Around Campus

A Passion for Helping Others

On February 16, St. Sebastian’s hosted two powerful speakers, Alberto Machuca P’27 and Pastor Jose Hernandez, who spoke about the role God has played in leading them to lives of service. The presentation, “Hope Central: From Gangs to God & from the Law to the Lord,” was brought to us by the Watts 2 Boston Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the Los Angeles Police Department by providing resources to underserved youth and victims of crimes. Julie Mulvey P’17,’21,’26, Founder and President of Watts 2 Boston, introduced the two speakers who live on opposite sides of the country, but share a common bond as religious leaders with a passion for helping others.

Machuca, originally from Mexico, now resides in Boston where he and his wife, Tania, serve the Hispanic community as missionaries. He shared his journey, beginning with how he discovered God during his childhood and how his faith later impacted his career as a lawyer and ultimately led him to becoming an ordained minister and dedicating his life to preaching the Gospel. Machuca encouraged the students to “do what makes your eyes shine. Never be embarrassed for who you are or what you do.”

Pastor Hernandez began his speech with a traumatic story from his youth, describing what it was like to grow up in Watts, one of the most dangerous places in the U.S., where he lived in poverty and surrounded by violence. He then shared his journey from being a gang member to giving up a successful career to become a pastor. Through his ministry, he serves the community of Watts in many ways, from providing meals to helping families under threat move out of the projects. Pastor Hernandez challenged the boys to take advantage of the opportunities given to them and “Love God, love others and go out and make a big difference in this world.”

Headmaster Bill Burke with speakers Alberto Machuca P’27 (left) and Pastor Jose Hernandez (right) in Ward Hall.

“Do what makes your eyes shine. Never be embarrassed for who you are or what you do.”

—Alberto Machuca P’27

Members of the Class of 2023 who participated in Harvard Model Congress pose in Ward Hall. Back Row: Jack Heeney, Jack Lordi, Charles Bacon, Alex Yang, Brett Porter, Liam Burke, Ben Garrity, and Connor Dumouchel. Front Row: Matt Choumenkovitch, Eddie Ryan, Alex Roth, Jack Daly, Matt DeAnzeris, Ethan Merithew, Matt Malloy, and Will Hansen.

Inspiring Participation in Civic Life

On February 24, a delegation of 16 St. Sebastian’s juniors, led by faculty member Brian Lewin, participated in the annual Harvard Model Congress, the largest government simulation in the United States. Each student was assigned a role on different committees representing the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the United States government as well as international organizations such as the United Nations Security Council and the G-20 Economic Summit.

Connor Dumouchel ’23 received a gavel award for Best Delegate in the Historical Committee. The St. Sebastian’s delegation passed over 25 bills and resolutions in committee and saw several of them passed by the full House and Senate. Alex Yang ’23 alone passed six bills in the Senate Finance Committee. Topics ranged from sanctions against North Korea and Iran to providing vaccines to countries in Africa and intervening in the Russian war with Ukraine.

A Unique & Powerful Look at Military Training

Combat veteran, professional photographer, and author Darren McBurnett (McB), Navy SEAL (ret), spoke to the St. Sebastian’s community on April 5 about the difficulties and mental struggles he had to overcome as he trained to become a Navy SEAL. McB’s 24-year career as a SEAL included numerous deployments to combat zones in support of missions such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He developed an interest in photography while he was in the Navy and became the first photographer to document with full access the Navy SEAL training, resulting in the acclaimed photography book Uncommon Grit. McB shared photographs from his book, as well as never before seen video he took during SEAL training.

Darren McBurnett (McB), Navy SEAL (ret), talks about his photography of SEAL training.

Celebrating Black History Month

Dana Hall Gospel Choir Director David Coleman, Headmaster Bill Burke, Meyer Chambers, MPA President Gary McCall ’22, Michael Grier ’93, P’22, Jayden Grier ’22, and Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne.

The St. Sebastian’s Community gathered in Ward Hall for the annual Black History Month Assembly, “Unity Through Diversity,” on February 28. The gathering was filled with powerful words and music, including poems written by famous African American poets and songs performed by the Dana Hall Gospel Choir, led by David Coleman.

A video about Willie Eldon O’Ree was shared, highlighting how the former Boston Bruins winger and the first Black player in the National Hockey League faced racial struggles during his career and persevered. Jayden Grier ’22 then introduced his father, Michael Grier ’93, the first Black player, both born and trained in the United States, to play in the NHL. Grier talked about his upbringing and how he received racial adversities like name-calling when he was just a young child playing hockey. He thanked his parents for sending him to St. Sebastian’s and discussed how the School changed the course of his life. He then spoke about his successes playing for Boston University and in the NHL. He told the Arrows, “Challenge yourself to do better.” Grier most recently worked for the New York Rangers as Hockey Operations Advisor prior to his appointment as the San Jose Sharks General Manager in July (see pg. 70).

Robotics Teams Showcase Their Skills

Members of St. Sebastian’s two Robotics teams (Team 133 and Team 19556) competed against 22 other teams from the area at the FIRST Robotics Massachusetts Qualifying tournament on February 19 at Canton High School. It was an intense, but fun-filled day, with Team 133 placing 7th and making it to the semifinals as an Alliance Partner and 11th place Team 19556 posting a winning record in their inaugural season.

Finance Academy Speaker Series

Four St. Sebastian’s parents delivered fantastic presentations to members of the Finance Academy as part of the club’s popular Speaker Series.

On January 31, Edward Perkin P’25, Vice President of Eaton Vance and Chief Investment Officer (Equity), spoke about the emotion behind stock-picking and investing in general. Perkin’s talk covered topics from how to remove bias from picking stocks to how to maximize success in a group setting.

On February 28, Krista Ryan P’23 and Martine Elie P’23,’25 spoke about their roles in the finance industry. Ryan provided insight into her job as a financial services attorney, including tracking and enforcing regulations in this complex industry. Elie, a financial analyst, then explained the new age trading of meme stocks and pushback against hedge fund shorting and gave students advice in future investment endeavors.

On April 25, Robert Ix P’22, co-founder of the investment firm Crestwood Advisors, gave a presentation centered around the rules and observations he has made in investing over his 35 years in the industry. Using numerous companies and personal investments as examples, he explained the process and approach to take when trying to further understand how to analyze companies and the stock market as a whole. “Keep it simple” and be patient were among the takeaways for students to consider when it comes to investing.

Thirteen Arrows Inducted into Cum Laude Society

Thirteen members of the Class of 2022 were inducted into the Cum Laude Society during a ceremony held on March 4. Emily McCann P’22,’24, Former CEO of Citizen Schools, VP of Educator Community at Curriculum Associates, provided the keynote address. Dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools, the Cum Laude Society has grown to over 350 Chapters located in public and independent schools in the United States, Canada, England, France, Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Class of 2022 Inductees include (from top to bottom, left to right): Colin Boland, Matthew Choi, Kevin Cummings, Charles DeMatteo, Jack Flynn, Alexander Hartman, Ryan Kazmouz, Cooper McCann, Aidan McCarthy, Brendan Melley, Kevin Wakakuwa, Richard Walsh, and Paul White.

Arthur Brooks Shares the Key Ingredients to Happiness

Arthur Brooks—a Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, bestselling author, and columnist at The Atlantic—addressed the St. Sebastian’s community on April 20 as our Birmingham Lecture Series speaker. Brooks was introduced by faculty member and alumnus Paul Keady ’16, who interned at the American Enterprise Institute, where Brooks served as the president for ten Bestselling author Arthur Brooks years. Brooks is the author of 12 books, addresses the St. Sebastian’s audience. holds the title of Chief Happiness Correspondent for The Atlantic, and serves on the faculty of both Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School, where he teaches one of its most sought-after classes, “Leadership and Happiness.”

Brooks gave an engaging presentation on how to live a happy life, providing our students with actionable strategies and thought-provoking ideas. Using cutting-edge science and philosophy, he explained the difference between happiness and success and dispelled myths as he defined what it means to be happy. Brooks shared what he considers to be the four key ingredients to happiness—faith, family, friends and meaningful work. He extolled the importance of balance, noting that he strives to incorporate all four into his daily life. Brooks encouraged the boys to continue to invest in their faith and relationships at St. Sebastian’s, emphasizing the benefits of walking the spiritual path, as well as cultivating friendships made in high school and college.

Breakfast Welcomes Class of 2022 into Alumni Ranks

The Class of 2022 gathered for the annual Senior Class-Alumni Breakfast on May 26, joined by members of the Alumni Board and alumni trustees, as well as six alumni parents who have sons in the graduating class. The event was held for the first time on the Class of 2007 Terrace at the Griffith Headmaster’s House. Board of Trustees President Jim Elcock ’77, P’08 encouraged the seniors to stay connected to the School and to hold close the relationships they have made here. Alumni Board President Peter Galligan ’74 shared his family’s longstanding relationship with St. Sebastian’s, as one of five brothers to attend the School, and then announced the four 2022 Class Agents elected by their peers: Jack Flynn, Brendan Melley, Mark Newell, and Thomas Scordino. Headmaster Burke urged the seniors to slow down during their final week at St. Sebastian’s, savor their final days together, and say the things that need to be said to their classmates and teachers who made their time at St. Sebastian’s what it was.

Seniors Will McInerney and Matt Noone fill their plates at the Senior Class-Alumni Breakfast.

Undergraduate & College Book Awards

The following students were presented with awards recognizing their academic achievements during the Undergraduate Awards Assembly on May 25.

