Immaculate High School graduates 113 seniors at its Commencement Liturgy on Saturday, June 13 at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown. The seniors will be recognized for their many scholarships and academic, athletic, arts/music, community service and other awards they earned over the school year, and for their resilience and Mustang spirit in sticking with their studies and commitments during the last few months of virtual school.
Hunter Kirkman of Sandy Hook is the Class of 2020’s Valedictorian and Sean Guiry of Danbury is the Salutatorian and will be recognized at the ceremony. Of the 113 members of the Class of 2020, 100% of those students who applied to colleges and universities were accepted and were awarded college scholarships and grants totaling $30 million. The top ten percent of students achieved a SAT score average of 1365.
Newtown graduates are Kate Banks, Christopher Beal, Caroline Brown, Eduarda Colares, Ethan Garcia, Bolong Barry Hao, Peter Johnston, Liam Murphy, Joseph Rios and Stephen Sedensky
Sandy Hook graduates are Kevin Curry, Hunter Kirkman, Ryan McNerney (Top Ten student), Arthur Michaelsen and James Mok
Valedictorian Hunter Kirkman will attend Northeastern University in the Honors Program and major in Mechanical Engineering. Hunter is a Distinguished Honors student, a recipient of the 2019 Carson Scholarship, a National Merit Scholarship Program Finalist with a perfect SAT math score of 800 and he received a National Merit Corporate Scholarship from Northeastern University. He is also a Harvard Book Award recipient, a member of the National Honor Society, the English National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Math National Honor Society. Hunter also received the President’s Volunteer Service Award and has served on the Student Council, as President of Campus Ministry, as a member of the Peer Leadership Club, Key Club and Engineering Club and as a Student Ambassador.
Hunter Kirkman was also named Immaculate High School's Student of the Year for the 2019-20 school year. Hunter earned this honor for consistently demonstrating school spirit and dedication to IHS, strength of character and faith in action through kindness to others, and a passion for learning and going beyond what is expected, including encouraging others to do their best.
Salutatorian Sean Guiry will attend Northeastern University, where he received a Dean’s Scholarship, and major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering. At Immaculate, Sean is a Distinguished Honors student and a member of the National Honor Society and the Science National Honor Society. Sean is a talented pianist and a three-sport athlete, having played varsity soccer, basketball and outdoor track for Immaculate, and was named a Scholar Athlete by the CAS-CIAC and was selected to the 2020 Boys Basketball All-State D1 Team and named by GameTimeCT to the All-State Boys Basketball Second Team. Sean has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Rensselaer Medal for his dedication and excellence in science and math.
Completing the Top Ten graduating senior list are Ryan McNerney of Sandy Hook (Middlebury College), Mackenzie O'Rourke of Brookfield (Marist College), Molly Coyle of Brookfield (The College of William and Mary), Ross Relator of Danbury (University of Connecticut), Olivia Hynes of Danbury (Kenyon College), Keelan Doherty of Danbury (Northeastern University), Gregory Gruerio of Brookfield (Seton Hall University) and Francesca Coppola of Southbury (Fairfield University).
The Immaculate High School graduating Class of 2020 contributed over 6006 hours to a school-wide total of 23,008 hours of community service this year and many students were honored and/or received scholarships from many local community service organizations and the Diocese of Bridgeport for their service and academic achievements. Seniors received numerous individual athletic SWC and CIAC leadership and sportsmanship recognitions as well as academic and music and art awards, including Commendations from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, Connecticut Association of Schools Fine Arts Awards, Halo Theater Awards and more. Other seniors were part of the CyberPatriots, Brave Engineers Team and Mock Trial teams that won regional, State and other major competitions.
Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. Founded in 1962, Immaculate High School also allows students to focus on academic excellence, spiritual development, service to others and personal goals. Located in Danbury, CT, Immaculate High School is part of the Diocese of Bridgeport’s school system.