Honoring ‘outstanding’ 2026 Catholic school graduates (Photos)
Eighth-grade students across the Archdiocese of Newark will be celebrating graduations throughout the month of June. Among the many hundreds of graduates, 41 students have received a special honor.
Every year, the archdiocese recognizes one student from each Catholic elementary school who has proven exceptional by achieving academic excellence and living Catholic values in service to others. The Outstanding Catholic School Graduates (OCSG) Award, now in its eleventh year, demonstrates the importance that Catholic schools place on educating the whole person—intellectually, spiritually, and morally.
This year’s recipients were honored during two Masses and breakfast receptions held in March at the Pope John Paul II Youth Retreat Center in Kearny, NJ. Auxiliary Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau and Father Stephen Fichter, Episcopal Vicar for Education, each celebrated one of the Masses, and were joined by pastors representing the participating schools. Parents and school officials also attended the celebrations.
“You have distinguished yourselves not only in academics, but also in something far more valuable in the long run — the way you live out the Gospel message in your words and deeds,” said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, in a letter to the honorees.
Congratulations to the Archdiocese of Newark’s 2026 Outstanding Catholic School Graduates:
Miracle Joy Anciano
Hoboken Catholic Academy, Hoboken
Adam Bernardo
Corpus Christi School, Hasbrouck Heights
Sylvie Constantin
Lacordaire Academy, Upper Montclair
Maya Czarnota
Saint John the Apostle School, Clark
Victoria Delos Reyes
Saint John Academy, Hillsdale
Jayvan Derolus
Our Lady of the Lake School, Verona
Greer Dudish
The Academy of Our Lady of Peace, New Providence
Victoria Duruji
Our Lady of Sorrows School, South Orange
Michael Faulk
Queen of Peace Grammar School, North Arlington
Connor Frayne
Saint Elizabeth School, Wyckoff
Madeline Fury
Holy Trinity School, Westfield
Elena Coba-Glazer
Saint Leo School, Elmwood Park
Conor Ho
Notre Dame Academy, Palisades Park
Jayden Irizarry
Saint Michael School, Newark
Isabella Jiang
Academy of Saint Joseph of the Palisades, West New York
Diego Jimenez-Aponte
Sacred Heart School, Lyndhurst
Rachel Krishnadatt
Saint Joseph School, Jersey City
Fatna Lahbichi
Academy of Our Lady of Grace, Fairview
Andrea Magluyan
Saint Joseph the Carpenter School, Roselle
Matteo Marciani
Our Lady of Czestochowa School, Jersey City
Amelia Marin
Saint Rose of Lima Academy, Short Hills
Michael McCabe
All Saints Catholic Academy, Bayonne
Elena McCarthy
Academy of Saint Paul, Ramsey
Kiana Monterroso
Saint Michael School, Union
Michael Montesdeoca
Saint Peter School, Belleville
Sarella Mosca
Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Park Ridge
Ella Parodi
Saint Peter Academy, River Edge
Michaela Reburiano
Saint Aloysius Elementary Academy, Jersey City
Victoria Samulka
Saint Joseph School, Oradell
Samantha Scaperrotta
Saint Thomas the Apostle School, Bloomfield
Anthony Sibani
Academy of Our Lady, Glen Rock
Lucia Soares-De Jesus
Saint Bartholomew Academy, Scotch Plains
Alannah Stewart
Saint Joseph School, East Orange
Rafaella Taboada
Saint Catherine of Siena School, Cedar Grove
Abigail Tan
Good Shepherd Academy, Nutley
Camryn Tong
Christ the Teacher Academy, Fort Lee
Lia Tringali
Saint Michael School, Cranford
Caitlin Triolo
Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Tenafly
Noelle Tully
Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Franklin Lakes
Millianne Yarra
Sacred Heart School, Jersey City
Isabelle Zavala
Saint Cassian School, Upper Montclair
To view more images of the 2026 Outstanding Catholic School Graduates celebration, visit our PHOTO GALLERY.
To learn more about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Newark, visit their website.
Featured image: Auxiliary Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau celebrated a Mass on Mar. 14 in recognition of the 2026 class of Outstanding Catholic School Graduates. (Photo courtesy Schools Office / Archdiocese of Newark)