COLLEGE BOOK AWARDS

Boston College Alexander G. Maalouf

Brown University Andrew B. McNeill

Dartmouth College John R. Lordi

Harvard Club of Boston John Q. Daly, Patrick R. Sliz

College of the Holy Cross Matthew P. DeAnzeris, Matthew R. Rohatgi

University of Notre Dame Caspar T. Touloukian

St. Anselm College Connor R. Dumouchel

St. Lawrence University Brett E. Porter St. Michael’s College William L. Burke V, Joshua A. Corbett

Suffolk University Alexander J. Baynes

Trinity College Dublin John D. Heeney

Villanova University Alex W. Yang

University of Virginia Ethan L. Merithew

Williams College Peter J. Hunt

Yale University Michael J. Kalinichenko

MEMORIAL & SCHOOL AWARDS

Alizadeh Most Improved Student Award Charles A. Bacon

Bausch and Lomb Science Award Michael J. Kalinichenko

John P. Birmingham, Jr. Writing Award John M. Barrette, Liam N. Cunjak

Catholic Citizenship Award Matthew R. Rohatgi

Joseph Compagnone Memorial Award Landon J. Bailey, Zion R. Simmons

Gandolfo Language Award Raif S. Boit, Matthew N. Choumenkovitch, John Q. Daly, Brendan T. Fulham, Quinn A. Mulvey, Alexander C. Perkin, Alex W. Yang

Kevin Ghelli Award Benjamin N. Garrity, Peter J. Hunt

Frank J. Hennessey, Jr. Award Robert T. Craven, Ethan L. Merithew

Robert J. Joyce, Jr. Award John Q. Daly, Edward T. Ryan William P. Judge Award Dominic D. Funke

William P. Judge Scholarship Alexander J. Baynes

Jason Keating Award Thomas D. Ashe, Jr., John A. Esserian

James P.B. McDonough Award Patrick R. Sliz

Men with Positive Attitudes Award Charles A. Bacon, Alex W. Yang

Kevin T. Mutch Award Nolan D. Joyce, Quincy O. Pickett

Grace S. and Raymond M. Vorce, Sr. Award Alexander G. Maalouf

Chapel Speech Awards Grade 11: Kellen P. Donovan, Lars R. Gubitosi, John R. Lordi; Grade 10: Deven S. Carkner, Brendan M. Schmidt; Grade 9: Benedikt J. Ehrhardt; Grade 8: Jack T. Kelleher, Joseph P. Martin; Grade 7: Thomas D. Ashe, Jr.

Excelling in the Classics

In preparation for competing in Holy Cross’ Classics Day, the Latin Club held its annual Certamen Night on March 29. Latin Club members formed teams to compete in the quiz-bowl style game, testing their knowledge of literature, grammar, history, mythology, and culture. The “Chutzpah” team of Jack Flynn ’22, Sam Hinman ’23, Marty Kane ’22 and Will McInerney ’22 took 1st place in the Upper Division and the “Invictus” team of Liam Cunjak ’25, Max Kalinichenko ’25 and Ryan Pat ’25 secured the top spot in the Lower Division.

Two days later, members of the Latin Club had a successful Classics Day at Holy Cross on April 1. In Certamen, the Lower Division team of Liam Cunjak ’25, Dominic Funke ’26, Max Kalinichenko ’25, Hunter MacArthur ’24, and Ryan Pat ’25 won 1st place and the team of Raif Boit ’24, Jack Flynn ’22, Marty Kane ’22, Will McInerney ’22, and Eddie Ryan ’23 came away with 3rd place in the Upper Division. Eddie Ryan won 2nd place in the Art Contest, followed by Charlie Bacon ’23 who finished in 3rd place.

Ryan Pat ’25, Dominic Funke ’26, Liam Cunjak ’25, Max Kalinichenko ’25, and Hunter MacArthur ’24 stand with their 1st place trophy.

LEFT: Jack Daly ’23, with grandparents Dan ’61 and Dorothy Daly P’88,’92, GP’23, and his mother Susan Daly. RIGHT: Students and grandparents play a game in science class.

GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY

After two years of hosting Grandparents & Special Friends Day virtually, it was a wonderful sight to see 240 grandparents and special friends on campus for this favorite annual event on April 26.

The day began with a lunch program in Ward Hall which included: a fitting prayer from Fr. Arens; remarks from Guild of St. Irene President Julie Mulvey P’17,’21,’26, Ryan Donovan ’23, Mrs. Amy Habib, grandmother of Declan Caroll ’25, and Headmaster Bill Burke; and a musical performance of “Fly Me to the Moon” by Ben Goffredo ’24, Andrew MacDougall ’27, and Derron St. Marie ’24. Our honored guests then had the opportunity to sit in on classes with their St. Sebastian’s student before celebrating Mass with Fr. Arens. Special thanks to our Grandparents & Special Friends Day Co-chairs, Meredith Shachoy P’21,’25 and Darice Merageas ’21,‘24, and to the many Guild of St. Irene volunteers who worked together to make the entire day, from registration to dessert, run smoothly.

A Dynamite Debate Season

During the second half of the academic year, St. Sebastian’s Debate Team participated in four virtual tournaments hosted by Kingswood Oxford and Stoneleigh-Burnham School, St. Sebastian’s, the Groton School, and Northfield Mt. Hermon. Arrows debaters delivered excellent individual and team performances in both the Novice and Advanced Divisions at these competitions as they sought to argue, inform and entertain the judges. Jack Flynn ’22 won 1st and 2nd place prizes at two of the tournaments for his humorous address in the After-Dinner Speaking Competition. Maxwell Surprenant ’22 and Raif Boit ’24 also earned Individual Speaking Prizes. Congratulations to these students and the entire team for an impressive debate season.

MPA Banquet Pays Tribute to Senior Members

Family and friends of MPA gathered in Ward Hall to share in a wonderful meal and celebrate senior members at the annual Men with Positive Attitudes Banquet on May 26. The program included musical performances, recited poems, reflections by senior members, and tributes to the graduates by underclassmen.

The keynote speaker, Georgetown University Law Professor Michael J. Cedrone, Esq. ’91, weaved together three themes, each marked by a song he associates with this community: “My themes begin with our stories and goals as Men with Positive Attitudes, continue by drawing inspiration from role models in the fight for civil rights, and combine by considering our beloved Mr. Chambers, who urges us to dream beyond ourselves.” He concluded with announcing the launch of the Meyer J. Chambers Men with Positive Attitudes Fund. The endowment fund, initiated by Cedrone and supported by alumni and parents, reflects the 35 years of service that Chambers has devoted to the School and the positive impact he has had on countless St. Sebastian’s students.

Following dessert, Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne gave senior recognitions, notes from each senior’s memory box were read aloud by faculty members and departing faculty member Aturo Adkins ‘14 was recognized for his contributions to MPA. The evening closed with Fr. John Arens offering a traditional blessing upon the seniors. It was a special night for the seniors, their families, underclassmen and alumni who came back to campus for the event.

LEFT: Senior members of MPA—Mark Newell, Brendan Melley, Gavin Walsh, PJ McKeigue, Andrew Hahm, Maxwell Surprenant, Matthew Choi, Gary McCall, Aidan Maguire, and Marty Kane—are celebrated at the banquet. RIGHT: Severin Chambers ‘10, Beth and Meyer Chambers P’10,14, Ann Cedrone, keynote speaker Professor Michael J. Cedrone ’91, and his daughter, Elizabeth, gather for a photo.

Arrows Reflect, Compete and Serve on Red & Black Day

May 27th was a day of unity, brotherhood, and service at St. Sebastian’s. The morning began with a presentation by Ukraine Forward, brought to the school by Matthew Choumenkovitch ’23. Matthew had been moved by what he had been hearing and seeing about the plight of the Ukrainian people who have been suffering and struggling in a war zone and sought a way to make a positive impact. Representatives from Ukraine Forward, an organization whose mission is “to supply life-saving resources to people in Ukraine,” presented on the history of Ukraine and their organization’s humanitarian efforts. Student-led discussions and reflections on the presentation followed before the students took to the fields to compete in the annual Red & Black Day events. The morning’s events also included a Health & Wellness presentation by several Peer Mentors from the Class of 2023, as well as a service project for Catching Joy.

FACULTY PUBLICATIONS

Adam White, English teacher and varsity lacrosse coach, makes his debut as a novelist with The Midcoast. Released by Penguin Random House in June 2022, The Midcoast tells the story of a family of lobstermen who skyrocket from poverty to wealth, a local writer obsessed with their rise, and the small-town secrets that bind them all together. White, who grew up on the Midcoast, in Damariscotta, ME, drew inspiration from this smalltown haven and his high school job at a lobster pound when developing the book’s plot. He began working on The Midcoast eleven years ago when he was in graduate school at Columbia University, primarily utilizing his summers to write. This well-crafted piece of literary fiction, with a criminal element, explores class, privilege and the American Dream.

Paul Tremblay P’19,

math teacher, coach and award-winning, nationally best-selling author, unveiled his newest novel, The Pallbearer’s Club, in July 2022. Seamlessly blurring the lines between fiction and memory, the supernatural and the mundane, The Pallbearers Club is an immersive, suspenseful portrait of an unforgettable and unsettling friendship with a dash of New England folklore and Gen X faux-memoir. In addition to the release of this eighth book with publisher William Morrow, one of his earlier novels is being adapted for film. Filming wrapped in late spring and the movie is scheduled to be in theaters in early 2023. During Corporate Chapel on May 23, Maxwell Surprenant ’22—a 2022 National Coca-Cola Scholar— presented Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne with the Coca-Cola Educator of Distinction Award. As part of the program, Coca-Cola Scholars have the opportunity to elect a teacher or mentor who has had a significant impact on their intellectual and personal development. In his remarks, Max shared, “Since my start at St. Sebastian’s in 7th grade, Mr. Nerbonne has guided, supported, challenged, and inspired me to strive for excellence. Most importantly, he has always believed in me… His love of teaching has instilled in me a great love of learning, not just about academic subjects, but about faith and service.” In addition to his role as Assistant Headmaster, Mr. Nerbonne also served as Max’s Debate Advisor, Greek teacher and Confirmation sponsor. This award represents his positive and lasting impact on countless Arrows.

