On Sunday, June 4, 2017, the ninety-six (96) members of Roselle Catholic Class of 2017 received their diplomas, capping their high school years and joining the ranks of the 8,000 alumni who have preceded them across the stage in The Lions’ Den where, as always, this year’s Commencement ceremony took place.

Our seniors were joined in the procession by members of the Classes of 1967 and 1992, whom the school invited to participate in honor of the fiftieth and twenty-fifth anniversaries of their RC graduations.  Virginia Hoffman Gilcrest, a member of Girls Catholic High School’s Class of 1967, a former elementary school principal in Roselle Park and Vice Chair of the RC Board, greeted the graduates and officially welcomed them into the ranks of the RC alumni.

Virginia Hoffman Gilcrest, GC '67, a member of the class of 1967 being
honored on the fiftieth anniversary of their RC & GC graduation, 
welcomes the graduates into the ranks of the RC alumni

A former staff nurse at Elizabeth General Medical Center, Mrs. Gilchrist is a former Middle School Teacher and a former Pre-School teacher in Guatemala City, Guatemala. An adjunct professor at Kean University, Gina Hoffman Gilchrist’s children, Rob and Lindsey, graduated from Roselle Catholic in 2007.

Maxwell Jakob Cerra ranked first in the Class of ’17 for the past four years. In lieu of a valedictory speech, Max played a viola piece by Johan Sebastian Bach. Max’s father, John Cerra, graduated from Roselle Catholic in 1978.

Maxwell Cerra, class valedictorian, played a
viola piece in lieu of a valedictory address

Salutatorian Tochi Stephanie Uchono welcomed the Class of ’17, RC Faculty and guests to the graduation exercise. Tochi ranked second in the Class of ’17 for the past four years. 

Roselle Catholic’s Assistant Principal for Academics, Martha Konczal, delivered the address to the graduates.

Salutatorian Tochi Stephanie Uchono receives one of her multiple
academic awards from RC President-Principal Tom Berrios
 

Ms. Konczal is retiring after nearly 20 years on Raritan Road. She arrived at RC in 1998 and was the school’s Librarian before moving into the Assistant Principal’s office. 

Danile Moraske, Chairman of the World Language Department, delivered the Benediction. Mr. Moraske is retiring after nearly a decade at Roselle Catholic. 

Just prior to the Benediction, Ms. Konczal, Mr. Moraske and Phyllis Wischusen – who’s retiring after 40 years as a math teacher at Roselle Catholic – were presented with flowers from Principal and President Tom Berrios. 

Class of ’17 member Isabel Maria Cruz-Cunya began the exercise by singing the Star-Spangled Banner. RC Campus Minister Timothy Hagan delivered the Invocation following Isabel Cunya’s rendition of the National Anthem. 

The annual Baccalaureate Mass was held June 1st at the Church of St. Joseph the Carpenter in Roselle for the Class of ’17.
 

Numerous photos courtesy of Ottie Lynne Paterson at Ottie Lynne Photography ottielynnephotography.com