Diocesan News

The Tablet’s 2014 All-Scholastic Team

The Tablet is proud to present this year’s All-Scholastic Team, consisting of one graduating student from each of the 19 Catholic high schools in the diocese.

These young scholars are successful students who excel in academics, Christian leadership and community involvement. Their schools have recommended them based on these qualities and their demonstrations of integrity and school spirit.

A photo and a short description of each Tablet scholar can be found throughout this supplement. Captions for the photos on the cover can be found on Page 11A. Graduation details for the schools can also be found on Page 11A. A highlight of honors, awards and services from the graduating class can be found on Page 12A. In between academics and service, this year’s seniors also had time to play ball. For more, see page 14A. A highlight on students entering CUNY’s Macaulay Honors College and graduating from The Catherine Laboure Special Education School can be found on Page 15A.

Samantha Sattler

sattler

Archbishop Molloy High School

Parish: Our Lady of the Snows

Family: Eric and Anju, parents; Megan, sister

Home Neighborhood: Bellerose

Extracurricular Activities: Briarwood Shelter volunteer, peer tutor, parish lector, altar server, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, Science Olympiad, math league, dance club, Kings County Hospital volunteer, baking club, indoor track, National Honor Society, Middle States Accreditation Team student participant, spirit/activities leader

Scholarships: Hofstra, New York University, University of Rochester, Siena College, St. John’s Pharmacy Program, Stony Brook, Union College and Villanova

Awards: National Merit finalist, New York State Scholarship for Academic Excellence, Otto Burgdorf Biology Award, Bausch & Lomb Science Award

Plan after high school: B.S./M.D. Program at Siena College-Albany Medical College Joint Program with a major in biology

Quote of inspiration: “Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible.” — George Bernard Shaw

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Stephanie Phelan Logozo

Stephanie Phelan Logozo

Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School

Parish: St. Michael

Home Neighborhood: Sunset Park

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society, co-president; peer leadership; extraordinary minister of Holy Communion; taught CCD at St. Michael parish

Honors: National Honor Society Chapter Award for Academic Excellence, Leadership and Service; Principal’s Academic Honor Roll; academic honors for every academic quarter

Scholarships and Awards: St. Joseph’s College Presidential Scholarship; Harvard book prize for Academic Excellence

Plan after high school: St. Joseph’s College with an early childhood education major.

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Susan Bazik

S_Bazik_picture

Bishop Kearney High School

Parish: St. Bernadette

Family: Edith and Robert Bazik, parents; John, twin brother

Home Neighborhood: Dyker Heights

Extracurricular Activities: Band; Color Guard; Key Club; math team; C.S.J. Leaders; Earth Crusaders; school volunteer; biology and math tutor; Exploring Engineering at University of Maryland, ACE Mentor Program of America; Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Health Care; lector; altar server; Sandwiches for the Needy; sales at Tasty Pastry Shoppe, Student Council

Honors: National Honor Society, Mater Dei Chapter; Principal’s List, all marking periods, first in class every year; St. John’s University Outstanding Performance in the Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science; National Latin Exam: Maxima Cum Laude; Who’s Who in Fine Arts, national art award

Scholarships: Presidential Scholarship to Boston University; A.J. Drexel Scholarship to Drexel University, Pa.; Dean’s Scholarship to Fordham University; Presidential Scholarship to Manhattan College, N.Y.; Promise Scholarship and Engineering Award, New York University; Connections Scholarship to Northeastern University, Mass.; Rensselaer Leadership Award to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, N.Y.; Presidential Scholarship to Stevens Institute of Technology, N.Y.; Villanova Scholarship to Villanova University, Pa.; Merit Award Scholarship to Wentworth Institute of Technology, Mass.; WPI Presidential Scholarship to Worcester Institute of Technology, Mass.; The State Education Department Scholarship for Academic Excellence

Plan after high school: Manhattan College with a major in engineering

Quote of Inspiration: “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Ramon Castillo

Ramon-Castillo

Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School

Parish: Divine Mercy

Family: Mr. and Mrs. Ramon Castillo, parents; Maria, Belen, Ana, Ines, Clara, Paula, Pedro and Paloma, siblings

Home Neighborhood: Williamsburg

Extracurricular Activities: School band, alto saxophone and section leader; varsity lacrosse; National Honor Society; Lasallian Youth, faith and service group; church cantor; handball; worked in maintenance at St. Gabriel Church, East Elmhurst; took a year off between junior and senior years to do missionary service at Domus Galilaeae, Galilee, Israel; summer programs in engineering at Cooper Union and Manhattan College

