By CatholicPhilly Staff Report • Posted May 28, 2026
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia recognized 132 of the region’s highest-achieving Catholic school seniors during the 46th Annual Academic Honors Convocation, held Tuesday evening May 26 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez presided at the Liturgy of the Word preceding the convocation, which honored students ranked in the top 3% of their graduating class from 31 archdiocesan and private Catholic secondary schools across the five-county region.
Students were selected based on cumulative academic ranking at the end of the first semester of their senior year. Several honorees are also members of the Connelly Foundation’s Neumann Scholars Program, a scholarship initiative identifying academically talented eighth graders for four-year awards to attend archdiocesan high schools.
A full list of honorees follows below. Photos from the event are published here.
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur High School
Kara Sweeney
Michelle M. Malone
Calleigh E. Newbert
Archbishop John Carroll High School
Joseph T. Bookstaber*
Christopher N. Dellaratta
James K. Gessig*
Gavin T. Hoffman
Francis N. Pham*
Archbishop Ryan High School
Fiona Deng*
Tiffany Cheung
Lorelain Hoxhaj
Jasmely De La Cruz
Anthony David Mezicco
Isabelle Baptista
Isabella Sophia DiLeggi
Archbishop Wood High School
Olivia Cavallaro*
Briana Hernandez
Jacqueline Breller
Owen Cihak*
Joyce Sobin
Bishop Shanahan High School
Gregory S. Palaia
Sophia G. DiGiovanni*
Teagan A. Welsh*
Lauren E. Foster
George V. Schaffer*
Osinachi E. Okafor
Evan T. Sprows
Cardinal O’Hara High School
Patrick J. Williamson*
Caroline M. Tuberosa*
Milan Byrd
Abigail F. Borek
Michael J. Seeger
Michelle C. Eburuoh
Alexandra C. Cornibe
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School
Margaret Fronheiser*
Albert Gutherman
Shaun McCormac
Alessia Romano
Cole Brown
Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School
Ekene Odor
Tran Le
Claudia Rujano
Destiny Bowens
Devon Preparatory High School
Spencer J. Collins
Dominic A. Cane
Cavan J. Mullin
Father Judge High School for Boys
Christopher M. DiPasquale
Michael Barnes*
Alexander J. Matthews
Jacob F. Brennan
Joshua Kent
Thomas J. McGerry
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
Madeline J. White
Isabella M. Chiappa
Abigail G. Kolp
Holy Ghost Preparatory School
Marcel Chattopadhyay
Ryan Boyle
Brendan Meehan
Lansdale Catholic High School
Jarrett R. Mott
Ella P. Huber
Rachel A. Varghese
Ryan Schiedt
La Salle College High School
Charles Brenden Coyne
Shane Christopher Dominello
Seamus Michael Fabrey
Jack Robert Gatta
Cooper Christopher Heilig
Declan Christopher Heilig
Emmet Duggan Shanahan
Cole Patrick Sloan
Matthew Brian Sloan
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls
Madison Forbes
Kylee Barton
Faith Robinson
Malvern Preparatory School
Vincent Ayala
Blake Lee
James “Mac” Crawford
Max Swiderski
Mercy Career & Technical High School
Savanah M. Barnes
Huy Le
Andy Zeng
Merion Mercy Academy
Emily A. Beggs
Madelyn O’Neill
Colette O. Remy
Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School
Charlieze R. Ganges
James M. Shallow
Madeline G. Crussard
Chase Phanthavong
Finn M. Boyle
Mia Fanelli
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
Charlotte Sophia Fisk
Julia Anne Burdick
Gabriella Maya Balaratna
Grace Nadja Balkowski
Nazareth Academy High School
Annalise Catherine Dubeck
Sadie L. Walker
Pope John Paul II High School
Tabitha Rose Barczyk
Olivia Rubinich
Josalin Fennell*
Emma Yilin Jin
Sophia Gonsalves
Olivia Vetro Smith
Regina Luminis Academy
Gianna Scoville
The Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia
Jehoiakim Gabriel
Liam Riehman-Murphy
Andrew Stevens
Justin DiSilvestro
Nicholas Conway
Leif Hoppel
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr
Kathleen E. Keffer
Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls
Isabella Fife*
Miley Egolf
Joyce Szczurek
Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School
Salvatore Kerns
Olivia Morrell
Nicholas Del Buono
Delaney Capitolo
Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School
Noah W. Popp
Spencer T. Morinigo
Julien M. O’Hanlon
Peter Bradford
Daniel Dziadon
James P. McAleer
Tyler T. Mahanitra
Villa Joseph Marie High School
Katherine N. Phillips
Catherine R. Gallagher
Villa Maria Academy High School
Olivia M. Ward
Madelyn M. DiBonaventura
Elisabeth T. Cheely
West Catholic Preparatory High School
Laila J. Akins
Richard Chen
Victor Chen
***
Editor’s Note: Individuals marked with an asterisk are members of the Connelly Foundation’s Neumann Scholars Program. The program identifies academically talented eighth grade students through a competitive examination and provides four-year scholarships to attend any Archdiocesan high school.