Academy, Watchung, process into the chapel
June 4. In the benediction, Msgr. William Benwell, diocesan vicar general and
moderator of the curia, said, “Mount Saint Mary Academy has been a center
of education excellence for so long. We are very proud that it is here in the
Diocese of Metuchen. I have been at a number of Mount events and I have
never met a student who isn’t happy to be here. I know a number of parents
and grandparents who have had children and grandchildren here and they
have nothing but good things to say."
33
A Legacy of Faith, Caring, and Excellence  33 Catholic High School Scholarships offered!
Joshua Aguillon
Krista Caasi
Andrew Chan
Connor Cohen
Joseph DiGiovanni
Gabriella Dudajek
Katherine Enad
Dominick Fiorello
Carolyn Foley
Alexia Fraser
Angela Gallagher
Dashely Gomez
Ryan Hanna
James Harding
Christian Haynes
Vanessa Hunter
Kiana Jimenez
Julia Kebuladze
Justin King
Nicole Kubiak
Allison LaRochelle
Andrew Lauan
Dominic Lawas
Daniel Lucash
Jake Marcin
McKenzie Marshall
Zachary Miller
Matthew Nonaillada
Trish Olib
Jason Pinga
Dylan Polycarpe
Jason Ralph
Christina Raspa
Gavin Rau
Nina Reilly
Teresa Saber
Austin Schuhrer
Sarah Shanahan
Julianna Shea
Maxwell Shubert
Brett Subers
Brian Toczek
Angelina Trinidad
Francesca Valdez-Tan
Jacques-Dean Ventura
Bianca Villadolid
Jack Walsh
Frank Wilhelm IV
Arien Yeddanapally
William Zafian
GRADUATION
Congratulations and God Bless St. Matthias School Class of 2016
We welcome new students to our PreK-4 through 8th grade school.
www.stmatthias.info  170 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Somerset, NJ  732-828-1402
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
JUNE 16, 2016
34
GRADUATION
CLASS OF
2016
ACCOMPLISHMENTS &
ACCEPTANCES
Where you’ll find our graduates in September...
Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences,
Monmouth County Academy for Allied Health and Science,
Marine Academy and Science & Technology (M.A.S.T.), St. John Vianney Early College Academy,
Red Bank Catholic and Mother Seton with over $150,000 in Scholarships,
Colts Neck and Marlboro H.S. Learning Center Programs
333 HIGHWAY 18, OLD BRIDGE, NJ ∙ 732-251-4000
∙ SAINTTHOMASOB.COM
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
&RQJUDWXODWLRQVWRRXU*UDGXDWLQJ&ODVVRI
Catherine Alfonzo
Turner Ashby
Elizabeth Caso
Madeline Coe
Remi Cortina
Gage Crater
Giovanni De Sapio
Anthony DeFalco
Jessica DeFort
Joseph Donaher
Mackenzie Donovan
Lauryn Eisenhart
Emma Finnegan
Michael Fischer
Meghan Galaini
Michael Galaini
Ciara Garahan
Ryan Godown
Jillian Grantham
April Gregory
Jack Hannon
John Hart
Andrew Herms
Jackson Hudack
Joseph Hudicka
Eric Kafarski
Evan Klimas
Jared Klimas
Michelle Kodua
Luke Kravetsky
Cameron Kreder
Ethan Laible
Emma Lamberti
Emma Landis
Marion Mathew
Sean Mazzei
Gabriel Murjani
Gerard Murjani
Abigail Niebling
Kaitlin O’Malley
Jill Paciga
Andrew Pecoraro
Alexander Portner
Jake Rae
Hannah Sargent
Peter Scarperi
Bernard Senger
Joseph Skapinetz
Carli Van Haute
Nicoletta Viscione
Abigail Wall
Michael Walton
Casey Zemanek
,PPDFXODWH&RQFHSWLRQ6FKRROÂ2OG$OOHUWRQ5RDG$QQDQGDOH1-ÂÂLFVFOLQWRQRUJ
night, 16 years before with him in tow.
“They left all they knew to pursue a
better life for themselves and their twoSOUTH PLAINFIELD — With the year-old son. That son was me,” he said.
strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” “I am mindful my story is part of a larger
resounding throughout the Church of American story.”
The young man urged his fellow
the Sacred Heart, a grand procession of
clergy, faculty and graduates made its graduates to continually question their
way down the long center aisle May 26 to educational and career choices throughout
begin commencement exercises for the St. their lives.
“Make progress, not meaningless
Joseph High School class of 2016.
