2018 Graduation Recap
And they’re off! The Class of 2018 has graduated and in a short few months they will be moving into their new colleges. Following Mr. Brennan’s words of encouragement for the graduates, Peter Westerhaus was welcomed to the stage to speak.
Peter, a graduate of Holy Family, talked about the importance of the fear of the unknown, saying, “life is tough,” but that is not an excuse to give up. He also advised the recent graduates to “say goodbye to other people’s expectations.”
The student chosen speaker, Mr. Unverzagt, told the graduates to “enjoy the now.” He talked about the value that brought them all together, the value that strengthened the relationship among them. Mr. Unverzagt asked the students to look to their left and their right, telling them to “Cherish them while you can, before you scatter.” He ultimately ended the speech that left the graduates and their families speechless, telling the students they only need one thing in life: love.
Valedictorian, Kenneth Palattao, outlined the lessons they have learned over the four years at Holy Family. He said, “here, we learned to be good leaders.”
Up next was Salutatorian, Thomas Farrell, or as he titled himself, “Thomas Bagel Farrell.” Thomas detailed the importance of faith and service inside and outside of the confines of the classroom. Furthermore, he credited optimism and the strong work ethic to the strength of the graduation class.
Following the speeches, Mrs. Brown awarded the Mary and Joseph medals. These are awarded to students with mature faith and those who actively participate in the Church. The Mary medal was given to Maya Bradley, and the Joseph medal was given to Mark Haran.
Additionally, Mrs. Brown cited $11,156,340 in scholarships awarded to the class of 2018 of which they accepted $3,549,000.
The Class of 2018 was a great addition to the alumni of Holy Family, so we decided to ask them a few questions…
What is one word to describe the class of 2018?
Mrs. Redshaw: “Happy. They make a game out of everything”
Mr. Unverzagt: “Community. They help care for each other”
Mrs. Brown: “Embracing. They embrace new ideas, they embrace each other, they embrace new people to the community. Everything about them is extroverted”
What is the most creative way you have gotten out of something at Holy Family?
Maggie McGlynn: “Sophomore year, K period, I was always late to Mr. Menden’s class. One day that I was late he yelled at me in front of the whole class and I told him that I was late because I got lost in the school and didn’t know where I was. Even though it was second semester of sophomore year.”
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Sydney Rzonca: “In ten years I will be winning the super bowl. I’m calling it now.”
Walter Treat: “In an ideal world, I’d be out of law school and either clerking for somebody or a Supreme Court justice.”
What is your best memory at Holy Family?
Kevin Scheppers: “The time I lit a garbage can on fire in Mr. Walker’s class.”
If you could be any type of dog, what would you be and why?
Claire Rothstein: “I would be a corgi because I’m small, cute, and a little bit thick”
Tyler Muschewske: “I would be a Bernese mountain dog because they’re huge and look like a bear kind of. Bears are cool.”