CLASS OF 2018
CLASS OF 2018 FACTS & NUMBERS Members of the Class of 2018 will attend MORE THAN
500
people attended Trinity Hall’s second graduation.
32 different
95%
universities and colleges.
of graduates received merit-based academic scholarships.
41
Students interned at
36 locations during their
BEYOND THE HALL internship experience.
graduates were
INDUCTED
Members of the Class of 2018 were accepted to
105 colleges
24%
Bridget Andree
Marisa Goolcharan
Jacqueline Munro
University of Notre Dame
Villanova University
Fordham University
Anna Barnett
Isabelle Grimes
Kathryn Murray
Loyola University Maryland
Manhattan College
University of Miami
Sophia Bellavia
Hailey Hartnett
University of Florida
University of Alabama
Avery Nocella
Diana Bilotta
Julia Henning
Providence College
University of Virginia
Katherine Burgess
Christin Jakub
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts/University of Pennsylvania
Providence College
Kailin Burns Cohen
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION.
Members of the Class of 2018 were awarded over
$7.8 million in merit-based academic
Lauren Joyce Loyola University Maryland
Villanova University
Haley Cesario
Grace Kearney Stockton University
Bucknell University
into the Trinity Hall
and universities that span the United States and abroad.
of the Class of 2018 is enrolled in engineering programs.
GRADUATES & SCHOOLS ATTENDING
Brigid Clifford
Emily Knepple
Georgetown University
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Brittany Cortez
Kathryn Kwapniewski
Saint Peter’s University
University of Scranton
Olivia DeNicola
Catherine Loder
Bucknell University
University of Michigan
Madeline Earle
Mairead Mark
University of Miami
Boston College
Colleen Egan
Louise McCrone
Elon University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Joanna Ferrer
Caroline Meehan
Drew University
University of California, Los Angeles
scholarships.
Jacqueline Fletcher University of Pennsylvania
Fairfield University
Alexandria Principe Georgia Institute of Technology
McKayla Quinn-Steineke Northeastern University
Gretchen Richardson Providence College
Gina Rienzo Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Alexis Salerno Franklin and Marshall College
Catherine Toomey Loyola University Maryland
Courtney Vadon Fordham University
Magali Vasquez St. Peter’s University
Nicole Ventura Colgate University
Dorothea Wotton Tufts University
Dana Yarem Drexel University
SENIOR AWARDS Valedictorian Jacqueline Fletcher The class valedictorian is the senior with the highest cumulative grade point average earned during four years of high school work.
Salutatorian Kathryn Kwapniewsk Gina Rienzo The class salutatorian is the senior with the second highest cumulative grade point average earned during four years of high school work. The 2018 award is shared by two graduates.
Graduating with Distinction
Trinity Hall seeks to recognize superior academic achievement in our graduating class. “Graduating with Distinction” is awarded to students in the top 20% of the class who have also earned a weighted grade point average of 4.0 or above.
Bridget Andree Brigid Clifford Jacqueline Fletcher Julia Henning Lauren Joyce Kathryn Kwapniewski Mairead Mark McKayla Quinn-Steineke Gina Rienzo
Core Value Awards
A continued focus on the core values of leadership, respect, perseverance, and faith are celebrated in the senior awards, as one student will be selected as the recipient that bests represents each value. All students nominated for these awards are diligently committed to their own academic achievement while going above and beyond to serve as role models for the Trinity Hall student body.
Leadership Award Catherine Loder This award recognizes the student who, during her time at Trinity Hall, has empowered herself as well as her peers by consistently leading with confidence, humility, empathy, and integrity in both formal and informal ways through her influential words, deeds, and positive attitude. She pursues leadership as a method to better her environment, and seeks to lift others up in order to work towards common goals.
Respect Award Courtney Vadon This award recognizes the student who, during her time at Trinity Hall, has continuously demonstrated the utmost respect for her community through her sincere admiration of the diverse personalities and opinions of others, her mature and healthy self-worth, and her genuine regard for the talents and gifts God has granted all of us. She unfailingly identifies the dignity of others and honors the community with her attention on each individual.
Perseverance Award Alexis Salerno This award recognizes the student who, during her time at Trinity Hall, has faced challenges and, through her remarkable resilience, unwavering courage, and eternal optimism, has persevered to overcome those obstacles and achieve success. She realizes that success is earned through hard work and demonstrates the confidence in herself to continue even the most seemingly difficult tasks.
COLLEGIATE STUDENT ATHLETES
Faith Award Joanna Ferrer Escamilla This award recognizes the student who, during her time at Trinity Hall, has borne witness to her faith through her compassionate mercy, humble generosity, and morally just actions that have subtly but powerfully served as a daily reminder to all of us of our own commitment to be people of faith. Her choices reflect her confidence in a power beyond the reach of proof and her actions are influenced by her devotion to being a member of a faithful community.
