Some of the school’s most accomplished students got to strut their stuff on June 4 when Bayonne High School honored the academic achievements of the Class of 2008.
In previous years, the annual ceremony was held at the Hi Hat Caterers hall near West 54th Street. But since the demolition of the historic building last year, students, parents, teachers and administrators held the event in the school auditorium.
This event is held each June prior to graduation to show off achievements that often go unnoticed or under reported during the school year, allowing parents and the public to appreciate the successes of each student.
Prior to the ceremony, Vice Principal Leo Smith spoke highly of this class, saying that they are “focused.”
“They know what they want and they go after it,” he said.
Principal Richard Baccarella described the class as dedicated. During his presentation, he said the number of awards the class received pleased him.
The awards ceremony is one of the traditions of the school district, one of those events leading up to graduation that gives students time to realize what they have accomplished before moving on to the next level of their lives.
Before beginning the official program, Baccarella paid tribute to Christina Arszulowicz, a teacher at Bayonne High School who has run these ceremonies for the last 30 years, making certain all of the orchestrated elements come together in order to provide graduates and their families a moment they will remember for the rest of their lives.
But this year is Arszulowicz’s last year as the coordinator for the event. She retired two years ago and continued to perform the task.
Award recipients for 2008
Leading this year’s achievers are 10 students who are called the “Circle of Ten” (see story, p. 1) including Valedictorian Hadir Fahim, Salutatorian Eric Delgado, Agustin Paniagua, Iriny Ekladious, Erika Rodas, Diana Malinawski, Dominick Di Rienzo, Mohammad Misbah, Magy Gad, and Gabrielle Nadolny.
Alejandro Aleman received the Tirrito Memorial Award; Amanda Allam, the Choral Ensemble Award; and Jan Arnold Aquino, the NJSIAA Distinguished Scholar Athlete Scholarship.
Amanda Aviles received a Choral Ensemble Award, and Jansher Ayala received the Barrier Electric Scholarship.
Ryan Blake received the Daniel Janes Scholarship Award and a Drama Award.
Daniel Boyle received this year’s Citizenship Award. Jackie Buczkowski received an award for Perfect Attendance. KcAnn Bulatowicz-Gordon received the Dianne M. Skutnick Award. Sean Caldwell received the Bernie Ockene Memorial Basketball Award.
Cassandra Callaway received the William and Catherine Jacobson Scholarship, an NJSIAA Women in Sports Award and the Dr. David Morris Award.
Keith Cappiello received the William Lane Memorial Scholarship. Ryan Christenson received the Pablo Rivera Scholarship. Tiffany Clarke received the Lawson Family Blue Collar Student Athlete Award.
Robin Collins received the Latin Award and the NJSIAA ETS Scholar Athlete Award.
Alisa Czachowski received an Advanced Placement Scholar Award. Erin DeGuzman received a Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Arrigo DeRos received a William Lane Scholarship Award, a Choral Ensemble Award and the Thomas P. Fricchionne “A” Team Community Service Award.
Nelson Delgado received a New Jersey Directors of Athletics Award. Ashley Devaney received an Iron Woman Award. Leah De Pillo received an Enzo De Luca Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Award and a U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete Award.
Robyn Drag was an Advanced Placement Scholar and received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship.
Robert Dudziak received the Frank V. Acito Memorial Scholarship, the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship and the National John Philip Sousa Award.
Mena Eskander received an Edward J. Bloustein Scholarship. Amanda Flores received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Julio Flores received a French Language Award. Anibal Fonesca received the “Bee” Spirit Award.
Tiffany Geremonte received the Robert V. Graham Memorial Ceramics Scholarship. Stephanie Gomez received an award for Perfect Attendance and a Choral Director’s Award.
Linda Grossman received the Bess Bramson Memorial Award, the William C. Lane Memorial Music Scholarship and the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship.
Samantha Gutierrez received the Bernard Ockene Award for Business. Nishat Hughes received the Thomas Wojslawowicz Swimming Scholarship. Rose Jacobson received the Shia Saltzman Drama Award. Harjot Kaur received an award for Perfect Attendance.
