Hill Class of 2023 Graduation
The St. Joseph Hill Academy Class of 2023 Graduation Liturgy and Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday, June 1, 2022, presided over by Bishop Peter J. Byrne and Father Rhey Garcia.
Sofia Biondi, the recipient of the Bronze Medal for Academic Distinction, delivered the Farewell Dedication. She said, "One thing I have learned over these formative four years is that God gives us opportunities every day. It is our choice to take them or to let them slip away. God gave us the opportunity to attend St. Joseph Hill Academy, God gave us the opportunity to succeed academically, and God gave us the opportunity to meet people who have enriched our lives in ways we never knew possible. God planted the seed in our hearts that success in life extends further than personal gain, but toward enhancing the lives of others. And it is the gift of St. Joseph Hill Academy that allowed these seeds to grow."
The Awards Ceremony followed the Graduation Liturgy with awards distributed to exemplary students for their commitment to service, the arts, and to achieving Summum Bonum (the highest good). We congratulate all the awardees for their well-deserved recognition.
Sofia Biondi, the recipient of the Bronze Medal for Academic Distinction, delivered the Farewell Dedication. She said, "One thing I have learned over these formative four years is that God gives us opportunities every day. It is our choice to take them or to let them slip away. God gave us the opportunity to attend St. Joseph Hill Academy, God gave us the opportunity to succeed academically, and God gave us the opportunity to meet people who have enriched our lives in ways we never knew possible. God planted the seed in our hearts that success in life extends further than personal gain, but toward enhancing the lives of others. And it is the gift of St. Joseph Hill Academy that allowed these seeds to grow."
The Awards Ceremony followed the Graduation Liturgy with awards distributed to exemplary students for their commitment to service, the arts, and to achieving Summum Bonum (the highest good). We congratulate all the awardees for their well-deserved recognition.
Below are some photos from the evening.
Congratulations to the St. Joseph Hill Academy Class of 2023 on their graduation! The 103 seniors walked up the hill one last time on Friday, June 2, 2023 empowered by their education and experiences and with confidence that they are prepared for all that awaits them.
“My time at Hill has helped shaped my future and I know it will help shape yours as well. You have your whole lives ahead of you to change the world and I look forward to watching each and every one of you make that happen,” said St. Joseph Hill Academy 2023 Commencement Speaker, Judge Susan Quirk, ‘94.
“My time at Hill has helped shaped my future and I know it will help shape yours as well. You have your whole lives ahead of you to change the world and I look forward to watching each and every one of you make that happen,” said St. Joseph Hill Academy 2023 Commencement Speaker, Judge Susan Quirk, ‘94.
Salutatorian Anika Thakkar noted, "This class is truly an exceptional one, which our teachers and administrators have acknowledged. Despite our diverse interests, personalities, and backgrounds, we have become a collaborative and caring class, harmonious even, that supports each other through thick and thin. We have exemplified what it means to be a Hilltopper ‒ Summum Bonum, the highest good, as we live the message of Hill’s founders, the Daughters of Divine Charity, making God’s love visible in the world ‒ each and every day. We have stepped up when our school needs us, taking on new responsibilities and leadership roles, and making a lasting impact on the Hill and Staten Island community through meaningful service work. In just a few short years, we have grown from mere classmates into a true sisterhood."
Valedictorian Kristen Norberg also recognized the strong bonds of the Class of 2023 in overcoming the great challenge of the pandemic beginning in their freshman year. "In the end, we all had to learn to adapt, and we did it well. Zoom, cohorts, six-feet separation; none of it was able to hold us back. People are very rarely on the International Space Station alone and we were never alone here at Hill either. We sit up here today as individual friend groups, yes, but also as one of the most cohesive senior classes I could have ever imagined."
The Hill Class of 2023 is ready for their college journeys. For more on where they chose to go to college and what career paths they plan to pursue, read here.
