Notre Dame High School Graduates the Class of 2023

WEST HAVEN -- On Saturday, May 20, 2023, Notre Dame High School celebrated the perseverance and resilience of the Class of 2023 at the 74th Annual Commencement Exercises.
The ceremony began with the singing of the National Anthem sung by John Damato ’23 of West Haven. Following the Invocation from faculty member Michael Abbott 95, the senior class speaker, Raymond Hackett (Northeastern University) of Meriden, addressed his classmates and reflected on the past four years.

Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Ruben Valencia, announced the recipients of Notre Dame’s two highest honors. The Notre Dame Code Award was given to Matthew Piechota (Middlebury College) of Milford, a senior whom the faculty deems best lives his life by the words stated in the Notre Dame Code. Joshua Kuczynski (Taft School) of North Branford was named The Man of the Year. This award is given to the student who has made the greatest positive contribution to school life during his senior year.

Dylan Ross, of Milford, who will attend Babson College, is the Valedictorian and Erik Kuselias, of Hamden, is the Salutatorian who will be attending Brown University.

Sixteen members of this class were “pioneers” in the first cohort of of the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) at Notre Dame. They completed all requirements for the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma and are now eligible for the only high school diploma recognized around the world.

Members of the Class of 2023 were admitted to over 163 colleges and universities, including many to Honors Programs in various courses of study. Fifteen members of the Class of 2023 have fathers and/or grandfathers who are alumni. They proudly join our “legacy-society graduates” club by receiving their diploma this year.

“The class of 2023 has great character and great heart. Your transformation has made you true men of Notre Dame, who grew from those strangers at orientation some four years ago, to lifelong friends who now leave eternally bonded as brothers” remarked Mr. Ruben Valencia, Vice President for Academic Affairs.

In addition, Notre Dame High School hosted a 50th Reunion Weekend for the Class of 1973. The Golden Anniversary celebration culminated with their participation in the Commencement Exercises, followed by a luncheon at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven. President Robert Curis presented each alumnus with a Golden Diploma.

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Notre Dame High School of West Haven is an all-boys Catholic, college preparatory school sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross. Notre Dame High School inspires academic excellence, nurtures personal growth, and fosters integrity and compassion in young men of diverse talents, backgrounds, and beliefs through its Catholic, Holy Cross tradition.