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ADELPHI ACADEMY OF BROOKLYN
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINTH COMMENCEMENT

Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn celebrated its One Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Commencement on Sunday, June 7th, 2009, at eleven o’clock, in the Lockwood Auditorium, named for Adelphi’s founding Headmaster, John Lockwood.  As has been tradition, the entire graduating class will attend college in the fall; their acceptance records and scholarship offers are exemplary.  Harvard University, Bucknell University, Baruch College, Adelphi University, New York University, St. John’s University Dartmouth College and Georgetown University are just some of the schools the graduates have been accepted to and will be attending.  Several students have won sizable academic scholarships from colleges and universities as well as public and private organizations totaling over $1,500,000.00.   

Dr. Roy J. Blash, President of Adelphi Academy, believes that the college acceptance levels of the class of 2009 stem from the graduates hard work and dedication to “The Adelphi Plan,” which incorporates aspects of the Paideia Program and the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools of which Adelphi Academy is a founding member. 
 
Several special community awards were presented to the seniors who excelled in various areas of endeavor.  Delivering the Commencement Address this year was Mr. Michael A. Allegretti, Director of Government Relations for The Climate Group, the only international organization dedicated to accelerating leadership from government and business towards common sense environmental solutions that grow the economy.  Allegretti was presented with an honorary Adelphi Academy Diploma at the ceremony.    

This year the Academy featured co-valedictorians, Virginia Giselle Loperena who will be attending Harvard University in the fall and Michael Senders who will be attending Baruch Honors College.  Both valedictorians have received full academic scholarships.  The salutatorian is Reshat Kadiu, who will be attending St. John’s University. 

“We are very proud to have been able to hold the commencement exercises on the actual premises again this year,” says Mr. Michael J. Lu ’87, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Adelphi Academy.  “Being a small and intimate school gives us the ability to be able to keep such a special ceremony so close to home.  In the past, it has been truly rewarding for the graduating classes to be able to say goodbye to one another and their teachers from their academic home and not somewhere foreign to them.”  Lu continues.