Max was one of the less than 1/4th of 1% of applicants chosen to receive the extremely competitive Coca-Cola Scholar Award. These 150 students, who were selected from an initial pool of 68,000+ applications from across the country, not only exemplify superior leadership, service, and academics, they are change agents, positively affecting others in their communities. Among his many accomplishments, Max serves as CEO and Co-Founder of Catching Joy, Inc., a nonprofit which promotes youth volunteerism. For the past 13 years, he has led various initiatives through Catching Joy, including several involving his classmates at St. Sebastian’s. One of his projects involved making and collecting more than 2,000 blankets for those in need. “It is extremely rare for such a young man to have both the sensitivity and care and concern for others combined with Maxwell’s leadership, creativity, and ability to motivate his peers as well as adults around a common, very worthy cause,” noted Mr. Nerbonne.

Congratulations to Mr. Nerbonne on receiving this well-deserved recognition as an exceptional educator and to Max for joining the 34th class of Coca-Cola Scholars!

Michael Nerbonne Named Coca-Cola Educator of Distinction

Max Surprenant ’22 presents Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne with the Coca-Cola Educator of Distinction Award.

Serving

Our Neighbors

Integral to the St. Sebastian’s mission, our Service Program lives the order of the day of loving God, working hard, and taking good care of one another. Below are just a few of the many ways our students have served our neighbors recently.

Coming Together to Support Ukraine

In early March, St. Sebastian’s held a drive, organized by Wendy Thurmond P’25, to support Ukrainian refugees. The response from our school community was tremendous, with donations of items pouring in, from wipes and nail clippers to combs and toothbrushes. A group of students worked together to make 270 toiletry kits to ship to Poland and also packed three large boxes with men’s gloves, socks and thermal blankets to ship to Ukraine. Sixteen boxes totaling 800 pounds were sent to a Catholic Church along the border in Poland, where the kits were distributed to the thousands of refugees coming across the border.

Making Sandwiches That Make a Difference

On a Monday evening once a month, St. Sebastian’s mothers come together with their sons and Fr. Arens in Ward Hall to prepare over 100 lunches for homeless individuals, families, and veterans served by Father Bill’s & MainSpring House. Volunteers make sandwiches, assemble lunch bags, and write personal notes to the men and women who will receive the lunches while spending quality mother-son time together. The next morning, additional volunteers pick up the lunches and deliver them to shelters in Brockton. Father Bill’s & MainSpring’s mission is to end and prevent homelessness in Southern Massachusetts through programs that provide emergency and permanent housing and help people obtain skills, jobs, housing, and services to achieve self-sufficiency.

Keeping the Chop-A-Thon Tradition Alive

Although fathers and sons were not able to slice and dice in person due to continuing COVID restrictions, St. Sebastian’s Men’s Association President Mike Frisoli P’17,’19,’21,’22,’26 and Director of Service Programs John Eaton kept the decade-long tradition of the Chop-A-Thon alive. On March 3, employees of the Pine Street Inn gave an update over Zoom on how the non-profit has successfully navigated through the pandemic to meet the needs of the homeless community in Boston. The following morning, members of the senior class loaded a St. Sebastian’s bus with the significant contributions made by our families, including fresh fruits and vegetables, other food items and gift cards, and brought the donations to the Pine Street Inn.

7th and 8th grade students participate in an Easter egg hunt.

A GLIMPSE

along Greendale Avenue

Members of Ms. Wiggin’s sophomore English class roleplay a Victorian era tea party while studying Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Dhaniel Ramos ’23 uses his mobile phone to take photos of model cars during photography class.

St. Sebastian’s musicians perform during the Semi-Formal.

Ryan Albertson ’22 sips on a shake as Ellie’s Treats stopped by to give the senior class a treat on their last full day of classes. Faculty member Michael Calabro ’16 and Robert Walusimbi-Mitchell ’24 play in the Faculty vs. JV Basketball Game.

Declan Schwarz ’27 performs an experiment with a balloon and weights in Matt Willey’s science class.

Congratulations, Class of 2022!

St. Sebastian’s School graduated 67 students at its 78TH COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES on Thursday, June 2, 2022, in a ceremony on the West Campus fields. The morning’s celebrations included awards, speeches and the conferral of diplomas to the outstanding Class of 2022.

CLASS OF 2022 MATRICULATION

William J. Adams

Ryan P. Albertson Colin C. Boland

Timothy R. Browne Michael P. Callow

John M. Carroll

Michael T. Cataldo

John K. Chisholm

Matthew S. Choi

Michael C. Connelly John G. Cox

Thomas C. Cronin

Kevin E. Cummings Griffin K. Cusack

Charles S. DeMatteo

Nicholas J. Derenzo

Braedan P. Donovan

William M. Elias

John T. Flynn Bennett T. Frisoli

Cormac K. Gallagher Ryan W. Gallant Brendan R. Gorman

Jayden J. Grier Nicholas N. Grover

Andrew J. Hahm

Alexander S. Hartman

Andrew P. Hassey John G. Hentschel

Samuel F. Ix

Martin F. Kane

Ryan N. Kazmouz Dylan C. Knightly Brian W. Luppy Fordham University Boston College Duke University Colorado College Harvard commit 2023 Providence College Gap Year Pitzer College Georgetown University College of the Holy Cross College of the Holy Cross Georgetown University Washington University in St. Louis Colorado College Harvard University Villanova University Berkshire School Gap Year Harvard University Tufts University Villanova University Bucknell University Princeton University Gap Year Villanova University Amherst College Northeastern University Skidmore College Dickinson College Boston College Tulane University University of California (Irvine) Middlebury College Villanova University Aidan J. Maguire Gary J. McCall Cooper B. McCann Aidan C. McCarthy William M. McInerney Patrick J. McKeigue Brendan A. Melley Liam C. Muldowney Mark J. Newell

Aidan E. Noonan

Matthew T. Noone

Kristian G. Nordby Christian G. Pichay Thomas E. Proia

Alexander L. Purpura Jack H. Rideout

Joseph T. Santosuosso Thomas M. Scordino

Timothy R. Souza Jack K. Sullivan

Maxwell C. Surprenant Joseph G. Sylvester Cole J. Szeman

John J. Toomey Johannes C. Vigener Kevin S. Wakakuwa

Gavin G. Walsh

Richard C. Walsh

Paul F. White

Matthew B. Williams

Richard A. Wilz

Cormac F. Wright Charles Z. Yang Duke University Howard University Harvard University Duke University Georgetown University University of Pennsylvania University of Virginia Northeastern University Middlebury College Fordham University Villanova University United States Military Academy at West Point College of the Holy Cross St. Lawrence University University of Georgia University of Michigan University of Louisville Boston College Amherst College Boston College Harvard University Colby College Colby College College of the Holy Cross Clarkson University University of Notre Dame Babson College University of Southern California University of California (Los Angeles) College of the Holy Cross Fairfield University Colby College Cornell University

Baccalaureate Mass & Dinner

On June 1, 2022, the eve of St. Sebastian’s Commencement, the Class of 2022 and their parents, along with members of the administration and faculty, gathered in St. Bartholomew Church for the Baccalaureate Mass, followed by dinner in Ward Hall. In addition to receiving the traditional St. Sebastian’s tie and pen, seniors were presented with the awards recognizing their talents and contributions to the School.

Some of the awards presented include:

ISL Award of Excellence Bennett T. Frisoli

Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award Charles S. DeMatteo, Kristian G. Nordby

Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award Braedan P. Donovan, Andrew J. Hahm

Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence Michael C. Connelly

West Point Acceptance Kristian G. Nordby

Mothers Medals Kristine DeMatteo ’11,’13,’16,’18,’22 Karen Johnson (McCarthy) ’15, ’17, ’22 Daniela Muldowney ’12,’16,’22 Erin Byrnes (Santosuosso) ’15,’18,’22

FIVE-YEAR

Matriculation #’s

Colleges to which 5 or more students have matriculated over the past 5 years

Boston College ..............................38 College of the Holy Cross .............. 25

Providence College .......................18 University of Notre Dame .. ..........15

Harvard University .......................12

Villanova University ......................11

Northeastern University ...............11

Duke University ...............................8

Wake Forest University ..................8

Colby College ..................................7

Georgetown University ..................6

Middlebury College ........................5 Univ. of Wisconsin (Madison) .......5

TOP: Seniors and parents enjoy dinner and conversation during the Baccalaureate Mass & Dinner. MIDDLE: Sgt. Trevor Stanfill of the United States Marine Corps presents the Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award to Kristian Nordby. BOTTOM LEFT: Headmaster Bill Burke presents an Athletic Commitment Award to Thomas Scordino. This award is presented to members of the senior class who have participated in athletics each season from their sophomore through senior years. BOTTOM RIGHT: Headmaster Bill Burke and Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne honor Karen Johnson (McCarthy) ’15, ’17, ’22 as a mother of three or more Arrows graduates.