7KHSHZVZHUH¿OOHGZLWKPRUHWKDQ motion,” Holovko said. “Progress is mo1,000 joyous family members and friends, tion with purpose, it propels us forward.
video cameras and smartphones held All choices come with more questions.”
Stephen described an arduous hike he
aloft, eager to memorialize the image of
and
11
other Scouts took in New Mexico’s
the 176 young men who had successfully
completed their studies at the Metuchen- Sangre de Cristo mountain range, where
based secondary school founded by the “deep in the middle of nowhere, 9,000
feet above sea level, half the guys ran out
Brothers of the Sacred Heart in 1961.
Bishop James F. Checchio and Fa- of water,” he said. Despite the danger to
ther John Alvarado, Sacred Heart’s pastor, themselves, the boys shared the contents
joined Lawrence N. Walsh, president of of their water bottles and all safely deSt. Joseph High School; Justin J. Fleet- scended.
“We were brothers, we always had
wood, principal, and other administrators
in encouraging the green-and-white robed each other’s backs,” he said, and advised
graduates to embrace change as they tran- the graduates to use that sense of brotherhood from their high school years to grow
sitioned into adulthood.
“You have experienced changes in all and question their academic journeys.
“Why does the journey matter? Why
aspects of your lives, and your lives have
changed,” noted Fleetwood. “Without have we made it this far?” Stephen mused.
change, there is no growth. Be aware of “Don’t be on ‘default’ settings in college,
your own gifts, challenge your limitations where your purpose comes from is what
and be committed to compassion, justice goes on around you.”
In his last graduation speech before
and service.”
St. Joseph graduates Taras Holovko stepping down as St. Joseph High School
and Kevin Stephen were selected to de- president, Walsh told the young men asliver co-valedictory speeches at the cere- sembled before him, “You are an excepmony. Both young men had been awarded tional group,” and noted they had amassed
National Merit Scholarships, founded the more than $31 million in scholarships. He
school’s Olympian test prep tutoring char- noted that 83 percent of them had received
ity, were members of the Model U.N. and college scholarships, while 60 percent of
the youth and government club, and ran them had been offered college scholarships in excess of the $50,000 “your parcross country track at the high school.
In their addresses, each urged his ents spent to send you to St. Joe’s.”
“You were taught to serve others
classmates to “embrace the why,” relating
with joy. I’ve always thought the mission
personal vignettes as examples.
Holovko described how his parents statement of St. Joe’s should be, ‘We prohad left the Ukraine, in the middle of the duce young men with resilient minds that
GRADUATION
By Christina Leslie
Correspondent
35
St. Joseph High School graduates 176 at commencement exercises
Bishop James F. Checchio processes into the Church of the Sacred Heart, South
Plainfield, at commencement exercises for St. Joseph High School. In his comments,
Bishop Checchio said he hoped the school is “a sign of God’s kingdom for a world so
desperately in need of miracles.”
— Marlo Williamson photo
are unafraid to pray,’” he said. “I hope you
leave us as men resilient in mind, spirit,
and prayer. I hope you never lose the ability or inclination to have conversations
with God.”
Bishop Checchio noted that, in his
three weeks as the shepherd of the diocese, he had become accustomed to taking
morning walks from his home to the campus of St. Joseph High School and had
been impressed by the politeness and welcoming attitude of those he encountered.
“The school was built by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart on the site of their
farm. Actually, it was built over the vineyard, which is pretty cool,” Bishop Checchio said.
Reminding them that a vineyard was
WKHVLWHRI-HVXV¶¿UVWPLUDFOHWKHZHGGLQJ
feast at Cana where he changed water into
wine at his mother’s bequest, the bishop
said, “That’s where Jesus began his ministry, and became a real sign of God in
the world. Hopefully St. Joseph School is
a sign of God’s kingdom for a world so
desperately in need of miracles.”
Following the ceremony, families
stood atop the steps of the church, clutchLQJEDOORRQVÀRZHUVDQGRWKHUWRNHQVDV
they awaited their graduates. Two generations of the Bakhos family beamed as they
SKRWRJUDSKHG RQH DQRWKHU DQG UHÀHFWHG
upon the Catholic education their son,
Andre Junior, had just concluded.
“The environment [at St. Joseph High
School] is much better,” said the graduate
who is planning to continue his education
at Seton Hall University, South Orange, in
the fall. He continued, “In public schools,
I would get in trouble if I wanted to practice my faith in public. It is very important
to me that I can have God at my school.”
His father, Andre, said, “In today’s
day and age, you’d have to consider Catholic education a ‘no-brainer.’ The students
get a solid foundation, morals, ethics and
a good education the world can never take
away from them.”
