Aquinas Medal Awardee

On April 7th, we  attended the Catholic Schools Dinner celebrating the 25 years of Catholic Education in West Virginia.  My daughter is the  Aquinas Medal awardee from her school.   Every year, they  choose one student with an excellent academic grade for this award.  Community service and other  religious participation is also a factor  for this prestigious award.  We are very humbled that our daughter was selected this year, it is a great honor.

Before the  awarding ceremony, we attended a Sunday mass celebration  first at St. Francis de Sales.  It was a beautiful service led and celebrated by Rev. Monsignor Anthony Cincinnati.  We had to leave after the mass right away and proceeded to Marriott Waterfront hotel for the  awarding ceremony.  

After registering at the recipient table, my daughter  had to get her picture taken with the Bishop at the designated photo area.  Then we  proceeded at the reception area where snacks and refreshments were laid out.

The kids enjoyed the  cookies and punch.  There was an hour window   given to all the  guests before the dinner begin so it gave all of us a chance to socialize with the other guests although we didn't do  much because we are not that social people lol.  We just spent our time  taking some pictures after we said high to the people we know from our school and the two schools we know from our place.

"Saint Thomas Aquinas  was an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. He is an immensely influential philosopher, theologian, and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the Doctor Angelicus and the Doctor Communis."

With the principal of St. Joseph School, Mrs. R. Fuscardo.

With the awardee from St. Paul School and the principal of Madonna High School.

After an hour of  socializing (not), the  formal dinner have started.  Our parish priest, Fr. Dennis also came and attended the ceremony.

Salad and bread were  served for an appetizers.  I was pretty much  full with eating just that.

The main course include chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies.  I couldn't eat the meat, my anti-salt pallet thinks that every food is salty (lol).  I was gonna pull a Cinderella Man technique there where the wife  saved the meat for her kids at home but in my  case for the dogs, but I didn't.  I was just thinking of how many food are wasted in this kind of events. 

They also served  cake for dessert.

While dessert are being served, the awarding commenced.

Photos were blurry for the awarding.

Before  going home, we  got the chance to take pictures of the  awardees of the Catholic schools in our city. Three kids  from Madonna  received an Aquinas award and two Sebastian award.  St. Paul also had one  Aquinas awardee.

The Spartan Family - St. Joseph School.

The proud Daddy.

By the time the ceremony was done, we were all tired.  We woke up really early that day and head to Morgantown which is an hour and half drive from our  place.  

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Congratulations to Rylie Cottrill on being the St Joseph the Worker 2019 Aquinas Award Winner. This is the highest honor a student can receive in the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston.

A post shared by Weirton St. Joseph (@weirtonstjoseph) on Feb 8, 2019 at 3:55pm PST

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8th Grader, Rylie Cottrill has been named 2019 Aquinas Medal Recipient for St Joseph the Worker. Rylie will be receiving the Aquinas Medal at the 25th Annual Bishops Dinner for Catholic Schools on Sunday, April 7, on Morgantown, West Virginia. This is the highest honor a student can receive from the diocese. The award recognizes students for their outstanding qualities of faithful discipleship, academic excellence, leadership and service to school, parish and community, reflecting the ideals of Catholic education epitomized by St Thomas Aquinas the patron saint of students. Rylie is the daughter of John and Rose Cottrill and big sister to E.J. Cottrill. We are so proud of Rylie!

A post shared by Weirton St. Joseph (@weirtonstjoseph) on Apr 5, 2019 at 5:42pm PDT

We will be in Charleston for 3 days for the WV History Bowl championship next week then when we come back, we will be going to a 3-day field trip in DC. The next day after DC, they will be having the May crowning. That one whole week is packed so I might be walking like a zombie after that lol.  Lots of traveling and lots of events to attend too.  It can be physically and financially draining but its a good thing.  Being involved with our children while they still want us around  is our priority.