Bosco Graduates 20 Mahwah Students

Brigadier General Timothy E. Trainor, a Don Bosco Prep alumnus who is the Dean of the Academic Board at The United States Military Academy at West Point, was the principal speaker at the exercises of Don Bosco Prep’s 97th Commencement on Sunday, June 4.

 Under beautiful, sunny blue skies, General Trainor, a member of the Class of 1979, addressed the graduates, “I discovered at Bosco that learning is important and the intellectual foundation built at Bosco has served me well in life.  Maybe more important is a passion for continued learning. Learning does not end when you leave the halls of high school, college or graduate school.  You need to have a passion for continued learning because that helps you adapt and succeed as life changes.”

The class salutatorian and recipient of the silver award for academic excellence, Gaston Jean-Louis of Pomona, NY, who will be attending Harvard University in the fall, addressed the audience, “Don Bosco (Prep) has helped us to achieve exactly what Einstein had hoped: This school has enabled us to grow into men of value—to our communities, to our families, and to society.  And for that, we are extremely grateful to all of our teachers, administrators, and most of all, to our parents and families who made it possible for us to come here and who have helped us all the way to this day.”  

Christopher Wilson, the class valedictorian, National Merit Commended Student and recipient of the gold award, who hails from Hawthorne, NJ, will attend Villanova University in the fall. In his speech, Chris said, “Every single Ivy League university handed out at least one (but in many cases there were multiple) letters of admission to a Don Bosco student this year. Countless other students will be attending equally reputable universities such as Georgetown, Notre Dame, NYU, Villanova, Lafayette, and these names that I seem to be throwing around with ease are just a small cross section of the impressive places that my classmates will be heading as a result of their endless dedication to their studies.”

The graduates were presented by Dr. Albert Del Principio, Assistant Principal for Academics and diplomas were awarded by John Stanczak, Principal, and Fr. James Heuser, SDB, Director/President.

Among the many recognitions during the graduation ceremony was the Outstanding Graduate Award for demonstrating superior qualities and virtue in all aspects of student life, which was awarded to Bennett Alvaro of Ridgewood, NJ. 

Don Bosco Awards for character, service and leadership were presented to Bennett Alvaro, Robert Jones, Nicholas Mendolia, Patrick Sweeney, Patrick Wallace, Joseph Dibble, Thomas McNulty, Brian Sullivan, Grant Van Orden, and John Wilkins.

Members of the Class of 1962 attended the graduation as the final event in their 50th reunion weekend, and were presented with medals honoring them as members of the 50th reunion class.

Members of the Don Bosco Prep Class of 2012 from this area are:

Mahwah

Alexander Thomas Badura

Ryan John Berger

Nicholas Angelo Carapezza

Ryan Paul Caroli

Richard S. Courage

Nicholas John Grippo

Joseph Jean Hallak

Taylor Blue Henne

Klaus Joseph Kiess

Brian Dunn Kittredge

Aidan Tiernach Murray

Daniel Joseph Pallotta

Richard Pasquali

Michael Tyler Picinich

Thomas John Potenza

Stephen Matthew Prendergast

Nicholas Spyropoulos

Patrick Conner Sweeney

Luke Patrick Varites

Anthony Dominic Vellucci

Franklin Lakes

Charles James Bivona

Richard William DeKorte

James S. Hoffmann

Benjamin Croland Luethke

Donald  Joseph  Roman

Conor F. Scavone

Theodore C. Sisco-Tolomeo

Robert Peter Wolfangel

Thomas  J. Wright

Glen Rock

Patrick Andrew Cena

Mitchell Jack Keller

Ryan Michael Keller

Klaus Joseph Kiess

Conor Brendan Sheehan

Midland Park

None

Oakland

Christian Alec Brown-Noel

Nicholas Ryan Mendolia

Peter Petrosino

Ramsey

Padraic Michael Quinn

Collin Andrew Surless

Joseph Martin Tekerian

John Henry Wilkins

Michael Joseph Yankovich

Ridgewood

Bennett Alvaro

Christian M. Costello

Mark Patrick Donatacci

Connor John Georgiopoulos

Seung Jun Lee

Ryan James Paradis

John J. Petzold

Waldwick

Matthew Joseph DeFazio

Nicholas S. Franco

Michael P. Froonjian

William Christopher Reardon

Brian Francis Taylor

Wyckoff

Kevin Chmiolek

Matthew Devlin Dacey

Maxwell Adrian Everett

Tyler James Prior

Thomas Joseph Sancetta

Grant James Van Orden

Jeffrey  Thomas Vicari

Allendale

Avery A. Baratz

Ho-Ho-Kus

Kevin Turner Donadio

Saddle River

Jared Taylor Goldenberg

Alijan S. Ispahani

Steven  August  Lombardi

Taylor Campbell Sweeney

Upper Saddle River

Michael Alexander Casimos

Gregory Chassapis

Francis Michael Colangelo

John Patrick Geraghty

Austin James Lapes

Seung Jun Lee

Thomas Delaney O'Sullivan

Marco Joseph Pernice

Woodcliff Lake

Douglas Patrick Dragon

Joseph  Francis Purritano

Tyler Dalaker Scharf

Adam Kenneth Turcott

Alexander Zabrodskiy

Westwood

None

Washington Township

None

Montvale

Andrew Michael Boman

Luke E. Glayat

Park Ridge

Thomas  R. Dowd

Emerson

Harold Hofmeister

Scott Vincent Menken

Ronak Patel

Hillsdale

None

Old Tappan

Daniel E. Albarran

Ryan Paul Fiore

Nicholas John Scrivanich

Matthew Randall Zubowski

River Vale

Jonathan S. Miceli

Oradell

Vincent Siekierski

Brian W. Sullivan

Paramus

Robert  W. Jones

Suffern, NY

Anthony Robert Bontatibus

James D. Conklin

Christopher Robert Russo

Sloatsburg, NY

Nicholas Blake Lapinski

Pearl River, NY

William John McCormack

Matthew James McMorrow

Thomas Moore McNulty

Joseph  P. Moran

Joseph  P. Moran

Kevin J. Mulligan

Tuxedo, NY

Ryan Thomas Creazzo

Conor J. Sperzel

The above is a release from Don Bosco Prep.