Commencement exercises for San Miguel Academy [SMA] took place on Thursday, June 2 where students, faculty and staff, family and friends celebrated the work and achievements of the graduating class of 2022. The commencement ceremony was held at the San Miguel Program building at 245 Renwick Street in the City of Newburgh.

This year’s graduating class of 2022 included John Castellanos, Joseph Cordova, Jacob Crisostomo, Cameron Ford, Fernando Garcia, Janelli Garcia, Leonardo Godinez-Perez, Hector Gomez, Gianna Martinez, Jordi Morales, Sebastian Sanchez, Fernando Santos and Ja’siah Whitted.

Whitted was not in attendance for the ceremony as he already started school back in March at Milton Hershey School. The school was very impressed with him as a student and asked him to start classes early. Also in attendance for the ceremony were SMA Board of Trustees members James Bopp, Peggy Brady Amoon, and Lindsay Matthews.

San Miguel first opened its doors in 2006, using the former St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School building as their main center. SMA now calls the building their permanent home.

SMA is one of five platforms that fall under the greater San Miguel Program, which provides academic instruction and support for low-income students to prepare them for high school and higher education.

The other platforms include the Soaring Eagle Enrichment program, the Summer Scholars program, the Graduate Success program and Child and Family Services.
Since it first opened, San Miguel has mainly served as an all boys institution but this year, in the program’s 16 year history, the graduating class celebrated its first two female graduates.

The commencement exercises began with a brief moment of prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The SMA Chorus were then called to the front of the gymnasium and performed a rendition of Bill Withers’s Lean on Me with some additional lyrics included.

Frank Snyder, Vice President of Advancement, followed the performance and shared words about the class of 2022. Despite the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Snyder shared that this graduating class rose to the challenge of the pandemic by remaining committed to their work and excelled in their studies. Each student worked hard in the classroom, in their extracurricular activities and in their sports.

One by one, teachers Katie Hoyt, Caitlyn Giampolo, Kerry DiMeo, Frank Turano, Snyder, Jess Dauer and Brian Lopez [Class of 2011] spoke about each of the students careers at SMA and offered words of encouragement and best wishes as they make the next step in their education.

Father Mark Connell, Executive Director of SMA, was pleased to announce Fernando Garcia, who will be attending Northfield Mount Hermon School in Mount Hermon, MA to deliver the valedictory speech to his fellow classmates and San Miguel community.

Coming from a public school setting, Fernando shared that he was not used to the one-on-one attention from the teachers and with time, he improved in his studies. In sixth grade, Fernando joined the rowing team and said that it was a life changing experience and now he will continue his rowing career in high school. With all that SMA has done for him, Fernando thanked all his teachers and the San Miguel community for their support and encouragement along the way.

Fernando, along with fellow graduate Janelli Garcia, received the Arshay Cooper Scholarship for rowing and academic excellence. A coveted scholarship, both will also be attending Northfield Mount Hermon School together in the fall.

The graduates were then called one by one and received their diplomas from Synder and were presented their medals with applause erupting after each graduate.

SMA’s honorary commencement speaker for the ceremony, Jack Minano [Class of 2018] then approached the podium. According to Minano and those who introduced him, Minano continued his education from SMA at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx and plans to attend The New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business in the fall.

Prior to the ceremony, Minano shared some proud moments from his time at San Miguel. “I think it was definitely graduating, like, near top of my class, I’m not sure if I got top or second but it was definitely that and getting my acceptance to Fordham Preparatory School,” said Minano. “I knew it [going to Fordham Prep] was going to be a challenge and I was excited to bring the name of San Miguel to like, somewhere like in the city that’s like, so far away”.

Minano shared that despite the tough times and challenges the City of Newburgh may face, institutions like San Miguel and overall education for the next generation will continue to grow and flourish with the support of one another here in the community. For the graduates, he shared that they should trust God and to maintain that relationship with him as they move forward in their academic careers and life.
In the later part of the ceremony, Fernando Garcia also received the Grit and Grace Award which is an award given to a student that is persistent, committed to their future and who is selfless and goes beyond oneself.

The Creed Award was also given this year to graduate Jordi Morales. This award is given to a student who embodies the creed of the school and lives it day in and day out. The creed reads as follows: “When faced with a mountain, I will not quit. I will keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath, or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, with God’s help, I will not quit.”

The ceremony concluded with a singing of Chris Tomlin’s song How Great Is Our God with an official graduating class and school photo. Parents took photos and shook hands and smiled as the sun began to set over the horizon.

“I will miss it [SMA] because like every graduate says, San Miguel’s like a second family that you alway have and I’ll definitely miss my teachers and my coach,” Fernando said. “I’m just really proud of myself for working hard all these years. Definitely wasn’t easy by any means, it was pretty hard, but it did pay off. Proudest moment would probably be right now.”

“The relationship I’ve built with the teachers and with my friends at this school it’s really sad to see that I’m going to be leaving them but I’m also super excited to see what’s up for me in the future and I’m excited to come back as a graduate and give feedback,” Gianna Martinez said.