On the evening of Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the 145th
graduating class of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School gathered in the PICE
Knights Arena at the MCPS Middle and High School Campus. Archbishop Thomas J.
Rodi, Superintendent of Education Gwendolyn Byrd, Montgomery Catholic President
Anne Ceasar, and High School Principal Justin Castanza were joined by Reverend
Fathers Patrick Gilbreath, Den Irwin, Nicholas Napolitano, Alex Valladares, and
Wayne Youngman, along with seminarian Joseph Schultz, as the special guests of
the class.
Due to government-issued social distancing guidelines and
face mask mandates, the graduates were seated with appropriate distance from
each other, and each was given a special face mask to wear during the ceremony
that matched their graduation regalia. Family seating was extremely limited, but
the entire ceremony was broadcast on Facebook Live, enabling friends and family
to take part in the festivities from their homes.
Salutatorian Sofia Grace Izer and Valedictorian Clare
Josephine Wilson addressed their fellow graduates, special guests, family, and
friends after the class received their diplomas from Archbishop Rodi. In
closing, Montgomery Catholic teacher Kerri Moore led the class of 2020 and
alumni in singing the Montgomery Catholic Alma Mater, "Catholic, Our
Refuge."
Before the conclusion of the ceremony, Castanza, who will be
assuming the role of Montgomery Catholic President upon Ceasar's retirement
from the position this summer, had one last surprise. After listing Ceasar's
accomplishments throughout her career as an educator and as President, Castanza
unveiled the Anne Ceasar Endowed Scholarship, a fund that will support students
in need at Montgomery Catholic, and furthering her legacy of helping families
in our community.
The 80 members of the Class of 2019 have earned $6.4 million
in scholarship offers from 23 colleges and universities across the United
States. The top 20 percent of the class achieved an average ACT composite score
of 31 and an average GPA of 4.28. Additionally, 18 of the 80 graduates started
school at Montgomery Catholic in kindergarten, most of whom are graduating with
honors, including valedictorian Clare Wilson. Our graduates include a National Merit
Scholarship Winner, an AP Scholar with Distinction, an AP Scholar with Honor, 30
members of National Honor Society, seven collegiate athletes, a future member
of the armed forces and a future firefighter, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership
Conference ambassadors, a state champion wrestler, a Great American Marching
Band member, state champion cross country runners, members of the VEX Robotics
World Championship team, three football players of the year, volleyball player
of the year, male basketball player of the year, wrestler of the year, All-American
cheerleaders, and members of the all-district and all-state honor bands. Their
achievements have energized our Montgomery Catholic family, and they have left
a new school spirit for future classes to be proud of.
Congratulations to the Class
of 2020!
Archie Aldreaus
Alexander-Green, Lorissa Theanna Algarin, John Raymond Allen, Mark Benjamin
James Austin Jr., Ryan Joseph Christus Avery, Megan Brydie Bourke, Donisha
Keira Boyd, Justin Oneal Bufford, Sarah Rose Burden, Jackson Strange Burt, Morris
Cassady Carmichael, Tanner Kelly Carter, Olivia Miriam Cheriyan, Robert Andrew
Crawford, Ethan Andrew Darwin, Ansley Elaine Dean, Nathan Michael Downes, Lainie
Nicole Doyle, Anna Michael DuBois, Patrick Michael Flores, Jason Louis Flowers,
Jalen Lesle Fountain, Darrell Devon Gibson, Victoria Rose Hall, Ashley Nicole
Hayes, Michael McCloskey Hodges Jr., Calob Lawrence Hopson, Theodore Karl
Hornsby, Christian Bane Ivey, Sofia Grace Izer, Savannah Denay Johnson, Josephine
Nicole Jolley, Madison McKenzie Kille, Austin Chase Little, Michael Justin Mason,
Jayla MaKensee Milam, Melanie Estefania Montes, Sean Michael Moore, Denalie
Dawn Mosakowski, Arthur Lee Murray IV, Robert Scott Nation, Katherine Danneker
O'Connor, Charles Edward O'Donnell, Cornelius Jaquan Owens, Zack Edward
Pappanastos, Jackson Anthony Penso, Katherine Rose Vide Perkins, Lorren
Christian Pharrams, Daniel Cole Pierce, Meaghan Colleen Pineda, Hayden
Elisabeth Pritchett, John Darrell Register, Garrett Raymond Rentfro, Darian
Alexander Riley, Mary Jane Roberts, Michael James Russo, Anna Elizabeth Sadie, Landry
Lawrence Samuels, Eliza Grace Scott, Emma Louise Secor, India Nekia Shields, Rhodes
Addison Singleton, Elizabeth May Speirs, Jarrod Alexander Stokes, Kinley Jordan
Tadlock, Mary Avery Tucker, Anjelica Maria Valencia, Christopher Edward
Valencia, MaryEllen Grace Vazquez, Minh Tan Vo, Chad Vincent Waite, Lynniece
Nicole Walker, Ja'Michael Tyrone Washington, Alexis Danielle Weber, Chloe Noel
Weber, Jack McDowell Weber, Orlando Terrell Whatley Jr., Clare Josephine
Wilson, Caroline McClendon Wright and Colby Alan Zaleski
