Twenty-three Grade 8 students – the largest graduating class in recent history – received diplomas June 9 when Dayspring Christian Academy of Attleboro held its annual commencement exercises at the adjacent South Attleboro Assembly of God Church.
Attired in blue graduation gowns and mortarboards accessorized with gold tassels to reflect the school’s colors, the latest DCA graduates were lauded for their “remarkable” contributions to the school and urged to “change this world” by guest speaker Darlene DeCastro, DCA’s admission director.
“The next chapter of your life opens now,” DeCastro said. “Continue your growth in Christ and carry forth your excellence and make us proud. There will never be another eighth-grade class like this one.”
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DCA’s Class of 2014 included Alex Boedeker, Alexandria Brown, Joseph Charpentier, Daryl Costa, Christine DaPaah-Afriyie, Lianna Derr, Seth Fayard, Brooke Fontaine, Ava Gomes, Gabrielle Granata, Sophia Grennon, Kyle Guthrie, Aidan Ignatius, Anneka Ignatius, Harold Nash III, Noelani Noel, Julianne Phillips, Nicholas Santana, Brianna Stanford, Caitlyn Stanford, Christina Stanford, Jordan Stanford and Caleb Vargas.
In her valedictory address, Anneka Ignatius advised her classmates to “not be afraid to fail, to try new things and to discover God’s plan for you. Take any failure and turn it into a new triumph.”
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In her salutatory address, Juliana Phillips said she was proud to graduate, but rued that “I am leaving my Dayspring family. We have used our time her well and our family is forever.”
Brief remarks were also delivered by Administrator Frank Rydwansky, Rev. Randal Ackland (pastor of the South Attleboro Assembly of God Church) and Robert Lavallee (DCA’s spiritual adviser). The trio also presented diplomas to all graduates.
Also publicly commending graduates on their achievements were faculty members Kimberly Theroux, Emily Gallo, Jeffrey Motta and Deryck Mason.
Many graduates received special awards along with their diplomas.
Alexander Boedeker, Alexandria Brown, Christine DaPaah-Afriyie, Lianna Derr, Brooke Fontaine, Gabrielle Granata, Anneka Ignatius, Noelani Noel, Juliana Phillips, Brianna Stanford, Jordan Stanford and Caleb Varbas were all presented gold cords signifying their membership in the school’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.
Earning special honors in specific academic subjects were Anneka Ignatius and Christina Stanford (English); Alexander Boedeker and Kyle Guthrie (social studies); Anneka Ignatius and Nicholas Santana (mathematics); and Anneka Ignatius and Kyle Guthrie (science).
Parents of the graduates pinned flowers on their children’s lapels early in the proceedings and the 13 female graduates sang “Born for This.”
