Cougar Courier: Baccalaureate Liturgy Edition

May 14th, 2021

BACCALAUREATE LITURGY FOR THE CLASS OF 2021

Austin Prep celebrated a special Baccalaureate Liturgy for the Class of 2021 today, Friday, May 14th from Father Seymour Field. The special program allowed for the community, including faculty, staff, and parents of the graduates, to come together for Mass, culminating in the delivering of diplomas to members of the Class of 2021. A full program for the Baccalaureate Mass can be found here.

Celebrant Most Rev. Robert P. Reed, DD, acknowledged the challenging times in which the senior class are entering the ranks as Austin Prep alumni. "We must make certain that the Austin Prep experience continues to open hearts and minds to repair society and this world in the name of Jesus Christ, who is always a light in the darkness, and our only hope."

Emma Ricciardelli '21, Class of 2021 Salutatorian, addressed the class, focusing on the student connections and faculty support that helped guide her on her Austin Prep Journey. “We have been taught to share many of the same values,” Emma said.  "Take the values that Austin Prep has given to you and bring them to your college campuses next fall. We will all be shaped by the people, friends, and professors that we are surrounded by, but remember that we all have the ability to shape those same people who are around us."

Class of 2021 Valedictorian, Faith Moran '21, noted that while each graduating senior followed their own path toward the end of their Austin Prep experience, the Class shared one commonality: navigating the global pandemic. “Despite the many disappointments Covid has brought, the pandemic exemplified our mission for unity here at Austin. As a community, we looked out for one another and made it our mission to make the most of our senior year,” Faith said. “The diplomas we will receive represent way more than simply meeting graduation requirements. They represent finding our way to the light despite all of the setbacks. They’re a reminder that we completed high school amidst a global pandemic. They are signs that we can achieve anything we set our minds to. There will always be hard times and goals we hope to achieve. Don’t forget how our Journey at Austin has prepared us for tackling these obstacles that lie ahead. "

Austin Prep’s Head of School, James Hickey, Ph.D. P’22, ’23, ’24, '27 made reference to the book The Road to Character by New York Times Columnist David Brooks. "Brooks argues there are two types of virtues, what he calls the resume virtues and the eulogy virtues," Dr. Hickey said. "Resume virtues are skills and achievements, such as high test scores, and workplace promotions that often lead to bigger bank accounts and public praise or recognition.  On the other side are eulogy virtues, the qualities of character...your humility, integrity, kindness, compassion, the love you have in your heart."

"Despite the adoration of resume virtues, we all know deep down inside at the core of our being, that eulogy virtues are what really matter," Dr. Hickey said. "As graduates of Austin Prep, formed in the Augustinian tradition, set on a pathway in the footsteps of Augustine, you are already living lives that place eulogy values first."

The event began with a welcome from Board of Trustees Chair, Daniel Bouchard, P’10, ’14, ’15, who congratulated the Class and reflected on the "unwritten curriculum" that has benefitted his own children as they carved a path for their own lives after they departed Austin Prep. Bouchard also noted that the Class of 2021 has been collectively awarded more than $17 million in scholarships to some of the top colleges and universities in the United States.

Emma ended her Salutatorian speech in unison with her classmates, as they recited a familiar phrase from their Austin Prep journey, perhaps for the last time together: "You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until it rests in You."


 

Baccalaureate Liturgy Livestream

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The Baccalaureate Mass was live streamed for those who could not attend, and we are grateful to all those who were able to attend remotely. The ceremony can be viewed in its entirety by clicking the button below. Please forward this to family and friends! 

Baccalaureate Liturgy Livestream


 

Baccalaureate Mass Photos

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Photos from the Baccalaureate Mass can be viewed by clicking here. Check back soon as more photos will be added!


 

Class of 2021 Banner Lowered in Meelia Hall

During Thursday's rehearsal for today's Baccalaureate Liturgy for the Class of 2021, Senior Class officers continued with the tradition of lowering the Class banner in Meelia Hall. The banner is raised during Convocation to start each academic year.


 

SENIOR AND ACADEMIC AWARDS

Faith Moran ’21

VALEDICTORIAN

THE CARDINAL MEDEIROS MEDAL  FOR GENERAL EXCELLENCE


Emma Rose Ricciardelli ’21

SALUTATORIAN

THE MEDAL FOR THEOLOGY


Thomas J. Brosnan, Jr. ’21

THE CHARLES & HELEN MCLAUGHLIN MEDAL FOR LEADERSHIP & DETERMINATION TO EXCEL

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD


Ariana Maria Clark ’21

REV. DR. JOSEPH W. WILKES, III ‘71 MEDAL FOR UNWAIVERING COMMITMENT TO AUSTIN PREP


Theodore Leslie Thornton Dysart, Jr. ’21

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WILLIAM J. HICKEY, JR. MEMORIAL AWARD FOR GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP 


Amanda Kay Patti ’21

WILLIAM J. HICKEY, JR. MEMORIAL AWARD FOR GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP 


