News

Commencement 2020

Congratulations to our graduates!

After a second semester spent mostly at home, the Class of 2020 has graduated from The Heights. Forty-five men received their diplomas including one son of an alumnus, 11 lifers (attended The Heights from 3rd-12th grade), and 16 with older brothers who are alumni.

Each graduating senior received a “challenge coin” featuring the Heights crest and school name on one side and the H & Sabers with the class year on the other. The coin will remind alumni of where they came from and that they represent The Heights. We hope to continue this new tradition every year.

 

Valedictorian Shane Patrick, who heads to Princeton in the fall, said about knowing where you are and where you are going: “One image that illustrates this point about a sense of where you are quite well comes from a Crescite trip I went on— Rome’s famous Spanish Steps, the site of a memorable snowball fight between some Heights men and some random Italians which began when a stray Heights snowball struck a bystander. Chaos ensued, and according to legend Dr. Lionel Yaceczko was seen firing snowballs at residents of the eternal city. … Our time at The Heights is like the Spanish Steps, a pathway upwards, something leading us on to a full life, but itself something beautiful and good, something worth appreciating, celebrating, and being grateful for, for its own sake.”

Salutatorian John Messenger, who will be attending the University of Dallas said, “The Heights gave to us an amazing foundation as men, citizens, and sons of God, and the rest of our lives is simply what we will do with that foundation. We must protect it through prudence, we must strengthen it through our continued education, and we must build upon it by living our lives to the fullest, sanctifying the world through our daily life.  On behalf of the class of 2020, thank you parents and faculty, we are better men because of you.”

The class heads to a wide variety of colleges and universities. The schools with the most attendees are the University of Maryland (4, including 3 at the Honors College), University of Dallas (3), Catholic University (2), Christendom (2), James Madison (2),  Mount St. Mary’s (2), Montgomery College (2), Notre Dame (2), Pittsburgh (2), and UMBC (2). Other school choices include Baylor, Boston College, Dayton, Duquesne, George Mason, Hillsdale, Holy Cross, Johns Hopkins, Kentucky, New England Conservatory, Princeton, Rhodes College, South Carolina, Trinity University, UC-Davis, Virginia, VCU, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin. 

Jordan McMillen, who was named WCAC Player of the Year for soccer in the fall of 2019, heads to James Madison University to play Division I soccer for the Dukes. Thomas Passaro plans to swim for Mount St. Mary’s. Classmate Adeayo Gbadehan plans to walk-on to the soccer team at the Mount as well. Charlie Mulholland will be joining the swim team at Rhodes. Two members of the class are pursuing a prep year to play basketball and hopefully earn college scholarships in the future.

Finally, one new alumnus will be enlisting in the United States Army while another earned a Navy ROTC Scholarship. The class also includes three Eagle Scouts.  These men exemplify this class’ strong dedication to the service of others throughout their time in high school, particularly working with the elderly at a nearby nursing home. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2020 on all their achievements and good luck going forward. Crescite!