St. Joseph High School graduates urged to ask ‘why’
Taras Holovko
Co-Valedictorian
that sitting here – that this graduation – is
our own achievement, we owe our sense
of comfort to those who came before us,
to those who had the courage to ask a
simple question intrinsic to human nature: “Why?”
Going to high school, for us as stuGHQWVZDVDSUHGH¿QHGSDWKDVWUXFWXUHG
path we had to follow, but it took place
at Saint Joe’s only because of our predecessors who made it possible. It took
place at Saint Joe’s only because in 1901
Brothers Stanislaus Florent and Louis
Fabian asked “Why Metuchen?”, and
only because of the other Brothers of the
Sacred Heart who made our journey here
possible, to whom we say: “Thank you
for this incredible opportunity. Thank
you for everything.”
Continued on page 37
JUNE 16, 2016
two-year-old son was me.
Sixteen years later, I stand here –
conscious that my parents’ decision to
have questioned their circumstances is
what makes my life today even possible,
mindful that my story is part of the larger
American story, and aware that many of
your parents, grandparents, and ancestors
also had the courage to question where,
and why, they were in life. It is because
of their simple courage that we sit in
these pews today.
During the past four years, classes
may have been challenging and homework might have been long, but here at
Saint Joe’s, we were blessed with a sense
of certainty, a feeling of knowledge that
our future – on a day to day basis, no
matter what happened – was secure. And
despite how much we are inclined to say
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Thank you everyone for coming to
celebrate this special occasion: family, friends, and graduates of the Class
of 2016. I would also like to welcome:
Bishop James Francis Checchio; Father
John Alvarado, pastor of Sacred Heart
Church; the Brothers of the Sacred Heart;
Mr. Lawrence Walsh, President of Saint
Joseph High School; Mr. Justin Fleetwood, Principal of Saint Joseph High
School; and the Saint Joseph faculty and
staff. I speak on behalf of all my fellow
classmates when I say that your presence truly means a great deal to all of us.
Everyone here in this church tonight has
played a key role in making possible this
long journey to success.
Sixteen years ago, in the year 2000,
in the middle of the night, a young man
and woman crossed the Ukrainian border
into Poland. In the early morning, they
arrived at Warsaw airport, signed in at
registration, and boarded a plane to a faroff city, a distant place they had only ever
heard of ... New York. They left behind
everything that they called home. They
left because they were brave enough to
embrace the uncertainty of starting over,
brave enough to embrace the “why” of a
new life. They left because this willingness to ask “why” gave them a sense of
purpose – the pursuit of opportunity, the
pursuit of progress, the pursuit of a better life for themselves and for their two
year old son – in a magical place known
as America, a beacon of hope and possibility for so many before them. Their
36
GRADUATION
Saint Joseph High School
A Brothers of the Sacred Heart School
in Metuchen, New Jersey Since 1901
www.stjoes.org
Class of 2016
Become a Saint Joseph Man...
100% College Acceptance
83% of seniors received a College Scholarship
$31+ Million in College Scholarships (to date)
1 attendee US Coast Guard Academy
9 Commended Students National Merit Scholarship Competition
3 National Merit Finalists
Robotics Seneca District Competition Award * Falcon Newspaper National Honors
Evergreen Yearbook National Honors * Vignette Literary Magazine National Honors
4 Medal Winners National Latin Exam * Catholic Math League Regional Championship
5 Athletic Divisional Championships * 4 Athletic County Championships
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
…Live the Saint Joseph Dream
GRADUATES
Deladem Adadevoh* Travis Adams* Massimo Agresti* Andrew Aitken* Daniel Alfonzo-Jenner* Aadam Anwar * Jerry Armstrong* Rajat Arora*
Joseph Arriola* Matthew Avila* Andre Bakhos, Jr.* Adekunle Balogun* Jonathan Baron* Tyus Battle* Thomas Bauer* Derrek Beeck* Zachary Bell*
Thomas Bender* Emman-Raphael Bibiano* Matthew Blumensteel* Reginald Bonsol* August Bratti* Nicholas Brautigan* Ryan Broderick*
Colin Burnett* Nicolas Carchio* Jason Cariaga* Bryan Carley* Arman Choudrie* Anthony Colucci* Christopher Connett* Peter Coronato*
