St. Mary's is a different kind of high school: different in that we are a Catholic high school where moral principles and values form the foundation on which all subjects are taught and all activities take place; different in that the Blessed Mother, the Holy Spirit and Salesian spirit call us to direct all our actions to, with and through God; different in that we pray each day together as a community.

The difference extends to our faculty, a group of outstanding men and women, who have dedicated themselves to challenging their students and providing them with the best possible educational experience.

Difference also extends to our students who daily come from all parts of our community. These students work hard, and more is expected of them. I am very proud of our students for their efforts in the classroom and at school functions. I am very pleased to see the way they support each other and the concern they show for their fellow classmates and their generosity for those less fortunate.

One of the differences is the class of 2009. They are special and unique. They are a class who has accomplished much success. We have been blessed with some wonderful students and more importantly superb human beings. We sincerely wish our seniors God's blessing and grace in the years to come.

The difference extends beyond the financial sacrifices that our families make to enable their sons and daughters to attend st. Mary's and includes their active engagement in their sons' and daughters' education. This engagement can take the forms of volunteerism, active participation in Golf Classic, Crab Feed and Sports Association, attendance at a variety of activities, or Simply monitoring their child's academic progress. Our parents recognize the critical nature of this time in the lives of their children and have made a conscious decision to enroll them in a school that teaches moral principles, religious values, and individual responsibility. We are grateful to our parents for their support.

The difference is a spirit, a sense of community, a pride in being part of the special experience of St. Mary's High School.

As we near the end of another school year it is a time to be appreciative of all the individuals who truly have been "friends to St. Mary's."

I once heard the following; "Friends are people who are here today and here tomorrow. They forgive your faults and if they really love you, they don't even see them!" Good friends help us know ourselves and grow closer to God's image.

De Sales wrote: "How good it is to love here on earth as we love in heaven and to learn to cherish others on earth as we will do eternally."

I wish all of you a peaceful and restful summer. Let us keep each other in our thoughts and prayers. Mary, Queen of Angels, St. Francis de Sales and St. Dominic, pray for us.