May 20, 2009

Class of 2009 leaders urge their classmates to take their Catholic faith into the future

By John Gleason

Nearly 900 students are graduating this year from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Denver. A graduation roundup featuring five of the seven schools follows. Read next week’s Denver Catholic Register for information on the other two.

Bishop Machebeuf
This year, Bishop Machebeuf High School graduates 80 seniors.  Collectively, the students have earned more than $2.5 million in scholarships. At the commencement ceremony, held May 17, valedictorian Abrehet Gebremedhin, who plans to attend the University of Denver this fall, told her classmates they should always remember the Catholic community that educated them the last four years.

“Machebeuf provided us the basis of our educational career,” she said. “(It’s) where we were prepared for the future.  Because of our teachers and parents, our education is giving us the edge needed to compete in the world.  We may not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.”

St. Mary’s Academy
On May 16, 63 young women graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Englewood. They earned more than $5.2 million in scholarships.  The school does not announce a valedictorian and salutatorian.  Instead, it recognizes its top award winners.  For 2009, students Jocette Lee and Kicki Astuno were named recipients of the Marian Award, given to the seniors who have shown outstanding leadership, loyalty and academic achievement.

Regis Jesuit High School
More than 200 young men received diplomas on May 17 from the Boys Division of Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora.  As a class, the students accrued more than $10.4 million in scholarship money.  Valedictorian Steven Mark told his classmates the key to success is to know who you are.

“When it comes to what’s important, it all boils down to relationships and faith,” he said.  “Our relationships with parents and friends is what carries us through our lives. And being part of this faith-based community called Regis is the foundation of who we are.  No matter where we are, we’ll always be a part of this community.”

In remarks to be delivered to her 156 classmates at the May 20 commencement of Regis’ Girls Division, valedictorian Catherine Reidy, who’ll be studying philosophy next year at Notre Dame University, spoke on the power of the human voice.

“God has blessed us all with the gift of the human voice; each one unique,” she said.  “It makes no difference whether we speak in accents or abbreviate words or whatever.  But the gift of the voice is one we should treasure, using it to not only speak, but to sing and shout out for the greater glory of God.”

Students of the Girls Division were awarded $10.1 in scholarships this year.

Holy Family
On May 22 Holy Family High School in Broomfield will say goodbye to 108 seniors who have so far collected more than $6 million in scholarship money.  Valedictorian Alexandra Haserodt, who plans to study chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis this fall, told the Denver Catholic Register the key to a good and fulfilled life is to identify your priorities.

“You need to find out what you want and who you want to be,” she said.  “Put the important things first and you’ll always have time for the rest.  Problems arise when you focus on the little things that consume our lives.   That’s when the important stuff gets left behind.”

J.K. Mullen High School and Arrupe Jesuit High School will be featured in the June 3 Denver Catholic Register.