Thomas Costello* Carson Coudriet* Gregory Cruz* Nicholas Cunningham* William Davenport* Kale de Wet* Joshua deCastro* Luis DeJesus*
Parampreet Deol* Thomas Dietzel* Jason DiStefano* Conner Dolan* Jed Domingo* Michael Drabich, Jr.* Kyle Duggan* Michael Echeverria*
Colin Egan* Kyle Eidson* George Favetta, III* Anthony Fernandes* Liam Finnegan* Matthew Fowler* Connor Gallagher* Honghui Gao*
Christian Generosa* Robert Ghiano* Dave Goncalves* Tyler Guensch* Frank Gumina, IV* John Habib* Ryan Hille* Augustine Hoban*
Sean Holland* Taras Holovko* James Howlett* Michael Hultberg* Jason Hutnick* Timothy Iannuzzo* George Ibuna* Charles Internicola*
Luis Jaimez* Michael Jarusiewicz* Adrian Javier* Samuel Javier* Dylan Jensen* Paul Johnson* Timothy Kenney* Mark Kim* Brett Krause*
Nicholas Krimin* Gabriel Lai* Bryce Layne* Nicolas Leal* Adrian Lee* Philip Leuszkiewicz* Ruoyu Li* Kevin Licciardi* Peter Lima*
Ni
Travis Literate* Zetong Liu* Jacob Lunn* Connor Mahony* Bharath Mannam* Alvin Marmol* Brian Mathew* Joseph Mayers* Mark McGuire*
Cyril Medabalimi* Jose Medina, Jr.* Vilton John Mellijor* Raymond Mercer* Anthony Micale* William Milligan* Sean Mills* Henry Mills-Lutterodt*
Ryan Monahan* Brendan Moreau* Thomas Morrison* Joseph Mortillaro* Peter Mullen* Michael Nisky* Olufemi Oladipo* Nicholas Osowski*
Elrod Owusu-Asumeng* Christopher Ozbalik* Eric Ozga* Joseph Papa* Nimit Patel* Roderick Perez* John Phillips* Lucas Pick *
Derek Quiambao* Christopher Quigley* John Henry Riccardi* Connor Rivera* Xavier Rivera* Robert Rizzi* Frank Roberts, III* Jack Roberts*
Justin Rodriguez* Nathaniel Rodriguez* Michael Rojek* Gary Rojewski, III* Abhimanyu Roperia* Donald Ross* Kyle Russell* Michael Sabella*
Justin Thomas Santiago* Matthew Scull* Karun Sekhar* Janton Shorter, II* Dilpreet Singh* Nickolas Sondej* Luke Spallone* Jack Stamm*
Kevin Stephen* Douglas Stepien* Colm Sullivan* Thomas Summers* Tanner Sutton* Kevin Sweeney* Quentin Taormina* Christopher Taraska*
Millard Thomas* Paul Tomaszewski* Justin Torres* Jacob Torrisi* James Tovey* Breein Tyree* Dylan Tyrrell* Daniel Vajtay* Thomas Valenti*
Christian Vargas* Mohit Varma* Malcolm Virgil* Branislav Vujadinovic* Ian Walls* Joseph Weaver* Julian West* Leandro Wong* Reece Young*
Michael Zarnowski* Evan Zelesnick* Minjian Zhang
Continued from page 35
because everyone else is doing the same
thing. When we ask ourselves questions,
we move a small step closer to the things
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By asking all these questions and
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discover — little by little, over the
years — a niche in life, and it is our
collective niches that have formed us
into the community that we are today.
By asking these questions, we realize
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We discover a feeling of camaraderie
that makes Saint Joe’s feel like a second home, a belief that we are all connected as one body: “I am my brother’s
keeper.” By asking these questions,
we discover the most important and
yet the most overlooked aspect of the
human spirit — a feeling of purpose in
our lives, which gives us that sense of
progress in what we do.
At the start of high school, that
progress may have been the assign-
ments we were given, the things that
we had to do. Second period was at
8:45, lunch at 11:21. We had to take
this standardized test, go to that practice, and attend that game. As the years
went on, as we became sophomores
and then juniors, we had more freedom
to ask “why” — in the academic path
we took, in the activities that we did,
and in the way that we connected with
those around us. The beautiful thing
about life is that all of these choices
come with more questions; with every
decision we make, we might become
more uncertain about the path we hoped
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Before we know it, we sit at graduation, waiting to hear our names called,
waiting to receive our diplomas — realizing that for all the time that we’ve
VSHQW¿QGLQJDQVZHUVIRUHDFKWLPHZH
asked “why” at Saint Joe’s, we leave
high school with ten times as many
questions as we ever found answers...
about our concentrations in college, our
future career paths, and our relationships with the people we leave behind
as we move on to a new phase of our
lives. And that is entirely okay, because
only by asking these questions at all —
“Why this major? Why this job?” — do
we come to realize that progress means
something entirely different for every
single one of us.
