St. Monica’s Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation took place on June 11, 2015 at St. Andrew’s Church. Fathers Paul Sustayta, Patrick Nwokeogu, and Sam Ward concelebrated the Mass, with beautiful music provided by Mr. Stephen Grimm, Miss Genevieve Grimm, and the St. Monica Academy Schola. Salutatorian Andrew Lessard began the graduation ceremony by thanking St. Monica’s teachers and staff and introducing our Commencement Speaker, Dr. John C. Eastman. Dr. Eastman is the Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service, and former Dean at Chapman University School of Law in Orange, California. He is also the Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public interest law firm affiliated with the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy.

Following Dr. Eastman’s address, eighth grade speaker Anna Urrea delivered a brief but excellent speech on behalf of the graduating eighth graders. Mrs. Alma Cornejo, eighth grade teacher and Dean of Students, then presented the Anne Nutter Bessette Scholarship to Liam Norton. She also gave diplomas to 24 eighth grade graduates, St. Monica’s largest number to date. Next, Valedictorian Sophia Decker thanked St. Monica Academy for the exceptional education she had received, and exhorted her classmates to continue to strive for excellence in college and beyond. Board President Martin Boles then presented the Cardinal Newman Award to Arthur Halpin as the student who best embodies the ideals of St. Monica Academy’s educational philosophy.

More photos of the graduation mass and ceremony are available at www.stmonicaacademy.com/photos/. The following is a list of St. Monica’s graduating seniors of 2015, our biggest high school graduating class to date:

Mary Catherine Alario: Winner of the Provost Scholarship from the University of Dallas, graduating with First Honors, going to the University of Dallas

Gabrielle Marie Anderson: Winner of the Gold Founder’s Scholarship from Northern Arizona University,  First Team All-League in Softball, graduating with Second Honors, going to Northern Arizona University

Aidan Patrick Blackwell: professional bass player for Canto, entering the Emergency Medical Technician Program

Jade Helena Burgos: graduating with First Honors, going to Pasadena City College

Lemuel Canet: graduating with First Honors, going to Cal State Fullerton

Marcus Alexander Cortez: First Team All-League Varsity Basketball,  First Team All-League Varsity Volleyball, going to Glendale Community College

Sophia Juliana Decker: Valedictorian, Gold Medalist in the National Latin Exam four consecutive years, Bronze Medalist in the American Math Competition, Highest Honors in the National Greek Exam, National Merit finalist and scholarship winner, winner of full scholarships to the University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University, and the University of Kentucky, graduating with First Honors, going to the University of Kentucky

Rosalina Carmen Emnace: Winner of the Archdiocesan Christian Service Medal, graduating with First Honors, going to the University of Arizona

Pablo Freymann: graduating with First Honors, going to Cal Poly Pomona

Isaac Christian Griffin: going to Santa Monica College

Bibiana Maria Clare Grimm:  Winner of the Ronald Reagan Student Leader Award, Winner of the Pope Benedict Scholarship from Wyoming Catholic College, graduating with Second Honors, going to Wyoming Catholic College

Arianne Julianna Guzman

Arthur James Halpin: Winner of the Cardinal Newman Award, Winner of the Ronald Reagan Student Leader Award, Winner of the Directors’ Scholarship from Azusa Pacific University, graduating with Second Honors, going to Azusa Pacific University

Timothy Glen Jagels: Eagle Scout, going to California Maritime Academy

Andrew William Wallace Lessard: Salutatorian, Second Team All-League Varsity Baseball, winner of a full scholarship to Notre Dame,  graduating with First Honors, going to Notre Dame

Anna Josephine Rovelli McCall: League MVP – Varsity Volleyball, Defensive Player of the Year – Varsity Volleyball,  Winner of the Provost Scholarship from the University of Dallas, graduating with Second Honors, going to the University of Dallas

Karina Melin: Winner of the Ronald Reagan Student Leader Award, Second Team All League – Softball, Winner of the Founders’ Award from Azusa Pacific Universtiy, graduating with Second Honors, going to Azusa Pacific University

Jacob Edward Scott: Second Team All-League – Basketball, Defensive Player of the Year – Baseball, winner of a full scholarship to UCLA, a professional sports writer for the Tidings Newspaper, graduating with 1^st Honors, going to UCLA

Paulina Natalia Stanczak: MVP – Varsity Cross Country, graduating with First Honors, going to Boston University

Anne Marie Trear: First Team All League – Varsity Softball, Defensive Player of the Year – Varsity Softball