Hats Off to All Our Graduates!

By Julia St. Clair

(Canada and Eastern US – June-August) – Le Salésien, Salesian High School, Don Bosco Prep, Archbishop Shaw High School, Don Bosco Cristo Rey, and Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School held in-person graduation ceremonies this summer. It was wonderful to see these schools honor the Class of 2020.

Each school held its own unique ceremony under these extraordinary circumstances. Le Salésien in Sherbrooke, QC, Canada received their graduates on Tuesday, June 23. Each day before, they presented the faces of cohort 2020 throughout their Facebook page. Later that month, Salesian High School in New Rochelle, NY divided up its commencement exercises in a four-part celebration of the Class of 2020.

Next up was Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, LA. “We held a beautiful ceremony right here at our very own stadium for the first time ever,” said Alex Rutledge, Director of Alumni Relations at Archbishop Shaw High School. “We practiced social distancing and had ushers who escorted parents and family to proper seating arrangements in the stands.”

A few days later, Don Bosco Cristo Rey in Takoma Park, MD held their graduation. They had a great turnout, and some parents took pictures from their cars. Two weeks later, Don Bosco Prep (DBP) in Ramsey, NJ “celebrated its 105th graduating class during a Baccalaureate Mass on the campus quad,” shared Jennifer Passerino, Director of Events and Public Relations at Don Bosco Prep. “The DBP Salesian community celebrated the Mass for its 200 graduates and their guests in a beautiful outdoor service. We are proud of our Don Bosco Prep Class of 2020!”

Last, Cristo Rey Tampa celebrated their first-ever graduation on Saturday, August 8 in Tampa, FL. As the high school’s inaugural graduating class, the Class of 2020 overcame many obstacles—as did all the graduates at these schools and many more—to go the distance and obtain their diplomas. Truly, the Class of 2020 will go down in history as a class of courage, optimism, and perseverance who braved the eye of the storm that is the pandemic and came out on the other side to graduate and achieve their dreams.

Each school in the Eastern US held their commencements outdoors, and all of the schools throughout the Province practiced social distancing. The weather was also beautiful for each ceremony, thank God.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! May the Lord be with them always, and may they always remember their Salesian family.