Scholarships: Ronald McDonald House Charities National Scholarship for $100,000, which he will apply to his degree

Plan after high school: Polytechnic Institute of New York University with a biomedical engineering major

Quote of inspiration: “Rise and rise again until lambs become lions.” — Robin Hood

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Orian del Fierro

Orian-Del-Fierro

Cathedral Preparatory Seminary

Parish: St. Adalbert

Family: Norinda and Joselito parents; Orellana, sister

Home Neighborhood: Elmhurst

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society; varsity basketball; varsity cross-country track; forensics team; choir; sacristan; Right to Life Club; minister of welcome (usher) at parish; Decoration Committee member at parish

Honors: Valedictorian

Scholarships: Catholic University CUA Scholarship; Catholic University Parish Scholarship; Florida Institute of Technology Scholarship; Manhattan College Dean’s Award; SUNY Maritime College American Bureau and Shipping Academic Scholarship; SUNY Maritime College Empire Diversity Scholarship; NYIT Steele Scholarship; St. John’s University Academic Achievement Award; St. John’s University Catholic High School Scholarship; Stony Brook University Valedictorian Scholarship; University of New Haven Charger Award

Plan after high school: SUNY Maritime College, Cadet Program with a major in marine engineering

Quote of inspiration: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” — Ridley Scott

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Luigi Garcia

Luigi_Garcia

Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School

Parish: Sacred Heart

Family: Denny M. Nuñez, mother; Juan Luis Garcia, father; Christine Garcia, sister; Oscar Nuñez, brother

Home neighborhood: Fort Greene

Extracurricular activities: Baseball team; Mercy Home Volunteer; Economics for Leaders

Scholarships: Providence College; LaSalle University Achievement Award; Salve Regina University Founder’s Award

Plan after high school: Providence College with a major in finance

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Ashley Biondo

Ashley_Biondo

Christ the King Regional High School

Parish: Our Lady of Hope

Family: Gaspare and Elia, parents

Home Neighborhood: Middle Village

Extracurricular Activities: J.V. and Varisty softball, J.V. captain; volleyball; Speech and Debate; Yearbook Club; National Honor Society, president; peer tutoring; Parker Jewish Nursing Home Volunteer; creative writing class participant at Sunnyside Community Center; religious education classroom assistant; extraordinary minister of Holy Communion; Middle Village

Prep Charter School teaching assistant; paid internship at the American Museum of Natural History; youth evangelist group leader at local parish

Honors: Principal’s List, first in class for all high school marking periods; Advanced Regents Diploma with Mastery in Science and Math; 2011 Water Resources Art and Poetry Finalist; AP Scholar Award; winner of Police Commissioner for a Day Essay Contest; accepted to Macaulay Honors Program at Queens College

Scholarships: St. John’s University Presidential Scholarship; St. Francis College Presidential Scholarship; Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship; Statewide Academic Excellence Scholarship

Plan after high school: Will be attending the Honors Program at St. John’s University on a full scholarship studying to be a physician assistant, while continuing to work part-time as a private tutor

Quote of inspiration: “It’s not where you go, it’s what you do when you get there.”

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Jennifer Reilly

Jennifer-Reilly

Fontbonne Hall Academy

Parish: St. Ephrem

Family: Mr. and Mrs. John Reilly

Home Neighborhood: Bay Ridge

Extracurricular Activities: Lifestream; Respect Club; Culture Club; Sancus; science lab assistant; Sports Night

Scholarships: George Washington University Dean’s Scholarship; College of the Holy Cross Scholarship; Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship; University of Connecticut Academic Scholarship; Villanova Grant

Plan after high school: George Washington University majoring in biomedical engineering

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John Patrick Murray

John-Murray

Holy Cross High School

Parish: St. Kevin

Family: Shari and John, parents; Megan and Ryan, siblings

Neighborhood: Flushing

Extracurricular Activities: Science research at Sloan Kettering’s Brentjens Lab

Scholarship: Michael J. Pergolizzi Memorial Scholarship

Plan after high school: Fordham University, Rose Hill campus, the Bronx, with a major in biology, then medical school

Quote of inspiration: “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi

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Erin Krebs

E_Krebs

The Mary Louis Academy

Family: Tara and John Krebs, parents; Jean

and Eric Krebs, siblings

Home Neighborhood: Middle Village

Extracurricular Activities: Student Council homeroom representative; Ambassadors Committee American Sign Language; robotics team; Youth Bridge NYC – Diversity Fellowship; president of Service Homeroom; Alzheimer’s Association Advocate; Internship with N.Y.S. Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.; Human Trafficking Committee; Fair Labor Committee; vocal lessons; Summer Arts Institute; Genesians Club; TMLA Fall Drama and Spring Musical; Maspeth Town Hall Theatre Troupe; Mind the Gap; Theatre Development Fund; babysitting

