PARSIPPANY — Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child senior Elizabeth Ocker ’15, of Parsippany, was among 13 students inducted into the Oak Knoll Chapter of the Cum Laude Society Tuesday, April 21, before fellow students, faculty, staff and parents.
The Cum Laude Society recognizes academic achievement in secondary schools for the purpose of promoting excellence, justice and honor. Oak Knoll students inducted into the society were part of the top 10 percent of their class.
Seniors who were inducted in addition to Elizabeth are Shaneena Alabado ’15, of Orange; Nicole Baiocco ’15, of New Vernon; Natalie Hench ’15, of Ridgewood; Gabriella Leuthner ’15, of Summit; Margaret Magovern ’15, of Summit; and Courtney Schroeder ’15, of Ridgewood.
Juniors who were inducted include Tara Halter ’16, of Springfield; Grace Jagoe ‘16, of Chatham; Margaret Mumma ’16, of Summit; Audrey Picut ’16, of Warren; Valerie Ricciardi ’16, of New Vernon; and Safia Speer ’16, of Mountain Lakes.
Kaitlin Schroeder ’15, of Summit, was also named the class valedictorian; and Sabrina Solow ’15, of Madison, was named the class salutatorian.
Four of the seniors honored are called “lifers” at Oak Knoll, which means they inherited their educational foundation from Oak Knoll’s coed elementary school. Gabriella Leuthner, Margaret Magovern, Kaitlin Schroeder and Sabrina Solow are Oak Knoll lifers.
Before Tuesday’s ceremony, Head of School Timothy J. Saburn told a story about his own academic journey, instilling in students the importance of following one’s academic dreams and goals.
“Set your sights on that goal and don’t defer,” he said.
Alumna Jeannie Cambria ’05 shared a reflection after the ceremony, talking about her successes in the working world as a marketing and communications manager at technology company SiteCompli.
“There are skills you will learn as you work in ‘real’ jobs — things like being flexible in a fast-paced environment, delegating to other team members, voicing feedback to higher-ups — and those all come in due time,” she said. “But the challenge that Oak Knoll has posed to you in your time here — to be a better thinker and a better person — this will take you so far, that you’ll be amazed later in life, I promise you.”
Cambria credited Oak Knoll for instilling in her an intellectual curiosity.
“Having a better sense of self and a better sense of others. I credit my parents and the Oak Knoll community of leaders, teachers and classmates for fostering these values within me, and for carrying it on with every class who came after me,” she said.
Today you have distinguished yourselves as scholars and as leaders among your classmates — congratulations again,” Cambria said.
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child is an independent, Catholic school, coeducational in elementary school from kindergarten through grade six; and all-girls in middle and high school from grades seven through 12. There is no religious affiliation associated with our summer programs. For more information about Oak Knoll, please visit www.oakknoll.org or call (908) 522-8109.
