Holy Trinity School Class of 2018 Receive Awards

WESTFIELD, NJ -- Holy Trinity School in Westfield celebrated its 102nd commencement ceremony on June 8, 2018, with 28 eighth graders being awarded diplomas. Graduate Mary Wieszczek welcomed students, families and faculty to Holy Trinity Church for the ceremony.

The eighth graders earned 36 monetary scholarships to local private high schools, totalling more than $600,000. All of the students were accepted into their chosen high schools.

Diplomas and awards were presented by the Rev. Anthony Randazzo, pastor of Holy Trinity Church; Sr. Maureen Fichner, SSJ, principal; and eighth grade homeroom teachers, Joan Abbondate and Jacqueline Pantano.

The General Excellence Award for highest scholastic achievement in all subjects was awarded to Grace O’Neill. Additionally, the following students achieved first honors: Angelika Demetrick,Ava Hiel, Cyril Maliakal, Riley Newall, Guilia Patti, Chiara Soltani, Enzo Soltani, Andrew Troczynski, Sophie Vastine and Mary Wieszczek. These students achieved second honors: Jack Burke, Mei Chiang, Jack Keating, Emma Morasse, Morgan Paige, and Rebecca Schlutter. All honor recipients received the U.S. Department of Education’s Presidential Gold Award for Educational Excellence. Additionally, the Silver Presidential Award for Academic Achievement and Improvement was given to Olivia Haynes and Maya Robinson-Cook.

Awards donated by the Daughters of the American Revolution were presented by Chapter Regent Barbara Benko: the American History Award to Angelika Demetrick; and the Good Citizenship Awards to Cyril Maliakal and Mary Wieszczek. The Westfield Historical Society History Award what presented to James McDermott. The Pantano Family Foundation presented a scholarship to Ava Hiel.

Holy Trinity Home and School Association presented its Christian Leadership Award to Grace O’Neill. This annual award is the only one in which the honoree is nominated by his or her peers for having consistently demonstrated these values.

Scholar-athlete awards presented by Todd Mitchell, Athletic Director were given by the Home & School Association Sports Committee to Jack Burke and Riley Newall.

The following academic awards were also presented: The Msgr. Henry J. Watterson Award for personal integrity, moral development and excellence in religious students to Mary Wieszczek; for excellence in the language arts, Riley Newall; in algebra, Enzo Soltani; in science, Cyril Maliakal; in the French language, Rebecca Schlutter; in the Spanish language, Chiara Soltani; in technology and computer science, Angelika Demetrick; and in fine arts, Grace O’Neill. Cyril Maliakal and Enzo Soltani further received awards for perfect attendance.

Jack Burke led the class in the Prayer of Dedication, a Holy Trinity tradition since 1971, and he also delivered the class farewell.

Holy Trinity School, a pre-K through eighth grade parochial school operating from two campuses in Mountainside and Westfield, is run under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is a Middle States accredited school and a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.