The Valley Catholic June 24, 2014 | Page 9

The Valley Catholic catholic schools CATHOLIC EDUCATION INSPIRES Saint Francis High School congratulates Class of 2014 Saint Francis High School (Mountain View) Class of 2014 listened to student speakers address their optimism for the future. “We have among us the greatest students, the greatest passions, the greatest talents, and above all, the greatest common denominator, our Saint Francis education. Lancers, we are undeniably prepared for the world,” Cindy Wang, Salutatorian, said. Prithvi Akella was confident his classmates will be agents of change in a way that reflects their Holy Cross education. “We will bring hope and help to those in need, invite everyone to be part of our global family and maintain our integrity while respecting the world and people around us. That is how we were taught, and that is how we shall move forward,” he said. Graduating seniors completed more than 37,000 hours of community service, a record. There were 361 seniors who graduated with honors and 97 who were recognized by the National Merit Foundation. Seniors earned $34 million in college scholarships and will attend 132 colleges and universities across the country. Principal Patricia Tennant noted that the students grew as individuals and were committed to one another. As they stood together as brothers and sisters through high school’s ups and downs, she said, the love and support they gave each other was “a testimony to your greatest accomplishment: becoming men and women of Holy Cross.” Several seniors received recognition for their accomplishments and wellrounded pursuits. Valedictorian Arjun Desai distinguished himself through his academic work and devoted many hours to the speech and debate team, the Science Bowl and community health organizations. Cindy Wang, Salutatorian, challenged herself academically across all departments and is a talented orator, artist and co