BRIDGTON – The 198th commencement at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton was held May 13 in the Bridgton Ice Arena. More than 800 parents and friends were present as Headmaster David N. Hursty presented awards to the graduating class. The diplomas were conferred by Board of Trustees President Robert L. Teel Jr., 65.

Andrew Costantino of Abington, Mass., delivered the invocation and Alex Saylor of Windsor, Conn., the benediction. Valedictorian was Christopher John O’Keefe of Upper Arlington, Ohio, who will attend the U.S. Naval Academy. Selected by the faculty as class speaker was Mark Phillip Rodovick of Stamford, Vt., who will attend Ithaca College.

Awards were presented to: Gould Award, Christopher Chandler, Wakefield, Mass., University of New Hampshire; Buck Award, Maurice Rodriguez, Malden, Mass., Curry College; Alumni Award, Thomas Ohlson, York, Southern New Hampshire University; Hough Award, Mark Rodovick; Howe Award, Adonis Shepherd, Medfield, Mass., Salem State College, and Jordan Stevens, Temple, University of Maine.

Also, Citizenship Award, Tristan Karns, Santa Fe, N.M., University of Montana, and Alexander Pirrotta, Manchester Mass., Lake Forest College: Sportsmanship Award, Brandon Freeman, Londonderry, N.H., Ohio State University, and Keaton Grant, Kissimmee, Fla., Purdue University; Annie R. and Horace A. Flint Jr. Improvement Award, Matthew Fournier, East Granby, Conn., Greensboro College.

Also, Faculty Awards, Andrew S. Costantino, Brandon LeHaye, Lebanon, N.H., Sacred Heart University, Bartosz Lewandowski, Biale Blota, Poland, University of Southern California, Jason Mazzoni, Hillsborough, N.C., U.S. Naval Academy, and Cory Raper, Dorchester, Mass., Dean College; O’Brien Award, Asa Bearse, Bridgton, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Diane C. Fabello Memorial Award, Hayden Ervin, Florence S.C., Queens University.

Also, Blance Award, Brendan Finneran, Canton, Mass., Siena College and Jacob St. Peter, South Dennis, Mass., Springfield College; Spooner Award, Shavar Bernier, Dover, N.H., Connecticut College; Headmaster’s Award, Michael Byrd, Pocomoke City, Md., U.S. Naval Academy; Russell A. Pitnof 34 Chair, Daniel Spindler, Springfield, Va., University of Missouri/Columbia; Chadbourne Award, Christopher O’Keefe.

Also, Holt Awards, English, Christopher O’Keefe, math, Jason Mazzoni, social science, Joseph Comiskey, Washington, D.C., U.S. Naval Academy, physical science, Cameron Chesley, Weare, N.H., Quinnipiac University, computer science, Joshua Trubow, Newton, Mass., Bentley College.

Also, DeFelice English Award, Keith Fitzgerald, Milton, Mass., Roger Williams University; Sylvester Spelling Prize, first place, Brian Hobbs, Medford Mass., Merrimack College, second place, Michael Harty, Sudbury, Mass., Union College; Brown Fund Public Speaking Prize, first place, Alexander Pirrotta, second place, Michael DeCosta, Harwich, Mass., Northeastern University.

Also, Brown Fund Essay Prize, first place, Sean Ryan, Plymouth, Mass., Assumption College, second place, Joseph Mango, Denmark, University of Maine; Lee and Carol Noble Fine Arts Award, Qa’rraan Calhoun, Hazlet, N.J., St. John’s University and Mark Purrington, South Dartmouth, Mass., Keene State College; Austin Football Award, Jordan Stevens; Douglas R. Avery Award, Jason Mazzoni.

Also, DeSorrento Soccer Award, Michael Byrd; Fabello Hockey Award, Christopher Travis, Scituate, Mass., University of Southern Maine; Al Harry Improvement Award, Travis Rabideau, Paul Smiths, N.Y., Springfield College; Corey Smith Memorial Award, Qa’rraan Calhoun and Keaton Grant.

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