Just as my parents asked “why”
they shouldn’t stay behind in Ukraine,
just as the Brothers asked “why” they
should branch out to America, just as
your parents asked “why” Saint Joe’s,
so we must embrace the “why” of our
lives and never forget to continue asking questions, no matter how many anVZHUVZHDUHDEOHWR¿QGRUKRZPDQ\
more questions they lead us to.
The past four years have been an
absolute pleasure and privilege. I wish
you all the best of luck in all that you
do. Thank you for everything.
GRADUATION
Over the course of the last four years,
we have had the chance to do as all of
these forbearers did — to change our
paths through high school with every
decision, to make progress in our lives
by asking “why?” It is only by asking
“why” that we allow ourselves to make
progress rather than create meaningless
motion in our lives. Motion is activity
for the sake of movement: splashing
the paddles of a canoe on a lake, rocking from side to side, but not moving in
any direction. Progress is motion with
purpose, motion that adds value to our
lives. It means stroking the paddles in a
way that propels us forward.
By asking ourselves, “Why am
I taking AP classes?” “Why am I a
3-season varsity athlete?” “Why am
I a member of this club?” we ensure
that our time — our one life — is spent
VHDUFKLQJ IRU UHDO VHOI IXO¿OOPHQW DQG
not simply making ripples in the water
37
Questions can ensure life is spent searching for real self-fulfillment
Co-Valedictorian likens hike to what class has experienced
Kevin Stephen
Co-Valedictorian
tions we ask ourselves — not because we
demand an answer to them, but because
from the questions themselves, we derive
meaning. We construct our identity. We
create our character. Because the moment
we stop questioning our limitations, the
moment we stop questioning our fears,
questioning the expectations that others
have for us? That’s the moment we accept mediocrity. That’s the moment we
decide that we weren’t worthy to climb
those mountains. That we weren’t “all
that special.”
I assure you today: we are.
Today we look outward from this
summit to the next one, and the next one
after that, to construct our own legacy
for the next generation — one that challenges what most consider to be success.
A legacy driven by the question why.
As you commence your journey,
always cherish our brotherhood. We entered Saint Joe’s as Panthers, or Patriots,
or Lions; we leave as Falcons. We entered
Saint Joe’s as two hundred; we leave as
one. Our bond is what has made us who
we are.
But at the same time, never be content with default settings in life. There
is bravery — there is courage — in the
emptiness we each feel, for it is the moments when we’re weighed down by expectations, limitations, frustrations — it
is in in the moments when we’re alone on
our own mountains without water — that
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both as individuals and as brothers in this
community.
So go forth, and be not afraid to ask
the questions that matter, regardless of
cost, opposition, or circumstance. Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free.
Congratulations, Class of 2016. I
love you all.
JUNE 16, 2016
water bottles on top of that mountain: it
challenges us to ask new questions, to
face our fears after we leave our home.
Moreover, it demands us to seek what
makes us whole.
In life, we’ll encounter two kinds of
people. There are those who will live four
years in complacency — on the default
settings of life. Their sense of purpose
comes from the reality of their experience
in college and beyond, from what goes
on around them. For them, it’s inconvenient to ask why. Why ask why, when
IXO¿OPHQW FDQ EH IRXQG LQ D PDMRU RU D
job resume, or even a career? Yet these
answers create a false sense of meaning.
They leave questions unasked.
Yet there are those who aren’t satis¿HG ZLWK WKLV VRFLDO FRQVWUXFW RI NQRZOHGJH RU IXO¿OPHQW )RU WKHP SXUSRVH LV
in here. These are individuals who aren’t
afraid to challenge the things they hold
dear, even the things they grew up believing were true. They refuse to live on
default settings — not because it is easy,
but because it is hard.
In these next four years, our greatest
enemy is complacency, indifference —
the feeling that we know all the answers.
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makes us whole, we must turn off our default settings and embrace the questions
no one else will demand of us, but that
we must demand of ourselves. Why is
not an easy question. It’ll break us down,
but we’ll come back stronger every time.
Why do I lead? Why am I who I am? Why
do I trust? Why do I believe?
Or why not?
These are the questions that create
our identity. No one else can. In the storm
of uncertainty we now feel about the four
years ahead, there is a peace in the emptiness we feel. We are at once limited and
empowered by the sum total of the ques-
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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God our Heavenly Father, our loving parents who gave us this opportunity, Bishop
Checchio and Brother Mark Hilton for
being with us today, our teachers, the
Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and you,
my friends and classmates, for providing
the academic, spiritual, and moral foundation that has prepared all of us for this
moment.
