GRADUATION 2020
ND Journal
A GRADUATION ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
8
T
he COVID-19 pandemic stole many important senior year events from the Class of 2020 but they were not stripped of a graduation ceremony. ND Principal Joanna Barlow, along with her administrators and staff, worked tirelessly to organize and execute 286 individual graduations. This all happened while still managing the cyberlearning platform that took the place of traditional learning for all of our students. From May 31 to June 2, Mrs. Barlow along with Notre Dame President Ken Jennings, witnessed as each senior had the opportunity to have their name called and walk across the stage to receive their diploma. The stage was not the traditional one at the CURE Insurance Arena, but instead, Notre Dame’s beautiful grotto was the backdrop for these special moments. The planning was well organized, with social distancing restrictions in mind, as each student and their immediate family were led through a series of stations set up on Monsignor Nolan Field that brought them finally to Our Lady’s Grotto resplendent in beautiful floral displays. Each graduate was videotaped as they picked up their diplomas and these individual graduations were compiled into one video that was shown on June 7. As it happens at every graduation, there were commencement speeches. In his opening remarks, President Jennings spoke to the graduates of their strength, “Through all of the disappointments and despair, you have survived, better yet, you have thrived; you have made the best of a very difficult situation — not complaining, disappointed but determined with grit and resilient resolve to move forward to this day: the
day of your graduation to mark a milestone that you will never forget, a day in which all of your hard work here at Notre Dame has come to an end, but you are now prepared for this new beginning.” In addressing her classmates, Class of 2020 Valedictorian Marissa Vizzoni spoke of lessons she learned as a student, “Notre Dame High School has shown me how to ride the roller coaster and follow through on many levels. It has allowed me to nurture relationships that brought me new friends and strengthened relationships with many old ones. I have come to understand just how important all these friendships are. Without these people who mean so much to me, high school would have been a completely different experience, an experience I do not want to imagine.” The Class of 2020 Salutatorian Brayden Meskill reminded his classmates how amazing they are, “Our class has been an exceptional class — excelling in academics, athletics, performing arts and service. Along with other great accomplishments achieved by this amazing class, such as 118 different colleges next year, two classmates will be attending the military. We captured more than 20 CVC Championship Titles, multiple MCT and Sectional State Championships. Cortaz Williams set a new school rushing record while Seamus Harding now holds every state of New Jersey diving record; along with 35 Seniors continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level. Performing Arts put on a masterpiece show every year, that we found in The Little Mermaid, Shrek, Guys and Dolls and Beauty and the Beast this year. And each of us proudly contributing to the 35,000 service hours achieved over our past four years.”
