Congratulations, Class of 2024!
Graduation photos by Sal Graffeo ’01.
Molloy is extremely proud to congratulate the Class of 2024 on their graduation! On Sunday, June 2nd, 357 Stanners walked across the stage of Carnesecca Arena at St. John’s University to receive their diplomas. Friends, family, faculty, and staff applauded as each Stanner moved their tassels from right to left, officially making them part of our alumni community.
The ceremony included speeches from this year’s Salutatorian Amanda Fricke ‘24 and Valedictorian Stephen Tsimisiris ‘24. Amanda spoke to audience members about the impact Molloy had on her, as well as her classmates. She says, “Molloy has enabled us to grow as individuals to our fullest potential while encouraging Catholic values,” and, “High school was an incubator that facilitated growth and development of not only our knowledge and skills but who we are as people.” Stephen reminisced about the lessons he learned each of his four years at Molloy, ending with, “There is no need to worry about tomorrow, because today has been enough,” and then asking his classmates to “live in the present and be an inspiration to others, because the world is too big for us to not make an impact, and life is too short to wait until tomorrow.”
The event also included the presentation of Academic Excellence Awards, as well as a number of special awards. The Brother Leo Richard Pillar Award was presented to Chiara Pullara ‘24, the Louis E. Willett Award was presented to Caroline Rozmus ‘24, and the Archbishop Molloy Alumni Medal was presented to Abigail Long ‘24.
Molloy is so proud of the Class of 2024, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for every member!
GRADUATION BBQ: On Monday, June 3rd, Molloy welcomed the Class of 2024 back for their first ever alumni event: the Graduation BBQ! The recent graduates enjoyed an afternoon on Stanner Field spending time with one another, using the opportunity to sign yearbooks, play games, and say goodbye to some of their favorite faculty and staff. A raffle was drawn, with five lucky graduates winning gift cards to Amazon, Target, Dunkin, and more!
We encourage all alumni to stay in touch and share all of their successes and milestones with Molloy. All of our graduates are also welcome to attend our many events hosted by the Stanner Alumni Center, and we hope to see them soon! Until then, congratulations and good luck!
GRAD LITURGY & SENIOR AWARDS: Seniors had two opportunities to receive special recognition awards just prior to graduation! On Thursday, May 30th, during the final graduation practice, a special Senior Awards ceremony was held, acknowledging the academic achievements of members of the Class of 2024. Many esteemed awards were given out, including Molloy Community Awards, the Stanner Spirit Award, and Academic Awards.
During the ceremony, Molloy announced the prestigious appointments of Claire Mehta ‘24 and Caroline Rozmus ‘24 to the United States Naval Academy, and Sean Heerey ‘24 to the Virginia Military Institute. Also officially announced were this year’s Valedictorian – Stephen Tsimisiris ‘24 – and Salutatorian – Amanda Fricke ‘24.
The second opportunity arose during Molloy’s annual Graduation Liturgy, held at St. Nicolas of Tolentine. Celebrant Fr. Christopher Heanue congratulated the seniors and encouraged them to not let go of their faith as they move on to the next chapter of their lives, and to not forget all the important lessons they learned at Molloy.
Presented during Mass were the Champagnat Service Awards and the Pillar Awards. The Champagnat Awards were given to students that have served their communities with purpose, making their faith known to others and acting as “beacons of light” to their friends, families, and peers. The Pillar Awards were given to individuals who displayed a pillar both in and out of the classroom. The Pillar Awards recipients were Christopher Dalton ‘24 (Presence), Antonia Dey ‘24 (Simplicity), Joseph Castaño-Medina ‘24 (Love of Work), Kumi Afful ‘24 (Family Spirit), and Sofia Morales ‘24 (In the Way of Mary). Not pictured: Romulus Czernisz ’24 and Lucas Tsang ’24 (Champagnat Awards group photo), Antonia Dey ’24, and Kumi Afful ’24.
History Made! Molloy’s Baseball’s 1st CHSAA NY State CHAMPIONSHIP!
Congratulations to our Varsity Baseball players and coaches on ending their “Cinderella Season” in style, capturing the first CHSAA Varsity Baseball New York State Championship in Archbishop Molloy High School’s history! This was also the first CHSAA New York State Championship won by a Brooklyn/Queens Diocese team! At St. John’s University on Saturday, June 8th, the Stanners defeated the Eagles of St. Peter’s Boys High School by a convincing final score of 8-0. St. Peter’s, who defeated Molloy a week ago in the City Final, is ranked 15th nationally and came into the State Final with a 29-game winning streak.
