OLM School Holds 8th Grade Graduation, Honors Awarded

OLM School held graduation ceremonies for its 8th graders on Monday, June 12 at OLM Church.  In a ceremony let by OLM Pastor, Father Bernard A. Healey and OLM School Principal, Scott W. Fuller, the OLM graduates received their diplomas and listened to speeches and readings by their fellow graduates. They also sang the school song “Circle of Mercy” while giving roses to their parents as a sign of gratitude. The Address to the Graduates was delivered by Student Council President Casey McQuesten.  He quoted Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps in reflecting on the class’s makeup of “believers, doers, thinkers and dreamers” and encouraged them to practice these virtues into high school and beyond.

Of the 24 graduates, 8 boys will be attending Bishop Hendricken High School and six girls are heading to St. Mary’s Academy, BayView.  Five students are attending LaSalle Academy, two are headed to Prout, two to North Kingstown HS and one to Exeter-West Greenwich.  At an awards breakfast on Sunday, June 11 which was held after the graduates celebrated mass as a class with the parish community, several students were honored with individual recognition for excellence in a variety of subject areas.

In recognition of their fine academic achievements, three OLM students received Gold Presidential Awards, indicating that they had achieved at least a 95 overall average for each middle school year.  Five students earned Silver Presidential Awards, with at least a 90 average for each middle school year.

A complete listing of the 2017 OLM School graduates, intended high schools and award recipients follows:

Braydon Allen ❖ (Religion) – Bishop Hendricken

Rianna Arpin – St. Mary Academy-Bay View

Dylan Brunner** ❖(Mathematics, Science, Music, Spanish, Mock Trial Leadership) – Bishop Hendricken

Christopher Cambio ❖(Language Arts) – Bishop Hendricken

Giabella Childs  – St. Mary Academy-Bay View

Ethan Clark – Bishop Hendricken

John Colitz ❖ (Physical Education) – LaSalle Academy

Anthony Commendatore – Bishop Hendricken

John DelGiudice – LaSalle Academy

Nicholas DiBattista ❖(Social Studies, Music) – The Prout School

Kaitlyn Duska ❖ (Art) – Exeter-West Greenwich

Madelyn Grant* ❖ (Science, Language Arts) – North Kingstown High School

Laura Henriques – North Kingstown High School

Alise Knudson** ❖ (Spanish) – St. Mary Academy- Bay View

Allison Lombardi* – LaSalle Academy

Casey McQuesten** ❖(Science Olympiad Leadership) – Bishop Hendricken

Allison Medeiros* ❖  (Christian Values) – St. Mary Academy-Bay View

Isabella Merolla ❖ (Social Studies) – The Prout School

Paxton Miga  – LaSalle Academy

Kylie Mulhearn* ❖ (Math, Religion) – St. Mary Academy-Bay View

William Nerone – Bishop Hendricken

Kathleen O’Connell* ❖ (Physical Education) – St. Mary Academy-Bay View

Malcolm Verdi ❖ (Christian Values) – Bishop Hendricken

Robert Weedon – LaSalle Academy

❖ Academic Awards:  Awards are given to students who achieve exceptional grades, participate in class, and show enthusiasm for the subject.

✶ Presidential Awards: The Silver Award (*)is given to students who achieved at least a 90 overall average for each middle school year. The Gold Award (**)is given to students who achieved at least a 95 overall average for each middle school year.

With a tradition of excellence in Catholic elementary and middle school education since 1951, Our Lady of Mercy School offers its students an opportunity to pursue excellence in academics, athletics and the arts on their journey as young saints and scholars. Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Pre-K through Grade 8, co-educational Catholic school located in East Greenwich provides a nurturing, values-driven environment built upon the teachings of the Catholic Church.