Commencement Awards

Pursuit of Excellence in the Discipline Awards

Presented to individuals selected by the faculty

English Literature Kevin E. Cummings, Charles Z. Yang

Latin Charles S. DeMatteo

History Michael T. Cataldo, Cooper B. McCann, Aidan C. McCarthy

Religion Charles S. DeMatteo, Cooper B. McCann

English Writing John G. Hentschel, Cooper B. McCann, Aidan C. McCarthy

Spanish Aidan C. McCarthy Drama Ryan P. Albertson, John T. Flynn, John G. Hentschel, Matthew T. Noone, Joseph T. Santosuosso, Paul F. White

Photography Ryan N. Kazmouz

Ceramics Andrew J. Hahm, Timothy R. Souza

Mathematics Cooper B. McCann, Aidan C. McCarthy, Cole J. Szeman, Charles Z. Yang

Physics Cooper B. McCann, Kevin S. Wakakuwa

Chemistry Alexander S. Hartman

Biology Charles Z. Yang

Kevin Wakakuwa receives an award from Headmaster Bill Burke. Greek John T. Flynn, Thomas M. Scordino

Computer Science Cooper B. McCann

Special Medals

Awarded to individuals who, during their high school years, have achieved the highest grade point average in required and advanced courses in the respective disciplines

Humberto Cardinal Medeiros Memorial Medal for Modern Languages Aidan C. McCarthy

Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Beatty Memorial Medal for English John T. Flynn

Rev. Msgr. John F.X. Harney Memorial Medal for Religion Cooper B. McCann

Rev. Msgr. Charles D. McInnis Memorial Medal for History Aidan C. McCarthy

Paul A. Ablondi ’57 Memorial Medal for Mathematics Charles S. DeMatteo

John A. and Kathleen T. Nerbonne Memorial Medal for Classics William M. McInerney

St. Sebastian Medal for Science Charles S. DeMatteo, Richard C. Walsh

St. Sebastian Medal for Fine Arts Charles S. DeMatteo, Timothy R. Souza

The Headmaster’s Award

Presented to the graduate who has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average

Cooper B. McCann

The St. Sebastian’s Scholar with Distinction Award

Presented to the graduates who have received a yearly average of A- or higher in every course every year Kevin E. Cummings, Charles S. DeMatteo, John T. Flynn, Ryan N. Kazmouz, Cooper B. McCann, Aidan C. McCarthy, Kevin S. Wakakuwa, Richard C. Walsh

The St. Sebastian’s Scholar Award

Presented to the graduates who have received a yearly average of B or higher in every course every year William J. Adams III, Ryan P. Albertson, Colin C. Boland, Michael P. Callow, John M. Carroll III, Michael T. Cataldo, John K. Chisholm III, Matthew S. Choi, Michael C. Connelly, Thomas C. Cronin, Nicholas J. Derenzo, Jayden J. Grier, Andrew J. Hahm, Alexander S. Hartman, Brian W. Luppy, William M. McInerney, Brendan A. Melley, Aidan E. Noonan, Matthew T. Noone, Kristian G. Nordby, Alexander L. Purpura, Thomas M. Scordino, Timothy R. Souza, Maxwell C. Surprenant, Cole J. Szeman, John J. Toomey, Paul F. White, Cormac F. Wright, Charles Z. Yang

The Sr. Evelyn C. Barrett, O.P. Scholarship Award

Presented to that senior who, in the opinion of the Faculty, most exemplifies in body, mind, and soul the spirit of St. Sebastian’s School

Cooper B. McCann

The Robert S. Gilligan Award

Presented to a senior who best exemplifies the qualities of courage, determination, and perseverance Thomas M. Scordino

The Cardinal Cushing Memorial Medal for Student Service

Presented to a senior for exemplary service to the School

Brendan A. Melley, Maxwell C. Surprenant

The Joseph P. MacDonald Award

Presented each year by the Student Council, in conjunction with the School community, to a member of the St. Sebastian’s family for outstanding service to the School John C. Eaton

The Reverend Charles K. Riepe Medallion

Presented by the Assistant Headmaster, in consultation with the administration and faculty, to the members of the graduating class who have shown true leadership in exemplifying the virtues of faith and honor for which the School stands Ryan P. Albertson

The Founder’s Medal

Presented to the member of the Senior Class whose character, leadership, and fortitude most closely reflect the ideals that inspired William Cardinal O’Connell to found this School in the name of St. Sebastian Gary J. McCall, Patrick J. McKeigue

The Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Medal

Presented each year to a senior for exemplary initiative, creativity, and perseverance in advancing the mission of the School John T. Flynn, Timothy R. Souza

The Alumni Award

Presented to a senior, selected by the faculty, who possesses strength of mind, body, and character; who displays outstanding attitude, effort, and achievement; has innate commitment to excellence in all endeavors; and who has made many and varied contributions to St. Sebastian’s School

TOP: Class of 2022 graduates (L-R) Liam Muldowney, Charlie DeMatteo, Nicholas Grover, Jack Flynn, and Charles Yang pose for a photo after Commencement. BOTTOM: John Eaton, Director of Service Programs and religion teacher, receives The Joseph P. MacDonald Award, which is presented each year by the Student Council in conjunction with the entire School community to a member of the St. Sebastian’s family for outstanding service to the School.

HEADMASTER’S ADDRESS Live Harmonious Lives

BY WILLIAM L. BURKE III

Gentlemen, your parents, your primary educators, who have engaged in sacred partnership with us over these St. Sebastian’s years, have held you and clothed you and changed you and fed you and soothed you. They have nurtured you and supported you; instructed you and corrected you. They have prayed for you and paid for you, making untold sacrifices to provide you with countless gifts, including your prized St. Sebastian’s education. They have loved, loved, loved you without condition and beyond all telling. And your grandparents, and your siblings, and your aunts and uncles and cousins have loved you, too, and will forever. This is your big day, but it’s your family’s big day, too. In a moment, I’m going to ask you to rise, turn to face your families and express your tremendous gratitude.

I received a text about you gentlemen on Tuesday from an Arrow from the Class of 2008. He writes: “Another year of winners and leaders coming out of the best school in the world.” A number of you have expressed this same sentiment in your Corporate Chapel speeches this year. I quote three of you:

St. Sebastian’s is the best place on earth. St. Sebastian’s is the best decision of my life. There is no better School.

Such high praise makes us want to work ever harder. Believe me.

Our God-centered, student-centered School is, as you know, a gift from God sustained and strengthened by many outstanding people who cooperate with God’s grace to call you to ever rising peaks of excellence in body, mind, and spirit. High among these people are our faculty and staff, your outstanding teachers and coaches and moderators and mentors who under the expert direction of Mr. Nerbonne, challenge you and support you so lovingly well. I am in awe of these fabulously gifted and totally devoted women and men who so freely and fully give and give and keep on giving the very best parts of themselves to you.

One of you has shared: “All my teachers here love their students: this is not normal.” At the height of his powers, President Abraham Lincoln said of himself: “I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”

Please rise, face your friends on our faculty and staff whom you never want to disappoint and express your gratitude.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony. (Psalm 133)

What a year of harmony! Right from the start! We conclude our September Board meeting in the wrestling room, walk through the huge tent where parents, past parents, and alumni are gathering for the Leadership Reception, join the frenzied crowd as our varsity soccer team comes from behind to beat Nobles in overtime. As the sun goes down, seemingly every student in the School rushes the field. And we are one!! Harmony! More glory on the fields and courts and courses and ice ensues, league championships, play-off games, and a walk-off homerun, and together we cheer. We are one. Our musicians absolutely crush Christmas Eve in Sarajevo, you seniors write and direct and strut and fret your way through your awesome play, “This is a Robbery,” you gentlemen crush debates and throw your hearts and souls into service at the Miracle League, teach photography at Cotting School, create portraits for orphans, and the band plays on in soul stirring harmony. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for harmonizing so lovingly well!

Although a few of my friends know the story I’m about to tell, it’s not a story that I’ve ever shared from the stump.

Perhaps you, like I, have been powerfully inspired by a hero from afar, a person you’d love to meet, a person from whom you believe you could learn so much. One such person for me was Father Ted Hesburgh, who led Notre Dame extraordinarily well throughout his 35-year term as the university’s President, from 1952 through 1987. A largerthan-life figure, Father Hesburgh was often in the news. One famous photo depicts him standing shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at a 1964 civil rights rally in Chicago’s Soldiers Field.

And so wonderfully quotable was he! One memorable Hesburgh line that had resonated with me for years is: “Piety is no substitute for scholarship.” Clearly, Notre Dame, St. Sebastian’s School, BC, and all other religious educational institutions of excellence must be laser-focused on and eternally devoted to academic rigor as well as spiritual depth.

In the spring of 1991, my first year as Headmaster of our great School, I managed to get ahold of my hero’s telephone number. Although no longer Notre Dame’s president, Father Hesburgh remained on the Notre Dame campus, fully engaged in and invaluable to the university’s friend-raising and fundraising initiatives.

I summoned the courage to make the call. Father Hesburgh answered his phone. I introduced myself and told him how much it would mean to me and to St. Sebastian’s if he would honor us by serving as our 1991 Commencement speaker. He responded by informing me that he had just turned down our nation’s President—George Bush, the Elder—who had asked him to speak at one of his schools, and that he would have to turn me down, too, because he was no longer delivering commencement addresses. Of course, I completely understood. But our conversation didn’t end there. Father Hesburgh asked if I would do him a favor. Of course, I answered. And here’s what he asked: “Would you promise me that if any of your students at Notre Dame aren’t being served well, you’ll give me a call?”

What did it cost Father Hesburgh to utter these kind and caring words? There is no story without them. And in this instant, after all these years, it occurs to me that Father Hesburgh has spoken at a St. Sebastian’s commencement.

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.

Father Hesburgh here gives us permission and encouragement to keep doing what we do best: articulate and advance and repeat and repeat and repeat our mission and all we hold dear.

Our mission:

A Catholic independent School, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.

Our order of the day: Love God, work hard, and take good care of one another.

