Geibel Catholic announces commencement exercises
Geibel Catholic Middle-High School will hold its annual commencement exercises at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the gymnasium. There is no reserved seating for the event. Valedictorian of this year’s graduating class is Sabrina Szabo. Salutatorian of the Class of 2007 is Julian Imbrescia.
Szabo, daughter of Barbara Szabo and Charles Szabo Jr., is a member of St. John the Baptist Parish in Scottdale, which is under the direction of the Rev. Leonard Stoviak.
She plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she will major in life science. Afterwards Szabo plans to attend medical school and become a doctor.
While attending Geibel, Szabo was involved in numerous activities and was the senior class president and a member of student council.
Szabo was also a four year letterman and captain of the basketball, soccer, and softball team and was selected as all county in all three sports and all-section in soccer.
In addition, Szabo participated in the spring musical, stage crew, chamber ensemble, chorus, music ministry, band and calligraphy club. She was captain of the math league and helped on the Christmas dance committee, prom committee, spirit week committee and homecoming committee.
Szabo was part of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society and consistently received highest honors. In addition, she was an announcer, lector, football manager, and a member of SADD, campus ministry and peer ministry.
Outside of school, Szabo took part in 4-H and horseback riding and was the High Point Senior Western Pleasure Rider in horseback riding. She plays the piano and took voice lessons and worked at Grace Veterinary Clinic, Carson’s Premier Catering and baby-sits her twin cousins.
Szabo was honored by being selected as the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month and was a Students EducationWorks! Award winner. She was also the Elks Student of the Month. Szabo received the Martin Fagler Memorial Scholarship award from the Amvets Post 103 and honored by The Challenge Program for having the highest grade point average this year.
Szabo won the Seton Hill Women in Science Day Chemistry Award and NSMA USAA National Merit Award, as well as took the California University American Chemical Society Test. The Fayette Lodge 471 honored her with the B’nai Brith award. Szabo was a graduate of Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week and part of Who’s Who Among High School Students.
Imbrescia, son of Jeff and Janet Imbrescia, is a member of Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church in Monessen, which is under the direction of the Rev. David Nazimek.
He plans to attend college and major in business or economics.
While attending Geibel, Imbrescia was involved in numerous activities. He was class president his first three years at Geibel and was then elected as President of the National Honor Society.
He was a member of the newspaper and yearbook staffs and was a member of SADD, as well as the Quiz and Math Leagues. In addition, Imbrescia participated in the Spanish National Honor Society and was highly involved in the music department at Geibel. He is a member of the Drama Club, for which he had a lead role in the spring musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” He also sings in the Chamber Ensemble and Music Ministry, where he also served as pianist for every school function. This year, Imbrescia also joined the Geibel Aerospace Program and joined the track team.
Outside of school, Imbrescia enjoyed doing volunteer work. He volunteered for the Music Ministry Training Program, where he served as a mentor for many young children. He also volunteered at the Monessen Public Library by being in charge of their reading programs.
At his church, Imbrescia helped by being cantor and pianist at Mass every weekend. He also helped his dad at his local business, the Douglas Education Center, in Monessen. In his spare time, Imbrescia enjoyed taking voice and piano lessons.
Imbrescia has been honored by being selected as Fayette Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month and Connellsville Elks Student of the Month. He was also chosen to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference and the National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology.
The keynote speaker for the evening will be Dr. Denise Thomas Wilcox, a 1972 Geibel graduate.
Wilcox received her physical therapy degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1976. In 1981, Wilcox completed her doctoral thesis at West Virginia University, receiving her Ph.D. in neuroanatomy.
After a year of a research fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Wilcox taught in the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Scranton. She then decided to pursue her first love, optometry. In 1985, she received the degree of Doctor of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in Boston, Mass.
Wilcox and her family reside in Doylestown, Pa., where she practices optometry and physical therapy. She was appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania State Board of Optometry. She is currently the Pennsylvania delegate to the National Right to Life Committee, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation for 12 years.
Wilcox has been a Girl Scout Leader for 17 years, and coordinates the Girl Scout program at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. She also serves on the Parish Council at her church, Our Lady of Guadalupe.