Flintridge Sacred Heart Class of 2005

Flintridge Sacred Heart valedictorian Shannon Degnan of La Cañada challenged her fellow graduates “to find the fire within yourself. What is it that keeps you going, that excites you and motivates you? Find it and hold onto it.”

Dressed in long white dresses and carrying bouquets of red roses, 92 members of the class of 2005 graduated on Senior Lawn in a tradition-rich ceremony last Sunday.

Salutatorians Valerie Diwa and Charlotte Guy noted that “although we are all very different, the one thing we all have in common is our memories.”

Principal Sister Celeste Marie Botello, O.P., handed out diplomas and awards.

The Veritas Award, the highest award given to a Sacred Heart student, went to Degnan, who also received a leadership metal. She will attend UCLA in the fall.

Christy Ferioli of La Crescenta received the General Excellence Award and was named a National Merit Finalist. She will attend Claremont McKenna College.

Receiving scholarship awards were Charlotte Guy, Sara Bartlett, Kimberly Carlson and Katherine Mason.

Meghann Muirhead received the Siena Award, which each year goes to a student who shows compassion, courage and faith, while the Pro Deo et Patria Award went to Mikalina Celani.

Bank of America’s Highest Honors Awards went to Jillian Mamey for fine arts, Katherine Mason for liberal arts and Ferioli for science and math. The Tolog Award, which goes to those who exemplify school spirit, went to Pia Arrobio and Rebecca Simon. Hannah Kang received the Significant Achievement in English by an International Student award while Mia Seidner received the Visual and Performing Arts Award.

Showcasing the talent of Flintridge during the afternoon ceremony was the vocal technique class, which sang “You Never Walk Alone” by Rodgers and Hammerstein and the ensemble class, which played “Intermezzo” from Cavalleria Rusticana by P. Mascgani.

After singing the alma mater each girl from the class of 2005 threw a hand full of rose petals high into the air, in celebration of their new status as high school graduates.