Of course, we can get knocked off the path and lose our way. What then? Here’s what Marcus Aurelius, the great stoic philosopher has to say: “When forced, as it seems, by circumstances into utter confusion, get ahold of yourself quickly. Don’t be locked out of the rhythm any longer than necessary. You’ll be able to keep the beat if you are constantly returning to it.”

In this year of harmony and always may we hold these truths: • You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. • You’ll be able to keep the beat if you are constantly returning to it.

A past parent of three St. Sebastian’s graduates has shared with me the order of his priorities in Five F’s: Faith, family, friends, fitness, finance.

Concern yourself with and commit yourself to the advancement of those five F’s and all shall be well. This all came back to me in April, when Professor Arthur Brooks honored us by delivering the Birmingham Lecture. Brooks, a renowned social scientist, a prolific author, a world-class orator, and a gifted educator, teaches a course on happiness at Harvard Business School. When asked how one can teach a course on a feeling, he retorts that happiness is not a feeling; it’s a science, and here is the formula: A strong faith life, a strong family life, strong relationships with friends, and purposeful engagement in the world, whether as a volunteer or a paid employee.

Brooks went on to share that there are two kinds of friends: Real friends and Deal friends, and he explained that Real friends love people, use things, and worship God.

Deal friends use people, love things, and worship themselves.

The graduates turn around to face their parents to express their gratitude.

Headmaster Bill Burke leads the way ahead of the graduating seniors on the Headmaster’s Walk during Commencement.

I think of these five L’s: Listen, learn, labor, laugh, love. And I promise you, you are experiencing all five today and you will every day at St. Sebastian’s. Listen, learn, labor, laugh, and love.

By listening to and learning from our sisters and brothers of every race, we have grown in empathy and come to believe ever more firmly in the truth of our faith: that each of us is a genetically unrepeatable gift from God made in the image and likeness of God. There is no race better or worse than another. We are all called by God to be the best we can be and to take good care of one another. We are one. The only person we need to be better than is the person each of us was yesterday.

Every good business plan begins with the end in mind. What are your hoped-for outcomes? We share ours every year at Admissions Open House when we guarantee that our students will be known and loved and called to greatness by great people, that they will be engaged in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason in a community of spiritual depth and academic rigor, that they will be well prepared for admission to and success in the most excellent, most appropriate colleges for them, that we expect them to continue to pursue truth through faith and reason in college and beyond, that we expect them to seek and find meaningful work that will help tilt the universe more toward the good, the true, and the beautiful, that they take their vocations very seriously, and for most it will be as husbands and fathers, and that we want them to go to heaven, and everything we do at this School is done with that sense of ultimate purpose ever before us.

And, of course, I have a five-letter riff for this one, too. And it’s the last one. I promise.

In Five H’s, I offer what we want for all of our students and for all of our families and for all of our faculty and staff who serve so lovingly well and for our trustees and alumni and for every person on the planet:

Happy, healthy, holy, harmonious lives of love and service in this world and—here comes the fifth H—eternal joy in heaven.

Gentlemen of faith and reason, respect and honor, strength and depth—thank you for what you have shared in your Corporate Chapel addresses and in other speeches this year. Here are excerpts:

Pray more. Worry less. Live in the now…our God has a plan for us…Every day is a gift from God…be kind…cherish relationships…do not take time for granted…the present is a present from God…My faith in Christ has brought me joy…Focus on lifting the burden of another. Get involved… stay late…don’t change who you are or how you sound; be yourself…be patient…it will come…be grateful…be kind… be humble…the success of the scholar is the byproduct of his passion…service is fulfilling: we gain from work we perform…my teachers believe in me…life is a team game… everyone is smiling: I love you guys… when I was in 7th grade, upperclassmen made me feel as though I belonged… every day is a gift from God…I went from a kid who went to school to becoming a student…all Arrows have a certain benevolent nature…my desire to join the army comes from the outreach and selflessness I see here. I will continue to love God, work hard, and take good care of others…the greatest place on earth with the best faculty and students… my mom has more friends here than I do…thank you, Mom and Dad, for your unconditional love and forgiveness… thank you, Mom and Dad, for your foresight in sending me to Sebs…our God has a plan for us…my brother needed me: no is not an option…I promise I will continue to grow and do great things in college and beyond…I have been blessed…I felt comfortable stretching myself here…my faith in God—that he has a plan for me—has allowed me to be fully engaged in the present. I have learned to adapt. I now take it day by day and seek to work hard, live virtuously, and enjoy the present…thanks to the love and support of my parents and brothers, I have a happier, more meaningful life…I love you all so much.

I ask you, who are these people calling us to greatness? I submit that you 67 young men are counted in that number. That you give what you have been given by your primary and secondary educators is a powerfully beautiful, self-evident truth.

A few weeks ago, when Mr. Ken Kelly, the 49 year-old, loving father of 8th grader George, died suddenly, our 8th graders and their families attended the wake and funeral, and a number of you gentlemen did, too. Many people new to St. Sebastian’s marveled that Seniors were in attendance. But that’s just how you roll: Grief shared is divided and joy shared is multiplied.

Yes, St. Sebastian’s is a very good place. We’re not perfect, and we never will be, but I love every one of you, and I love the way we’re trending.

I believe that Ukraine is a very good place, too, and I know that so many of us, perhaps all of us, stand in loving solidarity with that sovereign nation’s citizens, people who merely want to return to the freedom and peace that they had enjoyed.

But evil lurks, as C.S. Lewis reminds us in these stirring words: The makers of misery can destroy in others the happiness they reject in themselves.

Elsewhere, C.S. Lewis writes: History is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

Remember the first variable that Professor Brooks shared in his formula for happiness? Faith. As you head off to college, commit to deepening and expanding your faith lives.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. (Psalm 127)

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Russian Nobel prize winning author and heroic Soviet dissident, who blew no uncertain trumpet, passed away in 2008, but he speaks to today’s problems in the Ukraine and elsewhere in these excerpts from his 1983 Templeton Prize acceptance speech in London:

Men have forgotten God…The entire 20th Century is being sucked into the vortex of atheism and self-destruction… Within the philosophical system of Marx and Lenin, and at the heart of their psychology, hatred of God is the principal driving force, more fundamental than all their political and economic pretensions. Militant atheism is not merely incidental or marginal to Communist policy; it is not a side effect, but the central pivot…

This sounds pretty dire, doesn’t it? But we know who wins in the end. Solzhenitsyn finishes with these words: No matter how formidably communism bristles with tanks and rockets, no matter what success it attains in seizing the planet, it is doomed never to vanquish Christianity.

Gentlemen, continue to pursue truth through faith and reason in college, even if your professors and fellow students are not doing so. You need not be strident, but please be faithful. There will be challenges. But you will never be “We are all called by God to be the best we can be and to take good care of one another. We are one. The only person we need to be better than is the person each of us was yesterday.”

alone, as you always and forever have access to the two most powerful forces in the universe: God, and people of good will through whom our Lord works.

When you arrive on campus in the fall, you will receive a letter from me, and I’d like to share some of it now.

I can’t resist sharing a few suggestions which I believe will help you enjoy success in college:

1. Do all of your own work. Even though many around you may engage in plagiarism, resist the temptation.

Hold sacred your integrity. 2. Set reasonably high goals. Go to class. Take good notes.

Make an appointment to meet with each professor early in each semester. Make the first move by asking questions about your professor’s family, education, etc. 3. Sunday—Thursday from 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. be in the library, free from the inevitable distractions in the dormitory. 4. Go to Church.

Now, I’m still going to send the letter.

As I’ve told you before, I cannot promise you lives free from injury or illness, but I can promise you good lives—if you hold sacred your relationships with God and with everyone else. For if you keep your heart and your mind and your soul open to the grace of God and strive to do the Lord’s will, and if you regard every woman and every man you meet to be someone like you, who has been made for eternity, you’re going to treat each person a certain way—with honor and dignity and respect and love and truth and justice and mercy, and you’re going to live good lives. It cannot be otherwise.

You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. You’ll be able to keep the beat if you are constantly returning to it.

The time has come, gentlemen.

Our heads know that it’s time to go, but how our hearts ache that it is so. I speak for our trustees and our faculty and staff when I tell you that I respect you, and I admire you, and I love you.

Please return to us often—in joy or in sorrow—and we’ll be right here waiting for you with hearts and arms wide open.

May God bless you every sacred step of the way. Saecula Saeculorum.

Go now in peace.

Shalom!

BOARD PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

The Brotherhood Never Graduates

BY JAMES L. ELCOCK ’77, P’08

Good morning to the great Class of 2022. Five years from now, I will have the good fortune of celebrating my 50th reunion at St. Sebastian’s and five years from now you all will be celebrating the first of many reunions with your fifth. If we stop and take a look at today’s headlines, here is what we’ll see. We will see stories about the Ukrainian crisis, the economy and inflation, escalating gas prices, mass shootings, the baby formula shortage, cases of COVID, and the Celtics hopefully winning another world championship. So when we look back at these headlines five years from now, let’s see how far we come, but today, gentlemen, it’s all about you.

67 Seniors 25 of you have older brothers that have gone before you 19 have younger brothers you are leaving behind 6 of you are the middle child 1 of you is the last of 5 brothers 3 of you are the last of 3 brothers 6 of you are the sons of alumni dads who have graduated from St. Sebastian’s You are off to 19 states this fall Your class has a weighted GPA of 93.56

... and these are just the headlines.

As President of the Board of Trustees, I am honored to join you this morning to congratulate you on this wonderful accomplishment. My fellow trustees, including myself, don’t know you all individually, but as a class you certainly made yourselves known to all of us. A Board meeting never ends until we are brought up to speed with all of your accomplishments in the classroom, on the athletic fields, or at your community service projects.

Your class has set the tone for the school, and to no one’s surprise, you have been that razor sharp arrow that has always been pointing in the right direction.

