The following students at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland have received special honors.

Brian Pierce is the class of 2023 valedictorian. The son of Laura LaVictorie Pierce and Brian Pierce of Middletown Springs attended Christ the King School in Rutland prior to his enrollment at MSJ.

While at the Catholic high school, he maintained high academic honors and was actively involved in a variety of clubs and activities including the Josephite Chapter of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and the MSJ Student Government. In addition, he earned varsity letters in soccer, alpine skiing, and tennis. He was a member of the 2021 Division 4 state championship boys’ soccer team and represented MSJ as an academy host/student ambassador.

In addition to his school honors, he volunteered at the Rutland Regional Medical Center and is currently a member of the Fair Haven Rescue Squad and Regional Ambulance Service as a certified EMT.

He will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall, majoring in nuclear engineering.

Ryan Laforest is the Class of 2023 salutatorian. The son of Martine Cadesca and Kernizan Laforest of Coral Springs, Florida, maintained high academic honors throughout his career at MSJ and was a member of the Student Government and the Josephite Chapter of the National Honor Society.

He was actively involved in a variety of clubs and activities earning a varsity letter in boys’ soccer as part of the 2021 Division 4 state championship team.

He also served MSJ as an academy host/student ambassador.

He will be attending North Carolina State University in the fall.

Each year Mount St. Joseph Academy honors one or more members of the graduating class with the Veritas et Puritas Award. The phrase Veritas et Puritas translates as “truth and purity” and has been the motto of the academy since its founding in 1882 by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

This year the award went to Dominic Valente, son of Nancy and Michael Valente of Mount Holly.

At MSJ he maintained high academic honors and was a member of the Josephite Chapter of the National Honor Society. In addition to academics he was a member of the Mount St.

Joseph Academy boys’ soccer program that earned a state championship in 2021. He also earned varsity letters as member of the boys’ baseball team.

He will be attending Paul Smith’s College in the fall.