Marple Newtown High School Celebrates Its 96th Commencement

VILLANOVA–For one last time, 288 seniors received their final dismissal from  on Thursday evening at Villanova University's Pavilion.

Students donned in black gowns and caps with orange tassels marched proudly down the center aisle to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance in a graduation procession to receive their GED diplomas and embark the next journey in their lives.

Attended by board members, staff, friends and family, the ceremony stirred up fond memories, laughter and, perhaps, some tears. But, most of all, hope and encouragement were spoken by all speakers with the possibilities that lie ahead.

"It's easy to focus on the difficulties and not the possibilities," addressed Principal Dr. Ray McFall to the graduating seniors. "However, I encourage you to explore your options. If one door is closed, look around and find one that's open."

However, whatever opportunities that each student stumbled upon or whatever path they choose to take, Superintendent Dr. Merle Horowtiz urged students to "be the best that you can be to make our world a better place."

Student Council President Casey O'Donnell led the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of the ceremony, while Alaina Sforza, Class of 2011 president, kicked off the student speakers with class greetings.

The two keynote student speakers included Alexandra Stephanou and Suzanna Talento. Both Stephanou and Talento addressed their classmates with words of hope and courage to conquer their next step in life.

Out of the 288 students who graduated, 36 graduated with honors from the National Honor Society. A handful of students were awarded with special awards–Broomall Rotary Interact Scholarship Award, Broomall Rotary Scholarship Award, Evelyn Hollis Scholarship Award, Frank C. Videon Sr. Awards, Gloria Moldoff Memorial Scholarship Award, Linda Carrell Memorial Scholarship Award, Marple Newtown Scholarship Awards and Marple Newtown Education Association John McCauley Scholarship Awards–during the ceremony.

The high school's choir, band and orchestra performed several numbers including America the Beautiful, Pomp and Circumstance and the high school's Alma Mater.

Be sure to check out our recap video and videos of the students' speeches.

