Our School

Holy Cross High School celebrated its 51st Commencement Exercises on Sunday, June 5, 2022. Diplomas and special awards were distributed to the Class of 2022. Heartfelt speeches and parting words were shared by Board members, administrators, students and special guests including the Hon. Mayor Neil O'Leary and members of the class of 1972.

In his Congratulatory Address, President, Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino challenged the graduates to always have hope. “There are two different types of hope. There is that passive, wishful thinking type of hope. It’s the hope we have for a sunny day like today…Holy Cross hope is a totally different type of hope. Holy Cross hope is based on the idea that your own efforts, actions, initiative and desire can change your future.”

“Education often gets bogged down by its own platitudes and jargon,” said Mr. Tommy Pompei, Principal. “As it applies to Holy Cross High School, the concepts like real world application and lifelong learners mean much more…At Holy Cross, all lessons whether academic, moral or spiritual are always meant to contribute to the growth of not only who you are during in green and gold, but also who you will forever be as Crusaders out in God’s world.”

Matthew Barrett ’22 addressed his fellow graduates in the Commencement Address. He took everyone a trip down memory lane from when they met as freshmen, had their sophomore year cut short by COVID-19, readjusted in junior year and ultimately triumphed as seniors. “Learning through Zoom was exhausting and for many of us retaining information through a screen did not suffice,” he said. “However, our teachers were the ones to stay after class to make sure we understood the material. I believe the relationships you held with your teachers were the most important.”

He closed his speech with a note of appreciation for the parents. “A parent is a role model, a leader, someone that you can turn to when you need the guidance most. You managed to make sure a Holy Cross education was possible for each of us. You maintained stability in our lives when we were faced with the unknown. Our parents are the reason we are all gathered here today.”

Board Chair Kevin McSherry ’75 welcomed the first graduating class of Holy Cross High School, the Class of 1972 which he described as “the foundation class. They led the school to where it is in tradition and in everything it has become today.”

Several individuals were honored/recognized during the ceremony including:

• Aryanna Carter ’22 and Cameron Sivilla ’22 received the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Award for maintaining the highest and second-highest grade point average, respectively.
• Alyssa Colangelo ’22 was the recipient of The Sister Margaret Bannon, CND Service Award, presented annually to the senior girl who has demonstrated outstanding service to the school community.
• Matthew Barrett ’22 was the recipient of The Holy Cross Fathers’ Club Award, given each year to the senior boy who has demonstrated the most service to the school community.
• Cayman Chacchia ’22 was the recipient of The Holy Cross Mothers’ Club Award, presented annually to the senior boy who has demonstrated the most academic improvement from freshman to senior year.
• Amanda Martinez ’22 was the recipient of The Monsignor Flanagan Award, presented each year to the female student who has improved the most academically from freshman to senior year.
• Beloved Theology teacher, Ann Estrada was celebrated for her four decade-long career in the classroom. Mrs. Estrada retired at the end of this school year.    

The graduating class of 2022 includes: Ava Andolena, Brandon Anelli, Mason Artman, Jared Ash, Ella Atkins, Zaida Baba, Sydney Bakewell, Cyril Balatbat, Honey Balkcom, Keyshawn Banks, Matthew Barrett, Lyvia Bartoli, Michaela Bell, Daria Bennett, Matthew Berthel, Logan Bessette, Hannah Bishins, Marley Bonderenko, Aylanie Bonilla, Devonte Brammer, Isabella Bugaytsova, Amanda Burne, Devon Bushka, Clare Bussey, Francesca Campagna, Valerio Capobianco, Trevor Carroll, Aryanna Carter, Christina Castellini, Cayman Chacchia, Caiden Charette, Aiden Coelho, Alyssa Colangelo, Tyler Coleman, Brayden Collette, Louis Coptsias, Alexander Corona, Miles Crosby, Luke Daddona, Robert Damato, Stephanie Delgado, Alexa Diorio, Tyler Doherty, Andreas Effes, Aisha Elliott, Jameson Fauth, Brooke Ferrare, Ethan Fortin, Javin Frageau, Abigail Galasso, Garrett Girgasky, Elijah Gomes, Xavier Gonzalez, Dorian Goroveci, Arianna Gove, Grace Graziano, Brianna Greenlaw, Sarah Griffith, Luca Guerrera, Ashley Harris, Charlotte Henderlite, Rachael Honegger, Cayla Howard, Henock Ilunga, Haddy Jobe, Emily LaCava, Zachary Laferriere, Emily Lanoie, Xuanning Liang, Eliza Maloney, William Mara, Amanda Martinez, Isabella Marzano, Benjamin Mason, Jonathan Melgar, Grant Mowad, Brielle Myers, Ngoc Minh Thu Nguyen, Nguyet Minh Nguyen, Kylie O'Brien, Avery O'Connell, Patrick Osiecki, Nathaly Pacheco, Jaiden Paniagua, Megan Paolino, Sonila Pasholli, Maeve Perrone, Kristina Perry, Grace Persaud, Emily Pesce, Hai Dang Pham, James Quicquaro, Alexander Regan, Lance Regan, Victoria Reyes, Kyle Richard, Caleb Roden, Stacy Rodriguez, Mary Rosko, Robert Rosko, Anthony Ruggia, Thomas Salvador, Christopher Salvatore, Brie Sanders, Ashton Sannasi, Vincent Santopietro, Oscar Santos, Matthew Sarracco, Nicholas Sarracco, Caleb Shahen, Michael Shaker, Joseph Shinglar, Cameron Sivilla, Eliza Slevinsky, Nyasia Smith, Natalia Soden, Richayla Stallings, Maizel Strang, Samuel Summerfield, Ryan Thomas, Haoyue Tian, Elizabeth Titley, Cameron Torres, Ngoc Uyen Tran, Gia Han Truong, Loren Tuck, Nicholas Turner, Jenna Tymosko, Jaylene Urbaez, John Walsh, Shengqi Wang, Yanjie Wang, Trevor Warren, Michael Weglarz, Emma Wheeler, Lexi White, Olivia White, Chase Zaccagnini, Yiruo Zhang & Mainian Zhu