Graduation marks new beginnings
June 18, 2013
HOUSTON and GALVESTON — This year, the Archdiocese added a new set of graduates with the inaugural class of Cristo Rey Jesuit Preparatory. For them, and for the seniors of all nine Catholic high schools, the event marks both an ending and a beginning as the Class of 2013 moves into a new phase of young adulthood. The following is a glimpse at the next phase in the lives of the valedictorians and salutatorians of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston's Catholic high schools — those who went above and beyond their call of duty to excel in their academics and serve in their community.
— Rebecca Torrellas
CRISTO REY JESUIT PREPARATORY
Andres Salgado, Valedictorian for the inaugural graduating class of Cristo Rey Jesuit Preparatory, is a member of the National Honor Society.
Salgado holds himself to the highest standards of integrity, work ethic and respect for others. He has been a highly regarded contributor at his corporate work study assignment at Kinder Morgan.
Salgado will attend Rice University to pursue a degree in computer science.
Karina Muniz, Salutatorian for the inaugural graduating class of Cristo Rey Jesuit Preparatory, is a member of the National Honor Society.
She participated in a corporate work assignment at a leading Houston law firm (Greenberg Traurig LLP) and will attend St. Mary's University in San Antonio to study business management.
DUCHESNE ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART
Bridget Maryann Daly, Class of 2013 Valedictorian, is a member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church.
She was inducted into the National Honor Society, varsity track and field academic all state and a Presidential Scholars candidate. Her history paper was published in the Concord Review in fall 2012. Daly will be attending the University of Notre Dame to pursue a degree in biochemistry.
Erin Noel Novak, Class of 2013 Salutatorian, is a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church.
She played the role of "Maria" in the Duchesne production of "The Sound of Music." She earned a Girl Scout Gold Award, is an AP Scholar and served the high school as campus ministry president.
Novak will attend the University of St. Thomas on a VJ Guinan Full Tuition Scholarship to study nursing.
INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY
Julia Lee Voltz, the Valedictorian of the class of 2013 at Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) will attend Rice University this fall to study chemical engineering.
Voltz has served her community as a catechist in faith formation and a vacation Bible study volunteer.
She was inducted to the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. Voltz also participated in TAPPS academic competitions, including spearheading the Number Sense students at IWA. Voltz is also a published author and hopes to work for SpaceX as a fuel specialist or for 3M as a materials science engineer.
The Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) Salutatorian, Kimberly Hannah Hein, will attend Texas A&M University this fall majoring in biomedical sciences.
Hein has volunteered extensively at St. Luke's Hospital in The Woodlands. Additionally, Hein excelled at IWA through National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and the science and engineering club. Hein is also a licensed pilot and plans on becoming a pathologist.
O'CONNELL COLLEGE PREPARATORY
Emily Kathleen Low, Class of 2013 Valedictorian, was inducted into the National Honor Society where she served as secretary.
Low volunteered in many different events in the Galveston area, including Moody Gardens Special People’s Ball, Susan G. Komen Walkathons, Canned Food Drives, Clothing Drives, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, Christmas Angels, Toys For Tots and many others. She was also the student body president and 4-H president.
Low will be attending Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where she will play softball and major in computer science and French.
William Wheeler, Class of 2013 Salutatorian, was inducted into the National Honor Society where he served as treasurer.
He is an Eagle Scout, participated in varsity soccer and football where he was captain, involved in the drama club where he was an officer and editor of the school yearbook.
Wheeler plans to attend Syracuse University in New York and plans to major in broadcast communications.
POPE JOHN XXIII HIGH SCHOOL
Michael Woodrum is the Valedictorian for the class of 2013, following in his sister Katherine’s footsteps as she was valedictorian for Pope John’s class of 2012.
In the fall, he plans to attend the University of Dallas and major in philosophy and business.
Woodrum was heavily involved in campus ministry at Pope John, serving as an altar server and the President of the Men of the Beatitudes club. Over the course of the year, Woodrum completed more than 100 hours of community service for area organizations. He was also House Captain of Loreto House and a member of the National Honor Society. Woodrum plans on either becoming a lawyer or a priest after his collegiate studies.