A little less than two years ago, I
was one of twelve young men on a trek
to explore the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, deep in the valleys of New
Mexico. It was Day 11 of our two-week,
84-mile backpacking expedition — our
longest day. We’d climbed for the better
part of eleven miles. There are a lot of
emotions that come with standing on the
summit of a mountain in the middle of noZKHUH7KHUH¶VWULXPSKIXO¿OPHQWSULGH
Yet beyond that, that day I felt strangely
at home in the wilderness in spite of our
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mid-July afternoon, miles away from the
nearest camp, half of our guys had run
out of water. We were 9,000 feet above
sea level, a seven-hour trek to the next
water source, with six empty canteens.
We’d deemed ourselves doomed.
However, that day, I saw why our
group of twelve men deserved to be on
top of that mountain, why we could call
ourselves a real team of backpackers. Our
youngest, smallest backpacker was the
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He and then each of us who had water
took our own water bottles and, drop
by drop, rationed out our limited supply
amongst our team so that we each had
enough to drink as we returned to base
camp the next day.
In many ways, our hiking expedition
is an allegory of what our community at
St. Joe’s has been. We are brothers who
have always been there for each other. Together, we’ve made it through seemingly
insurmountable circumstances. We have
laughed and cried, worked and procrastinated, fallen and persevered, and here we
are – still together.
Beyond brotherhood, those twelve
Scouts on top of Mount Phillips and all
of us graduates share something else –
we dared to ask why in our darkest hour.
It doesn’t matter if you’re that solitary
hiker without water on a mountain peak
or if you’re someone who’s never hiked
before, sitting in these seats at the peak
of your high school career. Ask it — go
ahead. Why did we make it this far? Why
are we together? Why does our journey
matter?
These last four years of high school
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our questions have been likewise constrained to what we’ve encountered the
last four years. After trekking the paths
of high school, here we are today, thinking that we know all the answers to our
questions. I hate to break it to you, Class
of 2016 — we don’t. We will leave this
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also with a small and growing sensation
of … emptiness. There’s the sadness of
knowing we can no longer sit in front of
the mural for lunch, or wear our obnoxious Hawaiian shirts to school dances.
Never again will we come to school
exhausted after pulling an all-nighter to
write a paper. Never again will we come
to Saint Joe’s feeling purely alive, covered in green and white paint for a pep
rally. In fact, this may be the last time all
of us are ever in a room together.
But there is beauty to this emptiness.
That void in each of us is like those empty
38
GRADUATION
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
JUNE 16, 2016
Co-Valedictorian Award (In Memory of Thomas
Platko): Taras Holovko, Kevin Stephen
Summa Cum Laude – 4-year cumulative GPA
>4.40: Jerry Armstrong, Joseph Arriola, Adekunle
Balogun, Jonathan Baron, Thomas Bender, August
Bratti, Jason Cariaga, Anthony Colucci, Christopher
Connett, Carson Coudriet, Luis DeJesus, Parampreet Deol, Jason DiStefano, Robert Ghiano, Taras
Holovko, George Ibuna, Adrian Lee, Jacob Lunn, Brian
Mathew, Cyril Medabalimi, Elrod Owusu-Asumeng,
Lucas Pick, Matthew Scull, Karun Sekhar, Kevin Stephen, Thomas Valenti, Mohit Varma
Magna Cum Laude – 4-year cumulative GPA
>4.0: Andrew Aitken, Reginald Bonsol, Colin Burnett,
Nicolas Carchio, Arman Choudrie, Liam Finnegan,
Christian Generosa, Tyler Guensch, Sean Holland,
James Howlett, Michael Jarusiewicz, Mark Kim,
Philip Leuszkiewicz, Mark McGuire, Brendan Moreau,
Thomas Morrison, Olufemi Oladipo, Nicholas Osowski,
Nimit Patel, Connor Rivera, Robert Rizzi, Jack Roberts,
Nathaniel Rodriguez, Justin Thomas Santiago, Colm
Sullivan, Christopher Taraska, James Tovey, Leandro
Wong, Minjian Zhang
Cum Laude – 4-year cumulative GPA >3.8: Travis
Adams, Massimo Agresti, Derrek Beeck, Emman-Raphael
Bibiano, Thomas Dietzel, Jed Domingo, Connor Gallagher,
Frank Gumina IV, Ryan Hille, Timothy Iannuzzo, Charles
Internicola, Nicolas Leal, Zetong Liu, Michael Nisky, Roderick Perez, John Phillips, Derek Quiambao, John Henry
Riccardi, Xavier Rivera, Justin Rodriguez, Gary Rojewski
III, Kyle Russell, Janton Shorter II, Thomas Summers, Tanner Sutton, Millard Thomas
