65 Graduates Celebrated at St. Vincent Academy

Saint Vincent Academy, Newark’s Catholic college-preparatory high school exclusively for young women, graduated 65 young women at ceremonies held at the school on June 2. 

Following welcoming remarks by the school's administrative detective, Sister June Favata, class salutatorian Stephanie Njeru of Newark offered an invocation and Afia Obeng of Irvington delivered the valedictory address.

The commencement address was given by Ms. Sil Lai Abrams, who is a National 
Association of Black Journalists award-winning writer, speaker and domestic violence awareness activist. 

Members of the class of 2013 were accepted at more than 80 colleges and universities around the country, earning more than $6 million in merit-based awards and scholarships in addition to need-based aid. Students will be attending a range of in-state institutions of higher learning, including the College of Saint Elizabeth, Drew University, Kean University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rider University, Seton Hall University, St. Peter’s University and Rutgers University in Newark and New Brunswick. Out-of-state choices include Cabrini College, The College of Mount Saint Vincent, Drexel University, Duquesne University, Hampton University, Johnson and Wales University, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore.  

Valedictorian Afia Obeng will attend Colby College in Maine and salutatorian Stephanie Njeru will attend Juniata College in Pennsylvania. 

Saint Vincent Academy has been educating young women in Newark since 1869 and is a sponsored institution of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. The Academy will enroll approximately 300 young women from Newark and surrounding communities in the 2012-13 academic year.