Most Reverend Michael J. Fitzgerald, the Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia who oversees Catholic Education in the Archdiocese, will be the main celebrant during a Liturgy of the Word preceding the 39th Annual Academic Honors Convocation at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. The 2018 All Catholic Chorus will provide the liturgical music, under the direction of Mrs. Anne Coneghen, conductor, and accompanied by organist, Mrs. Patricia Young.
This event honors graduating seniors from 33 Archdiocesan and private Catholic high schools for their academic excellence.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
6:15 p.m. (Procession)
6:30 p.m. (Liturgy of the Word)
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
The students, who are ranked in the top 3% of their senior class, will be honored for their academic success and dedication to their studies. This year, 157 students are included in the elite group according to their cumulative ranking at the end of the first semester of their senior year. The 39th Annual Academic Honors Convocation will be streamed in real-time utilizing Facebook Live via the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools’ Facebook page.
Sister Maureen McDermott, IHM, Ph.D., Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the Archdiocese said, “As they prepare to close a pivotal chapter in their lives, the Class of 2018’s distinguished scholars and their families have much to celebrate. The Archdiocesan Academic Honors Convocation provides an opportunity to publicly commend and honor these exceptional students and the loved ones who support them for their hard work and dedication to academic excellence.
As graduating seniors throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia prepare for their Baccalaureate Masses and Commencement Exercises we offer them prayerful best wishes for a successful and happy future.”
Alyssa Garcia, a senior from Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County) is keynote student speaker for this year’s Convocation. She was chosen from among 12 student honorees who applied for this distinction. Alyssa is a Presidential Scholar and already takes classes at Immaculata University as an Archdiocesan Scholar.
Ms. Garcia participates in several extracurricular activities at Pope John Paul II High School. Currently, she serves as the National Honors Society Vice President as well as the editor and a writer of the Literary Arts magazine, Palladium. She is also a student ambassador, a tutor, and a performer in PJPII’s Show Choir, Liturgical Choir, Concert Band, and Spring Musicals.
In addition, she is an altar server and an active parishioner of Saint Matthew Parish in Conshohocken. Outside of her school and parish communities, Ms. Garcia is also a volunteer for the Montgomery County Special Olympics.
Those individuals with asterisks after their names are in the Connelly Foundation Neumann Scholars Program. Initiated in 1995, this scholarship program identifies academically talented eighth grade students through an independently administered competitive examination and provides four year scholarships to attend any Archdiocesan high school.
2018 ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA ACADEMIC SCHOLARS
(Schools are categorized below alphabetically according to county)
BUCKS COUNTY
Archbishop Wood High School
Megan A. Noonan
Haley D. McGowan
Samantha N. Link
Alyssa M. Wolk
Claire E. Robinson
Emma K. Foley *
Danielle R. Kobulsky
John R. Swift
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School
Rachel A. Hollenczer
Christina S. Keryakes
Alexander M. Badman
Danielle N. Diamond
Holy Ghost Preparatory School
Mason El-Habr
Brian Gabriele
Matthew Hofmann
Brendan Mindiak
Villa Joseph Marie High School
Michele D. Anzabi
Cecilia M. Barreca
Katya T. Kopach
Mia M. Walsh
CHESTER COUNTY
Bishop Shanahan High School
Simon Blanchard
Ann Weyand
Aidan Bracken
John Glasser
Shannon Cody
Renee Shultz
Samuel Johnson
Katelyn Bradley *
Catherine McAllister
Devon Preparatory School
Charles O’Connor Hallinan
Thomas S. Brower
Malvern Preparatory School
Rohan Jhunjhunwala
Max McCool
Rhys Werny
Dan Malloy
Villa Maria Academy High School
Sydney E. Belej
Erin M. Finley
Emma G. Follman
Lauren M. O’Donnell
DELAWARE COUNTY
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur
Alexa Scavetti
Lucy Van Kula
Farran Dougherty
Archbishop Carroll High School
Christopher T. Anderson *
Julianna G. Wallgren *
Suzanne M. Carpenter
Clare Stoyell-Mulholland *
Julia D. Lundeen *
Kathryn M. Stringer
Angela C. Alquiros
Jonathan D. Gould
Kristin L. Long
Cardinal O’Hara High School
Travis Gaskill *
Emma Knaub
Nirali Patel
Charles Sheehan
Dan Ngoc Vo
Elizabeth Mancini
Stephanie Ashworth
Eleanor Mancini
Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School
Elrid Serrao
Theodore Greiner
Istifa Islam
Temilola Adepoju
Annmarie Charles
Madison Oxenberg
Sacred Heart Academy
Anna Carroll
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Bishop McDevitt High School
Joseph A. Madera
Tracy Tran *
Han Lam
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
Maura C. Toner
Elizabeth A. Hasson
Emma H. Palermo
Lansdale Catholic High School
Sarah Anne Cooney
Anna Elizabeth Wengyn *
Claire Elizabeth Ussai
Mark Alexander Heggan
Meghan Victoria Primus
Sean Matthew Dixon
La Salle College High School
Ethan John Iatesta
Siqi Liu
James Michael Marek
John William Ruch
Liam Anthony Ward
Eric Christian Witte
Aidan Kevin Young
Desmond Joseph Young
Merion Mercy Academy
Keara M. Gilligan
Julia G. Halas
Katrina E. McDermott
Megan R. Talke
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
Liana Alcaro
Madelyn Taylor
Erica Arnold
Emma Mirabelli
Natalie Ward
Pope John Paul II High School
Andrew J. Tufillaro
Julianne L. Capaldo
Sydney R. Bucher
Emily A. Porter
Alyssa G. Garcia
John C. Allwein
Michael P. Pirrall *
Saint Basil Academy
Mary Campion
Madeline McCrea
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY
Archbishop Ryan High School
Alyssa Marie Sliwa
Eileen G. Moroz
Shaun Michael Martin
Lindsay Paige Donohue
Gianna R. Costanzo
Emily G. Campbell
Bryanna Alexis Cattalo
Dennis Dulgiyer
Amy M. Szwajkowski
Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School
Jorge Martinez
Andreia Miguel
Junior Nguyen
Father Judge High School for Boys
Thomas J. Beaudet
Christopher J. Blank *
Jared Cao
Michael P. Gaynor
Thomas K. Quarry *
Kevin A. Schultz *
John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School
Mary Grace Mooney
Amanda Lam *
Myahn M. Walker
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls
Anna P. O’Neill
Caroline G. Curtiss
Emma L. Birney *
Shu Q. Lin
Jenna Curtiss
Mercy Career & Technical High School
Tho Huu Tran
Amber Brooke Heffernan
Nazareth Academy High School
Gina E. Capece
Sylvanne M. Braganza
Roman Catholic High School for Boys
Declan Joseph McCloskey
Kevin Thomas Muller
William F. Miller *
Matthew Mark Bomberger *
John Paul Stevens
Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls
Brianna McClain *
Ryan Doherty *
Ava Gipson
Regan McGuiness
Saints John Neumann-Maria Goretti Catholic High School
Anh T.M. Nguyen
Julia LaFiora
Kenn Bui
Julia Kinney
Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School
Brandon J. Burghardt
John R. Feehery
John K. Figge
Nicholas P. Giangiordano
Jacob A. Legaard
William C. Ouligian
Alexander W. Payton
West Catholic Preparatory High School
Maerone Alfa *
Feven Teferi
Jalen Hutchins
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Contact:Bonnie Olinger
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747 (office)