October 26, 2023
Angels Receive Prestigious Scholarships
The Academy of the Holy Angels recognized multiple scholarship recipients during the October 24 Foundation Day celebration. This festive event marked the 190th anniversary of the establishment of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, AHA’s foundresses and sponsors.
Senior Grace Cuttita of Glen Rock received the Lorna Ciccarelli and David Cahn Leadership Scholarship for modeling leadership at Holy Angels and within the greater community. Cuttita is a member of the National Honor Society Executive Council and recently became a Eucharistic Minister. She has examined immigration issues on AHA Mission Awareness Process trips to Arizona and southern Texas. Moved by the great needs the witnessed in Texas, Cuttita and her peers organized a successful school-wide footwear collection for the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen.
In keeping with tradition, the finalists and semifinalists for the 2023-24 Sister Mary Nonna Dunphy Scholarships were also announced on Foundation Day. Finalists include seniors Olivia Papp of Hawthorne and Elise Tao of Upper Saddle River; juniors Julianna Dail of Saddle River and Taylor Glynn of Hoboken; and sophomores Caitlin Liau of Tenafly and Norah Park of Cresskill. Each finalist received $2,500.
This year’s semifinalists are seniors Mia “Aiko” Chang of Valley Cottage (New York), Hyerin “Ella” Eom of Palisades Park, and Beatrice Gee of Englewood; juniors Sharanya Agarwal of West New York, Alessandra Boncaldo of Stony Point (New York), and Margaret “Molly” Doherty of New City (New York); and sophomores Samantha Dipad of New Milford, Lucia McClure of Wyckoff, and Mina Puma of Fort Lee.
AHA President Melinda Hanlon noted that being invited to apply for a Nonna Dunphy Scholarship places an Angel among a highly-select group of the Academy’s students.
“Your outstanding academic achievements, complemented by your active school participation and selfless service for others merit attention and praise,” President Hanlon wrote in the students’ acceptance letters. “Congratulations! May you continue to develop the fullness of your potential and share your gifts with others.”
The AHA Board of Directors established the Nonna Dunphy Scholarships during the 1990-91 academic year, when Holy Angels was celebrating the 25th anniversary of the school’s move from Fort Lee to Demarest. The awards are presented in honor AHA’s foundress, S. Mary Nonna Dunphy, SSND.
Seniors, juniors, and sophomores are invited to apply for the Nonna Dunphy Scholarship based on academic achievement, leadership, character, service, and teacher recommendations. Successful applicants must reflect the ideals S. Mary Nonna Dunphy embodied and encouraged in her students. In particular, applicants must be able to make decisions based on faith, character, and gospel values. The Scholarship Committee interviews the applicants and selects the finalists.