Prout grads leave indelible mark on the community

List of graduates appears below

Posted

KINGSTON – Filled with joy, hope and a great sense of accomplishment, members of The Prout School’s Class of 2012 were lauded for their community service and solid Christian values during the school’s 44th commencement exercises held last Tuesday night at the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island.

To view or purchase these or additional photos from this graduation, please click here.

Ninety-nine percent of the graduates will pursue higher education in the fall; one student will travel to Thailand for a year and another, Christopher Colardo, has enlisted in the United States Navy.

Valedictorian Mary-Catherine Stockman told her classmates to follow the Dalai Lama’s advice and to always help others.

“As individuals of integrity, we must embrace interaction and interdependency, helping whenever possible even when it does not seem as though there would be a great difference,” Stockman said.

Stockman, who will attend Texas Christian University in the fall to study kinesiology, also told the graduates to “set and achieve goals” and that “no goal is too silly or too impossible.

“Each and every one of us, at some point or another, will have an obstacle before us, trying to prevent us from reaching our goals,” she continued. “These hurdles, however, will be overcome as long as we are persistent. Each and every one of us has the potential to make our dreams become a reality.”

Lauren O’Malley, who will attend the University of Connecticut, and Heather Pasquazzi, who will study at Emerson College, tied academically and served as class co-salutatorians.

O’Malley told the graduates to look back on their experiences and to be grateful for the times they enjoyed while at Prout.

“Opportunities to meet new people, whether it be through classes, sports teams, art or theater; opportunities to learn from not only incredible teachers and staff, but also from one another; opportunities to explore our faith, and opportunities to truly develop into the people we are today and into the Class of 2012.”

During the past four years, the graduates performed community service in a variety of parishes and local nonprofits, including St. Clare Home in Newport, Meals on Wheels and the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission. Many of the students assisted in religious education programs in their parishes and served as peer ministers at the school.

Pasquazzi amused her classmates with an inspiring message in the form of a poem.

“Remember, the motto of our little state is ‘hope,’ no matter how small you may feel, those feelings of inadequacy are not real, from the smallest state can come the biggest dreams, so rip those insecurities from their seams, let your voices be heard, let your voices scream, because you are invaluable, invincible, invariably more than you seem.”

John Tafone, a parishioner of St. Pius X Parish, Westerly, who will attend The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C., to study music education and musical composition, said that his four years at Prout opened many doors, helped him grow intellectually and deepened his spiritual life.

“Every moment presented me with new opportunities and challenges,” Tafone said. He emphasized that promoting strong Christian values and faith are important components of a Prout education.

“We began our freshman year with a Mass, and ended with a Mass yesterday,” he said.

Emma Hirst, a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Wakefield, said the school’s focus on service and prayer helped shape her life.

“It helped me to build my faith and incorporate it into how I live my life every day,” said Hirst, who will study at the University of Vermont.

The commencement marked the final Prout graduation for retiring Principal Gary Delneo.

“Eight years has really flown by,” Delneo said, as he prepared the graduates to march into arena.

“Prout has just been a wonderful culmination of my educational career,” he observed, adding that he enjoyed a 44 yearlong career as a teacher and administrator, 33 of which were spent ministering in Catholic schools.

“Prout is just a great educational and Catholic environment.”

Bishop Robert C. Evans presented the diplomas and offered the Benediction; Father Joseph R. Upton, school chaplain and assistant pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Wakefield, delivered the invocation.

