Portsmouth Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School celebrated its baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 13 at Portsmouth Holy Redeemer Church. The school’s 2022 commencement ceremony was on Sunday, May 15 in the school gymnasium.
Diplomas were awarded to 23 graduates by school principal J.D. McKenzie and guidance counselor Beth Haney.
The Class of 2022 was offered $1.3 million in scholarships and accepted $477,914 of that total. Ninety-one percent of its members are pursuing higher education. Twenty-one of the 23 graduates will be attending 12 different colleges, including four outside Ohio.
There were two valedictorians – Ethan Beckett and Lindsey Blau. Ethan is the son of Marian Beckett and the late Gene Beckett of McDermott and has accepted $142,920 in scholarships from the University of Dayton, where he will major in mechanical engineering. Lindsey is the daughter of Phillip and Amanda Blau of Stout and has accepted a $56,000 scholarship to the University of Massachusetts, where she will major in data science.
The salutatorian was Gary Zheng, the son of Kevin and Shirley Zheng of Portsmouth. He has accepted $137,000, the full cost of tuition, room and board in scholarship offers to attend Ohio State University, where he will major in computer science.
Students graduating with honors diplomas were Ethan Beckett, Lindsey Blau, Bryce Isaac, Kaia McKinney, Kalie Pettay, Ebbie Potts, Viv Wheeler, Brayden Yarnell and Gary Zheng.
The school presents three special awards voted upon by the faculty. The Citizenship Award was given to Gary Zheng for his contribution of time and energy to civic, community and school projects.
The Senior Service Award went to Ethan Beckett for his generosity with his time toward course work and extracurricular activities. Viv Wheeler was chosen for the Outstanding Senior Award. She has best fulfilled the roles of scholar and leader in the school and community and has demonstrated outstanding character and service to others. Most important, she has demonstrated high Christian ideals in all of her daily activities.
Members of the Portsmouth Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School Class of 2022 are:
Alia Ali, Ethan Beckett, Lindsey Blau, Matthew Boldman, Madison Brown, Mollie Creech, Jarren Edgington, Beau Hobbs, Bryce Isaac, Nathan Johnson, Aidan Kirby, Kaia McKinney, Mia McPheters, Kalie Pettay, Blake Pollard, Ebbie Potts, Jermaine Powell, Carson Sammons, Johnathan Strickland, Viv Wheeler, Colin Winters, Brayden Yarnell and Gary Zheng.