Trustees have four simple tasks: 1. We hire and recruit the Head of School. 2. We make sure that St. Sebastian’s stays true to its mission. 3. We have a long-range strategic plan. 4. We ensure that St. Sebastian’s has a sound financial plan.

All our responsibilities are for you and all of the Arrows who have come before you and the Arrows who will follow in your footsteps. You deserve and hopefully have benefited from our core responsibilities and our commitment to St. Sebastian’s.

I must say, for as long as I have had the privilege of serving on the Board of Trustees, the Class of 2022 has to be one of the best, if not The Best, class in our school’s 80+ years of existence. I look at what you have accomplished and what your teachers, coaches and other school leaders have shared with us over the past ten months.

I knew you were special when I heard about your two-day trip to the Kennebec River for Senior Leadership. I know those days reinforced your special relationship and acted as a bond of adherence that would cement your class forever. I also remember how one of your classmates had a bad cut on his foot and had to be returned to Boston via Mr. Dan Burke at the wheel. The unintended consequence is that this formed a very special relationship between these two individuals that I’m sure will last a lifetime.

The second opportunity was early September 2021 when Mr. Burke gave his opening remarks on Harmony at the School’s Opening Assembly. You all walked in very casually and took your appropriate places with your advisors and never looked more handsome. With that gleam in your eye, you were ready to start your final year at St. Seb’s with energy and excitement. Your class was in complete harmony. However, what left the strongest impression on me was how the underclassmen, particularly the newest Arrows, were laser focused on figuring out who you were and acknowledging that you were the big men on campus—and they were now sharing a pew with you and your advisors.

You all have made a huge impression on everyone here in Needham. Not only the undergrads... who by the way, know your football number, what position you play in hockey,

what your plans are for next year, what kind of car you drive and probably what awards you might have received over the last few days. It was their job to know you and to have that special relationship—even if it was only to be acknowledged in the hallway with a nod, a fist pump, or a high five. Don’t kid yourselves, these young men looked up to your class because you’ve accomplished so much, and you’ve made our school better than ever.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention your teachers. They frankly are our most important and valuable assets at St. Sebastian’s. They teach for the love of teaching and have the yearning to share with you their depth of knowledge and subject matter excellence. They prepare you, not only for that next grade, but for this graduation. Teachers teach because that’s their vocation—it’s not a job, it’s a lifelong ministry to serve you and to help prepare you for this launch and life.

Today, you’ll walk through that time-honored tradition of saying goodbye to all the faculty, not only those who taught you so well this past year, but all the teachers you have had since 7th or 8th grade. And remember the teacher who never had you in the classroom but ended up coaching you where you learned more on the sidelines than you ever could have imagined. I think you will agree with me... your teachers are awesome!

Though your days as a student are coming to a close with this graduation, you are becoming our newest alumni, joining your group of 2,600 Arrows who have all gone before you.

Remember, this is your school. You will always have St. Sebastian’s in your back pocket and that is not something you will ever lose, unlike a wallet or an iPhone. The same way that St. Sebastian’s will always have you in their heart. The school will never miss a beat.

So gentlemen, a few final thoughts. I say this because I never dreamed that I would be standing before you as President of the Board of Trustees—having to think back upon my own graduation years ago to offer a few remarks.

Your teachers and coaches want to hear from you and don’t want to think that the last four to six years have not made an impression—they are your biggest fans and most loyal supporters.

Stay in touch with your classmates. You may be surprised who becomes ....

The Doctor The Venture Capitalist The Educator The Priest A future brother-in-law

I can guarantee you that you have made lifelong friends at St. Sebastian’s and the brotherhood never graduates. It will get stronger.

My tradition is to end each speech with a lyric from a country music artist. As many of you know, my son Jimmy, who graduated in 2008, has been a touring drummer for ten years. He joined you all for breakfast last week at the Headmaster’s house and suggested a few lines from Mitchell Tenpenny’s newest single, Bucket List.

I’m gonna love a little more, dream a little deeper Leave all the leavers, keep all the keepers Find peace of mind in the time the good Lord gives Say, “I love you” ‘fore the moment’s gone And never have to ask myself, “What if” When I get to the bottom of my bucket list

Gentlemen: Congratulations to the extraordinary Class of 2022. God Bless.

LEFT: The Arrows legacy continues as proud alumni join their sons prior to Commencement (from left): Front Row: Jim Elcock ’77, Mike Maguire ’91, Griffin Cusack ’22, Joe Cusack ’88, Matt Noone ’22, Matt Noone ’86, and Headmaster Bill Burke. Back Row: Jayden Grier ’22, Aidan Maguire ’22, Marty Kane ’84, Marty Kane ’22, Todd Proia ’91, and Thomas Proia ’22. RIGHT: Jayden Grier ’22 stands with his father, Michael Grier ’93, after Commencement.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS Shine Brightly

BY FR. TONY PENNA Associate Vice-President and Director of Campus Ministry, Boston College

First of all, I’m very happy to be here. I feel a little underdressed looking at our graduates today. You’re looking sharp in the traditional St. Sebastian’s graduation garb. I’ve driven by the school a number of times, but I’ve never been here before today. I’ve been wanting to be here for a number of reasons for a long time. The first reason—as the Headmaster alluded to earlier—is that you have respected, loved and been very kind to Meyer Chambers (Director of Music). Meyer is a longtime colleague of mine at Boston College. When you’re good to a friend of mine, I’m going to be a friend of yours forever.

So, I want to thank you for your kindness to Meyer. And I also want to say thank you from the bottom of Boston College’s heart. Boston College has been the beneficiary of hundreds of graduates from St. Sebastian’s over the years. These graduates have come to Boston College well educated and well prepared for the kind of school that BC is. They’ve clearly made BC a better place. So, the invitation to speak today gives me the opportunity to thank the headmaster for the many students St. Sebastian’s has shared with BC. And the last reason I wanted to come here today is to hear Jack Flynn’s Salutatorian address. It was excellent, Jack. I don’t think you have to worry about measuring up to any speaker who came before you. You clearly can hold your own. Congratulations.

I want to be brief. I’ve learned something from my many years of preaching: Short is Better. This is especially true when everyone is sitting in the sun, like today. I must admit that I had a hard time deciding on what to say to this graduating class. It’s hard because I’m an outsider. I’ve never met any of you graduates. I don’t know your story really, until I heard some of it today. It’s certainly flattering to be invited to be the commencement speaker, but when you come in from the outside, it’s more challenging to say something relevant. Besides being brief, a speaker would be smart to realize that commencement talks don’t come in one-size-fits-all size and that you graduates—even though you may look like each other in your blue jackets with flower, your white pants and red ties—are not the same. You’re not that similar in so many ways. Every one of you is different, a unique experiment unlike any other.

Each graduate comes here with a different narrative, a different story all his own. And for anyone who’s invited, as I have been today, to come in and say something that fits everyone? Come on, it’s not possible. What I can do, however, is to pick up a little bit of what Jack was speaking about in his address. He remarked that when he’s feeling down, he tries to stay close to a positive person. In psychology, we call those kinds of things accelerants. Everyone needs an accelerant from time to time. I don’t care who you are. We don’t always have a good day in life. Sometimes the economy takes a dip. Sometimes you hit a bump in the road. Sometimes the curve ball comes your way and strikes you out. And so, it helps to have a plan when life doesn’t smile on you. It’s important to ask: Who can I lean on? Particularly when life gets burdensome and seemingly too heavy for my shoulders.

We all need accelerants. I do, you do, Jack does, and popes and presidents do. Positive accelerants can improve life. I’ll give you an example. I like golf. I’m not very good at it, but I learned this: if you take a golf hole and paint a series of big circles around it, and then ask an accomplished golfer to take 10 putts from about 12 feet, he’s probably going to miss more than s/he ordinarily would. Why? Because the big circles painted around the golf hole make the hole appear smaller than it is, and it negatively affects the golfer’s confidence. But if you paint smaller circles around the golf hole, making the golf hole appear larger than it is, guess what? That same golfer will more than likely make more putts than s/he usually does. Why? Because the hole appears bigger and it looks like it is far more doable. Like Jack was saying, sometimes you need a positive accelerant in life that picks you up. Sometimes in life you need to hang around someone or some other source of inspiration that helps you be who you want to be.

And when I look at all of you today, I see a new generation of talent. Meyer Chambers has told me many times how richly gifted the students at St. Sebastian’s are, and the award ceremony that just took place confirmed it. I mean, my God, where’s Cooper McCann (Class Valedictorian) sitting? Can I ask what the heck you eat to be so gifted? The rest of us should try it. But the question is: What are you going to do with all this talent? It’s the big question that all of us hopefully will ponder and answer at some time in our lives.

Let me offer a story that perhaps may serve as a kind of verbal accelerant for you on this day and in the years to come. A writer named Robert Fulghum wrote a book a few years back entitled, All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten. If the title is true, this is not good news for schools like St. Sebastian’s or institutions like Boston College, Notre Dame or Harvard. Fulghum tells about a time he travelled as a young man to Greece to attend a seminar with Alexander Papaderos, a philosopher and renowned peace advocate. As Papaderos was ready to conclude the two-week seminar, he asked the ritual closing question, “Are there any more questions?” To which one student, yelled out: “What is the meaning of life?” After the laughter subsided, Papaderos said, “I’d like to answer this question.” Taking his wallet from his pocket, he fished out a small, round mirror the size of a quarter. Then he said, “I was a small child during the Second World War. One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror from a motorcycle wrecked by a grenade. I kept the largest piece of mirror and began to smooth out the jagged edges with a stone. I became fascinated by the fact that I could use it to reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine, into deep holes, crevices and dark closets. I kept the little mirror as a toy; but as I grew older and more mature, I grew to understand that this was not just a toy that I could play with. It was a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to realize that I’m a fragment of a mirror whose whole design I do not know; but with what I have, I can reflect light— be it truth, understanding, goodness, peace, courage, forgiveness, wisdom—into the dark places that exist, where there’s hatred, where there’s doubt, and where there’s fear.” Perhaps the graduates here today, like Robert Fulghum, can think of their talent as a kind of fragment of a great mirror that can be positioned in such a way to reflect powerfully and shine forth brightly where light is badly needed in our world.