Edison Rotary Seniors of the Month: Joseph Arriola, Zachary Bell, August Bratti, Anthony Colucci,
Peter Coronato, Robert Ghiano, Timothy Iannuzzo,
Adrian Lee, Jacob Lunn, Brian Mathew, Thomas
Morrison, Olufemi Oladipo, Lucas Pick, Jack Roberts,
St. Joseph High School
Taras Holovko
Co-Valedictorian
Kevin Stephen
Co-Valedictorian
Michael Rojek, Michael Sabella, Matthew Scull, Luke
Spallone, Daniel Vajtay, Michael Zarnowski
Edison Rotary Senior of the Year: Zachary Bell
Coco-Cola Scholar: Kevin Stephen
Alumni Award (In remembrance of Eric August,
Thornton Campbell, Michael Partipillo and
Carl Zeskand): Jerry Armstrong, Geirge Ibuna,
Mohit Varma
Scholar Athlete Award: Taras Holovko
Anthony S. Spezio Memorial Award: Peter Coronato
Kevin Reinhard Memorial Scholarship: Robert
Ghiano
The Lorraine Noble Memorial LTA Scholarship:
Christopher Quigley, Colin Burnett
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Appointment: Connor
Rivera
The Gavin Macdonald Memorial Awards for
Excellence in English: Lucas Pick
English Department Award: Anthony Colucci
Excellence in Art: Thomas Valenti
The Curtis Nurnberger Memorial Award for
Excellence in Music: Luis DeJesus
Excellence in Technology: Nathaniel Rodriguez
Excellence in Mathematics: Cyril Medabalimi
Mathematics Department Award: Parampreet
Deol
William Perdue Memorial Award for Math: August Bratti
The Bishop James F. Checchio Religion Award:
Jacob A. Lunn
Brothers of the Sacred Heart (In Memory of
Dominic Codella): Colm J. Sullivan
Brothers of the Sacred Heart (In Memory of
Brother George): Sean M. Holland
Excellence in Science: August Bratti
Mark Tropeano Memorial Award Scholarship:
Thomas Bender
George F. Smith Memorial Award: Arman Choudrie
Excellence in Social Studies: August Bratti
Social Studies Department Award: Robert
Ghiano
Excellence in French: Luis DeJesus
World Languages Department Award - French:
Elrod Owusu-Asumeng
Excellence in German: Jacob Lunn
World Languages Department Award - German:
Mark McGuire
Excellence in Spanish: Leandro Wong
World Languages Department Award - Spanish:
Thomas Valenti
Excellence in Latin: Lucas Pick
World Languages Department Award – Latin:
Karun Sekhar
The National Latin Exam Maxima Cum Laude:
Lucas Pick (Latin IV)
The National Latin Exam Magna Cum Laude:
Nathaniel Rodriguez (Latin IV)
The National Latin Exam Maxima Cum Laude:
Karun Sekhar (Latin IV), Nicholas Osowski (Latin III)
National Merit Finalists: Taras Holovko, Cyril Medabalimi, Kevin Stephen
Noni Tinglin-Jarrett and salutatorian
Julia Dunn.
The Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton
Award for exemplary witness to Christian values during the past four years
was awarded to Lizelle Policarpio.
In her speech, Tinglin-Jarrett,
who plans to study chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University,
Pittsburgh, said, “Looking back at my
time at Mother Seton, I realized that
we have experienced so much. Mother
Seton will always be a reminder of the
friends we have met and the journey
we experienced.
“Together, we laughed, we cried,
and we laughed again. Being at MSR
helped to strengthen the spiritual aspect of my life and increase my knowledge of God.
“My fellow classmates, let us
not look back at the past four years
for now they will only be a dream.
Let us look forward to the next four
years. They will be reality. Remember
to succeed. We must never be content
with mediocrity.”
In her remarks, Dunn, who plans
to major in biological science at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, said:
“I would like to dedicate this speech
to all the speeches that were never
written. Because every single one of
my classmates has accomplished extraordinary things in these four years.
I would like to say that each and every
one of them deserves to be up here
with me. Not of us has gotten to this
point on our own, though. We have all
had the caring faculty, staff, and administration of Mother Seton. Just as
importantly, we have had the kindness
and support of each other.
“Commencement is not only
about the excitement of starting a new
adventure with the priceless confidence of a Mother Seton education.
This ceremony is also about looking
back at how we changed and learning
how we can continue to change, ourselves and our world for the better.
“MSR has provided me with a
caring environment in which to grow
and discover myself… I credit Mother
Seton Regional with helping me get as
far as I have.”
Chandler Sledge, senior class
president, invited the members of the
class to join her in turning their tassels
as a symbol of their graduation from
Mother Seton regional High School.
