Clad in green gowns and mortarboard caps, the St. Patrick’s High School Class of 2023 entered the Palais Montcalm on June 22. Friends, family, faculty and guests were on hand to celebrate their achievements.

The ceremony commenced with the graduates filing into the Salle Raoul-Jobin to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance.” As per tradition, salutatorian Michelle Rodriguez St-Germain gave the opening speech. “Five years ago, on Aug. 29, 2018, we all started our high school years in our best outfits – skinny jeans and a Champion sweatshirt, that is – afraid to take on the world of high school,” she said. “Today, June 22, 2023, we finally have all these answers, and we find ourselves with the same questions, this time about a different future.

“The time has passed so fast that you could almost say all the clocks in the world were stolen from us,” she continued. “This cohort provided us with a sense of belonging, unity and community, even when we come from all different backgrounds, interests and views on life. It taught us the importance of differences in society. We are ready to say goodbye to high school, but not to the St. Pat’s community. Congratulations, Class of 2023 – we did it!”

After the salutatorian’s speech, newly appointed principal Julien Duchamp and Central Québec School Board chairperson Stephen Burke spoke. Then it was time for the presentation of 45 awards, bursaries and scholarships. (A full list of graduates and award winners is below this article.)

Valedictorian Coralie Cardinal closed the ceremony. “When I was told that I would be this year’s valedictorian, I was more than happy to have the privilege to represent the Class of 2023. Earning this title has been a part of my bucket list for years, and today, I can finally cross it off – although writing this speech has proven to be a lot more challenging than I thought,” she said. “In just a few weeks, many of us will be off to CEGEP, trade school, a gap year or doing what inspires us. Our cohort did not always have it easy, especially with COVID-19. It taught us to be prepared for the unknown and to expect the unexpected.”

With those words, the St. Patrick’s High School Class of 2023 threw their mortarboard caps into the air and left the hall to the sound of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”

Congratulations to the Graduates and award winners!

Hana Adra (S.M. Manek Award; St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; School Letter; Student Life Award)

Muhammad Hamza Ali

Jérôme Amiot

Jacob Arsenault

Kimberly Baller-Lafrenière 

Olivier Beaudoin

Stella Beaulieu (Governing Board Award; School Letter)

Louis-Charles Bédard

Lola Pearl Bélanger ( Governing Board Award; St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; School Letter; Masonic Foundation of Quebec Award on behalf of St. John’s Lodge No. 3)

Laurence Bernatchez (St. Patrick’s Parish Award; School Letter)

Eddy Bilodeau 

Derek Blaney

Wesley Blouin (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; Masonic Foundation of Quebec Award on behalf of St. John’s Lodge No. 3)

Nikolas Boily-Lenden

Océane Boivin

Juliet Bouchard 

Sébastien Bouchard 

Alexandre Boucher

Kélya Boucher

Cléo Camps

Coralie Cardinal (Valedictorian; Teresa F. Whealan Trophy; School Letter; Student Life Award; Brother George Scholarship)

Florence Caron

Jessica Caron

Jonathan Caron (Governing Board Award)

Rose Champoux (Principal’s Award;  Governing Board Award; School Letter)

Shany-Lynn Châteauvert

Simon Cooper

Connor Cormier

Tyson Cormier

Tristan Côté (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; Masonic Foundation of Quebec Award on behalf of St. John’s Lodge No. 3)

Enzo Cuglietta (Patrick McKenna Trophy)

Logann Cusson ( Governing Board Award)

Naiomi Daoust (Principal’s Award)

Maxim Dauphinais (Bruce Phillips Award; St. Patrick’s High School Alumni Award)

Laura Deblois (Ray Barry Memorial Award; Rosalind Franklin Award)

Raphaël Denis

Ann-Sophie Dion

Léa-Rose Drolet

William Dubé (Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Simon Fiset (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award)

Alyson Fontaine (Governing Board Award; St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; School Letter; School Letter; William J. McNamara Award)

