COAL TOWNSHIP - Our Lady of Lourdes held the annual awards program honoring senior scholars on Wednesday, May 18. The following students were award winners:
Valedictorian, Christopher Brokus, and Salutatorian, Kiana Motto; Lourdes Scholars whose cumulative academic average for four years is 95 or higher: Christopher Brokus, Kiana Motto, and Francesca Pupo; Honor Students whose cumulative academic average for four years is 90 or higher: Michelle Albert, Kayla Conetta, Devan Dyszel, John Gilger, Dylan Lawrence, Amanda Miller, Emily Musser, Jared Shutt, Martin Williams, and Kurt Yasenchak; National Honor Society members, Father Filippelli Chapter: Michelle Albert, Christopher Brokus, Kayla Conetta, Devan Dyszel, Dylan Lawrence, Kiana Motto, Francesca Pupo, Martin Williams, and Kurt Yasenchak; French National Honor Society members and Level 4 pins: Christopher Brokus and Emily Musser; Level 4 Pin: Kurt Yasenchak; Spanish National Honor Society members and Level 4 pins: Michelle Albert, Kiana Motto, and Francesca Pupo. The Bishop's Gold Medal Religion Award presented annually to the senior attaining the highest accumulative average in Religion for 4 years was presented at graduation to Christopher Brokus.
The following students have earned the highest four-year cumulative averages in the following areas: Art, Amanda Miller; English, Christopher Brokus; Family and Consumer Sciences, Emily Musser; French, Christopher Brokus; Mathematics, Christopher Brokus; Music, Nicole Shipe; Science, Christopher Brokus; Social Studies, Christopher Brokus; and Spanish, Kiana Motto.
The awards for highest and second highest average in individual subjects were presented to: Religion IV, Christopher Brokus, first, Michelle Albert and Kiana Motto, tied for second; Art II, Sarah Kornaski and Tesia Laskoski, tied for first, Julieann Gusick, second; Advanced Art, John Gilger, first, Marissa Berry, second; Career Art, Francesca Pupo, first, Amanda Miller, second; Graphic Design, Amanda Miller, first, Michelle Albert, second; Accounting, Emily Musser, second; Business Law, Kyle McAnnaney, first, Jared Shutt, second; Computer Applications II, Alexander Garancheski, second; Marketing, Devan Dyszel, second; Personal Finance, Devan Dyszel, first, Kaitlin Peeler, second; British Literature (Honors), Christopher Brokus, first, Francesca Pupo, second; British Literature (Academic), John Gilger, first, Julieann Gusick and Kyle McAnnaney, tied for second; Advanced Cooking, Amanda Warwick, first, Emily Musser, second; Physical Education Boys, Dylan Lawrence, first, John Gilger and Kyle Madison tied for second; Physical Education Girls, Kiana Motto, first, Kayla Conetta and Holly Avellino, tied for second; Government/Economics, Francesca Pupo, first, Christopher Brokus, second; French IV (Honors), Christopher Brokus, first, Emily Musser, second; Spanish IV (Honors), Francesca Pupo, first, Michelle Albert, second; Algebra II-(Academic), Marissa Berry, first; Calculus, Christopher Brokus and Kiana Motto, tied for first, Kayla Conetta, second; Statistics & Probability, Francesca Pupo, first, Michelle Albert, second; Trigonometry, Amanda Warwick, first; Biology II (Honors), Christopher Brokus, first, Kiana Motto, second; Environmental Science, Matthew Knauer, first, Neal Khanna, second; Physics, Christopher Brokus, first, Kiana Motto, second; Psychology, Jared Shutt and Tesia Laskoski, tied for first, Julieann Gusick, second; Music Theory, Nicole Shipe, first.
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Certificate of Merit for being among the highest SAT scores in Pennsylvania; Christopher Brokus.
The following scholarships/awards were awarded: Our Lady of Lourdes Alumni Association, Kyle Burns, John Gilger and Neal Khanna; Edward A. Baker/Anthony E. Konopka Scholarship, Christopher Brokus; Parents Association at Lourdes Scholarship, Amanda Miller and Joseph Phillips; National Scholar Athlete for Academic Excellence, Kiana Motto and Dylan Lawrence; Reverend Charles Persing Foreign Language Award, Christopher Brokus; News-Item Achiever Scholarship, Emily Musser; Stella D'Italia Scholarship, Michelle Albert; Ray Tyo/St. Ferdinand Scholarship, Kiana Motto; Kiwanis Club of Shamokin - Karl A. Hoffman Journalism Award, Jared Shutt.
