On the evening of May 20, members of the Class of 2016 marked their graduation during a ceremony at Brookdale Community College.

The Class of 2016 includes an exceptional group of young men; that includes numerous academic award winners, 24 future Division I athletes, National Chess Champions, regional music competition winners, and National Latin Exam scholars. Additionally, the Class of 2016 came together to perform an average of 100 hours per student of community service—over 25,000 collective hours.

70 percent of graduates received merit-based scholarships, totaling $29 million

 

Both salutatorian Luke Drennan and valedictorian Matthew Timo called their fellow classmates to embrace the fruits of their educational experience, rely on their fellow brothers of the Academy, and to step forward to embrace the next step.

Alumni from the Class of 1966 were present for the ceremony to confer the graduates with a Challenge Coin, a tradition started three years ago by the Class of 1963–CBA’s first graduating class.

The Challenge Coin is meant to serve as a reminder, to uphold the traditions of the Academy and to set the standards for the next 50 graduating classes. The hope is that these graduating seniors will return later in life to present the Class of 2066 with those same Challenge Coins, thereby continuing the fraternal bond and commitment all Academy men share.

President Brother Frank Byrne, FSC also addressed the graduates, sharing the words of a speech given by the class of 1966’s valedictorian to show how the same challenges of yesterday need to be met by the bright and able leaders of tomorrow.

He sent off the graduates with an old Irish blessing: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Principal Ross Fales led the seniors in a closing prayer, their final prayer as students and their first prayer as members of the CBA Alumni Association.

These seniors have been accepted and will go on to some of our nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.

Congratulations to the members of the Class of 2016 on all of their many accomplishments.