With a toss of their caps, 10 Most Precious Blood graduates took a step into adulthood after graduating from eighth grade.

Daniel Conklin, Holly Hennessey, Sergio Lupian, Mackenzie Matikiewicz, Nicholas Miller, Kathleen Mitchell, Pressly Pagan, Jaiden Rodgers, Robert Sikorski and Adriana Valentin received their diplomas in the chapel of Most Precious Blood Church last Saturday.

“The greatest responsibility a Catholic school has is to prepare students spiritually and morally for their lives they will lead as they move. Further, it is the mission of Most Precious Blood School to prepare students academically and to cultivate thinking, decision making and creativity,” school principal Woodrow Hallaway said. “I have no doubt that the 10 young men and women we honor today have excelled in reaching the goals we set for them.”

The Gold Award for General Excellence, which recognizes the student with the highest average, was awarded to Rodgers. The Silver Award, which recognizes the student with the second highest average, was presented to Miller. The Bronze Award, which honors the student with the third highest overall average, was presented to Valentin.

Miller and Rogers received an honor medal for maintaining a 90 percent or above average for all four marking periods. Miller, Rogers, Sikorski and Valentin received an honor certificate for achieving a 90 percent or above average for their final two marking periods.

In recognition of academic excellence and leadership, The New York State Comptroller Achievement Award was given to Miller, Rodgers, Sikorski and Valentin.

In recognition of commitment, character and courage, the New York State Attorney General Triple “C” Award was presented to Miller and Valentin.

Recognizing students who meet challenging standards of academic excellence, the United States of America’s President’s Award Gold Award was presented to Miller, Rodgers, Sikorski and Valentine. Conklin was presented with the Silver Award for outstanding academic achievement.

Not only are these students academically successful, they are wonderful people, Hallaway said.

“I can tell you something about these young men and women, they are caring, responsible and incredibly forgiving. I know this because they have come to me or a teacher many times in the past few years with concern for classmates, ideas for a service project, or reports of conflict with someone, only to be great friends two days later,” Hallaway said. “The desire to help a person or many people certainly falls under the category of Christian values, and the willingness to forgive, well, the church has a whole sacrament dedicated to that. The new people you will soon meet in high school can’t help but be drawn towards people like you.”

Father Tom Colucci, Most Precious Blood’s Parish Administrator, said the graduates have taken three vows before God: to love God, to love others and to obey God through the guidance of the holy spirit.

Students will be able to meet challenges they face in life through their Catholic faith, Colucci said.

“God has great plans for your life coming ahead,” Colucci said.

Lupian, Rodgers, Sikorski and Valentin will continue their Catholic education in the fall at an Archdiocesan High School.