Chandler plans to attend the University of Scranton (Pa.)
GRADUATION
CLARK — Diplomas were presented
to graduates of Mother Seton Regional High School at commencement
exercises June 2 by Charity Sister
Jacquelyn Balasia and Joan Barron,
co-principals.
The class of 2016 had achieved in
excess of $16 million dollars in academic scholarships and awards as of
May 25.
Charity Sister Mary Anne Katlack,
campus minister, delivered the invocation and the closing benediction.
In her remarks, Barron said: “Today, we celebrate the members of the
Class of 2016 and congratulate them
on achieving this milestone on their
educational journey. Never tire of doing what is good and right. Congratulations to each of your family members
gathered here today, who have helped
you to achieve this goal. …You are
legendary… My challenge to you is to
strive to be better at something than
anyone else ever was. That is what a
legend is all about. A legend is remarkable and celebrated. So today, we
celebrate you. ..God Bless you as you
go forth from these halls of truth and
knowledge.”
The Co-Principal’s Award for academic excellence during the past four
years was awarded to valedictorian
39
All-girls school celebrates seniors at commencement exercises
ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption
Meredith & Jacques Streets, Perth Amboy • 732.826.8721
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CLASS OF 2016
Cristian A.
Daliana B.
Ja’Sae B.
Jonathan B.
James C.
Luis C.
Donald C.
Paula C.
Joseph C.
Victor F.
Vanessa G.
Gabriella M.
Justin O.
Megan O.
Jasmine P.
Kishan P.
Jillian P.
Michelle R.
Aidialys R.
Elvin R.
Cassandra S.
Amir S.
Andrea V.
Yahnie W.
´%XLOGLQJFRQÀGHQWKDSS\DQGVXFFHVVIXOFKLOGUHQµ
www.assumptioncatholicschool.net
CONGRATULATIONS
Class of 2016
Best wishes to the graduates of
JUNE 16, 2016
Visit us this summer!
georgian.edu/visit
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Bishop George Ahr High School
Mount Saint Mary Academy
St. Joseph High School
Immaculata High School
40
GRADUATION
Union Catholic High School
Congratulates the Class of 2016
on obtaining a remarkable $27,114,092 in college scholarships.
To celebrate 100 Days to Graduation, seniors and preschoolers at Stuart Country
Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton walk hand-in-hand through a hooting,
hollering and high-fiving gauntlet of the entire Stuart community. The young
women pictured above have attended Stuart since kindergarten or preschool.
These Stuart “lifers” will be attending The University of Edinburgh, Harvard,
Parsons School of Design, Princeton (4), and Rhode Island School of Design.
THE STUART CLASS OF 2016
WILL ATTEND:
American University
Harvard University (2)
University of Edinburgh
Bard College
Loyola University MD
Boston College (2)
Mount Holyoke College
University of
Massachusetts Lowell
Carnegie Mellon
University
New York University
Colby College
Parsons School of
Design
Colorado College
Princeton University (5)
Dickinson College
Rhode Island School
of Design
Elon University
JUNE 16, 2016
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Emory University
Flagler College
Trinity College
University of Rochester
University of WisconsinMadison
Vassar College
Villanova University
1600 Martine Avenue • Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
908-889-1600, Ext. 302 • www.unioncatholic.org
God Bless the
Notre Dame
Class of 2016
Congratulations
to our
Valedictorian,
Julia Anne Panko
and Salutatorian,
Ryan Kreutzberg
College of William &
Mary
University of California,
Los Angeles
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2016
WHERE SPACE IS AVAILABLE.
Stuart admits students of any race, color, religion and national or ethnic origin.
Independent Girls’ Day School I PS–12
609.921.2330 x274
stuartschool.org
1200 Stuart Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Come to know
Notre Dame
High School
www.ndnj.org
601 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 609.882.7900
www.oakknoll.org
41
GRADUATION
Summit, NJ
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2016!
Built on Faith. Wisdom. Service.
MOTHER SETON REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
CONGRATULATES THE GRADUATES OF THE CLASS OF 2016
Our graduates earned more than $16 million in academic scholarships.
SETON DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS • NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM SCHOLAR
1 Valley Road, Clark, New Jersey 07066 • 732-382-1952 • www.motherseton.org
JUNE 16, 2016
A Tradition of Academic Excellence and Seton Spirit
Mother Seton Regional High School is a Catholic, regional high school of the Archdiocese of Newark.
We are a college prep school for young women in grades 9 through 12.
The school is served by the Sisters of Charity of Convent Station NJ and lay faculty members.
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
MOTHER SETON REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL