Devon Prep’s Class of 2010 Earns Over $7.6 Million in Scholarships

July 28, 2010 - PRLog -- Devon Preparatory School’s Class of 2010 received over $7.6 million in college scholarships and more than 250 acceptances to nearly 100 schools, including Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, the US. Military Academy at West Point, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Lehigh, Bucknell, and Carnegie Mellon, among others.  

The 56 seniors, who hail from the five county Philadelphia area, graduated on Saturday, June 5 in the school’s athletic facility on campus in Devon, PA.  Rev. Mario Vizcaino, Sch.P., Provincial of the Piarist Fathers USA Province, presided over the ceremony.

Among the members of Devon Prep’s Class of 2010 are 26 AP Scholars, 18 of whom are AP Scholars with Distinction, two National AP Scholars, 12 National Merit Scholars, nine National Merit Scholarship Winners, and six Eagle Scouts.

In addition, this senior class performed over 1800 hours of community service doing everything from collecting medical supplies for earthquake victims in Haiti to raising over $35,000 for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

The commencement ceremony began with a Salutatory Address by Robert M. Smith who told his fellow graduates, “Change will come, but it is important to keep our memories of this place alive, to keep the friendships we made here for times both good and bad, and to always retain the moral values this school has taught us. Use the talents given to you, not for your own benefit, but for the good of others. To whom much is given, much is expected. “

In his address, Class Valedictorian Theodore J. Lawrence chose to thank those who influenced him most, his parents, fellow classmates, and the Devon Prep faculty.  “The teachers make the school what it is. They dedicate their time, their knowledge, and their undivided attention to educating us and giving us the tools we need to be leaders in the future, “he said.

“When it comes right down to it, Devon is not about its exterior. At the heart of Devon Prep are its people,“ Lawrence explained.  “A school can spend millions on new buildings and expensive upgrades, but there is no substitute for good people…. Devon is rich where it matters most.”

“My message for all of you today, “ he concluded, “is to not lose sight of what really matters.  It’s easy in today’s society to get wrapped up in materialism….  But, ultimately, material things are trivial and insignificant.  There is more to life than frivolous pursuits. It is the people in our lives who really matter.  I pray that we never lose sight of this.  May Devon serve as our example of this lesson.  We are truly blessed to be part of such an incredible community.”

This year’s guest speaker was Devon Prep Class of 1971 Alumnus Dr. Anthony Coletta, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Holy Redeemer Health System and a pioneer and a pioneer in the development of laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Coletta also volunteers his services with Christian Services International (CSI). He made two trips to Haiti this year after it was hit by a devastating earthquake in January. His most recent trip was in April when he led18 medical professionals into Haiti to live and work at the Adventist Hospital in Carrefour for a week.

Also during Devon Prep’s graduation ceremony Class of 1986 Alumnus Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Boyle received the Alumni Achievement Award for his dedicated service to the United States of America and the US Military Academy at West Point where he earned his BS degree in Aerospace Engineering. He served in Germany as well as two tours in Iraq, the most recent in 2006 as Executive Officer to the Commanding General, Multi-National Security Transition Command in Baghdad. Currently Lieutenant Colonel Boyle is assigned to the Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

In addition, during the commencement ceremony several awards will be presented to the graduates honoring them for academic excellence, school spirit and community service.

Devon Prep is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for young men in grades 6 to 12 conducted by the Piarist Fathers.  Nearly 300 young men attend Devon Prep which is located on North Valley Forge Road in Devon, PA. For more information call 610-688-7337 or visit www.devonprep.com.