St. Francis High School Class of 2005 Graduates
Pomp and Circumstance played as 145 Golden Knights, clad in brown robes and caps, walked to Senior Lawn for the 56th annual commencement exercises held at Saint Francis High School last Saturday morning for the class of 2005.
Fr. Antonio Marti, O.F.M.Cap., the Provincial of the Western American Province of the Capuchin Franciscan Order, represented his Eminence Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles at the graduation. Fr. Matthew Elshoff, O.F.M.Cap., the school president, and Thomas Moran, the school principal, also officiated at the 56th commencement ceremony of the local Catholic, college-preparatory institution.
“Processing for graduation is the pinnacle of your high school career,” said senior Sean Franklin of La Crescenta. “Right before you walk onto the lawn everything hits you all at once. You are overcome by happiness and pride to be done but also by sadness because you are leaving.”
Valedictorian Jonathan F. Mathews of Alhambra and Senior Class Representative, James Andrew Kislingbury of Pasadena gave formal addresses to the audience.
A humble valedictorian, Mathews, who said the only reason he was on the podium was not because he was smarter than anyone else but only because he was a good test-taker, told classmates: “Saint Francis will always be with you. It will always be in your hearts.”
Many graduates said they leave high school with fond memories.
“I am relived to be out of high school, but in some ways I wish we could just back track a little,” said senior Clark Sanchez-Figueras.
Mathews received the Capuchin Award and Medal for Scholarship. Receiving Bank of America Achievement Plaques were Ernest Michael Arnold and Jonathan F. Mathews in Liberal Arts and Salutatorian Steven Yongsuk Shin for Science and Mathematics.
Bank of America Certificates were awarded to graduates in the following categories: Art, James Andrew Kislingbury; English, Matthew Sustayta Salazar; Fine Arts, Lawrence Anthony Alonso De Belen and Anthony Gregory Manfra; Foreign Language, Nathan James Dykstra; Mass Media, Alex Christopher Engemann and Brian Andrew Farris; Mathematics, Philip Andrew Hihn; Publications, Timothy James Calica; Religious Studies, Christopher John Schell; Science, Brian James O’Toole; and Social Studies, Jason Michael Castillo.
The school faculty also presented medals for excellence in subject areas to the following individuals: Art, Arin Norhadian; Athletics, James Anthony Eland; Biology, Namit Navnit Rohant; Chemistry, Bryan Dinh-Khoa Nguyen; Chorus, Jared Cunanan Hamoy; Economics, David Ethan Kurtz; English, Rafael Hernan Gamboa; European History, Jonathan F. Mathews; Icnesiology, Matthew Patrick Baker; Latin, Anthony Spinella; Mass Media, Jamie Christopher Yukich; Mathematics, Joseph Eli Rueter; Physics, Jonathan F. Mathews; Publications, James Jenerette Jenkins; Religion, Matthew Sustayta Salazar; Spanish, Steven Yongsuk Shin; Theater, Sanderson Hale Doughty; U.S. Government, Scott Patrick Cullinane; and U.S. History, Ernest Michael Arnold.
At the Baccalaureate Mass on June 3, Community Service Awards were presented to Christopher John Schell (Pro Deo et Patria for Leadership); Jonathan Kim Shirin (Pro Deo et Ecclesia for Leadership); Jason Michael Castillo (Fred Purner Humanitarian Award); Charles Gabriel Sosa (Roger Barldey Award for Outstanding Character); Bosco Chin-Lok Yuen (Archdiocesan Christian Service Award); and Scott Patrick Cullinane (Medal for Good Citizenship). In addition, Dr. and Mrs. David Sikorski were honored for their service to St. Francis with the Claire of Assisi award.
Twenty-nine of the graduates received a St. Francis Honors Diploma, an award given for Christian Service, high academic achievement and for taking at least one of the advanced placement courses during their senior year at the school. Twelve of the graduating seniors became life members in the California Scholarship Federation.
National Merit Scholarship Commended Students are Ernest Michael Arnold, Derek Carson Brown, Rafael Hernan Gamboa, Brian James O’Toole, Joseph Eli Rueter, and Steven Yongsuk Shin.
Twenty-four students graduated as members of the National Honor Society and 14 graduated as Mu Alpha Theta Members. The NHS certificate of merit was awarded to Lucas Daniel Di Pietro.
At press time, St. Francis High School’s selected students of the graduating Class of 2005 received 102 Scholarships, awards and honors to colleges and universities throughout the United States.
