2 www.xbhs.com
n Saturday, May 15, Xaverian
Brothers High School celebrated
the commencement of the Class
of 2021. Diplomas were conferred
to the 179 graduates by Dr. Jacob Conca ’94,
Head of School, and Dr. Michael Nicholson,
Xaverian’s Principal. The Class of 2021 hails
from 47 cities and towns and represents the
55th graduating class since Xaverian opened
its doors in Westwood in 1963. Collectively,
these young men were accepted to 195 different
colleges and universities. They have committed
to continue their careers at institutions such
as Cornell University, Babson College, Tufts
University, NYU, UCLA, Trinity College
(Dublin, Ireland), Boston University, and
Boston College.
The Class of 2021 valedictorian is Nicholas
Gillespie. Nick is an avid ultimate disc player,
competing all four years at Xaverian. He’s also
an active participant and leader in Xaverian’s
campus ministry program, traveling to San
Diego and Tecate, Mexico on service trips
and volunteering as a peer minister. Nick is a
National Merit Scholar, a Harvard Book Award
recipient, and a member of the National Honor
Society. He will attend Northeastern University
next year.
Neeraj Ramesh is the 2021 salutatorian.
Neeraj, a two-sport Xaverian athlete (tennis
and cross country), also holds a black belt in
Pictured here l to r are our legacy graduates
with their fathers: Owen P. Tefft ’21 and Mr.
Kevin M. Tefft ’84; Sebastien R. Sanon ’21
and Mr. Gabriel Sanon MH ’89; Matthew
P. O’Halloran ’21 and Mr. Christopher M.
O’Halloran ’86; Thomas M. O’Connell ’21
and Dr. Daniel J. O’Connell ’68; Sean J.
O’Brien ’21 and Col. William J. O’Brien, Jr. ’83;
Samuel J. Maloof ’21 and Mr. Christopher
R. Maloof ’86; Matthew J. Kern ’21 and Mr.
Stephen Francis Kern ’82; Karl E. Johnsen
’21 and Mr. Karl E. Johnsen, Sr. ’87; Justin
O. Foster ’21 and Mr. Justin A. Foster ’94;
Hunter D. Follen ’21 and Mr. Edward B. Follen
’77; Anthony E. Ferrara ’21 and Mr. Americo
F. Ferrara ’90; John C. Connolly ’21 and Mr.
John C. Connolly ’80; Timothy J. Bowers ’21
and Mr. Garrett T. Bowers ’87; and Eric M.
Boulger ’21 and Sean T. Boulger, Esq. ’85.
Missing from the photo are Sam Noonan ’21
and his father, Sean Noonan ’90.
Tae Kwon Do. He is a member of the National
Honor Society, the French National Honor
Society, and was the recipient of the Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute Book Award. He has
participated in a variety of extracurricular
opportunities at Xaverian, including four years
in the car club, as well as being a member of the
Legacy Grads & Dads
math team, chess club, and mock trial. This year, he
was instrumental in helping to found Xaverian’s new
robotics team, and he hopes to continue his focus on
robotics next year as a computer engineering major at
Carnegie Mellon University.
Every year at commencement, one senior is
selected for the highest honor bestowed to a graduate
Dr. Jacob Conca ’94, Nicholas Gillespie ’21 (Valedictorian), Neeraj Ramesh ’21 (Salutatorian), and
Dr. Michael Nicholson
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2021