Ryan McMenamin ‘25 starred on the mound, pitching seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, while GianLuca DiGiola ‘24 led the offense with three RBIs and two walks. Sean Stoney ‘24 (2-4), Charlie Lods ‘26 (3-4), and Dylan Payano ‘25 (1-2) each tallied RBI singles, Patrick DeSarno ‘25 walked twice and scored twice, and Nate Rosa ’25 added two stolen bases.
“It was a full team effort,” said Assistant Coach Ms. Stephanie Staiano. “We had flawless defense with zero errors, and our patience at the plate got us nine hits and a ton of walks. We were smart, didn’t chase out of the zone, and cashed in in the biggest spots. We are so proud of the boys.”
En route to the State Championship game, Molloy defeated St. Anthony’s High School in the semi-finals on June 7th by a score of 8-4. St. Peter’s and St. Anthony’s are both exceptional teams who many might have favored on paper, underlining just how big of an accomplishment this State Championship is for this now historic Stanner squad!
Commenting on the victory, the following was shared on social media by Head Coach Mr. Chris DeSarno and Assistant Coach Ms. Staiano: “On behalf of the Varsity Baseball program, we would like to thank the Molloy community, our alumni, parents, and fans for all your support during this incredible season. We express our deepest gratitude to our players, who have worked so hard, sacrificed so much, and stayed committed to the process. You are truly an incredible group of young men who have established a new standard of excellence for Molloy Baseball! ‘Always remember F.A.M.I.L.Y. – Forget About Me, I Love You.’”
Congratulations, and “Go Stanners!”
Surprise Send-Off for Sean Green As He Heads For Olympic Trials!
Congratulations to Stanner athlete Sean Green ‘25 as he prepares for the Olympic trials this weekend! Sean will be traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete for a spot on the 2024 US Olympic swimming team. His qualifying events are the 400 Individual Medley, the 1500 Freestyle, the 200 Backstroke, the 800 Freestyle, and the 400 Freestyle.
On Tuesday afternoon, teammates, as well as friends, faculty, and staff surprised Sean with a special send-off, wishing him luck and success at the Olympic trials and beyond! His father and former Molloy swimmer, Keith Green ‘90, as well as his aunt and Molloy’s swim coach, Heather Green-Wresch, were also in attendance to cheer Sean on! Journalist Marvin Scott from WPIX11 attended the send-off, interviewing Sean for the evening news! Watch the segment using the video player above.
The trials will be broadcast on NBC Channel 4 and streaming on Peacock during the day on these dates:
| June 15 – 400 Free |
| June 16 – 400 Individual Medley |
| June 17 – 800 Free |
| June 19 – 200 Back |
| June 22 – 1500 Free |
Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic Raises $220,000! Photo Galleries Now Live!
On Monday, May 13th, Archbishop Molloy High School hosted its 38th Annual Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic! Since 1987, the Classic has raised over $3 million in support of Molloy’s scholarship program, benefiting many outstanding students. We are excited to announce that this year’s event raised $220,000 in support of Molloy scholarships, which is an incredible showing of support from our amazing community! On behalf of everyone at Molloy, thank you to our golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this year’s outing such a wonderful success!
This year’s outing welcomed a record number of golfers – over 450 – who filled four private courses on Long Island: North Hills Country Club, North Hempstead Country Club, Lake Success Golf Club, and Wheatley Hills Golf Club. The weather was beautiful, aiding our many golfers in having a fantastic day out on the links. Throughout their game golfers enjoyed delicious food and beverages, prize and contest holes, a cigar hole, and more. In addition, the day began with a full brunch at each course and concluded with a dinner at North Hills that welcomed golfers from all courses. At dinner, auction and raffle winners were announced, including the winner of our first ever Rolex Raffle! Please be aware that all winners have already been contacted. All proceeds from auction bids and raffle tickets support Molloy scholarships.
The success of this day would not be possible without the contributions of many people. First, thank you to our 2024 honorees: Chairperson Mike Shea ’02 and Honorary Chair Rob O’Donohue ’94. Mike and Rob, your leadership and service to our Golf Board and Molloy is deeply appreciated, and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the years to come. Thank you to all the members of our Golf Board, the Kinnier and Gibbons families, our faculty and staff, and all our volunteers for your support and helping to make this day possible.
After nearly 40 years, we feel humbled that we were able to not only raise $220,000 for our scholarship program, but that interest in the outing was as high as ever with a record number of registered golfers. Molloy will continue to work hard to produce an exceptional outing, and we hope our community will join us in helping it grow even bigger in the years to come. Stay tuned for an announcement about next year’s date. Once again, thank you from all of us at Molloy!
Congratulations and Thank You, Mrs. Dionisi!