St. Francis High School Class of 2005
Matthew Steven Abbey
David Mitry Ajalat
Kenneth Wilmer Alcantara
Ernest Michael Arnold
Matthew Patrick Baker
Rodney Franklin Banks
Grant Jameson Berger
Joseph Scott Bessolo
Christopher Antonio Bin
Brian Lee Bistagne
Christopher Andrew Blanco
Matthew James Brakensiek
Robert Ivan Brewington
Derek Carson Brown
Ashleigh Forbes Buchan III
Jeffrey Maarten Budden- bohn
Thomas Jameg Bunning
Timothy James Calica
Patrick James Canterbury
Michael Edward Casado
Jason Michael Castillo
Nathaniel Arroyo Chan
Cameron Keith Cole
Justin Steven Corio
Michael Charles Corpe
Spencer Destro Cox
Scott Patrick Cullinane
Michael Gibbs Currin
Bryan James Davis
Lawrence Anthony Alonso De Belen
Shapan Debnath
Lucas Daniel Di Pietro
Harlan Stirling Dimitrius
Sanderson Hale Doughty
Nathan James Dykstra
James Anthony Eland
Mason Eliot Elieff
Alex Christopher Enge- mann
Eric Andrew Engler
Raffi Ohannes Erganian
Philip William Escue
Brian Andrew Farris
Joseph Durldn Forbes
Peter Michael Forsberg
Alexander Richardson Foullon
Sean O’Flaherty Franldin
Russell Hisashi Fujimoto
Alberto Galvdn
Rafael Hernan Gamboa
Eric Donald Garcia
Shawn S. Garrard
Brian Michael Gilb
John Joseph Golden
Donald Lee Gorsch, Jr.
Christopher Greer, Jr.
Thomas Dean Grimes III
Bryan Geoffrey Grosshans
Jared Cunanan Hamoy
Philip David Hasbrouck
Anthony Yano Hays
Christopher Andrew Hertz
Philip Andrew Hihn
Andrew Philip Thomas Holl
Ronald Joseph Insalaco, Jr.
Andrew A. Izumi
Dwayne Jamaal Jenkins
James Jenerette Jenkins
Christopher Russell Johnson
John Sloan Orear Kidde
James Andrew Kislingbury
Ariel Robert Klevecz
David Ethan Kurtz
Derek Parker Law
Jason Ryan MacMillan
Anthony Gregory Manfra
Angelo Michael Mariano
Michael Anthony Marks- Nino
Andrew Peter Marquardt
Kent Thomas Martin
Jonathan F. Mathews
Michael James McCaus- land
John Patrick McShane III
Blake Alexander Milton
Miguel Ricardo Mora
Justin Derell Morgan
Michael Roko Muscet
Spencer Christian Nelson
Bryan Dinh-Khoa Nguyen
Arin Norhadian
Gregory James O’Connell
Adam Michael O’Toole
Brian James O’Toole
Robert Frederick Orlandini
Ian Robert Palma
Chadwick Ian Pansini
Daniel Stevens Parker
Eamonn Patrick Pascal
Luke Paul Patruno IV
Benjamin Carl Petersen
Kevin A. Peterson
Wesley Neil Piyasombun
James Forrest Poet
Stephen Christopher Pol- chow
Cameron Carlos Priestley
Daniel David Quiros
Andres Sebastian Ramirez
John Paul Ramirez
Matthew Eliot Reeser
John Patrick Reid
Kenneth Robert Risen
Vincent Patrick Rodriguez
Namit Navnit Rohant
Gregory Stephen Roses
Joseph Eli Rueter
Travis James Sabaitis
Matthew Sustayta Salazar
Michael Joseph Salvador
Brandon Sprague Sanchez
Clark Angel Sanchez- Figueras
William Michael Sanders III
Richard Blake Saunders
Christopher John Schell
Matthew Devin Schumacher
Ryan Andrew Session
Steven Yongsuk Shin
Jonathan Kim Shirin
Nathan Edward Sikorsld
Michael Donlan Sill
Charles Gabriel Sosa
Patrick Christopher Spear
Anthony Spinella
Mark Stephen Stathatos
Collin Daniel Tollefson
Peter David Van Pelt
William Alexander Veloz
Christopher Joseph Walker
Chase Alexander Weaver
James Barrett Weber
Walter Federico Weiss
Matthew Jensen Yoka
Bosco Chin-Lok Yuen
Jamie Christopher Yukich
Matthew Robert Zieman