Class of 2003

The Class of 2003

Raymond James Austin * University of California, Santa Cruz Nicolas Merlot Balogh Union College Esperanza Bedolla Verduzco * University of Southern California Hillary Fanya Berman University of California, Davis Bradley Dane Loren Burton ** Stanford University William James Camisa * Carleton College Elizabeth Caitlin Cauley Willamette University Christian Michael DeMartini Regis University Zayra Nallely Diaz * Universitiy of the Pacific Aimee Mikhaile Epstein ** Stanford University Falon Roz Fatemi Santa Clara University Marta Fedorkova Karlova Univerzita, Prague Lisa Marie Flagg Undecided

Amanda Paige Hafleigh** University of California, Los Angeles Carolyn Damon Hayes* Oberlin College Elena Michelle Herzen Loyola Marymount University Aidan Henry Jobe Sea California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo Scott Walter Kimball Xavier University Jesse Michael King * University of California, Berkeley Jan Krizansky Univerzita Komenskeho

Chi-Chun Lee * University of Southern California Miranda Kate Maas University of Hawaii, Manoa Caitlin Ruth McCarthy Saint Mary’s College Julie Elizabeth Melen University of Southern California Christopher James Nemetz San Jose State University Brittany Merrae Paulus Marymount Manhattan College Whitney Marjorie Peterson University of Redlands Aubrey Mailliard Rawlins New York University Bryan James Riches University of Utah Mia Lynn Romano* Wagner College Michael Walter Ruiz Saint Mary’s College Tara Brooke Scarioni* Loyola Marymount University John Arthur Schofield University of Chicago Scott Thomas Sheinbaum University of California, Santa Cruz Louis Ran Shi University of California, Santa Barbara Stephanie Marie Sibal University of Hawaii, Manoa Mark Gerald Simmons** University of California, Berkeley Marie Elizabeth Sobieski* Scripps College

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Jesse King chats with his National Honor Society advisor, Paul Trudelle.

Emily Catharine Strawn* Lewis and Clark College Won-Ki Scott Sul San Francisco State University Barton Parry Thompson Occidental College Peter Paul Trudelle College of San Mateo Fu-Kai Tsao* University of California, Davis Jessica Kate Uphoff Gonzaga University Monika Elizabeth Varga Santa Clara University David Triest Waylonis** California Institute of Technology Michael Peter Sullivan Yost* University of California, Davis

* Dean’s Honors ** Headmaster’s Honors

New graduates poured from the tent into a sea of well-wishers. The four boys here are (left to right) are Brad Burton, Jesse King, Aubrey Rawlins and Brian Riches.

Woodside Priory School celebrated its graduation of the Class of 2003 on Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. Ceremonies were held under a white awning on the school’s varsity playing field and were followed by a reception for graduates and guests in the school gym.

Continuing two traditions, faculty and students entered the awning in a procession led by two bagpipers, and concluded the ceremony with the faculty forming a circle outside the awning. The graduates moved around the circle receiving personal congratulations from each of their teachers.

In honor of the school’s forty-fifth anniversary, Abbot Matthew Leavy addressed the graduates. Abbot Matthew joined the Woodside Priory community in 1970 at the age of 18, having just decided that he wanted to become a monk. He is now head of the Priory’s parent abbey, St. Anselm, in New Hampshire. He recalled for the students a much smaller Woodside Priory with few trees, no girls, and Saturday classes. The growth through good and difficult times was the result of the stewards’ good choices, he said. He encouraged the graduates to realize that their individual choices are meaningful and important and will also shape the future in positive or destructive ways.

Student speakers Hobie Thompson and Marie Sobieski reflected on Benedictine values, especially the slogan “All are welcome (with honor and respect)” which is often heard around the campus. Headmaster Tim Molak also referred to that slogan, reminding students that in today’s global climate, an attitude of open hospitality is needed more than ever.

Monika Varga gets a hug from French teacher Ruth Benz.

Esperanza Bedolla smiles as she reaches the podium to accept her diploma.

Awards The valedictorian award went to David Waylonis (for highest GPA) and the salutatorian award (for academic, social and personal contributions to the school community) to Aimee Epstein. Department awards went to Marie Sobieski, theology; Mia Romano, English; David Waylonis, mathematics; Zayra Diaz, visual arts; Mark Simmons, science and technology; Aubrey Rawlins and Elena Herzen, performing arts; John Schofield, social studies; and Zayra Diaz, modern languages.

National Merit Commended Scholar awards went to Bradley Burton, William Camisa, Aimee Epstein, Amanda Hafleigh, Aidan Jobe Sea, John Schofield, Marie Sobieski and Monika Varga, and National Merit Scholar certificates were awarded to Carolyn Hayes, Jesse King and David Waylonis.

The Dean of Students’ Community Service award was presented to Bradley Burton; Headmaster’s award for school service to Mia Romano and Tara Scarioni; the Father Benignus Barat Citizenship award to Amanda Hafleigh, the Academic Dean’s award for demonstrated joy in learning to Mark Simmons; and the school’s highest award, the Saint Benedict Award, was presented to Michael Yost.