The names of the Mount St. Joseph Academy, Rutland, honor graduates for the Class of 2022 have been announced. They are:

Valedictorian

Elizabeth Jane Tracy is the valedictorian. She is the youngest daughter of Lisa and Tom Tracy, and she attended Barstow Memorial School before entering the Catholic high school. During her enrollment at MSJ, Elizabeth maintained high honors and was a member of the National Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society and the National Art Honor Society. She was a member of the yearbook club and journalism club, and she participated in the Shoestring Theater program. She played soccer, basketball and softball throughout her high school career, earning the role of team captain this year in soccer and basketball. She has been a member of the Student Ambassadors and Student Government throughout all four years of high school and was elected student body vice-president in her senior year. She will be attending the University of New England in the fall with plans to double major in marine science and applied mathematics.

Salutatorian

Torynce Madison Munnett is the Class of 2022 salutatorian. She is the daughter of Mark and

Melanie Munnett of Fair Haven. While at MSJ, Torynce maintained high academic honors and was a member of the National Honor Society. She was involved in a variety of clubs and activities; she earned varsity letters and was a captain in cheerleading, was an active member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society by singing and playing clarinet, a Speech and Debate member and a Student Ambassador. A University of Vermont Green and Gold Scholar, Torynce will be attending the University of Vermont School of Arts and Sciences in the fall.

2022 Veritas et Puritas Award

Each year Mount St. Joseph Academy honors one or more members of the graduating class with the Veritas et Puritas Award. The phrase Veritas et Puritas translates as “truth and purity” and has been the motto of the academy since its founding in 1882 by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Recipients of this annual award are chosen based on the following criteria:

+ Authentic Faith: The students express in their life a sincere faith in God and a desire to live out the theological virtues of faith, hope and love (charity) in their daily interactions with students, faculty and staff.

+ A spirit of positivity and respect: The students are consistently positive and respectful toward those they encounter, are hardworking, kind and compassionate and reflect the teachings of Jesus on love, mercy, compassion and acceptance in their life.

+ A true appreciation for the school community: The students exhibit a genuine appreciation for their MSJ education and demonstrate gratitude for their ability to have been a member of the MSJ community and the opportunities an MSJ education afforded them.

+ The student is committed to serving others through acts of kindness and generosity and reflects the academy’s mission of making a more just world possible.

This year Mount St. Joseph Academy awards Ethan James Courcelle the 2022 Veritas et Puritas Award.

Ethan is the son of Annie and James Courcelle of Rutland. Prior to enrolling at MSJ, he attended Christ the King School in Rutland; it was during these years at CKS when he first discovered his love for the dramatic arts. Throughout high school, he has been a part of every MSJ theater production available to him. He is a member of the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, the Ambassador Program captain of the varsity soccer and varsity tennis teams. Ethan plans to study psychology as he enrolls in higher education. His inspiration in pursuing this career path is his current employment at the St. Joseph Kervick and Loretto homes of Rutland. Having worked at these elder care homes run by Vermont Catholic Charities during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly apparent to him that there is a great need for mental health support in a demographic that is often neglected or forgotten. Ethan will be attending the College of the Holy Cross.