Most Reverend Michael J. Fitzgerald, the Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia who oversees Catholic Education in the Archdiocese, will be the main celebrant during a Liturgy of the Word preceding the 39th Annual Academic Honors Convocation at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. The 2018 All Catholic Chorus will provide the liturgical music, under the direction of Mrs. Anne Coneghen, conductor, and accompanied by organist, Mrs. Patricia Young.
This event honors graduating seniors from 33 Archdiocesan and private Catholic high schools for their academic excellence.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
6:15 p.m. (Procession)
6:30 p.m. (Liturgy of the Word)
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
The students, who are ranked in the top 3% of their senior class, will be honored for their academic success and dedication to their studies. This year, 157 students are included in the elite group according to their cumulative ranking at the end of the first semester of their senior year. The 39th Annual Academic Honors Convocation will be streamed in real-time utilizing Facebook Live via the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools’ Facebook page.
Sister Maureen McDermott, IHM, Ph.D., Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the Archdiocese said, “As they prepare to close a pivotal chapter in their lives, the Class of 2018’s distinguished scholars and their families have much to celebrate. The Archdiocesan Academic Honors Convocation provides an opportunity to publicly commend and honor these exceptional students and the loved ones who support them for their hard work and dedication to academic excellence.
As graduating seniors throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia prepare for their Baccalaureate Masses and Commencement Exercises we offer them prayerful best wishes for a successful and happy future.”
Alyssa Garcia, a senior from Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County) is keynote student speaker for this year’s Convocation. She was chosen from among 12 student honorees who applied for this distinction. Alyssa is a Presidential Scholar and already takes classes at Immaculata University as an Archdiocesan Scholar.
Ms. Garcia participates in several extracurricular activities at Pope John Paul II High School. Currently, she serves as the National Honors Society Vice President as well as the editor and a writer of the Literary Arts magazine, Palladium. She is also a student ambassador, a tutor, and a performer in PJPII’s Show Choir, Liturgical Choir, Concert Band, and Spring Musicals.
In addition, she is an altar server and an active parishioner of Saint Matthew Parish in Conshohocken. Outside of her school and parish communities, Ms. Garcia is also a volunteer for the Montgomery County Special Olympics.
Those individuals with asterisks after their names are in the Connelly Foundation Neumann Scholars Program. Initiated in 1995, this scholarship program identifies academically talented eighth grade students through an independently administered competitive examination and provides four year scholarships to attend any Archdiocesan high school.
2018 ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA ACADEMIC SCHOLARS
(Schools are categorized below alphabetically according to county)
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