Memorial Awards were presented as follows: Chris Berthelson Memorial Award for Loyalty and School Spirit, Amanda Miller and Jared Shutt; Sylvia Cimino, Class of 1951, Memorial Award, Amanda Warwick; Vincent and Elvira DePiante Memorial Scholarship, Michelle Albert, Emily Musser and Francesca Pupo; Daniel C. Fabrizio, Class of 1982, Memorial Award, Joseph Phillips; Nicholas Girolami Memorial Scholarship, John Gilger; Laurie Ann Green Memorial Scholarship, Julieann Gusick; Monsignor Hassett Memorial Prize, Francesca Pupo; Marie A. Holland Memorial Scholarship, Kiana Motto, Joseph Phillips and Jared Shutt; Joseph M. Jasicki Memorial Award for Chorus, Kyle McAnnaney; Leon F. "Rusty" Kanaskie Scholar/Athlete Award, Christopher Brokus; Dolores Oravitz-Kazar Memorial Scholarship, Kiana Motto; Dr. A. Kay Keiser Memorial Scholarship, Kayla Conetta and Dylan Lawrence; F. George Kenney Memorial Award, Shannon Kenney; Knights of Columbus No. 628 - John C. Mehlbaum Memorial Award, Kyle Madison; Knights of Columbus-Stanley Sobotor Memorial Award, Alexander Garancheski; Daniel C. Welker Memorial Award, Kayla Conetta, Devan Dyszel, John Gilger, Dylan Lawrence, Kiana Motto, Joseph Phillips and Martin William; Elizabeth R. Wisneski Memorial Scholarship, Kurt Yasenchak; Russell F. Witt Memorial Prize, Kyle McAnnaney; and St. Francis Beneficial Society-Stanley Yodzio Memorial Award, Matthew Knauer,
Civic Awards were presented as follows: American Legion Post and American Legion Auxiliary No. 73 Award, Amanda Miller; Aqua Pennsylvania Science Achievement Award, John Gilger; Jeld-Wen, Inc., Award, Tesia Laskoski; Knights of Lithuania Council No. 156 Award, Christopher Brokus and Julieann Gusick; Kulpmont Centennial Scholarship, Francesca Pupo; Kulpmont Ladies Lions Club Award, Francesca Pupo; Kulpmont Sportsman Club, Francesca Pupo; and Shamokin Area Lion's Club Award, Cierra Bendas.
Parish Awards: Divine Redeemer Parish Award, Sarah Kornaski; Divine Redeemer Parish Council of Catholic Women Award, Jared Shutt; Divine Redeemer Parish Religion Award, Martin Williams; Divine Redeemer Parish Holy Name Society Award, Martin Williams; Our Lady of Hope Parish Council of Catholic Women Award, Kaitlin Peeler; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Award, Kyle Madison; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Council of Catholic Women Award, Francesca Pupo; Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish Award, Christopher Brokus; Mother Cabrini Parish Award, Marissa Berry and John Gilger; Franciscan Friars Award, Marissa Berry and John Gilger; and Holy Angels Ladies Guild Award, Heather Avellino and Holly Avellino.
Administration Awards: Administration Academic Achievement Award, Christopher Brokus and Kiana Motto; Administration Award for Character and Service, Martin William; Principal's Leadership Award, Kurt Yasenchak; and Principal's Outstanding School Spirit Award, Joseph Phillips.
Performing Arts Awards were presented to: Michelle Albert, Holly Avellino, Marissa Berry, Christopher Brokus, Neal Khanna, Dylan Lawrence, Kyle McAnnaney, Amanda Miller, Kiana Motto, Kaitlin Peeler, Joseph Phillips, Nicole Shipe, Jared Shutt, Martin Williams and Kurt Yasenchak.
The following Senior Student Ambassadors were recognized: Dylan Lawrence, Kiana Motto, Martin Williams and Kurt Yasenchak.
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Officer Awards: President, Jared Shutt; Vice President, Michelle Albert; First Aide, Francesca Pupo; and Second Aide, Martin Williams.
Certificates to the Yearbook Staff were presented to: Michelle Albert, Holly Avellino, Marissa Berry, Dylan Lawrence, Amanda Miller, Joseph Phillips and Jared Shutt.
Recognition for raising the American Flag at school each day for 2010-2011 school year: Brandon Maguire and Kurt Yasenchak.
Certificates for Perfect Attendance for 2010-2011: Christopher Brokus, Joseph Phillips and Kurt Yasenchak.
Certificates for four years of Service to Cafeteria: Kayla Conetta, Kaitlin Peeler and Kurt Yasenchak. One year of Service to Cafeteria: Julieann Gusick.
The Class of 2011 presented school administrator, Sr. Margaret McCullough, with a check representing their gift to the school. This class has been accepted to 16 institutions of higher learning. To date, the Class of 2011 has been offered $960,596 in the form of four-year renewable scholarships and grants from universities and colleges from which they have applied. In addition, $112,872 has been offered from federal and state grants, bringing a total offered of $1,073,486.
Baccalaureate Mass was held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 18. Main celebrant was the Rev. Robert Yohe Jr., pastor of Divine Redeemer parish and chaplain at Our Lady of Lourdes; the Rev. Al Sceski, pastor of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, was homilist. Concelebrants were the Rev. Francis Karwacki, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish; the Rev. Martin Kobos, pastor, and the Rev. Adam Ziolkowski of Mother Cabrini parish; the Rev. Andrew Stahmer, pastor of Holy Angels Parish; and Deacon Martin McCarthy.
Flag bearers were Grier Melick, Tyler Wolfe, Michael Feudale and Zachary Chesney. Cross bearer was Michael Sowash. Altar servers were Tyler Holleran and Richard Gusick. Welcome theme was read by Dylan Lawrence. Scripture Reading I was read by Martin Williams and Responsorial Psalm by Julieann Gusick. Intercessions were read by Deacon Martin McCarthy. Cantors were Holly Avellino, Kyle McAnnaney, Nicole Shipe and Kurt Yasenchak. Accompanist was Grethel Vinup. Offertory procession consisted of Kyle Burns, Tesia Laskoski, Jared Shutt and Amanda Warwick. Miss Margaret Bilder, Senior Class Moderator, Our Lady of Lourdes Class of 1971, inducted the seniors into the Alumni Association.