NEWS RELEASE
YORK CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
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Three York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) students graduated with a perfect 100 per cent average this past June. Congratulations to Adrian Li-How-Cheong of St. Brother André Catholic High School, Jitae (Savas) Kim of St. Augustine Catholic High School and Nicolas Palmar of St. Robert Catholic High School on this remarkable accomplishment.
Adrian, Jitae and Nicolas each earned perfect grades in their top six Grade 12 courses, earning them a three-way tie for the title of top graduating student at YCDSB in 2020.
These three young men lead the 2019-2020 list of YCDSB Top Scholars. At YCDSB we celebrate top achievement at all our secondary schools, including the 16 graduates on this year’s top scholar list who averaged an outstanding 96.85 in their top six Grade 12 courses.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all our top scholars. Their success is a testament to the hard work and determination that contributes to our legacy of success,” said Maria Marchese, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We wish all our graduates God’s blessings as they pursue higher education and work to achieve their goals as faith-filled, caring and responsible global citizens.”
“On behalf of the York Catholic District School Board, I congratulate Adrian, Jitae and Nicolas, along with all our YCDSB top scholars,” said Ab Falconi, Director of Education. “I know this year was not easy due to COVID-19, but these students persevered, embraced distance learning, and never faltered in their determination to make this year another successful one. I wish all of our graduating students continued success in their future endeavors.”
YCDSB is proud to have the top four-year graduation rate among both English and French school boards in the province, as well as the top 5-year graduation rate among English school boards in Ontario. We attribute this success to the dedication of our school staff who work with students and their families to ensure that all students can succeed and reach their full potential.
Background: Student Bios
Adrian Li-How-Cheong Adrian was enrolled in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program at St. Brother André CHS in Markham. He owes his academic success to his parents as role models, and his martial arts teacher who always stresses kindness and integrity. Adrian was the secretary of his school’s Protecting Our World by Eliminating Racism Source (POWERSource) club, and a member of the school band, volleyball squad and ultimate Frisbee team. His advice to younger students, “You have way more time than you realize in high school. There are plenty of opportunities for growth. Try investing your time into joining a club to be a part of the community and you will be satisfied with the results.” In September, he will begin a degree in Life Sciences at the University of Toronto. “I am grateful for having met so many wonderful and supportive people in high school – especially my teachers. I think this actually helped with my marks because I felt obligated to demonstrate the fruits of their labour.”
Jitae (Savas) Kim Jitae arrived in Canada in 2014 as an international student from South Korea and was enrolled at St. Augustine CHS in Markham. Jitae believes his “attempt to tackle the language barrier by putting more effort into school work” helped lead to his academic achievement. He also immersed himself in school activities, such as the science club, varsity baseball team, school band, cross-country, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Chapter and Grade 9 orientation. Jitae will attend McMaster University in the Health Sciences program as he pursues a career in the medicine. “I want to become a doctor because it is one of the most direct ways of enhancing others’ lives. The pathway to medicine is extremely challenging, so I thought it would be sensible to start learning how to maximize work efficiency in high school,” said Jitae. “This idea gave me a mindset that I will never allow myself to give anything short of 100 per cent effort, which I greatly attribute to my academic success.”
Nicolas Palmar Nicolas was enrolled at St. Robert CHS in Markham and will pursue a degree in Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo in September. Throughout high school, Nicolas was able to personalize his education through elective courses in music, computer science, fitness and more. He says his ability to branch out kept him motivated and complemented his broad range of interests. Outside of the classroom, Nicolas also acted as lead tenor in the senior jazz band and senior concert band, and was a programmer for his school’s Grade 12 robotics team. Nicolas credits his academic success to his parents who inspired him with their sacrifices and support, to ensure he could pursue his passions. He also acknowledges his teachers and classmates that pushed him to do better. “I want to start my own technology company, with a focus on helping people through my creations,” said Nicolas. “I have lived in Canada for most of my life, but I was born in Colombia. I have seen that there are so many things that need to be better in this world, and I want to make an impact on the lives of others.”
Top Scholars by School and Municipality
Student Name, School, Municipality, Grade 12 Average*
Dante Crescenzi, Cardinal Carter Catholic High School, Aurora, 98.3%
Eric Wright, St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School Aurora, 98.17%
Sarah Ball, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Academy, Georgina, 93%
Karen Kai Lun Wang, Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy, Markham, 99.83%
Jitae Kim, St. Augustine Catholic High School, Markham. 100%
Adrian Li-How-Cheong, St. Brother André Catholic High School, Markham, 100%
Nicolas Palmar, St. Robert Catholic High School, Markham 100%
Olivia Lunin, Sacred Heart Catholic High School, Newmarket, 98.83%
Vanessa Recine, Our Lady Queen of the World Catholic Academy, Richmond Hill, 97.67%
Hanan Au, St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School, Richmond Hill, 98.83%
Paul Puscas, Father Bressani Catholic High School, Vaughan, 98.3%
Peter-Anthony Quaglietta, Holy Cross Catholic Academy, Vaughan, 97%
Xinyue (Annie) Wang, St. Elizabeth Catholic High School, Vaughan 98.16%
Olivia Samantha Beltrano, St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic High School, Vaughan, 98.83%
Natalie Grace Tokatly, St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic High School, Vaughan, 98.83%
Josephine Ardizzi, St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School Vaughan, 96.67%
Melissa Lago Sereflioglu, St. Luke Catholic Learning Centre, Vaughan 74.17%
*Based on the average of the students' marks in their six best Grade 12 courses, to two decimal places.
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