DANBURY—Immaculate High School graduates 108 seniors at its Commencement Liturgy on Saturday, June 5 at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown. The seniors will be recognized for their many scholarships and academic, athletic, arts/music, community service and other awards they earned over the school year, and for their resilience and Mustang spirit in sticking with their studies and commitments during the last few months of virtual school.
Zachary Meyerson of Danbury is the Class of 2021’s Valedictorian and Meryl McKenna of Brookfield is the Salutatorian and both will be recognized at the ceremony. Of the 108 members of the Class of 2021, 100% of those students who applied to colleges and universities were accepted and were awarded college scholarships and grants totaling $28 million. The top ten percent of students achieved a SAT score average of 1375.
Valedictorian Zachary Meyerson will attend Cornell University where he received and will major in neuroscience and global/public health. Zachary is a Distinguished Honors student, a recipient of the 2020 Cornell Club award for academic excellence, recipient of the Excellence in Graphic Design and Arts as well as the St. Thomas Aquinas Award, President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, the Isabelle T. Farrington Academic Excellence award. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and a two time award recipient of the CT Science and Engineering Fair. Zachary is a three-time recipient of the President’s Service Award for his service at Jericho Partnership, Maplewood Senior Living and Ann’s Place.
Salutatorian Meryl McKenna will attend Washington University in St. Louis, where she will study biomedical engineering. Meryl was recognized as a National Commended Merit Scholar in 2020. At Immaculate, Meryl received a four-year merit scholarship, is a Distinguished Honors student and a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society and is the recipient of the Isabelle Farrington Academic Excellence Award. She is a talented three-sport varsity athlete, having played varsity soccer, tennis and outdoor track for Immaculate, and was named a Scholar Athlete by the CAS-CIAC, served as captain of her soccer team, named SWC Championship Most Valuable Player and was invited to play on the All Academic Team in 2020. Meryl has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Rensselaer Medal for her dedication and excellence in science and math.
Mark Radigan of Danbury was named Immaculate High School’s Student of the Year for the 2020-21 school year. Mark earned this honor for consistently demonstrating school spirit and dedication to IHS, strength of character and faith in action through kindness to others, and a passion for learning and going beyond what is expected, including encouraging others to do their best.
Completing the Top Ten graduating senior list are Alexis Demko of Danbury who will attend Assumption University, Ailene Doherty of Danbury who will attend Cornell University, Grace Garvey of Bethel who will attend Bucknell University, Caitlin Fanella of New Milford who will attend Fairfield University, Ethan Goodman of Newtown who will attend Xavier University, Nicholas Iannetta of Danbury who will attend St. John’s University, Alexa Pannese of Monroe who will attend Western Connecticut State University and Kaitlyn Segreti of Danbury who will attend Bucknell University.
The Immaculate High School graduating Class of 2021 contributed over 3,680 hours to a school-wide total of 15,140 hours of community service this year and many students were honored and/or received scholarships from many local community service organizations and the Diocese of Bridgeport for their service and academic achievements. Seniors received numerous individual athletic SWC and CIAC leadership and sportsmanship recognitions as well as academic and music and art awards, including Commendations from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, Connecticut Association of Schools Fine Arts Awards and more. Other seniors were part of the CyberPatriots, Brave Engineers Team and Mock Trial teams.
Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. Founded in 1962, Immaculate High School also allows students to focus on academic excellence, spiritual development, service to others and personal goals. Located in Danbury, CT, Immaculate High School is part of the Diocese of Bridgeport’s school system.
