After an Unprecedented Four Years, the Seniors Have Truly Become a Flyer Family
By Nektarios Donas ‘24
In the fall of 2019, hundreds of anxious students entered an environment unlike anything they had previously experienced; the unfamiliar, however, is exactly what transformed these young freshmen into the outstanding men that graduate from Chaminade High School on Sunday, June 4, 2023.
The Class of 2023 experienced challenges during their four-year stay at Chaminade. During March of their freshman year, these students were given a Thursday and Friday off for COVID-19 concerns. Little did they know that those couple of days would close school for the rest of the year and impact the rest of their time at Chaminade.
Their sophomore year was partly asynchronous, meaning they had in-person, smaller academic classes for half of the school day and then worked independently during the other half.
While circumstances began to shift back to normal during their junior year, Chaminade was still not the school that it had been pre-COVID. Everyone was required to wear masks, lunch table occupancy was limited, and there was a COVID outbreak that canceled a day of trimester exams. It was not uncommon for students to be absent from in-person classes for weeks at a time, instead joining virtually.
Entering their senior year, however, every member of the class became a better man because of the adversity he faced. Mr. Ahmed Sarhan confirmed, “As a class they have gone through a lot of struggles and hardships, but overall it has made them a very strong-bonded class and they have grown into very distinguished young men.”
A defining feature of this class is that hardships never brought students down; rather, they used these hardships to strengthen their bond. In his salutatorian address, Anthony Vasquez ’23 reflected how he did not let anything hold him back. Quoting Albert Einstein, Vasquez stated, “A ship is always safe at the shore — but that is not what it is built for. Chaminade has shown us the value of stepping out of our comfort zones by offering so many unique clubs, sports, and activities for every student to try.”
In his valedictorian address, Bryan Adinolfi ’23 agreed that no matter how hard times get, Chaminade is a family and is always there through the struggles. When thanking the parents, faculty, staff, and his fellow students, Adinolfi clarified, “All of these people whom I just mentioned are a part of what we call the Chaminade family. Notice that we don’t just say the Chaminade community, but something even stronger: a family. This family is built through the day-to-day interactions between students, their teachers, and everyone involved in their education, and it thrives on kindness and compassion.”
It is hard to believe that just four years ago, the graduating Class of 2023 entered Chaminade. While they may no longer walk the halls of campus, these 399 alumni will always remain a part of this family. Congratulations to all on the incredible accomplishment of graduating Chaminade!
GRADUATION AWARDS
CHAMINADE MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD – Aidan Weber
MARIANIST EXCELLENCE AWARD – Anthony Benigno Vazquez
VALEDICTORIAN – Bryan N. Adinolfi
SALUTATORIAN – Anthony Benigno Vazquez
CHAMINADE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD – Bryan N. Adinolfi
BRO. JOSEPH FOX, S.M. SERVICE AWARD – John Aristides Boccio
BRO. LOUIS FAERBER, S.M. SERVICE AWARD – Giuseppe James DeMartino
PARISH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AWARD – Aidan Weber
ANGELO FERDINANDO BAND AWARD – Ryan Ribelle Renganeschi
STRING ORCHESTRA AWARD – Christopher Anthony Belanger
ALBERT KOZAR DRAMA CLUB AWARD – Liam Baron Fitzpatrick
ALEXANDER OTT GLEE CLUB AWARD – Joseph William Moran
ROBERT C. WRIGHT SPEECH & DEBATE AWARD – Dylan Hugh Long
JOSEPH F. THOMAS STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD – Gavin Patrick Creo
FRANK “BOILER” BURNS STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD – Patrick C. Mulryan
JOHN R. LENZ “SEMPER FIDELIS” AWARD – Matthew Frank Dieguez
chstarmac.com 