Class of 2011 Marple Newtown Graduates

Vincent Michael Abate, Christopher James Abbott, Grigor Abelian, Rebecca Lynn Alexander, Julia Carolyn Allen, Nicole Livia Allman, Arthur Anderson, Sean Matthew Andress, Samantha Ellen Marie Angelina, Vincent Robert Antonini, Jr., Brandom James Archambo, Robin Clifford Arnold, Corey Scott Aurig, Lindsay Rose Aurig, Chelsea Leigh Banes, Destiny R. Barnak, Jacob Donald Baron, Daniel W. Battista, Jr., Mohamed M. Bayoumi, Gianna Maria Benedetto, Christopher Robert Bernstein, *Shivani K. Bhanderi, Brittany A. Bitner, John C. Blackburn, Robert H. Brake, Anna Jean Brasch, Jeffrey Matthew Brooks, Maiya Amanda Brown, Christopher Patrick Buchser, Danielle Elizabeth Cairns, *Kyle Cameron, *Alexis Nicole Cantwell, Amanda Danielle Capoferri, Alexa S. Casterioto, Nicholas Ceritano, *Justin Vu Chau, Eric Laurence Chinofsky, Inyeol Choi, Na Young Choi, *Daniel Yun Chung, Samuel Emanuel Cianelli, Meghan H. Clancy, Tyler Michael Cloran, Christopher Joel Comber, Christopher Joseph Conca, Frank C. Constantino, Andrew James Conway, Richard R. Crawford, *Christina Marie Croce, Ryan G. Cummings, Kevin P. Cwikla, Dominic J. D'Antonio, Gina Marie DelFranco, Tyler Jennings DeMonde, JoAnne Michelle DeRitis, Sarah Grace Dermigny, Christina Lynn Descano, Caitlin Destefano, Mario John Dioguardi, *David Douglas DiPasqua, Jr., Darlene Anne Dool, Daniel Craig Dorazio, Samantha Marie Dougherty, Sean Michael Dougherty, Kyle P. Dracup, Alexander John Dragonetti, Ashley Allen Dreyer, Ryan P. Duffy, Cathering M. Everett, Ryan William Everly, Rebecca Grace Facenda, Jeremy Adam Farber, Alexis Marie Farrelly, *Denia Michelle Feinberg, Rachel Taylor Fernandez, Peter Thomas Finegan, Nicholas Matthew Finio, Timothy Fite, Jr., Brenadn J. Flood, Matthew Ryan Flynn, Alexandra Marie Foga, Shannon Marie Folliard, *Kelly Alexandra Fomalont, Keri E. Frank, Daniel James Furst, Amanda Lynn Gallagher, Julianne M. Garrity, Katherine M. Garrity, *Danielle Zoey Geida, Kathey E. Gerhart, James P. Gibbons, Robert A. Gore, Vasiliki Gouliaberis, Brianna M. Grassi, Mark L. Grassi, Nicolette Marie Graw, Elizabeth Catherine Graziano, Matt G. Gregory, Morgan Cathering Griffith, Tyler John Griffith, *Christina Rose Groff, Michael Louis Hahn, *Tanya Hamid, Jessica N. Harper, Anna E. Haywood, Shawn Robert Heard, Lucas Robert Helker, Bryan Peter Hunt, Alexander Grant Hutchison, Scott Josephy Hyland, Michele Elizabeth Ithen, Nicole E. Jameison, Esmiana Jani, Stephen Gregory Jasinski, *Kurt A. Johnson, Christine Marie Juliano, Gyutae Kang, Apostolis Nicholas Karalis, Mary Kate Katein, Amandeep Kaur, Jasminder Kaur, Roula Kavallieratos, Chane David Kazunas, Alyssa Haley Keenan, Brian Patrick Kelly, Kelly Anne Kerrigan, *Nicolette Laryn Killen, *Gina Kim, Gabrielle D. King, Matthew Scott Klepfer, Maria Kotopoulos, Arun Kumar, David W. Kurkian, Jr., Timothy William Lannon, Rachel Nuri Lee, Paul Sin Lee, Jin H. Lee, *Cassandra Marie Lehman, Gary Michael Leming, Brian K. Leon, Stephen Matthe Leopold, Alexandra C. Levy, Kaitlyn Ann Levy, Jeffrey Peter Lewis, Jiamin Liang, Kristina H. Lim, *Julie Ann Long, John Russell Longacre III, Anthony Matthew Loro, Jenna Elizabeth Lucas, Anthony Lupica, Micahel Van Luu, Jason Ly, Simranjot Singh Mahil, Naaila H. Malik, *Benjamin Ethan Mansky, Samantha Rae Marinelli, *Emily Beth Mark, Maria T. Maslin, Alicia Massaro, Christian L. Massey, John Wesley McAllister, William Bernard McCauley, Michael Patrick McCaw, *Corey Joseph McDonnell, *Nicole Kristen McFadden, Corey Martin McGuire, *Denise Mary McKeown, Nicholas James McKeown, Andrew Roy McNeill, Christie Angela Menna, Christopher James Miller, Devon Christine Miller, Trinity Empress Miller, Elias Chris Mingos, Tiffany Rose Monhahan, Jessica Yoon Morgan, Cooper Paul Morris, Daniel F. Moyer, Alyssa Marie Myers, *Sara Beatrice Navarro, William Joseph Neilsen, Jessica Elizabeth Nichols, Peter Nikolos, Rebecca Lynn Northwood, Kolawole Opeyemi Odesina, *Casey Jean O'Donnell, Sean O'Donnell, Theodore James Oleynick, Nicolas S. Pappolla, Robert Lawrence Papurt, *Jeong-Hyeon Park, Maverick J. Parsons, Martin R. Patel, Tracey Arleta Patrick, Vanessa Gidelle Patrone, *Daniel Joseph Pesolyar, Jessica Rose Pereira, Annamare Katherin Pettineo, Khoi Viet Pham, *Paul T. Pham, Charles Phelps, Abigail S. Piereoff, Georgia Poulos, *Connor Lee Power, *Dorela Priftanji, Sienna Patricia Proetto, Julia Ptasznik, Eric Andrew Quinn, Patrick Phillip Radecki, Francesca G. Ragucci, Siobhan M. Redding, *Amanda Jeane Reichert, John William Reinersmann, Andrew J. Reusche, Michael Deomenic Ricciardelli, Nicholas Enrico Ricciuti, Adam Gabriel Rios, Jennifer E. Rogers, Andrew McNeil Rote, *Thomas C. Ryan, Ralph J. Salamone, Jr., Stephen Mark Sammartino, Nathan A. Schimmoler, john Michael Schork, Carmen A. Scota II, Cullen Michael Scott, Jeffrey L. Sekel, Anthony F. Severino, Alaina Michele Sforza, Christopher Raymond Sgalippa, Setrag Shahikian, Shannon Mary Sheridan, Tmar Quinn Shevlin, Annabel Shin, Elli Slikas, Kelsey Ann Small, Shaelyn W. Small, Angie L. Sotomayor, John N. Spink, Vincent J. Staffieri, Bradford Thomas Standen, *Alexandra Jean Stephanou, Alisson Laura Stephens, Matthew John Stewart, *Shannon Marie Stussy, Zachary Stephen Surkin, Kevin Richard Svenson, Alexander Charles Swanson, Alexandros Tagalidis, *Suzanna Marie Talento, Christian Salvatore Tartaglia, Jr., Matthew Jacob Taxin, David Alexander Tocci, Scott Ryan Todd, Alexander Topalidis, Luqwan Nakim Toscano, Shane Michael Trainor, Krista Renee Truitt, Elliott John Tseng, *Lufei Tu, Erkan R. Tuna, Arestidis Tzortzatos, Sean Charles Vannicolo, Andrew David Vassallo, Wesley Daniel Vile, *David Wang'ombe Wagura, Melissa Ann Ward, *Scott Evan Warner, Michael J. Washkalavitch, Jessica Lynn Weaver, William Robert Weaverling, Robert C. W. Wenner, Ryan Arthur White, Nicole Lauren Whitesell, Christian Alexander Whiteside, William Michael Wilkinson, Darren Joseph Williams, Alexandra R. Wilson, Garrett Forest Wrambel, Trevor James Wright, Amy Elisabeth Wyschynskyi, *Kevin Yau, *Hana Yeh, Thomas James Young, Thomas H. Yu, Ling Liang Zhu, Nicholetta C. Zois.

*Indicates National Honor Society members.

To see where these seniors are headed this fall, make sure to check out the PDF list of colleges they'll be attending.