As he has in years past, Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone attended as many graduation ceremonies as he could, offering congratulations and words of encouragement to the Class of 2020. His presence was one of the few things that remained the same in a topsy-turvy pandemic year.
School officials did their best to provide some sort of modified commencement ceremony so graduating seniors could make the traditional walk to receive their diplomas. Graduations were held outside, mostly on athletic fields, so social distancing could be achieved. Guests were limited and participants all donned masks.
But the important thing, according to seniors and their parents: They got to walk.
“The schools have done a good job in making it as special as they can,” Bishop Guglielmone said. “They’ve managed to take a very difficult situation and do the very best with it.”
In speaking to the graduates, the bishop told them to ask themselves ‘What does God request of me?’ and to remember the words of the Prophet Micah: Act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.
“All three are necessary,” he said.
Many of the graduating seniors were born in 2002 and are no strangers to uncertain times. Part of Generation Z, they are a vocal group looking to make the world a better place.
Here are a few relevant bits of history for the seniors of 2020 to look back on as they make their way into the future:
• They were only 1 year old when MySpace launched, 2 years old when Facebook was created, and 4 years old when Twitter started.
• Texting, invented in 1992, is older than the high school class of 2020.
• To this group of seniors, the terrorist attack of 9/11 is a historical event rather than something they lived through.
• They are younger than the iPod, which was released in 2001, and were only 5 when the first iPhone was released.
• Members of their generation are already leading the way in some of the most pressing issues of the day.
Below are photos and a list of each school’s graduates:
Bishop England High School in Charleston
Emma Albano, Valedictorian
Alexis Maus, Salutatorian
Nathan Joseph Abdou
Joshua Laurence Adams
William Cole Anderson
Patrick Michael Antonelli
Angel Asiain-Salceda
Adelaide Jane Bachrodt
Mariana Sofia Bakle
Emily Marie Barros with honors
Kathrynne Donielle Beck
Sykes Joshua Berry
Ashleigh Anne Binz with honors
Browning Windsor Emerson Blair
Brianna Elise Blanchard
Cathryn Anne Bluemel
Arianna Joan Borkowski
Gabrielle Hélène Bouchard
Nicole Katherine Boyd
Charlotte Camilla Brailsford
Peter John Bride
Marco Antonio Brouette
Chase Christopher Bruder
Anna Catherine Burton with honors
Kristen Jude Caputo with honors
Edwin George Carpenter
Ellie Malone Carrigan
Mariana Isabel Carson
Freah Camila Escaño Cinense
Sullivan Ashby Clair with honors
Chloe Caroline Cobb
Alyssa Marie Conder
Cameron Christopher Costa
Kennedy Louise Coupe
Gracie Anne Crosby
Marlee Olivia Cunningham
Catherine Butler Curtis
Zachary Cade Dacuba
Jullie-Allisan de Faria
Alexis Taylor DeMarco
Logan Davis Desciak
Olivia Hope Dussault
Jackson Tucker Ely
Raymond Christian Escoto
Michael Sylvestre Esparza
Harrison Weldon Estey with honors
Andrew Michael Ferri
Alexander Joseph Fischer
Emily Cobb Flanders
Liam Joseph French
John Edward Frick
Camille Marie Garner
Alvaro Gaston-Oroz
Patricia Suzanne George
Sarah Elizabeth Gordon
Jordan Hailey Guancione
Mary Love Gurrieri
Davis Grant Harkey
Finley Robin Harris
Kevin David Hart
Owen Thomas Hekker
Brandon Douglas Hooks
Christopher Ballard Housley
Julia Hay Hunter with honors
Grace Anne Iaria
Daniel Vicente Infante with honors
Kaitlyn Marie Jackowski
Kaitlyn Suzanne Jackson
Mary Caroline Jackson
Caroline Maris Jordan
Annalise Christine Keefer
Michael McCallum Kerrigan
Patrick Daniel Kerrigan
Elizabeth Annette King
Jay Michael King
Macara Jane King
Bella Carroll Kissell
Katerina Victoria Klein
John Michael Kraft
Ian Jeffrey Laro
Madison Nichole Lawless
Anne Elise Lawrence
Jacaline Grace Lawrence
Madaline Heyward Lawrence
Murphy Nicholas Lawrence
Edward Yongjun Lee
Zachary John Owen Lewis
Adrianna Patricia Loor
Michael Joseph Marcacci
McKenna Lynn Martin
Emma Jane Mazur
Christopher Aidan McCool
Jarren Charles McCoy with honors
Molly McGrane McManus
Gillian Grace McMurtry with honors
Matthew Jacques McQuade
Rachel Teresa McRae
Alexa Mackenzie Meeks
George Franz Meyer IV
Charles Hampton Michel
Thomas Mark Michel
Benjamin Ervin Miller
Sasha Nikolaevna Morton
Marlowe Marie Moxley
Madison Ann Mummert
Griffin John Murphy
Jake Scott Nadeau with honors
Luke Davis Noble
Ryleigh Marie O’Brien
Erin Catherine O’Connor with honors
James Warren O’Connor
Jordan Adare O’Connor
Luke Patrick Oligino with honors
Coleman Drew Owens
Steven Collin Panko
Hugo Alejandro Paredes Jr.
