June 2011 - Diocese of Bridgeport

June 201127SchoolsVals and Sals from page 25Newtown, is one of FairfieldPrep’s most prominent scholarsand athletes. A National MeritFinalist and a peer tutor throughthe National Honor Society, hehelped lead the lacrosse team toleague and state championshipgames. He was named an SCCScholar-Athlete last season. Hewill continue his lacrosse careerat Amherst College in the fall.Andrew Passarelli is a memberof the Spanish Honor Society andNational Honor Society. He wasactive in the peer tutor program,has been an editor and contributorto Prep’s literary magazineand a varsity swimmer at Prep.He was an active member of theCampus Ministry Board and afreshman retreat leader. An EagleScout, he has worked in theAppalachia summer immersionprogram. Andrew is a member ofSt. Mary’s Parish of Ridgefield,and will attend GeorgetownUniversity in the fall.“Connor is an open minded,thoughtful, sincere young man,”says Dr. Robert Perrotta, Prep’sprincipal. “The commitmentAndrew has made to athletics,service and extracurriculars whileFAIRFIELD PREPARATORY SCHOOL – Connor Byrne; Andrew PassarelliLAURALTON HALL, MILFORD –Danielle Sekerak, valedictorianmaintaining an outstanding academicrecord speaks of his dedicationto growth in the broadestsense. They both more than fulfillthe goals which we set at Prep.”Lauralton Hall, MilfordGraduation for 89 youngwomen took place at Our Lady ofMercy Academy, Lauralton Hall,on June 5. This year there were434 students at Lauralton.Valedictorian DanielleSekerak comes from St. JudeParish in Monroe. A Scholar-Athlete and member of theNational Honor Society andSpanish Honor Society, Daniellewas president of the HumanitiesClub and active in the Key Club,Science Club and ShakespeareClub. She has been a member ofthe soccer and basketball teams,and was named Most ValuablePlayer by the SouthwestConference in both indoor andoutdoor track. Danielle is alector at St. Jude’s, where shehas assisted in the VacationBible School, the BasketballTournament and St. Jude’sItalian Festival. She will attendVillanova in the fall where sheintends to major in English.“Danielle is simply the crèmede la crème – not just academically,but in everything she hasgiven to our school community asa leader, helper, friend and rolemodel,” said Lauralton PrincipalAnn Pratson.Lauralton’s salutatorian,Rebecca Napolitano, is a memberof St. Stephen Parish in Hamden.Sacred Heart Academy,HamdenOne hundred fifteen graduatesattended commencement exerciseson May 28 at Sacred HeartAcademy in Hamden. The schoolcurrently has 500 students.Sacred Heart Academyvaledictorian Amanda Kelly,a member of St. Catherine ofMcCauley AwardAida-Cristina Cruz,a member of St. GeorgeParish in Bridgeport, hasbeen named this year’sCatherine McAuley Awardwinner at Lauralton Hall.She was a member of theNational Honor Society,the Spanish National HonorSociety, EnvironmentalClub, Spanish Club, LHCares, and the HumanitiesClub, and helped with theschool’s Science Olympics.She was active in soccer,softball, indoor track, andis an apprentice black beltAida-Cristina Cruzin karate. At Saint Georgeshe taught religion to secondgraders and spent a year assisting in the parish’s SpecialEducation classroom. Aida-Cristina will attend ProvidenceCollege in the fall.“Many of our younger students have looked to her as theideal of what they can achieve,” says Principal Pratson.SACRED HEART ACADEMY –Amanda Kelly, valedictorianSiena Parish in Trumbull, will beattending Brown University thisfall with plans to study biologyor chemistry. A member of theNational Honor Society and boththe French and Latin NationalSTEM from page 26Honor Societies, she co-foundedand served as vice-president ofSacred Heart’s inaugural chapterof Mu Alpha Theta, the NationalMathematics Honor Society. Shewas president of the Key Club,and was on the school’s basketballteam. Amanda was an internin the Discovery to Cure Programat Yale University Departmentof Obstetrics, Gynecology andReproductive Services as a pharmaceuticallaboratory intern.“Amanda has taken on thechallenge of the most rigorouscourses offered at Sacred HeartAcademy across all disciplines andhas shown a particular interest inscience over the years both in andout of the classroom,” says guidancecounselor Patrick McAllister.Their salutatorian isAlexandra Rallo, of Grace andSt. Peter’s Parish in Hamden. Shewill attend Georgetown Universityin the fall.nthey began a pilot program in nine diocesan elementary schoolsfor grades six through eight during the 2009-10 school year.“Originally it was a stand-alone piece, interwoven with scienceand math, using the 21st century skills of collaboration,teamwork and problem solving,” says Tung. “Now it goesacross all instructionalareas.Instead of STEM,we could call it‘Stream.’”In February,teachers pickedthis year’s theme,and a Marchworkshop helpedto “train thetrainer,” withteachers of eachschool looking athow the STEMweek would workfor them. “Theyhad to question,‘How does thisplay out in thereligion course?In the mathcourse?’” saysTung. “The teachersthemselves MARIAH BROWN DISPLAYS her flowerpot and flowers. Students at all diocesanhad to brainstormschools will enjoy a week exploration of theand collaborate in STEM process at the end of the school year.groups to come up(Photo by Cheryl Moss)with a plan. It’s adifferent way oflearning – and a new way of teaching.”Calling for critical thinking, imagination and decision making,the STEM process encourages prepares students for thechallenges of a rapidly changing world. And for the last week ofschool, it’s a lot more fun than just cleaning out desks. n