Mary Margaret Hueston ’21

CHARLES L. LUCIANO MEMORIAL AWARD FOR UNSUNG STUDENT LOYALTY 

THE MEDAL FOR ART & DESIGN


Brianna Linda Fountain ’21

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

THE MEDAL FOR SPANISH


 

Emma Christie Kilbride ’21

THE MEDAL FOR ENGLISH


Stanley F. Alger, IV ’21

THE MEDAL FOR HISTORY


Arya Gupta ’21

THE MEDAL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES


Edward Wei ’21

THE MEDAL FOR MATHEMATICS


Kate Elizabeth Simpson ’21

THE MEDAL FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE


Katelin Griffin Stone ’21

THE MEDAL FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCE


Michael Connor Kamelle ’21

THE MEDAL FOR LATIN


 Liam James Prigmore ’21

THE MEDAL FOR FRENCH


Kayla Carolynn Russell ‘21

THE MEDAL FOR MANDARIN


Ryan James Noyes ’21

THE MEDAL FOR ECONOMICS


Alyssa O. Cross ’21

THE MEDAL FOR ART & DESIGN


Conor Owen Long ’21

THE MEDAL FOR ART & DESIGN


 

THE CLASS OF 2021

Stanley F. Alger, IV + *
Kaylee Elizabeth Allard +
Lence Laurent Altenor
Demitrius Andrellos
Grace Patricia Ardito + *
Molly Rose Ardito +
Casey Bachner +
Jack Bartley + *
Andrew James Becker *
Collin Patrick Berube
Elizabeth Rose Bodette *
Victoria Catherine Bono
Madeleine Nazarene Botti *
Ava Grace Breault
Jennifer Anne Britto + *
Thomas J. Brosnan, Jr. + *
 Brooke Elizabeth Brown +
Olivia Laura Cafarelli + *
Jessica Angelina Caputo *
Brady John Cerveny + *
Lu Chen *
Zekun Chen
Juyeon Chung + *
Brianna Kendall Ciardiello *
Ariana Maria Clark + *
Maxwell Willam Clarke +
Julia Elizabeth Clifford +
Lindsey Muriel Cohen
Paul Andrew Tortorella Collins
Alyssa O. Cross + *
Giulia Virginia Damico
Alexis Grace DeMarco + *
Deniro Anthony DeMarco +
Xinjie (Jimmy) Ding *
Deanna Mia DiNitto
Sergio Edward Domingo
Bennett Edward Donnelly + *
Yinxuan Du *
Molly Patricia Dugan + *
Theodore Leslie Thornton Dysart, Jr. +
Jake N. Elbeery
Ming Tong Fang
Ella Camille Farraher
Brianna Linda Fountain + *
Gianna Rose Frenzo +
Isabel Grace Geary *
Michael Gizzi
Ava Gray Graichen +
Arya Gupta + *
Liam Christopher Harrington
Stephen Hu
Mary Margaret Hueston + *
Ritchie John
Michael Connor Kamelle + *
Zoe West Karoub + *
Emma Christie Kilbride + *
Gwyneth Lauren Kirby + *
George Kiu *
Kip Patrick LeBaron
Gabriel Nicholas Lembidakis
Sophia L. Liatsos
Salvatore Alessandro LoCoco + *
Conor Owen Long
Melina Loyack + * 
Trevor Jerome Lundy
Ethan Benjaman Luongo + *
Elise Lucille Lyons +
Brenna Ann Manzi
Alexandra Martinson +
Benjamin McCue
Dominick Dondero McDonough + *
Nizhoni Whelan McDonough + *
Brady Garrett McGrath
Colin Patrick McGrath
Quinn Harrison Meissner
Faith Moran + *
Kathleen Elizabeth Morrison
Ashley Rose Murdock + *
Ryan James Noyes + *
Jaeleene Destiny Nuñez +
Thomas William Leavitt O’Koniewski
David Charles Olson
Connor Wiland O’Neill
Amelia Marie Oulton
Jade M. Owirka
Jack William Patten
Amanda Kay Patti + *
Gabriela Maria Pearson +
Angelia Teresa Pepe
Emily Rose Pessina + *
Conor James Peterson + *
Marveen Philippe Pierre
Georgia Joan Poulakis
Liam James Prigmore + *
Adrian R. Quezada
Emma Rose Ricciardelli + *
James Russell
Kayla Carolynn Russell + *
Douglas Hugh Russo + *
Aidan Joel Sasser
Arpitha Sharma
Lily G. Silver
Kate Elizabeth Simpson + *
Cheyenne Glissette Smith + *
Katelin Griffin Stone + *
Hannah Sullivan
Hayley Elizabeth Taber
Serafina Maria Tavano
Joseph Thibodeau
Callum Tinkler +
Maxwell Robert Todisco
Eryn Kaitlyn Trant + *
Devin Brian Trevor
Marvin James Twombley
Ellie Marie Ungashick
Gabrielle Vachon *
Cassandra Valentine + *
Jackson Alexander Vanegas +
Olivia Maeve Venuto
Alyssa Eve Vounessea + *
Elizabeth Grace Walsh + *
Yuxuan Wang *
Edward Wei + *
Huadan Zheng
 
*National Honor Society
+Foreign Language Honor Society