SDA is proud to announce that eight members of the Class of 2019 have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP exams. Jarrielle Cabalfin’19 and Hannah Dobronsky’ 19  have each been named an AP Scholars with Distinction for earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Fellow Class of 2019 member Alexa Gudiel has also been named an AP Scholar with Honor.  Meghan Anderson, Skye Archibald, Amanda DeJesus, Cristina Lai-Le and Julia Murphy, all recent graduates, were all named AP Scholars. The Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) administered by The College Board provides students at SDA and other high schools with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.

On Sunday, June 2, Saint Dominic Academy held its 141st commencement exercises for the Class of 2019. A Baccalaureate Mass and dinner were held on Wednesday, May 29 at St. Aedan’s Church and the Saint Peter’s University MacMahon Student Center respectively.

The 67 members of the Class of 2019 were collectively awarded $13,007,189 in college scholarship and grant monies. Class valedictorian Hannah Dobronsky addressed those gathered at St. Aedan’s Church.  President of the National Honor Society, and a member of Student Ambassadors, Spanish Honor Society and Glee Club, Hannah received the Science award for having achieved the highest cumulative average in that subject.  She will attend Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall. 

Class salutatorian, Skye Archibald, who gave her address at the Baccalaureate Mass, did a reflective reading of “Your Day Has Arrived,” by Kelly Roper. Skye, a member of National Honor Society and French National Honor Society, has been a member of the student body since 2012 when she joined the Academy’s first 7th Grade class. She received both the Social Studies and French awards for having the highest cumulative average in those respective subjects. She will attend Villanova University.  

Susan Mulvaney Odenthal ’73 presented additional academic awards to the following students:   English and Religion to Julia Murphy, Mathematics to Jarrielle Cabalfin, Spanish to Alexa Gudiel, Art to Janet Mah, Music to Jen Marie Chie and Christina Lai-Le, Musical Theater to Jessica Stanley, Drama to Caitlin Aristizabal and Physical Education to Emma Morris. Recognition for Outstanding Service to the Saint Dominic Academy community was awarded to Maia Bustamante. Caroline Nguyen was honored for having had 4 years of perfect attendance.  

At the Baccalaureate Honors Ceremony held on May 29, Danielle Prekop of Jersey City was recognized as the NJSIAA State Scholar Athlete for Saint Dominic Academy. Megan Van Alstyne and Andrea Tlacuilo were honored as Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association (HCIAL) Scholar Athletes. Julia Murphy was named the SDA Scholar Athlete.

Commencement speaker, SDA Class of 1975 alumna, Andrea Villani Apruzzese reminded the graduates, “There is so much ahead of you. Your life will be long and the path will be divergent more times than it will be straight. Please be mindful along that way, to always be true to yourself. Find that part of your heart and soul that guides you, and hold strong and steadfast to what it tells you to do.” Mrs. Apruzzese is the current Director of Admissions at the Academy and is a graduate of Rutgers University with an extensive career in business as well as Catholic education.

In her closing remarks, the Head of School thanked and congratulated not only the graduates, but also their parents. She concluded with, “And that is it… the end of my time as your Head of School…but we know well that this sisterhood at SDA has existed for 140 years and so today is not an ending…it’s the beginning of your future as proud alumnae of Saint Dominic Academy. I am so very lucky and proud to have shared this journey with you. I wish each of you the best of luck, and I am always here if you need anything.” The commencement exercises were concluded with Benediction and the Academy’s “Alma Mater.”

Several SDA students will be participating in a variety of very prestigious programs this summer.

Alyssa Fuentes ’21 will be SDA’s representative to HOBY, the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Seminar to be held at Kean University from June 6-9. In July, Alyssa will head to Northwestern University in Chicago to participate in an Engineering program sponsored by the National Student Leadership Conference.

Courtney Martin ’21 will be spending a week at The George Washington University in Washington DC in the GW Pre-College Program: Crime Scene Investigation.  

From June 9-14, Logan Hart ’20 will be attending The United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar.  According to their information, “the United States Naval Academy is the first step in navigating a future to becoming one of the nation’s next generation of leaders”  Logan will spend six days at the Academy. She will live in Bancroft Hall, experience life on The Yard and learn from some of the Naval Academy’s best midshipmen and most esteemed professors.

Rising Senior Veronica Dominguez has been accepted to the Summer Service Scholars Program at The College of New Jersey where she will stay at TCNJ for two weeks and participate in a 20th Century US History course (which is worth four credits) and also partake in community service.

Four other rising seniors will be spending their time in Pre-College programs at Stevens Institute of Technology.  They include Elyse Sanchez who will be taking Pre-Med Biology, Sarah Jowett who will be a part of Introduction to Coding and App Design, Yasmine Idrissi who is registered for Business Explorer and Nayely Gonzales who was accepted to two programs, Civil Engineering Design and Architecture and Exploring Career Options in Engineering and Science.

From countless fundraising activities throughout the year, including bake sales, tag days and spirit week contests, the Saint Dominic Academy Student Council raised $1250 which was donated to Women Rising Inc. (270 Fairmount Avenue, Jersey City)

The funds will provide complete room and board for a mother and child for one week.  According to Student Council President Cristina Sabia, the Student Council chose Women Rising as their charity for the year because they wanted the funds raised to support a local organization.  She also said, “Women Rising of Jersey City holds a special place in SDA hearts because of their mission of assisting women and their families. The National Honor Society has collected and donated purses, feminine hygiene products and much more. The Student Council members felt that we could make even more of an impact on their mission, the city community and our student body  by donating the money we raised this year to Women Rising. At Saint Dominic Academy, we are taught to take care of others and in making this donation we were able to lend a hand to people in our local community.” For more information about Women Rising Inc. visit https://www.womenrising.org/