102-year-old gets honorary degree from Baltimore Catholic high school

Published: 2006-06-02

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Seated in a wheelchair and wearing a black cap and flowing gown, 102-year-old Florence Carnaggio smiled shyly and covered her mouth with one hand after she received her high school diploma. During a special graduation ceremony that was more than 80 years in the making, Curtis Turner, principal of Seton Keough High School in Baltimore, presented an honorary diploma to Carnaggio in the chapel of her residence at nearby St. Elizabeth Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Many center residents and three graduating seniors from Seton Keough attended the May 11 ceremony. Carnaggio dropped out of the eighth grade at the School of the Cathedral, Baltimore, so she could support her family after her father contracted tuberculosis. "This is so wonderful," she said, proudly holding aloft her diploma as cameras flashed and two TV news crews recorded her every move. "Oh, I'll never forget it. It's so wonderful."

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .