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Class of 2020, stories of hope

The Catholic Standard profiles members of the class of 2020 from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Washington, whose stories offer hope during the pandemic.

In this series

DeMatha graduate whose education inspired his faith journey becomes member of Catholic Church

After Nigel Newby was received into the Catholic Church June 13 at St. Anthony Parish in North Beach, Maryland, he said he feels like a different person.“Believe it or not,...

Holy Child senior says school ‘helped me realize my fullest potential’

As Angela Torrejon, a senior at the Connelly School of the Holy Child, graduates and steps into the next chapter in her life, she said she will keep close everything she learned...

Twin sister has shared educational journey with Cristo Rey’s Maxima Pacheco

Now as she prepares to graduate as a member of the class of 2020 at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, Maxima Pacheco remembers what it was like when she began attending the Takoma...

St. Mary’s Ryken senior says school helped her deepen and share her faith

Going to a Catholic school for many years, Elizabeth Trossbach, a senior at St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Maryland, said “eventually, (Catholicism) starts getting...

Archbishop Carroll has been a family experience for Angel Bilal of the high school’s class of 2020

In a special way, Angel Bilal’s years at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., have been a family experience. The member of Archbishop Carroll’s class of 2020 is a...

Avalon senior says faith nurtured there will guide him in life’s next chapter

With family members, classmates and faculty looking on, it’s a proud tradition during the graduation ceremony of The Avalon School in Wheaton, Maryland, to announce the...

Georgetown Prep senior’s regimen included AP classes, and also lessons in empathy

For Patrick Gaul, a member of the class of 2020 at Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland, his education at the Jesuit high school included a grounding in...

Good Counsel senior says school’s values will shape her as she heads to Virginia Tech

When Lauren Martin, a senior at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, realized there were many around the world suffering from the effects of the coronavirus...

Student says St. Mary’s Ryken had lasting impact on her faith and future

When Janie Bryner first walked into the halls of St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Maryland as a freshman nearly four years ago, she had no idea the impact the school...

Holy Cross valedictorian says academy prepared her for Vassar

Just before the coronavirus pandemic caused students to have virtual learning from home for the remainder of the school year, Grace Miller, a senior at the Academy of the Holy...

Twin brothers share valedictorian honors at Pallotti High School

Twin brothers Michael and Matthew Merritt are the Class of 2020 co-valedictorians at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Maryland. The brothers – identical in looks...

Being part of Bishop McNamara ‘family’ inspired student body president

If there’s one lesson Ayanna McCarley is taking from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, she said it’s “to constantly be genuine, humble and...

Cristo Rey valedictorian says school ‘will always have a place in my heart’

This spring as Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Maryland, transitioned to distance learning for students as a result of the government restrictions to prevent the...

Derrick Aikens graduating from Gonzaga College High School determined ‘to give back’

Like all members of the class of 2020, Derrick Aikens of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., has completed his senior year amid the COVID-19 pandemic that left...

Saint’s words ‘Be who you are and be that well’ inspire Visitation student

For senior Nicole Rivas, the past few years at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., have led her from the soccer field to the floor of the New York Stock...

Graduate says Brookewood education helped her grow in her faith

Like most children who grow up in a military family, Gabrielle Nerstheimer moved frequently during the early part of her childhood, spending several years at a time living in...

Seton senior says her Catholic education prepared her for college and life

As Lauren Gomes, a senior at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, Maryland, reflects on her years in high school, she remembers how her Catholic education has shaped her...

St. Anselm’s graduate says school ‘shaped me into the man I am today’

As John Paul “JP” Libanati concludes his four years at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in Washington, D.C., he said he is grateful that the education he received at the...

Serving God and the community have deepened the faith of Carroll senior Ihuaku Joseph

When Archbishop Wilton Gregory celebrated a Mass in February at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., to mark Black History Month, Ihuaku Joseph, a member of...

Sisterhood and support helped Stone Ridge student during high school years

For senior Meaghan Kilner, some of the memories that she will miss most from her time at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, can be summed up in the...

Attending DeMatha Catholic High School led graduating senior to Catholic faith

Nigel Newby, who graduates this year from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, can trace his journey to become a member of the Catholic Church back to a Little...

Serving others sparked St. John’s student’s career goals of international outreach

The motto “Enter to learn, leave to serve” is emblazoned in large letters in a hallway at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., and that is a lesson that Victor...