Alexander Wojciech Pawlik
Daniel James Poch
Zoey Lina Polito
Emily Maria Poole
Dalton Lim Posadas
Ellison Anne Potts
Emma Kate Puckhaber
José Julián Rentas with honors
Jessica Ann Restivo
Natalie Lauren Rice with honors
John Raymond Rider
John Nicholas Roddey
Riley Anne Ross
Kayla Renee Runey
Margaret Kathryn Runyon
John Michael Saboe
Adam Riley Salmorin
Isabella Nicole Schettini
Colby Oltmann Searson
Caroline Grace Seymour
Cameron Reid Shippee with honors
Addison Eliza Stowell
Caroline Rose Sumner
Shawna Marie Swanson
Amelia Grace Tessier
Chloe Madison Tribolet
Mary Katherine Verner
James Anthony Vuletich
Bryan Michael Wain
Katherine Louise Weaver
Ainsley Corrine Western with honors
Claudia Pearl White
James Harrison Woods
James McDowell Wyman
and, John Carr Wysong
Cardinal Newman School in Columbia
Elizabeth Nicole Adams
Julia Rose Aho
Skyler Allen
Tugay Bilgis
Katelyn Nicole Blanchard
Mary Margaret Bliek
Emma Catherine Bolchoz
Andrei Georges-Andreivich Bolshakov
Kennedy Alexis Bracey
Charles Thomas Brooks IV
Cecilia Katherine Brown
Kyle Shawn Burke
Ignacio Camps
Lea Kathleen Canetto
Christopher John Charlton
Joseph Ada Cleary
Mary Katherine Iager Collins
John Curtis Condra
Payton Newman Cooper
Charles Cooper
Jacob Cole Cowan
Lindsey Buyck Crider
Emily Ann Curry
Leo George Curry
Eliza Mary Whaley Edwards
Yunus Emre Ermis
Adam Richard Frame
Caleb Brockton Gallant
Madison Lee Glidden
Jonathan Frank Hafner
Jaylin Brandon Hammond
Myles Copeland Hedgecock
Connor Storm Helm
Leigh Anne Hickman
Garrett Joseph Hines
Karson Wiseman Hocutt
William Pate Hoffman
Makenna Katherine Conner Hoover
Harold Israel Johnson Jr.
Jacqueline Judith Johnston
Lottie Elise Kamis
Elizabeth DesChamps Kay
Mary Fraser Kay
Lukas Vincent Kearn
Elizabeth Meade Kerfoot
Elise Nicole Kubas
Hailey Elizabeth Laubacker
Johnathan Francis LaVecchia
Sarah Witter Liebenow
Kathryn Ann Liggitt
Sean Dean MacMurdo
Liam Augustine Magalhaes
Charles Cooper McBurney
Marino Lopez McGloster Jr.
Michael Gerard McGovern
Taylor Grace McIntosh
Shawn Caleb McMaster
Matthew Paul McMullen
Audrey Reese Meyers
Tristan Jane Millard
Max Andrew Miller
Daniel Charles Monfils
Jalen Tyrese Montgomery
Lillian Frances Moore
Sebastian Micheal Moore
Caitlin Elizabeth Murphy
Kellis Y Nhu Nguyen
Annie Nguyen
Nicholas Durden Noah
Rhoslyn Saehee Owens
Ataberk Ozel
Venetia Carlton Pappas
John-Frank Sheheen Pappas
Della Ruth Parrilla
Owen Thomas Pickel
Shy’Heem Tyshrionne Bobby Pinkney
James Alexander Potash Jr.
Catherine Elizabeth Powers
Carsten Blaire Puckett
Erin Susan Quarters
James Thompson Reedy III
Chase St. James Robinson
Andrew Braden Scott
Michael James Seezen
Jackson Elliott Sessoms
Charles Reynolds Skehan
Isabelle Leigh Sprayberry
Noah Riley Srulevich
Alexandra Bailey Stevens
Isabelle Grace Studnicka
Taliyah Danielle Swygert
Bradley David Turner
Thomas Christian Tyler
Tommy Vu
LeShunn Darrell Russ White Jr.