Members of the Class of 2022 share a moment of laughter during the Commencement ceremony.

INTRODUCTION OF Father Tony Penna

by Headmaster William Burke III

To know Father Penna is to love him, and so many of you gathered today love him. Among the many great things Father Penna does at BC is advise, support, and travel with the men’s hockey team, which for the past several years has been coached by the winningest coach in college hockey, Jerry York. I have often remarked that the two most Catholic subgroups at BC are the Theology Department and Jerry York’s hockey team, and Father Penna is at the heart of it all.

Before taking on his assignment at Boston College, Father Penna worked at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, so he is no stranger to Catholic secondary school excellence. At St. John’s and at BC, Father Penna served alongside BC’s top admissions professional, my good friend, John Mahoney, who, like everyone else who knows Father Penna, never tires of extolling his many virtues.

Father Penna celebrates Mass at St. Matthew’s in Southboro, where our recently retired 42 year veteran Business Manager Jack Doherty ’62 and his wise wife, Kathy, and our Director of Advancement, Rich Arms, and his wife, Muriel, worship. They, too, shout the good news of Father Penna’s giftedness.

And finally, my beloved colleague, Meyer Chambers, who gets all the credit for recruiting and landing Father Penna for today’s Commencement address, has served in Campus Ministry at BC with Father Penna for many very happy years.

Please help me welcome Father Tony Penna.

You might have noticed that I put on sunglasses a few minutes ago because I was blinded by a burst of light coming from where our graduates are sitting. Yes, there is a fragment of mirror in all of us and certainly in all the graduates gathered here today. It’s called talent. And your talent is a small but mighty fragment of Fulghum’s mirror. And St. Sebastian’s is the stone by which you have shaped the talents that God has given you and molded your identity in all your uniqueness and differentness. Now, let your talents shine brightly. Let them enrich and bless our world. Be the doctor who heals. Be the singer who inspires. Be the scientist who changes how we care for our environment. Be the athlete who brings joy and pride to a school or city, like the Celtics will do this week for the city of Boston. Be the writer who writes the next great novel or next great poem.

St. Sebastian’s Class of 2022 has great talent. Let me remind our graduates of a great principle in Catholic theology. All talent is a gift from God, and these gifts are given for two great reasons. First, gifts are given for your own satisfaction and happiness, for your own good, so enjoy them. And second, gifts are given to be shared with the world, so the world becomes a better place for all, for neighbor and stranger alike.

I’d like to end this speech by quoting a great Jesuit educator, Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J., who, if he were here today, would say to you that St. Sebastian’s is not so much a place you go to, as it is a place from which you go forth from, to shine brightly with the gifts that God has so richly given to you.

So, to the Class of 2022, I say to you: Congratulations! We are proud of you! Shine Brightly! The world needs you at your best!!!

Thank you. “St. Sebastian’s is the stone by which you have shaped the talents that God has given you and molded your identity in all your uniqueness and differentness. Now, let your talents shine brightly. Let them enrich and bless our world. ”

LEFT: Graduate Colin Boland shakes hands with faculty member Chris Lynch and other faculty and staff members after Commencement. ABOVE: Aidan Maguire chest bumps with his father Mike Maguire ’91 in celebration after receiving his diploma from him during the ceremony.

TOP: An aerial view of Commencement as the graduates and faculty process across the West Campus fields. BOTTOM LEFT: Alex Purpura gives a fist bump to a classmate after accepting his diploma. BOTTOM RIGHT: A group of graduates gather for a photo on the West Campus fields.

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS

A Special Place

BY COOPER B. MCCANN '22

Mr. Burke, Mr. Nerbonne, Mr. Elcock, Father Penna, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the faculty, parents, family, guests, and fellow members of the Class of 2022. De La Salle High School in Toronto, Ontario, had always sort of caught my interest. Whenever I was up in Canada for the summer, it might have come up once or twice in casual conversation. But when I learned that my father, grandfather, great grandfather, and great great grandfather had all attended the school, it became my obsession. The school crest in my grandfather’s office, the team pictures with the old-fashioned equipment, the dark green blazers. There was no way I could break the tradition after four generations of my family had gone to the same school. I proposed several alternative living arrangements, made multiple unprompted phone calls to my grandparents in Toronto, would relentlessly bring up the topic at dinner, and research the application process online in my spare time. To not go would be a waste, an offense to my literal ancestors. But instead, I found myself at St. Sebastian’s School, an all-boys day school about three minutes from my house. To think, a place this extraordinary was sitting in my backyard.

Why is Sebs a special place? I mean, what is the advantage of spending your teenage years here as opposed to any other high school? From my point of view, architecturally, technologically, and geographically, we are definitely a stateof-the-art establishment. But as I’m sure you all know, it’s not the tan bricks that make Sebs what it is. Simply, I think it is not where you learn, but what you learn and who you learn it from that makes all the difference.

I am not going to stand here and pretend you all don’t know what Sebs is like. You know just as well as I do what makes Sebs special. But what I do want to assure you of is that it is, actually, special. Believe me, I’ve been to an Admissions event or two. I know the pitch. A private school is, after all, a business. We talk about the teachers, the community, the brotherhood, the faith, and the academics. The sports, the arts, and the clubs. Sebs sounds like the whole package, but so does every other school you go to for a visit day. The natural conclusion a person would come to is that some of it can’t be true. Maybe the teachers aren’t as available as they say they are or maybe the kids aren’t as welcoming or maybe no one cares about the sports. The crazy thing I’ve realized, over my six years here, is that nothing we tell prospective families is a romanticization of our school, nor an exaggeration. I could stand here and defend each and every talking point you would hear at a Sebs event. The one thing we don’t talk about at these events is other schools. Speak highly of ourselves, and nothing of others. Well, I am going to step over that line and say it: you will not find these things at other schools.

I know the name and could describe every student in my grade to another person. I’m sure someone at another school could do the same. But how about for the teachers? The staff? Does that still hold true? There is a sense of identity and closeness here I can’t seem to find anywhere else, and believe me, I’ve asked. Also, out of curiosity, I went around asking a few of you over the past few weeks if there was anyone in our grade you didn’t like. Everyone had the same reaction: silence for a few moments, perhaps a short hum of concentration, and then a no. Out of 66 other kids, there is not a single one they could not connect with. How can that be?

What I think it is, and not to be ambiguous, is a sense of identity and unity. We are a small school. So every year, we have the same teachers, do homework in the same library, stand shoulder to shoulder in the same Henry’s Corner watching or even playing in the same games. None of these things on their own are unique. But when you come to Sebs every day, praying in the same chapel, studying for the same tests, and running sprints next to the same guys, Sebs becomes not just a school, but a way of life. The routine of a Sebs student is ingrained in your mind. Staying after school to do homework goes from being a grind to an absolute blast.

“St. Sebastian’s is a special place, a place that can both feel like home and teach us everything we need to move on to the next stage in our lives. We are all forever Arrows.”

Going to a hockey game changes from an expectation to a privilege. The fact that a senior can look me in the eyes and say to me with a straight face that they would want to go back and stay at Sebs till 10 PM working on a failing mousetrap car says something about the people he’s doing it with. It’s impossible to dislike someone who has the same responsibilities, values, and passions you do. And when you go to a school with people you like and respect, a lively community, and a sense of belonging, a lot of school-related things start to feel not like school at all.

I feel like some of the chapel speeches I have heard on the Sebs community and brotherhood get it wrong. They all describe the same Sebs culture we know and love, the same one I’ve been talking about, but the ending feels off to me. A few times, I remember the senior that was speaking would leave us with the sentiment that we should all cherish and enjoy Sebs while we can, because it is a unique place, and beyond Sebs, schools can’t hope to compare. I don’t think leaving is something we should fear and feel uncertain about. St. Sebastian’s is, after all, a preparatory school. Everything that makes it special does not become irrelevant once you leave these hallways. What I mean is, everything we value about Sebs will have a real meaning in our time going forward into college. Sebs has a consistent daily schedule and rhythm that will no doubt help us organize and give purpose to our ample free time next year. Our deep faith lives will be a reliable foundation in a time when everything else is changing. The rigorous academics and examinations will prepare us for the difficulty of a college course. The emphasis on available extra help from our teachers encourages us to seek out office hours with our new professors. The yearly chapel speaking program creates an opportunity to practice public speaking. Our vibrant and authentic sense of brotherhood will help us to find sincere and reliable friends. And our identity as a St. Sebastian’s man will give us the determination to succeed at any level.

I stand here, in front of you all, feeling completely unprepared for college. I hardly know anyone, have no idea what classes will be like, can’t come back home after a long day, feel uncertain about my previously certain career path and interests, and overwhelmed by the freedom. But when I look out at all of you, I see 66 brothers whom I know are more than ready. So I think I will give myself the benefit of the doubt and say I probably am too. St. Sebastian’s is a special place, a place that can both feel like home and teach us everything we need to move on to the next stage in our lives. We are all forever Arrows.