Clare Gause is the Salutatorian for the class of 2013. She was involved in the Ladies of Virtue as well as the Pro-Life club and was a student leader on this spring’s Kairos V retreat. Gause was also a member of the International Thespian Society and the National Honor Society. Over the course of the year, she completed more than 100 hours of community service for area organizations.
In the fall, Clare plans to attend the University of Dallas on a Trustee Scholarship and major in psychology, with plans to become a psychologist after her collegiate studies.
ST. AGNES ACADEMY
Claire Lafferty, Class of 2013 Valedictorian, is a national merit finalist and captain of the varsity volleyball, soccer and softball teams.
She is a Girl Scout, having earned her Gold award and even traveled to the Girl Scout Lodge in London. Lafferty attended Harvard Model Congress, the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, the Women Exploring Engineering Camp at Texas A&M University, the Archdiocesan Youth Conference and the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar. She is an altar server at St. Thomas More Catholic Church and was a camp counselor at Camp Blessing where she assisted a young girl with special needs.
Lafferty will attend Vanderbilt University with a full scholarship and hopes to pursue engineering or medicine.
Mireille Hammock, Class of 2013 Salutatorian, is a national merit finalist and attended Harvard Model Congress. Participating in both the choir and orchestra, she also puts her musical talents to use for her junior service project at Autumn Leaves of Riverstone, where she played the cello for the elderly residents and also helped with activities such as serving snacks and playing bingo. Hammock also sings in her church choir.
She will attend Texas A&M University in the fall to pursue a degree in engineering.
ST. PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL
Allison Rose Shely will attend Boston College in the fall as a member of the honors program in the College of Arts and Sciences. She plans to double major in history and political science.
Shely was inducted into the National Honor Society and was a member of the honor board and choir. Shely was a member of the Treble Choir. She was the president both of the history club and the Latin club and editor of the Literary Magazine/Writers Club.
Noel Aubyn Eggen Link will attend Bates College in the fall. She plans to major in biology/pre-veterinary medicine. Link volunteers at the Oregon Zoo every summer as a ZooTeen.
At St. Pius X, Link was a volleyball player, threw discus for the track and was on the swim team. She was inducted into the National Honor Society and participated in choir.
ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL
The Valedictorian of the St. Thomas High School class of 2013 is Michael Prappas. Prappas will attend Southern Methodist University to study computer science.
He is an Eagle Scout and completed his Eagle Scout project at The Parish School. In addition, he has been a volunteer at San José Clinic and an altar server at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. He was an alto saxophone player in the band, a member of the student council, National Honor Society and programming club.
The Salutatorian of the St. Thomas High School class of 2013 is Garrison Kirk. Kirk will attend the University of Texas at Austin and study computer science.
He served the community by being a volunteer at the Houston Food Bank, Boys’ and Girls’ Club and at Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. He was also an AIM tutor and technology aid at Regis School. He was a member of the math club and java club.
STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY
The Valedictorian of the Strake Jesuit class of 2013 is Chris Wager. Wager will attend Georgetown University where he plans to study Diplomacy and Latin American Studies in the Walsh School of Foreign Service.
He was a member of the Crusaders soccer team all four years at Jesuit, which included serving as a co-captain on the varsity team in 2013.
Wager also was a member of the student council and was involved with the Strake Jesuit ecology club.
For his last two years at Jesuit, he led the social justice club and as a senior was the treasurer for the National Honor Society. He has been an altar server at Corpus Christ Catholic Church for three years and served as a eucharistic minister during his senior year. In the future, he hopes to continue living out the Cura Personalis, a Jesuit tradition that means “care for the individual.”
The Strake Jesuit Salutatorian for 2013 is Andrew Mealey. Mealey will be attending the University of Texas in Austin business honors program.
He plans to study business honors finance with a double major in petroleum engineering.
Mealey played football and baseball all four years at Jesuit and earned Academic All-State recognition as a senior.
He was also an active member of the National Honor Society and Key Club and also participated in the school newspaper for two years serving as managing editor as a senior. Mealey was also active in community service. Among many activities, he participated in a mission trip to Florida to serve the Haitian refugees.