Bishop Dunn Memorial School [BDMS] celebrated the accomplishments and academic completion of 40 graduates from the Class of 2024. Graduates now make their way to their respective high schools and institutes to continue their academic journeys.

The 2024 graduates include Anisa Ahmad, Jack Angelo Kenny, Charsel Anthony, Michael Araujo-Garcia, Matthew Bonura, Keila Booker, Preston Brumskill, Matthew Colandrea, Sophia Cruz, David Derroches, Layla Dukas, Abilena Eriksmoen, Reese Escalera, Braeden Fish, Michael Giordani, Ashley Glynn, Massimo Guglielmucci, Guillermo Hernandez, Caitlyn Jennings, Erin Kroll, Olivia LaGreca, Hana Li-Chon, Olivia Mallia, Marianna Minos, Liam Morgan, Nailene Neder, Charlotte Paolo, Victoria Pou, Viktoria Prelaj, Sophia Priego, Peyton Purcell, Natalie Sander, Camila Sarmiento, Carley Sierra, Penelope Smith, Sariah Smith, Danica Sukeena, Nicole Torregrossa, Cristian Troche and Magdalin Waksmundski.

The annual graduation ceremony on Friday, June 21 began with the celebration of Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary at the Dominican Center at Mount Saint Mary College. The Bishop Dunn school building sits at the bottom of the hill along Gidney Avenue on the college campus.

Graduate Braeden Fish welcomed family and friends to the mass celebration before making his way back and processed with the other graduates, who all donned their blue caps and gowns with pins and other academic medals. The graduates were seated in the front of the chapel facing each other. Music teacher John Newhall performed on both the piano and guitar for the service.

The celebration of Mass was offered and led by Father Gregoire Fluet, chaplain of the school and previous interim president. In his homily, Fr. Fluet shared words of encouragement for the graduates, asking them to bring God along with them on their journeys after leaving Bishop Dunn. In addition to their own success, Fluet asked the graduates to take a moment to applaud and acknowledge their parents, guardians and family members for their support and encouragement in their accomplishments.

With the conclusion of mass, Bishop Dunn Principal Nancy Benfer made her way to the podium to begin the ceremony and deliver her remarks to the graduating class. “Today marks a significant milestone in your journey, a moment of celebration and reflection and anticipation for the adventures that lie ahead. It is with your great pride and joy that I stand before you as you transition from middle school into the exciting world of high school,” said Benfer.

In her remarks to the graduating class, Benfer shared thoughts on three themes for the class to reflect on as they go forward not just in school but in life which included taking responsibilities for your actions, personal accountability and choosing kindness first.

“First, taking responsibility for your actions is the cornerstone of growing up. When you make a mistake, you will remember and that’s an opportunity to learn and grow. Accepting responsibility is not about blame. It’s about understanding consequences and making better choices in the future. Be brave enough to stand up, to go into the arena and say, Yes, I did that, and here’s how I will make it right,” said Benfer.

“Personal accountability goes hand in hand with responsibility. It means setting goals and following through with them even when it’s hard. It means doing your best even when no one is watching.”

“Perhaps most importantly, choose kindness first. In a world that can sometimes be harsh and unforgiving, your kindness will be a beacon of hope, whether it’s lending a hand to friends in need, standing up against injustice, or simply offering a smile to someone who seems down, your kindness has the power to make a significant impact,” Benfer continued. “It takes courage to be kind, especially when you are faced daily with negativity, but remember, kindness is never wasted. Congratulations Class of 2024, we are incredibly proud of you and excited to see the amazing things you will achieve.”

With the conclusion of remarks, several awards were presented to the graduating class. The New York State Comptroller Students Achievement Award, given to students with outstanding academic and leadership performance in middle school, was awarded to Matthew Bonura and Magdalin Waksmundski.

