Meet Some Outstanding Members of the Holy Cross Class of 2015

Students who graduated at top of their high school classes headed to Mount St. James

The approximately 730 members of the Class of 2015 will report to campus on Aug. 27 already having accomplished a great deal. They are among the top graduates in their high school classes, engaged in community service, and have distinguished themselves in creative pursuits and athletic endeavors.

Stories about members of the College’s newest class have been appearing in hometown newspapers across the country over the spring and summer months. Here is a look at some of those stories.

The Boston Herald reports that “a decade after escaping to Boston from war-torn Afghanistan, where girls were prohibited from attending school,” Auranous Abhar graduated as the Snowden International School Class of 2011 valedictorian. Abhar describes her journey from Afghanistan to America in an accompanying video. more »

Emily Catignani, of West Barnstable, Mass., graduated as the ninth ranking student in the Bishop Stang High School Class of 2011, according to The Standard-Times. more »

Alden B. Coffin, of East Rochester, N.H., and Zara Surratt, of Rochester, N.H., were among the top 10 seniors to graduate in the Spaulding High School Class of 2011. They were each involved in numerous activities, according to Foster’s Daily Democrat. more »

Robert E. Carrier, of Agawam, Mass., graduated as salutatorian, and Nicholas R. Cormier, of Feeding Hills, Mass., graduated as valedictorian from Agawam High School, according to the Springfield Republican. more »

Harry Crimi, of Havertown, Penn., graduated as valedictorian from Devon Preparatory School. According to the Westmoreland Times, he was an AP Scholar as well as Distinguished Honor Student and member of the National Honor Society. more » Lyndsay Delello, of Sidney, N.Y., will run track for Holy Cross. The Daily Star, which named her Female Athlete of the Year in track in 2010, reported that she “twice finished runner-up in the Division II 400-meter hurdles at the state meet.” more » Thomas Dess, of Montauk, N.Y., graduated as salutatorian of East Hampton High School’s Class of 2011. He has worked at the Montauk Fire Department since age 13, taught religious education to fourth graders and completed more than 500 hours of community service during his high school career, according to the East Hampton Patch. more »

Jessica “Jessie” Frascotti, of Needham, Mass., graduated from The Rivers School in Weston, where she was “an energetic and compassionate member of the Rivers community,” according to the Needham Patch. more »

Stephanie Haddad, of Peabody, Mass., graduated as salutatorian of the Bishop Fenwick High School Class of 2011, according to the Salem News. more »

Brendan Higgins, of Summit, N.J., graduated from Saint Peter’s Preparatory School in Jersey City, N.J. He was a member of the Campus Ministry Team, among other activities, according to the Summit Patch. more »

After being diagnosed with an unusual illness and told that she couldn’t play basketball anymore, Melissa Howland, of Millis, Mass., turned her attention to volunteering. According to the MetroWest Daily News, she volunteered almost 500 hours to a dozen worthy causes last year and received one of this year’s Operation Homefront's 2011 Military Child of the Year prizes. more »

After winning the state title, the Marblehead Reporter interviewed Marblehead High School hockey captain Ben Koopman. Asked what he would you like his legacy to be as a player on the championship team, the Marblehead native said, “I would want my legacy to be that I was a good leader and role model to my teammates, and the younger kids in town.” more »

Victoria Lee, of Wakefield, Mass., graduated as Wakefield High School Class of 2011 salutatorian, reports the Wakefield Patch. more »

Michael Russo, of Avon, Mass., has received a four-year Bean Scholarship from Holy Cross, a full tuition scholarship awarded to a major in the classics department. "I feel humbled and privileged to have been selected as a recipient of such a prestigious award as this," Russo told the Avon Patch. "I am looking forward to continuing my pursuits and immersing myself in Latin and Ancient Greek. I wholeheartedly know that at Holy Cross I will be able to fulfill such aspirations to the utmost extent.” more »

In a separate story, the Avon Patch focused on Russo’s senior mastery project, in which he “investigated the plight of America's migrant farm working population.” more »

Payton Shubrick, of Springfield, Mass., took five advanced placement courses during her four years at Central High School, according to the Springfield Republican. An academically rigorous institution, Central High School made a national Washington Post listing of challenge index public high schools. more »

Hannah Stokes, of Sandy Springs, Ga., is a volleyball champion and the recipient of the Coach’s Award “bestowed upon seniors for their athletic abilities, exemplary sportsmanship, and character,” reports the Sandy Springs Reporter. more »

NeighborNewspapers.com also profiled Stokes who competed with her Atlanta A5 Volleyball Club team at nationals recently. more »

Mike Techeira, of Foxboro, Mass., distinguished “himself as an accomplished scholar-athlete” at Catholic Memorial High School, according to the Foxboro Reporter. more »

Jamie Ward, of Glen Rock, “a graduate of Bergen Catholic High School, was recently honored by U.S. Lacrosse, NJ North (a chapter of U.S. Lacrosse) as an Academic All-American,” reports the Glen Rock Gazette. more »