Zachary Thomas Williams
Hunter S Williams
Robert Daniel Winterstein
James Ryan Wolff
Tucker McLeod Woodham
John Paul II School in Ridgeland
*Megan Emma Shaw, Valedictorian
*Alena Nicole Durel, Salutatorian
Rodreco Tyrec Anderson
Jonathan Barragan
Ta’Churan Mikayla Brantley
Michael Noah Brock
Marianne McKenna Byrne
Anthony Oliver Cedeno
Jacob Collins
Zayra Alejandra Cruz
Tyler Warren Davis
Renee Helena Delgado
Tkai Jonita DeVore
Colin Robert Doering
Brendan Patrick Doherty
Alena Nicole Durel
Katherine Leigh Floyd
Xavier Horacio Gomez
Hope Ann Hamilton
Jasmine Nichole Hamilton
Joshua Edward Horton II
Raymond Alan Johnson
Kenneth CJ Knight
Sebastian Laverde
Logan Z. Markiw
Mark Fernando Martel
Laura Kathryn Mast
Octavio Alejandro Nunez
Khushi Chirag Patel
Ethan Joseph Prado
Abigail Elizabeth Quinty
Molly Catherine Rembold
Jazmine Sanchez
Gioella Maria Sarli
Macy Anne Sauls
Sophia Corine Schirmer
Megan Emma Shaw
Va’Shon Hyikem Shiggs
Rylee Mackenzie Tamminen
Gianna Carmela Torinese
Phong Thanh Tran
Marcello J. Vera
Merritt Rain Woodham
St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Greenville
*Luciana Strathern, Redemptoris Custos Award
*Joey Stansberry, Father Fox Award
*Marcos Salgado, Outstanding Christian Athlete Award
Maclean Armstrong
Bridget Arnett
Dominic Berning
Anna Rose Bradley
Erika Casanova
Emma Cervetti
Justin Chamberlin
Lorena Cicale
Witt Clary
James Cline
Margaret Coburn
Liam Connelly
Nick Crews
Carson Crockett
Emily Crosby
Lindsey Cummings
Ava Dobson
Brendan Dunlavey
Delaney Egan
Theresa Ferguson
Patrick Fesler
Caitlin Fitzgerald
Mack Floyd
Maria Gelpi
Rachel Girvin
Nyah Hallums
Gabe Hernandez Villagra
Isaac Hine
Abby Horne
Alexander Hoverath
Brian Hoverath
Anna Impeduglia
Matthew Jacques
Preston Jennings
Karina Jimenez
Tessa Kelly
Jordan Kozakiewicz
Andrew Kruk
Gracie Lawton
Nicholas Loudermilk
Rashad Luckey Dowdy
Meghan Malone
Mackenzie Manfredi
Spencer Marchant
Emma Martin
Josh Masters
Jenna Maunsell
Alex May
Mary Ellison McCoy
Declan McKinley
Michael McLeer
Delaney McNew
Brendan McTigue
Kaitlyn Meade
Alec Miller
Aiden Miller
Juliana Moore
Libby Morgan
Brittany Morris
Philip Mosley
Emily Mullins
Sydney Nobarak
Alice Norton
Katrina O’Connell
Maggie Olewiler
Gabby Olewiler
Sarah Paguaga
Madison Patrick
Daniel Pekalak
Luke Perham
Peter Permanente
Isabel Poinsette
Joseph Poole
Annie Puckett
Georgia Quartararo
Isabella Quick
Ava Quigley
Marta Ratkowski
Adam Rogers
Emily Schmidt
Jason Sheldon
Scotty Silver
Brigid Stanton
Cailin Sullivan
Katelyn Supra
Elizabeth Tamura
Julia Thompson
Andrea Tolmos
Nathan Turcotte
Cole Van Emburg
Julia VanPutte
Russell Warren
Kevyn Watson
Max Weaver
Dante Wells
Thomas Werner
Andy Widman
Thomas Zakrzwski
William Zeimetz
St. Anne School, Rock Hill
Benjamin Dresbach
Noah Garretson
Zachary Oehlhof
Jackson Ogburu
Isabelle Rainier – Valedictorian
Haiden Taylor
Hanna Taylor
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in Myrtle Beach
*Kaitlyn Hubany, Valedictorian
*Kolby Johnson, Salutatorian
Matthew Deubell
Anastasia Salyers
Jamie Ventura
St. Anne School in Rock Hill
*Isabelle Rainier, Valedictorian
Benjamin Dresbach
Noah Garretson
Zachary Oehlhof
Jackson Ogburu
Haiden Taylor
Hanna Taylor
