LWN0610_Grad

JUNE 10, 2021
WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880
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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 Preparatory School commencement at Cronin Memorial
Stadium on the school’s campus on May 22.
St. John’s Prep graduates 258
at 111th Commencement
By Anne Marie Tobin
DANVERS — St. John’s
Preparatory School held its
111th Commencement exercises
Saturday, May 22.
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.
COURTESY PHOTO | ST. JOHN’S PREP
Lynnfield’s Ethan Diranian raises his arm in triumph after receiving
his St. John’s Prep diploma Saturday as a member of
the star-crossed but resurgent Class of 2021.
"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.
Anne Marie Tobin can be
reached at atobin@itemlive.
com.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021
from all of us at
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