Each year, the Knights of Columbus Award honors a high school senior who has exhibited outstanding commitment to living the message of the Gospel in the parish and community, and lived as a young disciple of Jesus Christ through service and leadership.
Sarah Pontbriant, [pictured left] is a member of St. John Parish. She has been actively involved in parish life throughout her middle and high-school years, spending much of that time as a CORE Coordinator for our children’s summer bible camp (VBF), and a 4-time participant in our summer mission trip, Catholic Heart Work Camp, where her both her smile and energy are contagious. Sarah will be studying Elementary Education at UMass Lowell this coming fall.
Alexandra LoCoco [pictured right] is a member of St. Mary Parish. Alexandra was born deaf but that didn't hold her back! She helped get American Sign Language instituted as a World Language in the curriculum at Chelmsford High School, was Senior Class Secretary and Captain of the Girls Varsity Soccer Team. She has volunteered on the Minuteman Early Intervention and Boston Children's Hospital Student panels as well as at St. Mary Parish events and the TOPSoccer Program. Alexandra will be studying Psychology and Deaf Studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester this coming fall.
Congratulations to Delaney Schiefen, winner of the 2020 Knights of Columbus Annual Scholarship! Delaney, daughter of St. John parishioners Deirdre and Steve Schiefen, is not only a face, but a voice many will recognize. In additional to serving on the PPC for the past two years as a representative of our youth, she has also been a member in our Music Ministry since she was in the 2nd grade. As she has grown, so has her talent and involvement, having served in our Christmas and Triduum celebrations, as well being a regularly scheduled cantor at the St. John 8:30 am Mass for the past four years. And her involvement in music, fueled by her love of it, does not end there! As a freshman at Chelmsford High, Delaney was a founding member of The Crescendos, an A Capella group, in which she was co-president during her senior year. They competed in the International Championship of High School A Capella for three years, being Northeast Semi-Finalists in 2019. Additionally, she has also performed in numerous CHS musicals as well as with the Concert Choir, being a Soprano section leader this past year. This coming fall, Delaney will be attending the University of Connecticut where she will be enrolled in a 5-year accelerated Masters Program in Music Education; anyone surprised? She has hope of someday being a Music Therapist. Join us in again congratulating her and wishing her well in all her future endeavors.
This year, join us in congratulating Nathan Houde, the recipients of this year’s award. Nathan, a 2019 graduate of Lowell Catholic, will enter his freshman year at Southern New Hampshire University this month. During the presentation, our Knights praised Nathan for his dedication to our Catholic faith his service to our St. John’s Community, and his positive example for others as part of our Parish Youth Group Program throughout his school years.