Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton

Mirian Lopez-Sanchez presents TCA president Michael Knowles with a thank you gift.

Joe Moore photos

 Trenton Catholic

Academy

HAMILTON 

TCA graduates sent forth nurtured by faith and love

BY LOIS ROGERS  Correspondent “I dare you to reach for greatness!” That was the call sent out by Cesia Ramos in her salutatorian address to Trenton Catholic Academy’s Class of 2021 during Commencement Exercises May 26.

The challenge concluded a speech in which Ramos heralded the “major milestone” the class was celebrating after four years of a rigorous academic curriculum and “a major step in personal development,” and conferred their lasting legacy as members of the “Iron Mike Family” as alumni of the Hamilton school are known.

“As we exit,” she said, “remember, this is not the end goal. It’s a transition, not a culmination. As we prepare to persevere with a strong work ethic and grow into wise scholars, [we must] keep our feet on the ground. We have so much ahead of us. We must remain resilient and pursue everything without giving anything up.”

The value of resilience was a resonating theme of the poignant two-day celebration, which began with a Baccalaureate Mass the day before. Following the Commencement’s moving candle lighting ceremony that celebrated the “mosaic” of athletic, academic and spiritual aspects of the school, TCA president Michael Knowles addressed the students on the subject of resilience.

He shared, “the one word I would use to describe you as a class: resilient. You have been able to withstand everything that happened this past year,” he said referring to the effects the pandemic had on so much of life as well as the news that the school was going to close in June and re-open as a private Catholic school, Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy.

“You have endured it all and you did it without complaining,” Knowles said. “You focused on the goal. It was not an easy four years for anyone, but you continued to overcome the challenges,

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___________________  __________________ “We cannot fully control anything in life apart from ourselves and our responses to the world around us. There will always be obstacles we have to overcome, and while we cannot always change the circumstances, we can choose to take each new challenge in stride.” Erin Stout, valedictorian ___________________  __________________ Father Al Gamalo, school chaplain, celebrated Baccalaureate Mass for TCA on May 25.

Graduates: 54 Baccalaureate Mass: May 25, 2021 Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton Commencement: May 26, 2021 Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton Scholarships Received: $4.8 million

Valedictorian: Erin Stout

Salutatorian: Cesia Ramos