All 51 members of the Pinecrest Academy Class of 2013 were sent forth the weekend of May 24-25 with blessings, sound advice, and a solid foundation from which to begin the next chapter in their lives. The Baccalaureate Mass was held Friday evening, May 24, on the Pinecrest campus, followed by Commencement Exercises on Saturday morning, May 25, also on campus, featuring keynote speaker, Peter Kreeft, PhD.
Each year, seniors are awarded Formation Awards – Apostleship, Leadership, Athletic – along with the Integer Award, which recognizes Pinecrest’s motto of Semper Altius, meaning “always higher.” The following awards were presented:
The Integer Award Winner for the boys was Thomas Ross, and the Integer Award Winner for the girls was Olivia Fleck. “Integer” means completeness, and Pinecrest identifies a senior boy and girl who have exemplified this complete formation. The Integer Award recognizes students who have consistently, over the past four years, demonstrated exceptional characteristics of leadership and apostleship, assimilating the highest ideals of all four areas of formation – intellectual, human, spiritual and apostolic.
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The Apostleship Award for the girls went to Jinny Kim, who impacts those around her with the spirit of the Gospel. Recently she won the Georgia Right to Life Oratory Competition and competes nationally this month. The Apostleship Award for the boys was awarded to JP Martins, who played a big role in increasing school spirit during athletic events and is known for being the first to always volunteer for whoever needs a hand.
The Leadership Award for the girls was presented to Paloma Carroll, who has demonstrated leadership in Student Government and who has been a leader among peers. The Leadership Award for the boys went to John Paul Metz, who has consistently been an example of commitment and dedication in the classroom, and on the Football field and Basketball Court.
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The Athletic Award for the girls was presented to Cayce Hamilton, who earned honors in soccer all through high school, exhibiting grace on and off the soccer field. The Athletic Award for the boys was presented to Zachary Guard, who has served as a fine example of commitment, hard work and dedication in several sports.
Valedictorians for the Class of 2013 were Annie Lagomasino and Austin Ward, who held the highest GPAs. Salutatorians for the Class of 2013 were Erica Papa and Rafael Skokanic, who held the second highest GPAs.
Community sponsored awards were also presented:
The John Tarpley Award is a $500 scholarship presented to a young man who stands out for his integrity, love for Christ, and God given talent. Mason Moreau was this year’s recipient, who has excelled in all areas of fine arts.
The AJC Cup is awarded to a distinguished graduate in every Georgia high school. Chosen by faculty members, this award is presented to a student who shows leadership in community activities, arts, athletics and academics. This year’s AJC cup was presented to Erica Papa.
Criteria for the Herff Jones Award includes GPA, class rank, test scores, honors, activities on campus and hours/types of community service. Each nominated student was asked to answer: "Please explain how a person believing in you has had a positive impact on your success. What did he/she do and how did it help?" Pinecrest’s winner was Annie Lagomasino.
The Florence Nightingale Fund is a $500 scholarship for a female student who demonstrates the qualities of a great nurse: compassion, empathy, understanding, patience, and putting the needs of others ahead of her own. The scholarship was awarded to Maried Pérez.
