Brother Martin’s 50th graduating class received their diplomas on Friday, May 24, 2019, at the UNO Lakefront Arena during the 2019 Commencement Exercises. Principal Ryan Gallagher ‘00 and Student Council President Elliott Canty ‘19 opened the ceremony with a warm welcome to guests and thanked the Class of 2019 for having a part in the history of the school. Senior Class President Ryan O’Connor ‘19 carried the Ceremonial Shield that represents both the cross of Christ’s crucifixion and the sword point of the Crusader who fights for justice as he led the seniors in the processional.
Following the processional, the graduates joined their parents on the floor for this Brother Martin tradition. Director of Faculty Formation, Mr. Thomas Mavor welcomed all of our guests to the 150th commencement exercises conducted under the auspices of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans. Mr. Mavor also introduced himself as the emcee for the evening. President Greg Rando ‘77 led the opening prayer and invocation as members of the Brother Martin Chorus sang the National Anthem. Following the National Anthem, Mr. Mavor presented one of the Valedictorians of the Class of 2019, Hunter Kael ‘19. Hunter received the Valedictory award for being ranked first in the graduating class as an honors graduate. During the Valedictorian address, Kael reflected “But our years at Brother Martin weren’t just about intellectual development; we also developed into men possessing unique traits that make us stand out from the rest.… if Brother Martin has taught us anything, it is that God truly loves us. We can see this in the innate and boundless love our parents show us. We can also see this through the everyday actions of others at Brother Martin.”
Following Hunter’s Valedictorian address, Mr. Mavor introduced our second Valedictorian of the Class of 2019, Norris Plaisance III ‘19. During the Valedictorian address, Plaisance reflected “I hope everyone here is able to look back on this experience and see it as so much more than just going to school and see that you learned so much more than just words and numbers...And I hope that, if you were given the chance to do it all again, which would actually be pretty cool, that you would be excited to come back and be a part of the legacy of Brother Martin because I definitely would be.”
Following the first two Valedictorian addresses, Mr. Mavor recognized nine students who have achieved perfect attendance during their Brother Martin career: Blair Anderson, Michael Armbruster, Patrick Camp, Justin Hornung, Kohl Morris, William Oertling, Evan Threeton, Houston Tullis, and Andrew Winstein. Assistant Principal for Academics, Mrs. Deborah Broussard called upon graduates to approach the stage for the presentation of awards in a specific course of studies. Several award recipients were announced for their dedication to their studies and their time at Brother Martin. The academic award recipients included:
After all of the academic awards were presented, Mr. Mavor honored and announced another Class of 2019 Valedictorian, Zachary Stolberg ‘19. In the midst of Stolberg’s Valedictorian address, he profoundly stated “Brother Martin has always been a sanctuary for me. From classrooms, to the resource centers, to the wet paint signs, to the Meyer Building, to my classmates, teachers, and coaches, all of it will change next year. But Brother Martin has shown us the importance of change. For 50 years change has been our greatest tradition...Today, we do not end the journey that brought all of us here, but rather we celebrate it and thank Brother Martin for everything it has given us along the way.”
Introducing the final valedictory address, Mr. Mavor honored and announced the final Class of 2019 Valedictorian, Evan Threeton ‘19. Evan noted during his address, “We aren’t just the class of 2019 though. Together, we represent the powerful and enduring influence Brother Martin High School has had on its community for 50 years. But going even further back, this year also celebrates the profound impact the Brothers have had on New Orleans for 150 years… so, as we begin to make lives for ourselves as Brother Martin Hernandez set out to teach us, be sure to leave your mark and have a positive influence on others along the way.”
Dean of Students, Mr. Michael Lynn ‘04 introduced graduates as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas from Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Rando. This event marked the beginning of their journey as members of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Alumni Association. Mr. Lynn also noted at the ceremony that 60 members of the Class of 2019 were legacies of St. Aloysius, Cor Jesu, and Brother Martin.
After all of the graduates received their diplomas, Assistant Principal for Admissions, Mr. Carlos Bogran ‘99 announced a series of special awards for the newest members of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Alumni Association. Michael Armbruster ‘19 was named this year’s James B. Branton Award as an unheralded influence for the good on the Brother Martin community, and Ryan O’Connor ‘19 was named this year’s Richard E. Lambert Award winner as the outstanding graduate of the Class of 2019. Other award recipients included Jacob Dickinson VI ‘19 (Youth Citizenship), Ryan O’Connor ‘19 (Christian Leadership and American Legion Award), and Vincent Giovingo ‘19 (Award in Memory of Bro. Leo Godin, S.C).
In the Conclusion of the Ceremony, our senior cheerleaders including Brandon Bonura, Y Ho, Blake Mulligan, Vance Robin, Cameron Rodrigue, Logan Schroeder, and Cristian Selva led the Class of 2019 in singing the Crusader Fight Song one last time as a class.
Concluding the ceremony, Principal Gallagher said, “May you always draw joy and comfort from your belief in God’s love and your efforts to live it and spread it. And may you always know that you have a home at Brother Martin.”
Ametur Cor Jesu! Ametur Cor Mariae!
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
