The Holy Trinity Church community honored its three high school graduates this morning with a brief ceremony at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy. Rachel Geeza, Nikolas Hutnik, and Michael Dolan have been significant members of our parish for many years, and they were honored accordingly for their commitment and service. As they always have, Rachel sang in the choir, held the communion cloth, and helped with the children, while Nik and Michael served in the altar.

All three were presented with a copy of the spiritual classic, The Way of the Ascetic by Tito Colliander, to assist in their spiritual development. Rachel, Mike, and Nik were each presented with a $500 scholarship from the Fr Ilja Adamov Memorial Scholarship Fund to assist them in their studies. Rachel was given a dozen roses which were presented by the children from our community who Rachel is so connected to.
 
An ice cream cake was served downstairs, along with pizza that was donated by parishioner Bessie Liapes from her restaurant - Mama's Pizza in Willimantic. We are grateful to Bessie for her continual contributions whenever a festive event takes place at Holy Trinity.

Rachel Geeza

Rachel will be graduating from Woodstock Academy in Brooklyn on June 17. She has worked at the Brooklyn Recreation After-School Program for three years. Rachel also worked at their summer camp as Counselor from 2009-2011. This year at Woodstock Academy she has worked with a special needs class, working with Down Syndrome students where she helps them make their lunches and assisting them with schoolwork. Rachel has enjoyed every minute of this class. Rachel has a gift with working with children with disabilities. Her love of fashion and design is leading her to the Paul Mitchell Cosmetology School in Cranston, RI, where she hopes to someday work in the fashion industry. Rachel enjoys fishing, riding 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles, and going to the Stafford Speedway with her special friend Thomas. Rachel spends a lot of quality time with her maternal grandfather, Leo Lavigne. They enjoy watching TV together. Rachel has a heart of gold, and always tends to the needs of others before taking care of herself.

Michael Dolan

Michael will be graduating with honors from Coventry High School on June 23. Michael excelled both in the classroom and on the playing fields. He is ranked 4th in a class of 137 graduating seniors. His Grade Point Average is 3.90. Michael played varsity soccer, basketball and baseball during his senior year and overall has earned 11 varsity letters during his years at Coventry High. Michael was named to the Connecticut Class S All-Academic Basketball team his senior year. He was also Vice President of the National Honor Society, and technology editor of the yearbook. Michael was awarded the Connecticut Association of Board of Education (CABE) Student Leadership Award this month, an award given by the Superintendent of Schools to a student who shows outstanding leadership qualities. Michael will be attending the University of Connecticut in the fall. He will major in Biomedical Engineering with the hope to one day becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Nikolas Hutnik

Nik will graduate in June from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts as a Jazz Bass Major. During his senior year, Nik’s Jazz Combo was awarded second place in two national competitions: the Charles Mingus Competition at Manhattan School of Music in New York and the Berkeley High School Jazz Competition in Boston. Last week Nik performed his senior recital with his Jazz Combo which included one of his original compositions, Hoi Polloi. Nik has several videos posted on YouTube. Nik will be a one-on-one counselor at Holiday Hill Day Camp in Mansfield this summer and will attend the University of Connecticut as a Pre-Education Major in the August. Nik was also accepted in to the Honors Program at the University of Maryland.