PROUT CLASS OF 2012

Alexis Rae Abilheira

Abbie Elizabeth Allenson

Dana Anderson

Lauren Elizabeth Avarista

Mackenzie Avedisian

Derrick Joseph Barlow

Bronwyn Helana Barta

Meghan Mae Baxter

Paul Joseph Bellafiore

Christopher M. Berard

Dean Edward Bogda

Nicole Colleen Bongiovanni

Joseph Xavier Bove

Amelia Edith Bradley

Albert Archer Brandon

Anthony Joseph Butera

Alyssa C. Campbell

Lauren W. Cann

Joseph Anthony Cappuccio

Jake Thomas Carney

Casey Rose Cavanaugh

Timothy Christenson

Steven M. Cicero

Bridget Elizabeth Cienki

Grace Clancy

Alexander Edward Clifford

Christopher Robert Colardo

Sara Lynn Connors

Steven Robert Conte

Tara Lynn Costa

Christopher Martin Cox

Ryan Michael Cripps

Jillian D’Angelo

Kayla Daudelin

James F. Doyal

Julianne Nicole Dulude

Cassidy Jane Duncan

Danielle Reneé Dussault

Sarah Elisabeth Duxbury

Nathan Robert Farrar

Sasha Tess Faust

David Jon Feole

Lizandra Elisse Fiske

Casey Veronica Fitzpatrick

Adam William Flynn

Anya E. Fox

Ryan A. Furcolo

Margaret Catherine Gagnon

Marcus A. Galvin

Tyler A. Gauch

Nicole L. Gauvin

Matthew R. Gerlach

Alexandra Rose Giacobbi

Patrick Conor Gill

Chloé Elyzabeth Gomes

Chandler Rose Thompson Grills

Jennifer L. Grundy

Connor James Hagerty

Emma R. Hirst

Andrew M. Hogan

Taylor Lynn Holihen

Matteson R. Holtman

Andrew R. Horsfield

Cameron R. Johnson

Candice Lee Kalil

Erin Marguerite Kissinger

Jessica Anne Komari

Christopher M. Kopelcheck

Christopher A. Koretski ^

Haley S. Ladd

Noel M. Laflamme

Jacqueline T. LaForce

Erin Elizabeth Larghi

Sarah Patricia Lavallee

Danielle Marie Lawrence

Julia Noelle Leffray

Hunter Matthew Lemoi

Maria H. Leone

Alexa M. Levesque

Audrey Gauman Lucas

Shawn Jean Lunn

Bryce Joseph MacAndrew

Aria Alaina Maggiacomo

Garrett Magiera

Sarah M. Marasco

Joseph J. Masse

Sean Joseph Matuszak

Kelsey Erin McDonald

Shelagh Greene McGowan

Kelly Joan McKeon

Brittany Marie Medeiros

Adrianna Elyse Meyer

Alexander Emmanuel Mihailides

Elyse Katherine Miller

Julia Rose Miller

Kelsey Lynn Mooney

Vincenzo I. Moretti

Zane Joseph Morgan

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Murphy

Mackenzie Jane Muto

Brendan D. Natal

Kristen Nicole Notarantonio

Ryan November

Julie A. O’Brien

Lauren O’Malley

Katherine Ann Owens

Katelyn Renee Parente

Heather Lynn Pasquazzi

Ana Rose Pearson

Crystal Peralta

Gabriella Rose Pezzelli

Kathryn Liana Pfeiffer

Emma David Pollard

Aaron C. Propst

Sara Franziska Rauwolf

Samantha Marie Rawlinson

Casey Marie Regan

Christopher James Reilly

Michaela Ray Richards

Tessa Margaret Roever

Rebecca Noelle Rogers

Alexander James Rossi

Jeffrey Allan Rothstein

Courtney Bevier Roy

Catherine Ryan Rubin

Rebecca Lee Rubin

Samuel Devereux Rudd

Zachary Thomas Rusiloski

Ryan R. Saber

Shane Quernheim Sandoval

Anthony Lee Santiago

Emmett Joseph Michael Schlenz

Blair Lee Schneider

Edwin Gabries Sheehan

Jillian Leigh Simpson

Christopher James Small

Katreen Alexander Sorokina

Emily Ann Sprague

David R. St. Amant

Veronica L. St. Onge

Elise C. Staulo

Sarah M. Staulo

Mary-Catherine R. Stockman

Donald Storti

Matthew M. Sullivan

Cynthia H. Sun

John Anthony Tafone

Catherine Thow

Mary K. Toracinta

Anne K. Underhill

James P. Underhill

Marshall T. Vigneault

Ashley Susan Villa

Thomas-Anthony R. Viscione

Emma Elizabeth Wallace

Rachel Wells

Samantha Wilcox

Matthew Wong

Audrey Wostal

Aidan Wright

Prout