Schools

Kennedy Catholic Holds Mass for Tyrell Thompson, Awards Marc Napolitano Scholarship

Students at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School began their first day of classes last week with a mass in honor of two alumni.

Students at began their first day of classes on Friday with a mass in honor of two alumni – Tyrell Thompson, who passed away last month while playing basketball, and Marc Napolitano, who died in an automobile accident in 2010.

Mass Offered for Thompson ’06

The death of Tyrell Thompson, who died suddenly on Aug. 22 at age 23, struck the high school hard. Thompson was a 2006 Kennedy Catholic graduate and a basketball star. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2010 and was a first Lieutenant in the Army.

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According to an article in the Journal News, Thompson collapsed while playing in basketball game in Fort Lee, Va. Thompson was waked and buried in Arlington National Cemetery last week. 

In his homily, Kennedy’s president and principal Father Marc Vaillancourt said although he not assigned to Kennedy during Thompson’s four years, he learned through talking to teachers and friends that Tyrell was more than just a gifted athlete. He was a scholar and a soldier, someone who made those around him better, both on and off the court, Vaillancourt said. 

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"Tyrell’s life embodied the Kennedy ideals of courage and compassion," Father Vaillancourt said on Friday. "Let our lives do the same."

LaMagna Wins Napolitano Freshmen Scholarship 

At Mass, the memory of Marc Napolitano, a 2008 graduate who died tragically in an automobile accident in 2010, was honored. His parents Michael and Michele Napolitano handed out a $750 scholarship award to incoming freshman John LaMagna, of Ossining. 

LaManga accepted the award to a warm round of applause from his new schoolmates. 

The Marc Napolitano Freshmen Scholarship award seeks to recognize an incoming freshman who embodies the characteristics of respect, trustworthiness, responsibility, caring and fairness. The scholarship is made possible through donations by the friends and family of Marc Napolitano.

A $2,000 scholarship is given in Napolitano’s memory to a graduating senior each year at Commencement. 


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