Wednesday, June 12th marked Mrs. Palmina Dionisi’s final day teaching in Room 209 at Archbishop Molloy High School! A beloved Italian Language teacher, Mrs. Dionisi served the Molloy community for 38 years, and is now beginning her well-earned retirement.
At graduation, administration recognized her dedication to Molloy and her outstanding work as a teacher. This past Wednesday, on her last day, students and faculty lined the hallway in front of her classroom to cheer as she left her classroom one last time.
Mrs. Dionisi, thank you for teaching and inspiring generations of Stanners! You will be missed by all, but we wish you all the best on your retirement!
Awards Season: Recognizing Outstanding Stanners
ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT: On Thursday, June 6th, freshman, sophomores, and juniors, as well as family and friends attended Molloy’s annual Academic Awards Night! The event acknowledges the academic achievements of our students, highlighting their hard work and dedication to their education. The night also includes the National Honor Society (NHS) induction ceremony, welcoming about 130 Stanners into the prestigious program. NHS President Alyssa Bisono ‘25 spoke to the audience about the characteristics of an NHS member (Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Character), while Vice President Joseph Hoermann ‘25 lit corresponding candles. All inductees received a stole to wear at their graduation next year, distinguishing them as society members.
The first awards presented were the Principal’s List Medals, given to students that have earned an average of 99% or better for the 2023-24 school year. Academic Excellence Awards were presented next, given to students who earned between 95% and 98.99%. The members of Molloy’s Math League Team were awarded the Math Awards in recognition for outstanding merit and placing in the Catholic High School Math League competition, and new members of Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society were presented induction certificates!
A number of individual accolades were awarded, including the Book Awards from Smith College, Sacred Heart University, Bowdoin College, and St. Michael’s College. Seven juniors were awarded the St. Bonaventure University “Bonnie Scholarship,” worth $80,000 over the course of four years of study at St. Bonaventure, and one junior was awarded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s “Rensselaer Medal,” which is accompanied with a scholarship worth over $160,000!
Subject awards were announced for the top freshman, sophomore, and junior in each subject taught at Molloy. The final awards of the night were the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards, given to the student with the top GPA in each grade! Principal Dr. Darius Penikas closed the night thanking everyone for attending, as well as congratulating Stanners on their achievements. He reminded them of a quote hanging in his office, leaving them with an important message: the highest form of wisdom is kindness.
ATHLETIC AWARDS NIGHT: On Tuesday, May 21st, Molloy celebrated its annual Athletic Awards! Athletic Director Mr. Mike McCleary recognizes members from each JV and Varsity team for their performances and contributions to the 2023-24 athletic year. Before awards were announced, Mr. McCleary shared, “In my view, what makes Molloy the special place it is, are the people. Decades of student-athletes and coaches before us have laid down the foundation so we can enjoy our current success. The greatest way to measure a school is through the accomplishments and actions of its students, alumni, parents, and fans. Your accomplishments this year contribute to this success.”
Several different awards were distributed over the course of the event, including Coach’s Awards, MVP Awards, Scholar Athlete Awards, the Firefighter Timothy Klein ‘08 Scholarship (awarded to Aoife Garvey ’25 and Sean Green ’25), and the Jack Curran Outstanding Athlete Award. The Curran Award recognizes the top overall male and female senior athletes, and this year, Elijah Small ‘24 and Eva Gonzalez ‘24 were presented with the award! Elijah is committed to playing basketball at Vermont Academy Prep School, and Eva is committed to competing in track & field at Adelphi University. Congratulations, Elijah and Eva, and congratulations to all our student athletes!
In addition, congratulations to Chris Dalton ’24 and Deirdre O’Toole ’24, who have completed their time representing Molloy in the CHSAA Captains Club. This is a league-wide group with members from each Catholic high school in Queens and Brooklyn. Club members attend meetings to discuss league policies and make recommendations to help keep the Catholic in the CHSAA. During Athletic Awards Night, Chris and Deirdre passed the baton to Aoife Garvey ‘25 and Brendan Twomey ’25, who will represent Molloy next year in the club!
Seniors Receive Prestigious Scholarships to Top Universities
College-bound Stanners are making decisions that will impact their next four years and beyond. Acceptance letters have arrived, and with them, scholarship offers! In addition to academic awards offered by various schools, Stanners also apply for other prestigious scholarships that are offered to well-rounded high school students with high academic standing. Molloy is proud to announce four seniors that have been offered such awards: Annie Bacani ‘24, Fabio Colindres ‘24, Joseph Castaño-Medina ‘24, and Antonia Dey ‘24.