LAUREN JOYCE NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming Loyola University Maryland
The Scholar-Athlete Award Bridget Andree This award is given to the senior with the highest cumulative grade point average who has excelled in a varsity sport while exhibiting outstanding school and community citizenship.
ALEXIS SALERNO NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country, Track and Field Franklin and Marshall College
Christina Bergamo, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Addressing the Class of 2018 as the newest members of the Trinity Hall alumnae association May 31, 2018
You have made quite the impact on Trinity Hall. An impact that goes far beyond this coming Sunday, one that will be felt for generations of Trinity Hall young women to come. I can speak for all of the faculty and administrators when I say that we are incredibly proud of you and will truly miss you next year. The spirit and passion you have brought to the Trinity Hall community is palpable and we hope to make you proud by keeping your traditions alive. Thank you for all that you have done to make Trinity Hall the special place that it is. We will truly miss seeing your smiling faces on campus next year, but we are confident that each and every one of you is ready for all that will come your way. We can’t wait to see all that you will accomplish during your college years and beyond. Eleven of you are attending a Jesuit university next year, so I thought it would be appropriate to share one of my favorite quotes from St. Ignatius of Loyola. “Go forth and set the world on fire.” I have no doubt that each of you will make a lasting impact at your colleges and in the years that follow.
Monsignor Thomas McDade,
TRUSTEE
Baccalaureate Mass Homily, May 31, 2018 Our vocation as individuals and soon-to-be alums is to be looking out for hope and light. To point it out and to re-encourage ourselves and one another that Jesus is our answer, our resurrection and life. My friends, your mission as alums of Trinity Hall is to be hope seekers and hope ambassadors, looking for signs of God’s love and hope and, when we discover it, internalizing it and announcing it for the world to see. Never ever forget, today and every day, you – YOU – are the hope for a better tomorrow. As alums of Trinity Hall, you are called to make the difference. You can do it.
And so I ask, for it is your turn now:
ARE YOU FIRED UP? ARE YOU READY TO GO?
I sure hope so, because the world needs you and your hope.
You are ready for this next step. It may require a bit of perseverance, but each one of you has the ability to change the world. Please know that we will all be behind you, cheering you on while you do.
Gina Rienzo,
2018 FOUNDER’S AWARD Awarded to Dr. James Palmieri by Mairead Clifford, Trinity Hall co-founder, board secretary, and CLASS PRESIDENT ‘18
Baccalaureate Dinner, May 31, 2018 It’s hard to believe that these past four years have flown by as quickly as they have. It seems like only yesterday we were walking into Croydon Hall in our oversized blazers to begin, what we didn’t know at the time, would be an adventure of a lifetime. Together we’ve slept on the hardwood floors of the Camp Sacagawea gym, at a point in which we were strangers to one another. We voluntarily spent more hours than required at Croydon Hall, through various events such as the lock-in and our countless extracurricular activities. As a class we established the Royal Rumble, and although we lost this year, we will forever be able to call ourselves proud members of the Blue Team. On top of all this, we’ve established unbreakable bonds, have been provided with lifelong best friends, and 40 forever sisters. An unknown author once said, “Excellence is never an accident; it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution, and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities.” I see this excellence in each of us and believe that this mindset will help us change the world.
parent. Class of 2018 Graduation, June 3, 2018 The Founders Award serves to recognize the member or members of the Trinity Hall community whose commitment to the success of Trinity Hall mirrors the dedication of the Founders – Victoria and Justin Gmelich, myself and my husband, Sean Clifford. On November 29, 2011, after our Feasibility Study was complete, we received an email which read: “Dear Mairead and Victoria, I read about your very exciting – and developing – project in opening an independent girls’ high school in Monmouth County. I think your vision, objectives and planning is appropriate, and I wish you the best of luck. It seems as though your survey responses exceeded expectations. That is wonderful.” The email ended with: “Let me know how I can help you as I have always been interested in the process of opening a school. All the best, James Palmieri.” This email arrived in our inboxes at a crucial time. We had completed the Feasibility Study and had determined to move forward with the establishment of the school. James was a gift from Heaven. This new member of our team was in the process of writing his doctoral thesis at Rutgers on the ten newest independent schools in the United States. James was our compass, pointing us in the right direction with a wisdom well beyond his years. He played a key role in the successful opening of Trinity Hall in September 2013. On behalf of Trinity Hall, thank you for all that you have done.
