PWN052721

MAY 27, 2021
WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 9
St. John’s
salutes 258
graduates
By Anne MArie ToBin
DANVERS — St. John’s
Preparatory School held its
111th Commencement exercises
last Saturday morning.
Headmaster Edward P.
Hardiman, Ph.D. conferred
diplomas upon 258 graduates
during an outdoor, socially-distanced
ceremony held on
Cronin Memorial Stadium’s
Glatz Field.
“There are no appropriate
words that could aptly capture
what each person in this stadium
has experienced since 2:45 pm
on March 12 of 2020 (due to
the Commonwealth’s state of
emergency declaration),” said
Dr. Hardiman, adding that the
class was the first since 1948 to
include students who started as
seventh graders.
“It would be foolhardy to attempt
to summarize this experience,
given that each of you has
endured this public health crisis
in different ways, with different
challenges and different outcomes,”
Dr. Hardiman said.
“While you each have different
gifts, talents and experiences,
you have made connections,
built bridges and overcome obstacles,
and you’ve done it beyond
just the last 435 days.
“It’s been an honor and a
privilege to learn with you
and from you throughout your
time here. Keep building, keep
dreaming, keep adapting, keep
learning and always remember
that you never walk alone. We
are always with you.”
Michael Maddison of
Lynnfield was the class
valedictorian.
In his address, Maddison
urged his classmates “to have
the courage to be yourself.”
He reflected on his belief that
all new graduates need to open
their hearts and their minds.
“Who we all are is a mysterious
mixture of the passions we
choose and the identities we are
born with,” said Maddison, who
graduated St. John’s with a 4.73
GPA and will attend Dartmouth
College.
“In my experience, many
passions … are generally accepted.
Identities are a bit
trickier, since some identities
are less accepted than others.
We are multifaceted, but we are
also completely in love with the
things that make up our personalities.
I leave you all with this:
Make use of (life’s) moments
— big and small — with everyone.
Our diversity is a gift.
Inclusivity is how we celebrate
it.”
Fifty-two percent of the graduates
were members of the
National Honor Society, while
nine earned commendation as
National Merit Scholars. A remarkable
37 Eagles student
athletes signed national letters
of intent to continue their sports
careers in college.
This year’s seniors represented
44 cities and towns
across the Commonwealth, including
as far south as Brighton,
as far west as Westford, and
as far north as Newburyport.
There were seven international
students.
Family was a prominent
theme, as there were 28 legacy
graduates and many others with
familial connections.
“My son, Jack, graduated
here in 2017, my son, Thomas,
received his diploma today,
and my nephew will graduate
next year,” said Brenda Ligh
of Peabody. “This has been a
tremendously difficult time for
so many more people than just
those in this school community,
but having an opportunity
to come together and share in
these graduates’ experience
as they close one chapter and
begin another is something that
I think we all cherish, especially
because there was no guarantee
an in-person graduation would
ever happen.”
Marblehead’s Sean Heffernan
and Lynnfield’s Andrew
Vittiglio received Loyalty and
Service awards during a virtual
Senior Awards ceremony
held earlier this month. Salem’s
Noah Thomas received the
Paul “Buster” DiVincenzo ‘50
Athletic Director’s Award.
Peabody’s Nicholas Fursey
received the Sean Lynch ‘85
Scholarship Award, while
Maddison received a Stephen
J. Kiely ’68 Scholarship Award.
The top 5 percent of the senior
class in academic performance
(in addition to Maddison)
included Nolan Adam of
Marblehead and Mark Zolott
of Swampscott. At Friday’s
Baccalaureate Liturgy, Adam
was recognized with a Campus
Ministry Award.
St. John’s Prep will hold a
limited-admission eighth-grade
promotion ceremony for the
Class of 2025 on June 3. The
event will serve to recognize the
class’s 113 students’ resilience,
leadership and focus throughout
this school year as well as
honor individual and collective
achievements.
COURTESY PHOTO | ST. JOHN’S PREP
Members of the Class of 2021 face the flag during the national anthem prior to the 111th St.
John’s Prep Commencement on Saturday at Cronin Memorial Stadium on the school’s campus.
MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION
MONDAY, MAY 31
PRICES ARE NOT MISPRINTS!
APPETIZERS
• Stuffed grape leaves
• Potato skins
• Meatballs marinara
• Chicken Fingers
• Steak & Cheese Spring Rolls
• Fried shrimp
ENTREES
• Marinated steak tips
• Prime rib (served with au jus)
• Baked haddock (topped
with house bread crumbs)
• Baked stuffed shrimp
(stuffed with crab stuffing)
• Fried chicken plate
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