Scholarships amd Awards: Clark University Presidential Scholarship; CUNY Hunter Muse Honors Scholar Award; Fordham University Presidential Room Award; Fordham University Presidential Scholarship; National Merit Scholarship; The State Education Department Scholarship for Academic Excellence; Wesleyan University Scholarship

Plan after high school: Yale University with a

double major in theater studies and global affairs

Quote of inspiration: “If you’re feeling helpless,

help somebody.” — Aung Su Kyi

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Vishnu Nair

Vishnu-Nair

Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School

Family: Venugopalan Nair, father; Manjula Vettakkad, mother

Home Neighborhood: Rego Park

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society, president; Spanish Honor Society; Student Council, secretary; medical club; film club; photo club; science club; campus ministry; varsity golf team

Scholarships: St. John’s University Presidential Scholarship, Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship, Stony Brook University Valedictorian Scholarship, Stony Brook University Presidential Scholarship

Plan after high school: Macaulay Honors College at City College with a major in computer science

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Saliyah George

Saliyah_George

Nazareth Regional High School

Family: Janice Johnson-George, mother; Junior George, father; Safiya George, sister; Abednego Strachan, brother; Itrecia Strachan, sister

Home Neighborhood: East New York

Extracurricular Activities: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health; Science Technology Entry Program at Downstate Medical Center; Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools leadership program; student government; softball; National Honor Society

Scholarships: Posse Foundation Tuition-Leadership Scholarship; Diaspora Community Service Essay Contest Winner; Most Improved Softball Player 2012-2013; Certificate of Merit from the New York State Assembly and Salute from the Brooklyn Borough President

Plan after high school: Franklin and Marshall College with double major in public health and English literature; will intern at Deutsche Bank for the summer of 2014

Quote of inspiration: “Those who make opportunities happen will always be successful because they do not sit back and get lost in life.”

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Angela Banovic

Agnes Academic High School

Parish: St. Luke

Family: Helen and Ivo Banovic, parents; Josip and Andrea, younger siblings both of whom attend St. Luke’s school

Home Neighborhood: Whitestone

Extracurricular Activities: Dance club; track club; cooking club; UNICEF; movie club; cheerleading; Science Research Program, a three-year independent study course offered through SUNY at Albany; tour guide at annual open house; volunteer at freshmen orientation; representative of St. Agnes at St. John’s University High School Fair; National Honor Society; Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society

Scholarships and Awards: Adelphi University Dean’s Award; Fairfield University Loyola Merit Scholarship; Molloy College Dominican Scholarship; Pace University Trustee Recognition Award; Sacred Heart University President’s Excellence Award; SUNY Plattsburgh Freshman Merit Scholarship

Plan after high school: Fairfield University in Connecticut with a major in nursing in hopes to become an OB/GYN nurse.

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Peter Andrew Clarke Jr.

clarke

Saint Edmund Preparatory High School

Parish: St. Albans’ Episcopal Church

Family: Tanda and Peter Clarke, parents; Sandra Lynch, grandmother; Chinyere Muntu, aunt

Home Neighborhood: Canarsie

Extracurricular Activities: Street Corner Gourmet; Sound Crew; Tech Team; Pep Band; Jazz Ensemble, SEP Ambassadors Program; math club; National Honor Society; Emmaus team retreat leader; Freshmen Mentor Program; Brooklyn Public Library T4 Program volunteer; Sunday school assistant; band performances at Victory Memorial Hospital, SS. Joachim and Anne Nursing Home and Fort Hamilton Senior Nutrition Center

Scholarships and Awards: Brown University Scholarship; Tufts University Grant; Tufts Balfour Scholar; Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship for College of the Holy Cross; Northeastern University Grant; Zegar Diamond Scholarship and CAS Scholarship to NYU; Stony Brook University Dean’s Scholarship and Presidential Scholarship; New York Institute of Technology Presidential Scholarship

Plan after high school: Brown University with a concentration in computer science; pursue a master’s degree in computer science

Quote of inspiration: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein

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Lauren R. Martinez

Martinez_Lauren

Saint John’s Preparatory High School

Parish: Immaculate Conception

Family: Nuala and Matthew Martinez, parents; Amanda and Katie Martinez, sisters

Home Neighborhood: Astoria

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society, vice-president; varsity volleyball; Irish culture club; Spanish culture club; Student Council; St. Vincent de Paul Society soup kitchen volunteer; altar server; extraordinary minister of Holy Communion; campus ministry; school alumni liaison; freshmen student orientation; school open house tour guide; Our Lady of Mount Carmel CYO volleyball coach

