Notre Dame Announces Top School Awards at Commencement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2018

Notre Dame Announces Top School Awards at Commencement
Frank Paine ‘18 Named Code Award Winner; Eric Harkins ‘18 Earns Man of the Year

West Haven – Notre Dame of West Haven announced its two highest honors during the School’s 69th Commencement Exercises on May 27, 2018. Frank Paine ‘18 (Milford) earned the Code Award while fellow graduate Eric Harkins ‘18 (North Haven) took home the Man of the Year. The awards as determined by the school’s faculty are a closely held secret until their announcement on Graduation day.

The awards, as voted upon by the school’s faculty, were presented following Senior Speaker Akshay Reddy’s ‘18 remarks and the presenting of diplomas to the Class of 2018.

The Code Award is given to the senior whom the faculty deems best lives his life by the words stated in the Notre Dame Code. The Man of the Year is defined by the student who has made the greatest positive contribution to school life during his senior year.

The Code Award winner for the Class of 2018 is Frank Paine ‘18, of Milford who will attend Bowdoin College in the fall of 2018. The faculty used the following words to describe him: capable, responsible, gentle, a man of strong family values, personable, and a natural leader. One teacher said, “His ethics, integrity, and commitment to family and friends are beyond reproach. His gentle strength is evident in his many hours of volunteer work but his real strength and natural ability is his quiet, calm, leadership skills.” Another faculty member wrote, “He is an incredibly kind and compassionate young man. He has traveled to different parts of the country for two different mission trips. He understands how lucky he is to have all that he has and he wants to give back to those who are less fortunate than him...At a time when young people have a reputation of being completely self-involved, he is different and gives hope that kindness, compassion, and charity will carry on in the future.”

His focused work ethic, genuine personality, and willingness to help anyone in need have set him apart. His membership in the National, Math, and Latin Honor Societies attests to his intelligence. His involvement in the school includes being a member of Brothers Reaching Others (BRO), Culinary Club, Green Machine, AlumKnights, and the track and football teams. His leadership has been evident in his role as a Peer Counselor, officer in the National Honor Society, and captain of the football team. His commitment to service has been evident as a volunteer at Precious Blood Parish’s Saint Mary’s Church in Milford and participated in a number of service missions.

In announcing the winner, Mr. Adam Laput ‘89, Dean of Students, said “It is truly his strong moral character, intelligence, work ethic, humility, and loyalty that have won him the respect of his peers and the faculty alike. He is an example of what our staff attempts to teach our students both in the classroom and in their daily lives -- to be sensitive to other’s needs, generous with their time, and humble in their interactions. He is a credit to himself, to his family, and to Notre Dame High School. This year the Code Award is given to senior Frank Paine.”

Eric Harkins ‘18 was named the Class of 2018 Man of the Year, given annually to the senior who in the judgment of the faculty made the greatest positive contribution to school life during his senior year. He is involved in the life of the school beyond his studies, as well as a demonstrated leader, respectful of his teachers and peers, dedicated to his classmates, and passionate about Notre Dame High School. Eric heads to the University of Connecticut in the Fall of 2018.

His teachers describe him as motivated, creative, attentive, witty, and an unassuming person. As one teacher stated, “He is a young man of integrity and truth. He has demonstrated his ability to be his own man and can articulate the importance of this virtue.” Another one of his teachers said, “He has worked to build relationships with students and teachers because he sees the value in personal contacts and friendships. He pushes himself to be better every day and he makes his classmates better because of it.”

Eric is a member of the National, Math, and Spanish Honor Societies. During his four years at Notre Dame, his activities include serving as a peer counselor, member of Team ND, Alum Knights, Green Machine, Webcast Crew, Green Knight News, and Student Council President. He has also been a member of the tennis team for the past four years and served as a captain of this team his junior and senior year. He has volunteered in the larger community at Divine Mercy’s St Rita’s Vacation Bible School, the Special Olympics, and as a counselor at Hamden Hall’s summer camp.

“This level of involvement and his demonstrated leadership skills set him apart from his class. His dedication to Notre Dame High School and his class has won Eric Harkins the distinction of being Man of the Year for the class of 2018,” stated Mr. Laput ‘89, in announcing the award.


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