Commencement
ADDRESS
“LEAN IN AND GRAB A SEAT AT THE TABLE. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY
to
CHANGE THE WORLD”
Victoria Gmelich, Trinity Hall co-founder, board chair, and parent, addressed the Class of 2018. Here are a few excerpts from her commencement address. Commencement: it’s kind of ironic right? It occurs when you have finished something and finished it well – you have graduated. Now you must commence something new? Yes, college, and I hate to break it to you but this is generally a monumental transition. We don’t focus on that, though. We mask it with the ceremony, the gowns, the diplomas and the celebrations. We distract you from the inevitability that you must begin again, somewhere new. At Trinity Hall you have been educated and empowered, you have been called to be leaders, told to take risks, asked to take responsibility, and expected to take initiative. Now, after four years in relative comfort, you have been commanded to go make a difference. Wow. That’s a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation. So how did you get here? First, you are smart. From the very beginning when you all were in 8th grade, I often heard how smart you – as a class – were... Hearing about your being smart reminded me of something my father always told me when I was little. My father, a New York City policeman, who didn’t finish college, always told me how smart I was. He would say in his heavy New York accent, “You are so smaht Vicki. You are gonna be my docta.” Because in his world, really smart people became doctors. He eventually realized that I didn’t really want to become a doctor, but he never stopped telling me how smart I was and that always stayed with me. But being smart isn’t sufficient – you must also work hard. And now you must continue on your journey. Journeys – we are all on them. It is common wisdom that when climbing a hill, one needs to lean forward. It helps when your center of gravity is always over your feet. Similarly, life can often be an uphill climb. It requires you to lean forward. You see, no matter how smart, or gifted, or confident you are, things will not always be easy. It happened in the life of Trinity Hall and it will happen in your personal life as well. Adversity is inevitable...Running away from a problem only increases the distance from the solution. The reason we sit here today is that the Cliffords and the Gmelichs saw a problem with the landscape of education in our area and we ran toward it. So I say to you: run toward the problem and you will be instrumental in coming up with the solution. Next (and this is really practical advice that I hope you will try to take): be present. Have a conversation, a discussion. Use your phone to actually call someone... or better yet, go visit them. You will have a richer experience for it. Take the time to admire a sunset without taking its picture. Revel in this world’s majesty. Take a moment of calm and enjoy the view. To sum up, you have been given the gift of being smart, hardworking women. Often, in this world, women feel pitted against one another, in competition with each other for those intangibles such as attention, recognition, acceptance – for those are resources that we feel are scarce. We must change that, we must make those resources abundant. We must champion each other, amplify each other’s voices and lift each other up. We must relish our sisterhood and when we get ahead grab those who have fallen behind. We must demand equal pay, equal promotion and equal opportunity and feel within our rights to do so. Walk tall, hold your shoulders back and be a presence in the room, a force to be reckoned with. Speak your mind and demand respect. Be fierce and, above all, be courageous. Be a woman who believes she can achieve anything, because you can and you must. Life is not a dress rehearsal.
Valedictory Address
Jacqueline Fletcher, Class of 2018 Valedictorian, is a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 2022. Here are excerpts from her Valedictory Address. When I think back on the best four years of my life, I don’t immediately remember what was on the board that day or what I struggled with in class; I remember the love and the genuine feeling of support I had almost every single day. Ironically, the five minutes I used to ungratefully let pass away I now would do anything to get back. What I wouldn’t do for just five minutes filled with the times we couldn’t stop laughing and literally would roll around on the floor in the cubby room (because only here can teenagers cherish their cubby and lament the loss of snack time), the five minutes I spent in the morning talking -- or should I say groggily mumbling -- to my parents as I ran out the door for school, the five minutes when we would attempt to present some crazy and wonderfully incorrect solution at the board in math class, the five minutes when someone said something insightful in English that blew our minds, or the five simple minutes we spent with our teachers taking complete advantage of the continental breakfast during our college trips and who became our most important confidants and sources of wisdom, without whom this community and my life truly wouldn’t be the same. You all inspired us again and again and gave us the power and knowledge to believe in ourselves even when we didn’t. You unknowingly changed 41 lives everyday by being not only incredible educators, but role models and friends. Who would have guessed four years ago when we stumbled through those doors at Croydon Hall in all of our awkward preteen glory that this school, this hallway, these amazing people would change my life forever and make it so hard to leave? What I want to conclude with today is not about the specifics of Trinity Hall or even of life because in the end the specifics and the words and the numbers really don’t matter, but what does prevail is the feeling. And that feeling is our sisterhood, our bond, our perseverance, our faith in God. Because if there is one thing I can tell you not just about high school but about life, it’s once you find that feeling like I know I have found here, please never let it go. Take it with you and be deliriously happy for as long as you shall live.
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