School Officials: John Jay Class of 2010 Stands Out

Most school principals will tell you that the graduating seniors are great, but the Class of 2010 at John Jay High School stands out for the many ways in which their generosity and compassion have been shown, " said Ellen Doherty, the school's principal.

"Over the years, they have raised money for any number of organizations," she said. "What sets them apart is the size of their hearts."

Chris Griffin, John Jay's director of Guidance and Counseling, agrees. Although he has been with JJHS for only 2 years, he added that he has been a guidance counselor for many years. The Class of 2010 has had high academic achievement and an amazing amount of involvement both in the school community and outside, he said. While he has seen high school students do community work and get involved in clubs, they sometimes do it as a means to an end, he pointed out. The Class of 2010 at JJHS has what he called "authentic passions" for what they were doing, whatever it was.

"I'm trying hard not to come up with a cliché," he said. "But this group is really special. They stand out as a remarkable group of kids."

Although Doherty has only been principal of John Jay High School for 2 years, she has been with the school in various capacities since 2003 and has enjoyed watching the Class of 2010 as they have come along.

"There are students now who I've known since their sixth grade year," she said. "It will be wonderful to be with them as they walk across the stage."

The valedictorian of the class is Max Siegel, who will be going on to Princeton in the Fall. "He is an extraordinary young man," Doherty said. "He is one of the kindest, most generous men I've ever met."

The salutatorian is Michael Mitchell, who will be attending Harvard. He has served on the Katonah-Lewisboro School District's school board and has a strong sense of public service, Doherty said. "He has an incredible ability to separate the wheat from the chaff," she noted.

In addition, the class has two students accepted into United States military academies. Nathanaiel Cajigas will be attending the Coast Guard Academy and William O'Donnell will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.

This year, all but one student who started four years ago at John Jay are expected to graduate. Last year, the school graduated all of its seniors, Doherty said. Why has John Jay done so well at graduating its students? She cited the strong and active parent community in the school district as one reason, along with the school system's strong commitment to student support. "But we have all the same challenges as the other schools in the region," she added.

The Class of 2010 has about 300 graduates, Doherty said, which is around the usual size for a graduating class at John Jay. Next year's class, the Class of 2011, has 350 students, which will make it the largest graduating class from the school, she noted.

Graduation will take place on Thursday, June 24 at 6 p.m. in the Venetian Theater at Caramoor in Katonah.  No one will be admitted without a ticket.