20 The Queens Courier • november 5, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com ST. FRANCIS PREP STUDENTS EMBRACE THE FOUR GOLDEN LINKS OF A FRANCISCAN EDUCATION An Franciscan education at St. Francis Preparatory School is guided by what we call the Four Golden Links; Academic, Spiritual, Physical, and Social. As a college preparatory school, with one of the broadest and most rigorous educational programs available, we are very proud to announce that 40 of our seniors, over 15% of the class, have earned signi cant academic recognition. Many have done this while being involved in a broad array of arts, athletics, and extra curricular activities at a very high level. Jared Sanchez, in addition to being named an AP Scholar with Honor, and being recognized by the The College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program, is active in Prep’s Music program. He plays trombone in the school’s Jazz Band, where he had the opportunity to tour London in 2014, and will visit Italy, including Assisi, the home of the school’s patron, St. Francis, this coming summer. He also performs with the school’s Concert Band, and sings with the Prep Chorus and Chamber Choir. When he found out he had earned these academic accolades, he felt happy and proud. He spoke about merely going through his day and trying to do his best. He was glad that his hard work had paid off. Being a studentmusician also helped. He feels that waking up early for 7:45AM Concert Band rehearsal provides the best start to the day, and leaves him feeling motivated. The Music Department also gured predominantly with 5 students from the school’s Chamber Orchestra being recognized. Violinists Addham Zaatri, Brendan Zhang and Julia Londoño, Principal Violist Ariana Winter, and Principal Bassist Rebecca Urena all earned distinction. In addition to their academic success, Winter is captain of the school’s tennis team led by legendary coach John Brennan, and Urena has participated in countless activities with in the school’s Campus Ministry program. For Winter, “Between sports, music, and academics, balancing the 4 Franciscan values seems to have come naturally. Being in this community drives you to be the best person you can be spiritually, intellectually, and socially through all the opportunities and support it provides.” Urena echoed these sentiments. She said at Prep, everything is there for you. It’s easy to just say yes to all the opportunities. She has traveled to Peru to help underprivileged children, gone on Midnight runs, and volunteered at soup kitchens. She has also participated in numerous retreats, including Prep’s recent leadership retreat. Margaret Capozzoli-Cavota was recognized in last year’s Poetry Out Loud competition, earning a place in the state nals. She also sings in the school’s Chamber Choir and Prep Chorus, is taking one of the school’s more challenging Advanced Placement courses, Music Theory, and was also on the 2014 London tour. For Maggie, “Embracing Franciscan values is working tirelessly towards what I am passionate about. Through the pursuit of knowledge in many different elds I realized that so much of who we are is made up of what we learn. By putting in countless hours of work and having a determined resolve, I learned in order for me to grow as a person, I had to pursue knowledge that could help me create new ideas. In turn, I could use this knowledge I was learning to help shape the world we live in for the better someday. Then, so long as I am learning, not only can I become the best version of myself there is but help others to achieve that as well.” Being a Franciscan school, we balance our academics with our sense of community, and make broad efforts to help those in need, whether it be right here in New York City, or on other continents. On Sunday, October 18th, for the second year in a row, St. Francis Prep was honored with the Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio Special Mission Award at St. James Basilica in Brooklyn. In attendance was Bishop Raymond Chappetto, Vicar General of the Diocese of Brooklyn, who celebrated a Mass concelebrated by Prep’s Chaplain, Father William Sweeney. The Prep community was recognized for their efforts in raising money for two distinct and special causes. The rst was for their fellow Franciscan institution, St. Francis Secondary School in Lare, Kenya. Money helped the school buy simple supplies such as desks and chairs. Prep and their Kenyan counterparts have enjoyed a special partnership over the last many years, which has included visits to Africa by Prep’s Director of Campus Ministry, Dr. Christian Sullivan, and Prep’s President, Br. Leonard Conway, O.S.F.. Additionally, the Prep community rallied around the Ex-Budhanilkantha students of North America in Nepal, following that country’s devastating earthquake last spring. In all, approximately $14,000 was raised. Prep senior and Vice-President of the Student Body accepted the award on behalf of the Prep community. St. Francis Prep was the only high school recognized at the event. Prep senior Safal Pradhan is a native of Nepal, and lost his uncle in the earthquake. Last spring he addressed the junior and senior classes at Prep. When he saw the outpouring of support following the earthquake, he was overwhelmed by the unity of his school community. He realized that when challenges present themselves, everyone steps up. Upon visiting his native country this summer, he was struck by not only the physical changes the country had experienced, but that the perspective of the people had changed, and that they had developed a sense of fearlessness. As a recent visit to Prep, Bishop James Massa said he felt that the students were lled with the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, particularly in the way they are being formed not only in their formal Religion classes, but in the many experiences the school provides, such as voluntary service opportunities. Massa, like so many at Prep made a connection to Pope Francis, and the way the pontiff is living out the legacy of the 13th century saint. For more information, please contact: Prep Principal, Mr. Patrick McLaughlin at (718) 423-8810 or (AP Scholars and National Merit and National Hispanic Recognition), or Prep Chaplain, Fr. Bill Sweeney, (718) 423-8810, x248, or bsweeney@sfponline.org (Mission Award) Prep student, Jared Sanchez Prep student Margaret Capozzoli-Cavota at the New York State Poetry Out Loud competition Following is a list of the St. Francis Prep students who have distinguished themselves. Advanced Placement Scholars: The following seniors have been recognized for their achievement in the AP Program for the 2014-15 school year. AP Scholar with Distinction: granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on ve or more exams. Kaitlyn Dantuono Philip Murtha Eric Rojas Adham Zaatri Brendan Zhang Rebecca Zhang AP Scholar with Honor: granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Kelly Adams Saudia Baksh Margaret Capozzoli-Cavota Donna Episcopio Zetong Jia Keith McManus Jared Sanchez Samantha Zdesar AP Scholar: granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. Christopher Andreou Alexander Bracco Autumn Brown Olivia Bullaro Erica Cooper Marianna Cortes Jessica Edouard Emily Greenberg Xinhua He Bridget Jandovitz Nicholas Mastrogiannis Luciano Michelli Peter Reichert Lauren Talty Rebecca Urena Gabrielle Vennitti Ariana Winter Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Program Christopher Andreou Kaitlyn Dantuono Justine Ecker Jack Holden Tash Illiparambil Fotini Mamos Rebecca Zhang The College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program Marianna Cortes Tyler Coyoc Ana Jimenez Matthew Lipari Julia Londono Eric Rojas Jared Sanchez
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