This month, Cardinal Spellman High School held its 61st commencement ceremony at the Lehman College Performing Arts Center. An invocation by Deacon John Maulucci was followed by senior Meadow D’Erasmo singing the National Anthem.
School President Daniel O’Keefe congratulated the Class of 2023, urging them to seek the truth and to continue to live the values learned at Cardinal Spellman. The 230 graduates joined more than 23,000 other Spellman alumni since the school’s first graduation in 1963.
O’Keefe also announced the names of two teachers who are retiring after more than four decades of teaching, Jane Morris of the Physical Education Department and Trudy Keane of the Science Department. In addition, five teachers reached 20-year milestones at Spellman: Eileen Byrne, Andrew DiMuro, Patrick Ellis, Thomas Siegel Jr., and Nancy Smith. Spellman Principal Jeri Faulkner recognized among the administrators, faculty, parents and guests all those who previously graduated from the high school – close to 100.
Eileen Murray, a financial services executive in several leading firms and 1976 Spellman graduate, addressed the graduates, their families and friends.
Student speakers were Valedictorian Joshua Johnson, the top ranked student in the Class of 2023 who will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall, and Salutatorian Allison Sotomayor, who will be attending Cornell University. The Cardinal Spellman Trophy and Memorial Scholarship given to the two students who best embody the spirit of Francis Cardinal Spellman was awarded to Joshua Johnson and Kyla Warren, who will both be heading off to the University of Delaware. Brooklynn Matthews and Christian Gamilo received the Spellman Spirit Award, while the Spellman Alumni Award went to Brianna Ovalles and Ezekiel Vargas. The Seton-DeLaSalle Award named in honor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity, and Saint John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, was presented to Joshua Persaud and Precious Ngnosse.
For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