Jared Hart received the De Sena Family Scholarship, the Dr. Richard J. Malanowski Scholarship, a Bayonne High School Photography Club Award, the Faculty, Student Alumni Art Scholarship, and a Rhode Island School of Design Award.
Robert Kelly received a Thomas P. Fricchionne “A” Team Community Service Award. Jessica Macri received a UNICO Brian Piccolo Award. Joseph Mannino received a Pablo Rivera Scholarship. John Micek received a U.S. Army Reserve Honor Scholar-Athlete Award and a Bayonne High School Hockey Parents’ Association Award.
Hamaz Mohamed received an Edward J. Bloustein Scholarship, an Isadore Chertoff Award and a Firemen’s Mutual Science Award.
Arline Moloughney received the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship and a National School Choral Award.
Marlon Montoya received the De Sena Family Scholarship. Greg Moore received an HCIAA Scholar Athlete Award. David Morales received the Randy Capriola Scholarship. Jennie Mugrace received the Dr. Richard J. Malanowski Scholarship.
Dhaval Naik received the Dr. Cornelia Scholarship. Mariam Nematalla received an Edward J. Bloustein Scholarship and a Brotherhood Award. Christian Ostorga received the William Tassone Award. Jazmine Padin received the Northeast Conference Award.
Melissa Palumbo received a Band Boosters Scholarship Award. Angelique Parker received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Brenda Patel was honored for Perfect Attendance. Erica Percella received the Friends of Thomas Banos Award.
Nicole Ponzo received a Choral Parents’ Award, the Miriam Giglio Music Scholarship, and the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship
Milena Popow received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Michael Raccioppi received the UNICO Brian Piccolo Award. Shadaya Ramey received the Cleveland and Gladys Young Educational Scholarship. Allisa Rinker received the Mario Treonze Track Award.
Matthew Rosati received the Ben M.A. Kline Award and the Athletic Trainer’s Award. Loura Said received the Spanish Award. Krystal Saintil received a Choral Ensemble Award. Yesenia Sanchez received the Rochelle Henriques Memorial Scholarship. Kathrina Santiago received the Herschel Silverman Poetry Award and a Drama Award.
Melissa Santiago received the Rotary Award and the President of the Student Council Award. Stephanie Santiago received a District Director of Athletics Award. Dominick Santopietro received a Cleveland and Gladys Young Educational Scholarship. Ashley Schaefer received the U.S. Marine Corps Scholar-Athlete Award. Youssef Shaker received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Bianca Silva and Tatiana Silva both received “Bee” Spirit awards.
Jacinta Simon received an HCIAA Scholar Athlete Award. Jessica Soares received a Ben M.A. Kline Award. Francis Socorro received the New Jersey Foreign Language Teachers’ Association Award. Jose Socorro was honored for Perfect Attendance and received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship, as well as a Student Activities Award.
Stephen Soss received a District Director of Athletics Award. Jonathan Stachiw received the Harmon Mudd Award. Nicholas Stanlaw received the NJSIAA/ETS Scholar-Athlete Award. Morena Tan received an Edward J. Bloustein Scholarship and an Edmund Lyndeck Award. Shaina Tsiaklis received a Choral Ensemble Award. Ishtar Valliant revived the 2008 Sempe Fidelis Award. Frank Valdez received a Pablo Rivera Scholarship.
Nathalie Valenzuela and Edith Westpy received the Faculty, Student, Alumni Art Scholarship. Gary Varela received the Ken Ray Smith Memorial Scholarship Award. Ashley Wilson received the Band Director’s Award and the Music Faculty, Student, Alumni Scholarship.
Christina Wulffen received a Faculty Art Award. Amanda Yannaccone received a “Bee” Spirit Award. Kristina Young received a Cleveland and Gladys Young Educational Scholarship. Dianel Yunes received the Louis and Sara Wigdor Annual Award. Muhammad Zahid was honored for earning an 800 on his SAT in Mathematics. He also received an Edward J. Bloustein Scholarship and the Nicholas J. Occhino Award.