Annie and Fabio have received the Posse Scholarship to Brandeis University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, respectively. The Posse Foundation is a globally recognized program that awards full-tuition scholarships to a diverse group of academically inclined high school students. According to its website, “For over 30 years, Posse has identified and trained young people with extraordinary potential… placing Scholars in supportive, multicultural groups of 10 students – Posses.”
Joseph and Antonia received full scholarships to Columbia University and Northwestern University, respectively, offered through QuestBridge. QuestBridge is a program partnered with top colleges and universities across the country that awards high-achieving students full-tuition scholarships. QuestBridge believes “intelligence, talent, motivation, nobility, and grit are distributed across the entire economic spectrum of America’s youth,” and that all students deserve mentorship and opportunities.
Annie, Fabio, Joe, and Antonia are just a few Stanners that have received these prestigious scholarships over the years, making college affordable and providing them with guidance and a sense of community. There’s no limit to what Stanners can achieve when they put their minds to it! Congratulations!
Stanners Earn National Awards for Community Service Impact
Molloy is delighted to announce 121 students are being recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and InnerView in the seventh Annual Community Service Impact Awards! This program, open to all U.S. students, has been designed to connect student community service activities, skill development, and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to transform our world. The Kroger Co. is presenting the 5th annual Zero Hero Awards to students for taking action to help create communities free of hunger and waste.
“The SDGs provide a framework for addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. They also present a unique opportunity for UN member states, grassroots organizations and advocates to work together to create a better future for everyone,” says Rachel Bowen Pittman, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the USA.
Stanners delivered the most impact for SDG 4 – Quality Education. Schools with a collective student impact above 2,000 hours of service, the equivalent of a full time employee, are recognized with a School Impact Award. We are thrilled to acknowledge students from Molloy have invested 18,481 + hours in community needs: earning the Ruby Award.
The three-tier award program recognizes a range of student achievement: Merit for 30 hours, Honor for 60 hours and Ambassador for 100 hours of service this school year and special recognition for a focus on Zero Hunger and Zero Waste.
Click the button below for the full story and list of awardees!
Class of 1964 Gears Up For 60th Anniversary Reunion
A message from Greg Spano ’64: The AMHS Class of 1964 is working to reach as many members of our class as possible. This year marks the 60th anniversary of our graduation, and we hope to see many of our classmates at the Reunion on November 2, 2024, held at Molloy. Please contact me, Greg Spano, at netyank52@aol.com or 516-328-3901 to provide your updated information for yourselves or any of our classmates from 1964. We look forward to celebrating this amazing milestone with all of you!
Stanner Shares Employment Opportunities at Charter School
Thank you to Ms. Stephanie Kotnik ’09 for sharing the following employment opportunities with our alumni network!
“Are you an aspiring educator who is looking to work at a great middle school alongside dedicated, veteran teachers? Achievement First Bushwick Middle School is hiring! We have a range of positions available across grades 5-8 and are hoping to bring motivated and enthusiastic young professionals onto our team. Please connect with Stephanie Kotnik (AMHS Class of 2009) for more information at stephaniekotnik@achievementfirst.org.”
| Middle School Math Teacher Job Opening – 24-25 SY |
| Middle School Science Teacher Job Opening – 24-25 SY |
| Middle School Special Education Teacher Job Opening – 24-25 SY |
Remembrance written by Raymond Muller ’71: “The 1971 track team is saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend, Jim Pietrosh ’71 on May 30, 2024. Jim was an excellent runner at Molloy, but an even better friend. He is survived by his wife, Joanne and daughters, Lauren, Brittany and Stephanie. Jim graduated from SUNY-New Paltz and was an EMT who loved cooking and cars. He had a long career as a systems analyst in the NYC financial district. Jim was also a very active participant on the Molloy track team’s monthly zoom calls, attended by 8-15 participants and organized by Roger Dreher ‘71. Dr Denis Fitzgerald ‘71 provided outstanding care to Jim during his long illness. Several of Jim’s teammates attended the funeral services in Marlboro, NJ including Ed Brady ’71, Lester Pruden ’71, Brian Farley ’71, Roger Dreher, Dennis Lazarus ’71, Charles Sanky ’71, Ray Muller, and John Costa ‘73. Please join us in keeping Jim in your thoughts and prayers.”
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Thomas W. Rice ’69 (May 29, 2024), father of Thomas W. Rice Jr. ’94. Thomas was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving as a naval flight officer with The Golden Eagles Squadron. He also worked for computer company IBM for over thirty year. | Click Here for Memorial Page
We are saddened to share the passing of Robert M. Mallia ’62 on April 5, 2024. Bob was a Vietnam veteran, serving his country with honor and bravery. His family shares that Bob, born in Malta, leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and loyalty to his family, and that he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Please keep Robert in your prayers. | Click Here for Memorial Page
