Sixteen lifers in the Class of 2021 will become the newest members of the Mater Society.  The 16 seniors, Karina Adams, Lianna Amoruso, Alexia Barr, Grace Coale, Ceci Duncan, Caroline Guza, Sasha Kalinichenko, Yvetslana Lafontant, Hadley Noonan, Samantha Novak, Sydney O’Connor, Emma Pope, Dominique Prato, Sofia Pye, Lily Santangelo, and Beth Yeager have all attended Sacred Heart Greenwich for at least 12 years.  Although a formal ceremony is not possible under COVID-19 regulations, the school honors them for their dedication and commitment to Sacred Heart.  Mr. David Olson, Head of Middle School, and Mrs. Meg Frazier, Head of School and Head of Upper School, reflected on the spirit and resilience that is the hallmark of the Class of 2021 lifers.

Dominique and Alexia have attended Sacred Heart for 15 years and Lily, Emma, Yvetslana, Caroline, Ceci, and Lianna have been at the school for 14 years.  Sydney, Hadley, Sasha, Caroline, Grace, and Karina have studied at Sacred Heart for 13 years, while Sofia and Samantha have been members of the school community for 12 years.

Although the coronavirus pandemic cut the Class of 2021’s junior spring short, they were able to experience their final year of high school on campus.  All of the lifers share a bond because of the many years they have spent in school together.

Ceci reflected on how her 14 years at Sacred Heart turned its hallways and classrooms into a second home rather than a school.

“Simply put, Sacred Heart is my childhood,” Ceci said.  “It is cliché, but this place is more of a home to me than a school. Because I’ve been here since Pre-Kindergarten, I know practically all of the classrooms, teachers, and students.  The people here are genuinely kind and have an interest in something greater than themselves.  We are bonded by our shared values of friendliness, service, and curiosity.”

Although she has only spent a year with the Class of 2021, Mrs. Frazier believes that the lifers are unique because of their long journeys at Sacred Heart.

“This senior class will be my first class of graduates,” Mrs. Frazier said.  “In that case, they are all special to me.  And of course, I have learned a lot this year from the seniors.  The Lifers are so special because of their journey.  They have had the gift of time and mission for the longest.”

Mr. Olson will remember the Class of 2021 lifers for both their resilience and academic engagement, especially during their time in the Middle School.

“The words spirited and resilient come to mind when I think about this year’s lifers and the class of 2021,” Mr. Olson said.  “The class of 2021 made tremendous contributions to the school during their Middle School years by being highly engaged academically and participating with such energy in arts, athletics, service, and faith development.  I also admire them for their resilience and strength as they put forth great effort into their many activities, while also persevering through both the successes and challenges that they encountered along the way.  Our 16 lifers led the way with great positivity, enthusiasm, and humor.  The Sacred Heart class of 2021 is truly a special group that will be missed.”

Lianna reminisced on her experience spending 13 years at Sacred Heart with her older sister, Ms. Malika Amoruso ’20.

“Having my older sister here just one grade above me was a big plus going through Sacred Heart,” Lianna said.  “It added to the feeling of sisterhood, as I was connected to two grades at once.  I think Sacred Heart does a great job of still making you feel like your own independent person, even if members of your family are at school with you.”

As the lifers end their days of high school together, Ceci reflects on the strong relationship that they have with one another.

“The Class of 2021 lifers share a deep bond because we have been friends since childhood,” Ceci said.  “It is crazy and wonderful to think that I have grown up with them, and I still have all the photo books from when we were in the Barat Center.  There is an unspoken trust between us because of these shared experiences, and we know that we’ll always have each other’s backs.  They’ve become my sisters, and I love them all.”

Featured Image by Natalie Dosmond ’21