The Service Award, an award that goes to a student who has demonstrated continuous service to the school, whether during traditional school hours or even after school had several recipients which included Anisa Ahmad, Jack Kenny Angelo, Charsel Anthony, Matthew Bonura, Sophia Cruz, David Derroches, Braeden Fish, Ashley Glynn, Massimo Guglielmucci, Guillermo Herandez, Caitlyn Jennings, Olivia Mallia, Charlotte Paolo, Peyton Purcell, Penelope Smith and Nicole Torregrossa.

The New York State Attorney General’s Triple “C” Award, an award given to students who demonstrate commitment, character, and courage, was awarded to Massimo Guglielmucci and Charlotte Paolo.

The President’s Education Award for Academic Achievement, an award given to those students who have demonstrated a high level of achievement in academics, athletics, and artistic abilities was awarded to Michael Giordani, Keila Booker, Preston Brumskill, Guillermo Hernandez, Hana Li-Chon, Olivia Mallia, Charlotte Paolo, Sariah Smith, Viktoria Prelaj and Nicole Torregrossa.

The President’s Education Award for Academic Excellence, an award given to those students who have demonstrated academic excellence throughout their 8th-grade year by maintaining an overall average of 95 or higher and no class grade lower than 90 was awarded to Anisa Ahmad, Matthew Bonura, Sophia Saud, David Derroches, Braeden Fish, Massimo Guglielmucci, Natalie Sander and Magdalin Waksmundzki.

The Susan Trieste Catholic Education Award, an award given to a student who is continuing their commitment to Catholic Education by attending a Catholic High School and who upholds all of the core values of the Catholic Church was awarded to Ashley Glynn.

The next awards, known as the Jena Cassalina Awards for Courage, Individuality, and Perseverance, were introduced by Melissa Broe, Bishop Dunn ​​Director of Admissions. This set of awards were created at Bishop Dunn in honor and remembrance of Jena Cassalina, a student of the school who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis but continued to live her life fully till her passing at the age of 13.

“Jena was a shining example of bravery, a young soul who faced her battles with a smile and never let her struggles dim her spirit, her individuality shone through in her every action, teaching everyone who knew her the invaluable lesson of embracing who we are,” said Broe. “Her perseverance, well, that was nothing short of extraordinary, a testament to her strength and the relentless pursuit of her joy and fulfillment despite her obstacles.”

In attendance was Eric Cassalina, Jena’s brother and former Bishop Dunn student, who came to the podium and shared with the crowd the battles she endured with cystic fibrosis until her passing.

After her passing, her classmates and teacher at the time brainstormed amongst themselves about what words/qualities described Jena the most. The three words Courage, Individuality, and Perseverance ultimately became the awards known today. “Every year, the graduating class votes amongst their peers and nominates a classmate that they believe embodies these traits the most,” said Cassalina.

The Jena Cassalina Award for Courage was awarded to Ashley Glynn, the Jena Cassalina Award for Individuality was awarded to Victoria Pou and The Jena Cassalina Award for Perseverance was awarded to Cristian Troche.

Principal Benfer presented the BDMS Academic All-Star, which is given to the student who has maintained the highest overall grade point average throughout the 2024 8th-grade year, to graduate Matthew Bonura. The Bishop Dunn Award, an award chosen by the faculty of Bishop Dunn, is given to a student who demonstrates strong faith, respect for others, and genuine kindness and this year’s recipients were Anisa Ahmad and David Derroches.

At the conclusion of the distribution of awards, graduates one by one came to receive their diplomas and shared a picture with Principal Benfer before making their way back to their seats. Once all diplomas were distributed, graduates stood up and moved their tassels to the other side of their caps, thus officially conferring them as middle school graduates. Applause from both graduates and parents filled the chapel.

One by one, graduates processed out of the chapel and made their way to Aquinas Hall for refreshments and pictures, thus concluding their time at Bishop Dunn and another commencement ceremony.

On the back of the commencement program, Bishop Dunn middle school teachers shared a special message to the graduating class: “To the graduating class of 2024, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you on your graduation from middle school. This moment marks a significant milestone in your academic journey, one that you have worked diligently to achieve. We thank the parents for their unwavering support throughout the school year and for celebrating this special day with us.”