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ATLANTA—The St. Pius X High School class of 2000, made up of
254 graduates, took part in commencement exercises in Symphony Hall at the
Woodruff Arts Center on Saturday, May 20.
The graduates received diplomas from Ruth McCullough, interim
principal. Donald Sasso, archdiocesan Secretary for Education and former
principal, and Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, vicar general for pastoral ministries,
were honored guests and addressed the class.
Valedictorian Karen Stanley, a National Merit Scholarship
finalist, urged her classmates to recognize all their gifts and talents that
were encouraged while they attended St. Pius. She challenged them to take their
academic knowledge, but especially their faith and the love of their friends
with them as they left the school and began to realize their dreams.
Salutatorian Marguarette Dau, a National Merit Scholarship
commended scholar, spoke of the uniqueness of the class of 2000, brought
together by God to learn not only from books but from each other.
Stanley is the daughter of William and Alice Stanley of Hampton
and a member of St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville, where she went to
elementary school. She plans on attending Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore
to pursue a career in medicine.
Dau, the daughter of Van and Hong Dau of Duluth, is a member of
St. Benedict Church, Duluth, and also attended St. John the Evangelist School.
Fluent in Laotian, Thai and French, she will attend Georgia Tech. She is also a
member of Literacy Action, tutoring Vietnamese children after school.
The top two scholars received the Cornelius L. Maloney Award,
named for the priest-educator who guided the establishment of St. Pius X High
School in the 1950s.
Msgr. Kiernan presented the Archbishop’s Award to seniors
John DeGeorge and Anna Burnett. DeGeorge, the son of Paul and Loraine DeGeorge
of Norcross, is a member of All Saints Church, Dunwoody, and Burnett, the
daughter of Bradley and Alyene Burnett of Lawrenceville, is a member of St.
John Neumann Church, Lilburn. The award recognizes a high degree of service to
school, parish and community and academic success in the study of religion.
The Distinguished Alumna Award was given to Judge Maureen Callahan
Gottfried, class of 1979, a state court judge in Muscogee County. The daughter
of Bob and the late Mary Byrne Callahan, and one of 10 children, Judge
Gottfried said the three top reasons for her success are her family, her family
and her family.
“Never underestimate the importance of family and the great
love and support that they can provide,” she told graduates. “Your
families decided to make the sacrifice to provide you with this opportunity ...
You can make your family proud of you or you can break their hearts. Hopefully
you will choose a path that will make them proud.”
Married and the mother of three children, Judge Gottfried received
her law degree from the University of Georgia and is a past board member of the
Child Advocacy Center and an executive board member of Girls, Inc., which
provides after school and summer opportunities for girls.
Senior Carey Mignerey, the son of Arthur and Beverly Mignerey of
Roswell and a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta, received the
Journal Cup, sponsored by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, which is given to
the best all around senior student in the judgment of the faculty. He was also
a National Merit Scholarship finalist.
Two seniors were selected by the principal for the
Principal’s Award for leadership in the Christian ideals of the school and
example of love and service. They are Elizabeth Lane, the daughter of Steven
and Marta Lane of Tucker, and Thomas Zieg, the son of Stan and Diane Zieg of
Atlanta. Both are members of Holy Cross Church, Atlanta.
St. Pius Citizenship Medals for outstanding and ethical leadership
were given to seniors David Sabino, the son of Silvina Sabino of Marietta, a
member of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, and Anne Marie Falk, the
daughter of Kermit and Roberta Falk of Tucker, a member of Holy Cross Church,
Atlanta.
Veronica Maldonado, the daughter of Rafael and Monica Maldonado of
Stone Mountain, who belongs to Corpus Christi Church, was the outstanding
female athlete in the class. Bryan Sutlive and Zachary English shared the honor
of outstanding male athlete in the class. Sutlive is the son of Bill and Ann
Sutlive of Dunwoody and a member of All Saints Church, Dunwoody, and English is
the son of Vanessa English of College Park.
The Carter L. Stout Service Award was given to student government
co-presidents Elizabeth Mester, the daughter of Mary Mester of Lawrenceville
and a member of St. Marguerite D’Youville Church, Lawrenceville, and Craig
Pittman, the son of Kathleen Pittman of Atlanta, and a member of Immaculate
Heart of Mary Church, Atlanta.
Star Student Karen Stanley chose her Latin teacher Stan Bird as
Star Teacher.
Father Richard Lopez, religion teacher, was chosen by the vote of
the faculty as Teacher of the Year.
The class had a third National Merit Scholarship finalist, Erin
Zinko, the daughter of David Zinko of Tucker and a member of Holy Cross Church,
Atlanta.
The class had 16 National Merit commended scholars, in addition to
the salutatorian. They are Mary Bush, Forrest Edens, Genevieve Fisher, James
Harrington, Alicia Hatter, Christopher Holdsworth, Jean Lee, Richard Libera,
Mary Baylor Miller, Tara Murphy, Shanna O’Connor, Elizabeth Olson, Alison
Ringo, Sarah Sweeley, Thomas Zieg and Emily Zimney. |
