One hundred and fifty-eight young men from the Class of 2022 graduated on Saturday morning, May 28, on the campus of St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge.

Fr. Joseph Seraphin Dederick, OFM Cap., the Provincial of the Western American Province of the Capuchin Franciscan Order, represented his Excellency Bishop José Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, at the ceremony. Fr. Tony Marti, OFM Cap., school president, Thomas Moran, school principal, and Mark Heydorff, the chairman of the board of directors, also officiated during the Seventy-Third Annual Commencement Exercises for the local Catholic, college preparatory institution.

Vincent DiRito led the national anthem, Jeffrey Balian, the senior class president, welcomed those in attendance, and valedictorian Quinn Deitch gave a formal address to the audience. Deitch also received the Capuchin Award and Medal for Scholarship. The program also recognized salutatorian Aren Adamian for his exceptional achievement. Additionally, Chance Thomasy was presented with the Rudy Trujillo Award for Superior Academic Effort. Keith Watson, commander, U.S. Merchant Marine, was in attendance and presented to Jaren Sin his appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

This year 10 legacy graduates were recognized, second generation Golden Knights whose fathers also graduated from St. Francis.

St. Francis Certificates of Distinction were awarded to graduates in the following categories: athletics – Buckley DeJardin; visual & performing arts – Tomás García; world languages – Gabriel Gottheim; social studies – Simon Lee; world languages – Myron Longhurst; social studies – Vaughn Nahapetian; mathematics – Timothy Parisi; science – Daniel Peinado; social studies – David Ramirez; athletics – Dario Rock; mass media – Jaren Sin.

The school faculty also presented Capuchin Medals for Excellence in various subject areas to: physics – Aren Adamian; world history – Jeffrey Balian; religion and Spanish – Dylan Bell; graphic design and theater – Tyler Bodden; drumline – Gavin Corteza; biology, English, and U.S. government – Quinn Deitch; chorus – Vincent DiRito; art – Tyler Dorlarque; athletics & kinesiology – Maxwell Garrison; human geography and mathematics – Gabriel Gottheim; Latin – Aaron Liem; mass media – Krish Malhotra; psychology and U.S. history – Zachary Oliva; computer science – Timothy Parisi; economics – Daniel Peinado; chemistry – Matthew Toutounjian.

Additionally, community service awards were presented.

The second-annual Jim Bonds Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Maxwell Garrison. The Fr. Lawrence Caruso Memorial College Scholarship was awarded to Duncan Sprengel. The California Wellness Scholarship was awarded to Aren Adamian. Forty-two graduates received the special St. Francis High School Honors Diploma, an award given for Christian service, high academic achievement, and taking at least one Advanced Placement course during their senior year at the school. Fifty-one of the graduating seniors were recognized as California Scholarship Federation Sealbearers. The California Scholarship Federation Sealbearer Scholarship was presented to Mclain Arslanian, Jeffrey Balian, Aaron Liem, and Brandon Po.

Quinn Deitch was recognized as a National Merit Program Scholarship student. Gabriel Gottheim was recognized as a National Merit Program finalist. Seventy-nine students graduated as members of the National Honor Society and eight graduated as Mu Alpha Theta members. The National Honor Society Certificate of Merit was awarded to Quinn Deitch, Vaughn Nahapetian, Zachary Oliva, Sean Vargas. The National Honor Society of Sports Medicine graduated two members; Tyler Dorlarque and Maxwell Garrison.

Quinn Deitch, Francis Ferguson, Gabriel Gottheim, Zachary Oliva, Samuel Oliver, Timothy Parisi, Akio Pinedo, and Chance Thomasy were recognized as National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars. Thirty-three graduates were recognized as members of the National English Honor Society. Thirty graduates were recognized as members of Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica.

At the time of graduation, students from St. Francis High School’s graduating Class of 2022 have received 217 scholarships, awards, and/or grants to colleges and universities throughout the United States. These scholarships and awards equate to a total amount of $12,698,044 offered towards the recipients’ educational costs.