The Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Catholic Schools presented its annual Outstanding Catholic School Graduates award to 46 eighth-graders in recognition for excelling academically and embodying Catholic values through service.
The award recipients — who all attend archdiocesan schools in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties — were presented with a medal in front of their families during one of two Masses in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Kearny’s St. John Paul II Youth Retreat Center on March 25 and April 1.
They also received a letter from Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., archbishop of Newark, who congratulated them on being exemplary students.
“As Outstanding Catholic School graduates, you have distinguished yourselves not only in academics but also in something far more valuable in the long run — the way you live out the Gospel message in your words and deeds,” Cardinal Tobin wrote in his letter. “We are indeed both proud and blessed by your endeavors and achievements.”
This year’s recipients of the Outstanding Catholic School Graduates award included, locally:
Bridgid Leddy, of Sacred Heart School, Lyndhurst; Danila Rogel, of Queen of Peace School, North Arlington; Angelle Sanabria, of St. Peter School, Belleville; Joyce Cortez. of St. Thomas the Apostle School, Bloomfield and Heather Budez Godoy, of Good Shepherd Academy, Nutley.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.