SHP Celebrates Commencement in its 127th Year

Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP) graduated 160 students at its 127th commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 22 on the Gator Nation football field. Graduates from the Class of 2025 will attend at least 84 different institutions: at least 59 students will study in California, 99 will study out of state, and two will study out of the country. Two graduates will serve the U.S., one enrolling in the U.S. Air Force Academy and one in the U.S. Naval Academy.

For 19 consecutive years, SHP’s athletics program has sent 15 or more student-athletes to play at the intercollegiate level. The Class of 2025 will send 23 athletes to play in college across 14 different sports.

Twenty-eight members of the graduating class have been on the preschool – grade 12 Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (SHS) campus for 12 or more years.

At the ceremony, diplomas were presented by Marnie Marcin, chair of the Board of Trustees; Richard A. Dioli, director of schools; Jorge Reyes, assistant principal, curriculum and academics; and Jason Armstrong, assistant principal for athletics. Dioli gave remarks along with SHP Principal Dr. Jennie Whitcomb, Valedictorian Alexis Verner, Salutatorian Megan Newby, and faculty speaker Dan Kennedy.

Preceding the commencement, a traditional Honors Convocation and Graduation Mass, presided over by Fr. John Whitney, took place on the Gator Nation football field on Wednesday, May 21. Following a century-old school tradition, "Blue Ribbons" were awarded to select students, nominated by the faculty and ratified by the administration. Blue Ribbons are the highest honor given by SHS to graduating seniors and reflect outstanding achievement in academics and standards of character in the fulfillment of one or more of the school's guiding Goals & Criteria.

Graduates receiving a Light Blue Ribbon, for embodiment of a particular Goal and its criteria, were awarded to:

Ella Abrams, Elizabeth-Kate Butcher, and John Plaschke for Goal I: A personal and active faith in God; 

Vishnu Kagolanu, Samantha Pyle, and Kate Ragatz for Goal II: A deep respect for intellectual values; 

Heidi Benitez Nolasco and Chris Almazan Razo for Goal III: A social awareness which impels to action; 

Ginger O’ Grady, McKinley Palmer, and Grace Rocha for Goal IV: The building of community as a Christian value; 

James Gremett and Lucy Newton for Goal V: Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom;

Colette Kling and Megan Newby received Dark Blue Ribbons, for embodiment of the values implicit in a Sacred Heart education.

 

Other notable academic achievements are the three students—Megan Newby, James Smith, and Alexis Verner—who earned recognition as National Merit Scholarship Finalists. Another 19 students received recognition as Commended students.

With college choices ranging from public and private institutions large and small, the Class of 2025 shows a breadth of interests in its future academic goals. Students plan to pursue programs as wide ranging as STEM, visual and performing arts, humanities, social sciences, business, and more.

In closing, Valedictorian Alexis Verner said the following to the Class of 2025, “I’ve been here for the past 13 years of my life, and, if I could, I wouldn’t go back and pick a different school. I wouldn’t shorten my time here by a single year. Because I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in a class with all of you.”