I’d like to thank just a few people. To my parents, who have done nothing but love and support me through every step along the way, and who have made everything I do possible. To my teachers, who have all gone above and beyond to help make me into the student I am today, especially Mr. Cleary and Mr. Wilbur, whose passion for their subjects, energy in the classroom, and inspiring personal character have set fabulous examples for me and my fellow students. I’d like to thank Mr. Ryan, who has been my advisor for the last six years, and all my coaches for soccer, hockey, and baseball. Lastly, I’d like to thank all the parents here today, whose choice to send their sons to Sebs with me has made it the best experience of my life.

I will leave you with one last remark: Have faith in the man you’ve become, trust that the lessons you’ve learned here will guide you well, and never forget what it means to be an Arrow.

Sam Ix processes onto the field during Commencement.

SALUTATORY ADDRESS

Embrace the Sun

BY JOHN T. FLYNN ’22

Mr. Burke, Mr. Nerbonne, Mr. Elcock, Fr. Penna, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the faculty, parents, family, guests, and fellow members of the Class of 2022—I’m Jack Flynn, and I’d just like to say, Salvete. For those of you who took Spanish, that’s Latin for “Sup.”

I’ve always thought that the idea of a student giving a speech at his own commencement is a little silly. I am the Class of 2022’s salutatorian—hold for applause—so I am now in the very awkward position of providing my sage life advice to my fellow teenagers. But in order to effectively give advice, one needs wisdom and perspective, of which I have neither. So instead what I’ll do is I’ll share with you the greatest lesson that St. Sebastian’s has taught me. Maybe by sharing this lesson, some of you will get as much out of it as I have. But before I get into that, I want to reflect on two of the best classes I’ve taken here, two classes which bookended my six years, the first in seventh grade, the second in my senior year.

The first was my seventh-grade algebra class with Mr. Palmaccio. It was my first year, so, as a humanities-minded individual, I expected it to be one of those classes you just have to put up with. But, because of Mr. P., and because of the group of kids in that class, algebra quickly became my favorite subject that year. There was always good banter and teasing going on, and amidst all that, the development of lasting friendships with kids with whom I’m still very close. And a great friendship with Mr. P.—he made me really enjoy the class. Now, I don’t mean to spoil it for you, but this isn’t one of those full-circle stories, where I was completely swayed and just because of this one class I’ve decided to pursue a career as a professional mathematician. That didn’t happen. I’m not going to college to be an algebra major. Harvard doesn’t have an algebra major. Harvard has an algebra concentration. But it is a full-circle story in that I had Mr. P. again this past year for calculus, which is slightly harder than algebra, but it’s always a lot of fun and very worthwhile if Mr. Palmaccio is running the class.

My other favorite class—after seventh-grade algebra with Mr. P. —was senior-year AP Literature with Mr. Lynch. This is the best class that I’ve taken in school. We read some outstanding pieces of literature: Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, Hamlet—I urge every eighteen/nineteen-yearold male to read Hamlet. It’s so good and so important for people our age. But that’s why everything we read in AP Lit was so good: these books were handpicked because they discuss topics and themes that are important to developing kids, for boys readying themselves for manhood. And this was deepened by our discussions of these works in class. We would debate across the table about whether Hamlet’s doing the right thing or what Tolstoy wants this symbol to represent. And we had some fierce debates sometimes—inside and out of the classroom. They would carry on to Ward Hall and the library after school. And Mr. Lynch would let it happen—he’d give us room to develop our points, and to refute things that had been said, and to stumble over our own logic. But in the crossfire, we each discovered what we believe to be true. Which is really important. And we got to that point with each other, by listening to each other’s beliefs and experiences. As a result, it was a wild and challenging and really fun class.

Now, take a second and think about your favorite class that you took at Seb’s. Adults too—try to remember your favorite class in high school. What was it? And why was it your favorite? Obviously, the main reason these two classes were so meaningful to me were not because of what I learned or even the books I read or the algebraic formulas that were covered. And I’m willing to bet that that’s not why the class you’re thinking of was your favorite. It was because of the people in these classes, the friendships that sparked and deepened through these classes. It taught me, ultimately, the importance of surrounding myself with good people. Because that’s when I’m happier. And there’s something to be said for being happy. A case can be made. A couple years ago—sometime in the first semester of my sophomore year—I had this very strange moment of realization that I wasn’t happy. I would wake up in the morning unhappy. I would wake up angry and frustrated. And that’s no way to live. But I realized that I was focusing on the wrong things. I’m a very cynical person. I’m an Irishman, so I’m a naturally cynical person. So when you put me in a room with another negative person, I get dragged down to his level. But you put me next to a positive person, he cancels out my negativity and brings me up to his level. So I learned not to waste my time on negativity and instead to make a conscious effort to focus my energy on the positive and optimistic people in my life. And this all made me much more appreciative for the wonderful relationships that I have with really good-hearted people.

These people have made me a much better and much more positive person. Same thing with groups and events and experiences—I learned to say no to things that weren’t making me happy. Why waste my time? It’s made me better appreciate and more deeply enjoy the parts of my life that do make me happy. Then you have things to look forward to.

Thankfully, the St. Sebastian’s campus is rife with good and happy people, and my relationships with these people are what got me to where I am in my life now. And it’s not just with people my age. I met Mr. Lynch in the summer going into my seventh-grade year, the summer before I started here. And I never had him in class until this past year. But his guidance and friendship were incredibly impactful throughout my six years. I consider him one of the most important mentors I have in my life. Same goes for Mr. Palmaccio: he’s been a wonderful friend to me, and I always value his advice and conversation. I would say the same for my advisor, debate team coach, and Greek teacher, Mr. Nerbonne, whose friendship and counsel have helped me through more than he realizes during my six years. Or Mrs. Wiggin, a first-year Arrow—our time here only overlapped by one year, but we’ve developed a fantastic friendship during that short time, which I hope will continue. And Mr. Riemann—talk about positive people. Between you and me, I have no recollection of meeting Mr. Riemann. Zero idea. I never had him as a teacher; he never moderated any clubs I was a part of. One day we were just saying hi to each other in the hallways and talking about books and writers and podcasts and restaurant recommendations. I don’t know how it started, but he’s a great guy and we’ve had some fantastic conversations over the years. That’s what makes Seb’s great—that’s what Seb’s is. Cultivating meaningful and lasting relationships, sometimes out of nothing—they just happen, they just grow naturally, because good people with good morals and similar interests gravitate towards each other naturally. That happens with classmates, with teammates, with teachers, with the school nurse, with anyone in the community. I love it.

Now, will this speech, which I am delivering to you now, go down in history as one of the greatest commencement speeches of all time, up alongside Kurt Vonnegut’s famous “Wear sunscreen” speech? Will this be one of the best? Probably. But actually, while I have you, I’d like to talk about that Kurt Vonnegut speech, since you bring it up. There is a commencement speech attributed to Kurt Vonnegut, though the authorship is debated, that advises the graduating class to “wear sunscreen.” Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you today and tell you: DO NOT wear sunscreen. What? Did that pasty Irish kid just speak out publicly against sunscreen? First of all, yes, and second of all, he has a name! I tell you, my friends, do not wear sunscreen. I will explain this point with a solid but potentially confusing allegory, so bear with me. (This is great, I feel like Socrates, just throwing allegories around.)

The sun is known for—it actually originally gained notoriety for its emission of warmth and light. Putting on that sunscreen blocks out that warmth and light from your life. That shouldn’t be our goal. Don’t put on that sunscreen—embrace the sun, embrace that warmth and that light from the world. Embrace the people from whom you derive that goodness.

But that doesn’t come without risk. When you open yourself up to the sun, it can burn you. The sun can literally burn your skin. There’s a danger involved when you open yourself up like that. But if you don’t open yourself up, and you don’t take the risk, and you lather yourself in sunscreen, you’ll never experience the happiness and love that the sun/ your relationships can provide. Take that risk. Leap before you look. My most fun memories are of when I decided to leap before I looked. There’s a great quote from one of my favorite prophets, Bruce of New Jersey. He’s the greatest philosopher to come out of New Jersey. Sorry Mr. Cleary, you’re a close second, but it’s Springsteen! At least you beat out Bon Jovi. Mr. Ryan, you’re number four. But the great philosopher Bruce Springsteen, in his song “Blinded by the Light,” said, “Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun. Oh but Mama, that’s where the fun is!” Embrace the sun. Listen to Bruce Springsteen, not Kurt Vonnegut.

Anyway, I’d say that’s a pretty sound allegory. With this advice, though, I don’t mean to come off as preachy, because I can’t take credit for it. It’s not coming from me. Seb’s taught me all this, and it was a perfect environment for me, personally, to grow up in and to try things and to fail miserably and to learn. I think about what it would have been like if I had gone to Winchester High School, or some other lesser institutions I had considered. I remember there was one school in Belmont I was considering—it was up on a… slightly higher elevation. But had I gone to any of these other schools, I would have been a completely different person— no question. St. Sebastian’s has given me the experiences, the education, and most importantly the relationships that guided me to where I am in my life now. I’m incredibly grateful for everything that’s happened these past six years. Seb’s has no equal. It is a wonderful, wonderful place, and I’m incredibly happy and proud to have been a small part of it.

I also want to express my sincere gratitude to my family. My mother, who is the most generous and loving person I know. My father, who I can always count on to have my back and who always pushes me to try new things. They’ve supported me unconditionally, and that’s something for which I’m incredibly happy and grateful.

So for those of you just waking up, here’s the Sparknotes of my speech. Two things. One, surround yourself with good people, positive people, positive forces. Surround yourself with the Cole Szemans of the world, the Brendan Gormans, the Alex Purpuras, the Liam Muldowneys. These are the good people. Hunt these people down and latch onto them for dear life. And B, I am smarter than Kurt Vonnegut. He wasn’t the salutatorian of his high school! Thank you all very much, and thank you St. Sebastian’s. God bless.