Scholarships: St. John’s University; St. Joseph’s College; Long Island University; Fairfield University; St. Francis College; Iona College; Hofstra University; College of Mount St. Vincent; Scranton University; Sacred Heart University; Pace University; Fordham University; Quinnipiac University

Plan after high school: St. John’s University with a major in biology; after completing degree, hopes to assist in research efforts toward finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease

Quote of inspiration: “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” — Mother Teresa

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Amanda Puitiza

Amanda_Puitiza

Saint Francis Preparatory School

Parish: St. Fidelis

Family: Daniel and Mirtha, parents; Daniella, older sister

Home Neighborhood: College Point

Extracurricular Activities: Editor-in-chief and writer for The Seraph, school newspaper; Egyptian club; knitting club, vice president and member; concert band, clarinetist with about 10 years of experience; math and science tutor; advanced physical science, biology and chemistry lab aide; Thanksgiving drive volunteer; soup kitchen volunteer; school open house volunteer; peer counselor; school library aide; St. Fidelis religious education teacher assistant; volunteer for Poppenhusen Institute Historical Landmark, College Point; clerical volunteer for Elmhurst Hospital; aide at Ozanam Hall Nursing Home, Bayside; NY Magic Cleaning Service clerk; Bay Terrace Country Club gate guard; babysitter

Honors: Principal’s List 2010-present; perfect attendance 2010-present; Gold Medalist in National Spanish Exam; AP Scholar with distinction; National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar

Plan after high school: Attend Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with all-expense-paid package, including dorming; will double major in biochemistry and anthropology and minor in music; will seek work-study programs, internships and options for studying abroad; continue volunteering; hopes to volunteer in Peru, where family is from

Inspiration: “I’ve worked very hard to get where I am and I try not to forget where I come from. The roots are very important.”

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Laure Raymond

Laure-Raymond

Saint Joseph High School

Parish: St. Francis of Assisi-St. Blaise

Family: Marie Nadêge, mother; Janvier Raymond, father; Christine Raymond, sister

Home Neighborhood: East Flatbush

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society; Student Leadership Council; peer tutor; anime club, president; track and fitness club, president; drama club; library club; volunteer at school events; altar server; catechist; youth group program director; Breast Cancer Walk

Honors: Valedictorian

Scholarships: Vertieres Scholarship; University of Rochester Scholarship

Plan after high school: Barnard College with a major in biochemistry on a pre-medical track

Inspiration: “My teachers and their genuine concern for my success, the support of my family and friends and my strong sense of self are the basis for my success.”

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Keri Samantha Gill

SKeri_Gill

Saint Saviour High School

Parish: St. Clare

Family: Jacintha and Kenrick Gill, parents

Home Neighborhood: Rosedale

Extracurricular Activities:➢Editor of Voices, literary magazine; Italian club; chess club; library volunteer; Student Council, cultural harmony representative; history matters club; linguistics club; Emoti-Con! NYC Youth Digital Media and Technology Festival youth presenter; Moody’s Math Challenge contestant;➢North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad participant

Honors:➢Valedictorian; National Honor Society;➢first honors; medal for general excellence; St. John’s University Women in Science and Math Award; The George Washington University Engineering Medal; Joseph Duffy Essay Contest winner; National Latin Exam Perfect Paper and Gold Medal; medal for chemistry; medal for algebra

Scholarships: Full four-year merit scholarship to St. Saviour H.S.;➢National Achievement Scholarship; N.Y.S. Academic Excellence Scholarship; Macaulay Honors College at Baruch College; Marist College Scholarship

Plan after high school: Cornell University with a major in computer science.

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Daniel F. Loud

Daniel_Loud

Xaverian High School

Parish: Our Lady of Angels

Family: Timothy and Adrienne, parents; Nicholas, brother who is a freshman at Xaverian

Home Neighborhood: Bay Ridge

Extracurricular Activities: Select band; senior jazz band; concert band; mock trial; Young Democrats; psychology club; National Honor Society; lector

Scholarships: American Express Scholarship; Baruch College Macaulay Honors Scholarship; Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship; Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship; Loyola University Maryland Presidential Scholarship; Stony Brook University Presidential Scholars Award; Stony Brook University Valedictorian Scholarship; SUNY New Paltz Presidential Scholarship

Plan after high school: University of Pennsylvania; is discerning between two different majors: molecular biology or international relations.

Quote of inspiration: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.”