New Testament Christian School Graduates 37th Class

New Testament Christian School held its 37th Commencement exercises on June 7.  The ceremony was held at Cole Chapel on the Wheaton College campus in Norton. 

Twelve young men and women walked onto the stage eager to close out this chapter of their lives and excited to begin the journey to the next chapter.

While the graduates were at the forefront of the ceremony, Principal Lynne Brennan shared news of the school's recent charter in the National Honor Society and inducted their first recipients:  Seniors Trevor Finney, Emmanuel Sutka and Nicholas Picket and juniors Renee Jobert, Talitha Weston and Halie Perry. 

New Testament Christian School was granted dual accreditation last school year with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as with the Association of Christian Schools International. 

Senior class advisor and high school science/math and technology teacher, Skip Denault, was the commencement speaker. He has spent the last 10 years teaching at the school.

Trevor Finney of Taunton gave the Valedictorian address thanking his parents, and faculty for the time invested in his education.  Trevor recognized his fifth grade teacher as being a great inspiration, challenging him, and the reason he was standing making his speech. Trevor encouraged his classmates stating “we’re all ready to move on to the next big thing in our lives.”   Trevor will be attending Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston this fall.

 
Salutatorian Nicholas Pickett of Easton recalled funny memories of the class’ time together.  Nicholas has attended NTCS since third grade.  He encouraged his classmates with the words of 1 Corinthians 12:4, There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributed them.  “We all need to take the talents God has granted each one of us, mix these gifts with the lessons we have learned from NTCS, parents, and friends and find our true calling.”  Nicholas will be attending Stonehill College in Easton, MA this fall. 

 
Class Chaplin, Emmanuel Sutka also addressed his classmates and recognized that “New Testament Christian School is a place that tries hard to help us make the right choices; but it comes with much responsibility and we must never forget the principles of truth that have been presented to us over the years and remember that living for others is more important than living for ourselves.” 

 
“Many awards are presented at graduation including sports and academic awards,” states Principal Lynne Brennan, “but the award that best represents who we are as a school is the Great Commission Award”.  The school has a component of their high school curriculum which encourages students to serve others.  Brennan states “Through the years, as our students learn about letters and literature, math, science, and world cultures, our mission is to ensure that they are also learning to see those subjects through the lens of the Great Commission.  Successful performance with academic subjects is admirable – and indeed desirable.  We are a school, after all.  But unless there is application of those lessons as tools to fulfilling our Lord’s command, we have failed in our purpose as a Christian school.”  Rebekah Dudley of Foxboro volunteered over 1000 hours helping out with mission trips, mentoring other students, and serving in her community and was the recipient of this year’s Great Commission Award.   

 
Academic awards were presented to Trevor Finney, Nicholas Pickett, Michael Giamarco, Emmanuel Sutka, Jilliann Larson, Michael DeLuca, and Vanessa Desmarais.

 
Sports awards were presented to Jonathan Pladsen, Nicholas Pickett, Michael DeLuca, Vanessa Desmarais and Rebekah Dudley.

 
Christian Service award is presented to students who have felt God’s call to Christian service.  Students receiving this award are presented with a comprehensive Bible concordance and a monetary scholarship.  Jonathan Pladsen of Taunton was the recipient of this award.

 
Three students, Brandon Leal, Michael DeLuca and Evan Warman received the K-12 Attendance Award which was presented to their parents in recognition of a parental commitment to Christian education. 

 
Congratulations to the New Testament Christian School Class of 2013:
 
Michael DeLuca, Taunton
Vanessa Desmarais, Taunton with Honors
Rebekah Dudley, Foxboro
Trevor Finney, Taunton – Valedictorian with High Honors
Michael Giammarco
Jilliann Larson, Norton
Brandon Leal, Taunton
Nicholas Pickett, Easton, Salutatorian with Honors
Jonathan Pladsen, Taunton
Rebecca Sass, West Bridgewater
Emmanuel Sutka, Taunton with Honors
Evan Warman, Bridgewater
 
The service ended with the traditional throwing of the caps.  New Testament Christian school graduates will be continuing their higher education at such colleges and universities as Wentworth Institute of Technology, Stonehill College, North Park University, Eastern Nazarene College, Word of Life Bible Institute, Rhode Island College and Bristol Community College