Justin Gagné

Samuel Gagné ( Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Émile Gagnon

Jade Gagnon (St. Lawrence Regional College Bursary)

Sophie Gagnon (St. Patrick’s Parish Award; St. Patrick’s Catholic Women’s League Award)

Shawn Gallant (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; Bruce Phillips Memorial Bursary)

Joshua Gallese

Nathan Gignac

Ryan Giguère (CQSB Parents Committee Award)

Skyler Giguère (St. Patrick’s High School Positive Impact Award; Student Life Award)

Derek Gilbert

Edouard Gourdeau

Emilie Grant

Evan Grégoire

Bianca Hamel (Kennedy-Girardeau Award; David E. Blinco Award)

Clara Huber (Citadel Foundation High School Volunteer Award; School Letter; Student Life Award; Rosalind Franklin Award)

Annalise Humar-Normand (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; Fleming Motto Award)

Victor Huot

Leksi Jerasi

Gabriel Jimenez Quiroga (Michael Yaremko Trophy; St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award; Marianna O’Gallagher Award)

Jeremy Jodoin (Ron Corriveau Award)

James Kerr-Dupuis

Zyonne Koontz

Justin Lavallée ( Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Thomas Lavoie

Loïc Lavoie-Giard

Kim Lebel

Lukas Leclerc-Ghesquière

Wyatt Leclerc-Ghesquière

Ely Lemay (St. Patrick’s Parish Award)

Andrew Lemieux-Béchard

Pierre Letarte

Dawson Letellier

Taïna Lightfoot

Brittany Low

Myriam Mailloux

Charles-Antoine Marcotte ( Father Bill Steacy Trophy; School Letter)

Andy Marcoux

Maverick Marin

Emma Marquis

Bryan Martel ( Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Trinity Martel (Leonard School Alumnae Award; Principal’s Award; School Letter)

Kendra Mathieu (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award)

Laura McCoubrey ( Father Bill Steacy Trophy; School Letter; Student Life Award; Fred Cote Leadership Scholarship)

Neil McEniry Lepage

Allison McEwen (St. Patrick’s Parish Award;  Governing Board Award)

Amy Michaud ( Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Daniel Milot

Rose Monna-Williams ( St. Patrick’s Parish Award;  Governing Board Award)

Justin Moreau

Anthony Mouland

James Mouland ( Eastern Quebec Learning Centre Scholarship)

Shane Mountain (Neil Rourke Perseverance Award;  Irish Heritage Quebec Bursary)

Sarah Murphy ( Governing Board Award; St. Patrick’s High School Alumni Award; Student Life Award)

Gabriel Naud

Elyanna Parent 

Ella Partridge 

Jonathan Pelletier (Brother Walter Trophy; Brother George Trophy)

Jeremy Perron

Malik Pinel-Tard

Maeva Primeau

Emy-Rose Quessy ( St. Patrick’s Parish Award; School Letter)

Zoe Racine

Maiya Regis

Jeremy Rhéaume ( Irish Heritage Quebec Bursary)

Krystopher Richard

Samy Roberge

Michelle Rodriguez St-Germain (Salutatorian; Lieutenant Governor’s Medal; Walter Munroe Trophy & Award; Robert Brochu Trophy; School Letter)

Justin Rondeau 

Alexis Routhier

Rosalie Salesse (William J. McNamara Award; Bill Mylett Bursary)

Sylvia Samson (Leonard School Alumnae Award;  Mondrian Art Award)

Danica Sanschagrin

Megan Sheridan-Vallières (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award)

Élaura Simard

Emma Simard

Alex St-Germain ( St. Patrick’s Parish Award)

Stella St-Hilaire ( Governing Board Award)

Kelly Ann Thibault

Élizabeth Topping (St. Patrick’s High School Staff Award)

Amélie Trépanier (School Letter; St. Lawrence Regional College Bursary)

Wilson Trudel

Thomas Verret (Desmond O’Neill Award;  Sister Mildred Wallace Trophy; School Letter)

Julien Vigneault

Xavier Dubois (Governor General’s Award –  Class of 2022)