Bay View's Solomon beats the odds

Cranston Herald
June 17, 2010
All text by Jen Cowart

Last Monday night at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, St. Mary Academy Bay View graduated 142 women. This year, 26 graduates hailed from the city of Cranston, including Jenna Solomon, who ranked third in her class.


Since Bay View honors their top three graduating seniors with speaking roles during graduation week, Solomon was the featured speaker at their annual Parents Night event.

Solomon’s path to academic achievement had a unique beginning, one that she shared with her classmates during her speech.

“When I was 2 years old, my parents brought me to the doctor’s because I was not yet talking or walking. After conducting many tests on me, the doctors told us that I had a learning disability as a result of a neurological problem, and therefore, would never amount to much intellectually,” Solomon said.

As Solomon reflected on her academic achievements to date, she credited her parents with helping her to reach her goals, no matter what they were, beginning on the day of that terrifying diagnosis.

“Obviously no parent likes to hear such dire news, but fortunately I have parents who refused to accept this prediction for my future,” Solomon said.

Her parents placed her in an early intervention program and she began making unexpected progress.

“I was soon reading at the age of 3,” Solomon said. “Year after year, I continued to further prove the doctors wrong as I was put in top level classes at school.”

Solomon believes the struggles she had to endure early on in her life helped to prepare her for her future.

“It gives me a sense of security to know that I can make my future what I want it to be,” she said. “This experience has taught me to never let anyone stand in the way of your future.”

In her speech, Solomon thanked all of the parents and guardians from the graduating class for being there with the students every step of the way on their educational journey.

“Throughout our lives you have taught us all you can and have tried to shape us into mature ladies before we leave you,” she said. “Pretty soon we will be off to college and everything you have drilled in us will stay with us as we venture off on our separate ways.”

Solomon acknowledged the fact that many parents, including her own, may be struggling as the seniors are, with the prospect of the upcoming time to let their students go.

I know that it will be hard for all of you parents to let us go, but you have prepared us well, and I know my class and I are ready to face the real world. Thank you for being with us every step of the way and for your undying support and love,” Solomon said.

Bay View’s President Sister Elizabeth McAuliffe echoed Solomon’s sentiments during her graduation address at the ceremony by quoting the poet E.E. Cummings.

“To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting,” McAuliffe read aloud.

She recognized the choice Solomon’s parents and the parents of the rest of the class had made when choosing a Bay View education for their children adding, “Those who love you chose a Mercy education for you. They wanted you to find you, with all your many facets.”

McAuliffe challenged Solomon and her class as they move on to the next chapter in their lives.

“Great responsibility awaits you,” she said. “Our world awaits you; a world where women and children, in particular, are very vulnerable. Make a difference in their lives.”

Bay View valedictorian tells classmates it's time to 'leave comfort zone'

Warwick Beacon
June 17, 2010
Text by: Jennifer Cowart

Last Monday night at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, in Providence, St. Mary Academy, Bay View graduated 142 young women. This year, 24 graduates hailed from Warwick, including Ariana Santopietro, who ranked first in her class.


Santopietro addressed her class during the commencement ceremonies congratulating them on completing their four years at Bay View.

“The famous Beatles song begins, ‘There are places I’ll remember all my life, though some have changed, some forever, not for better, some have gone and some remain,’” Santopietro said. “Reflecting on the last four years at Bay View, we will have many of these same feelings,” she said.

Santopietro shared with the audience her understanding that although many of the students, like herself, had anticipated graduation day with excitement, there were still others who were dreading the day, as it meant being pushed out of their “ultimate comfort zone.”

“For my sister students feeling as I do, all I can do is offer my sincere congratulations. These last four years have been long and at times, such as the last month, they have felt as if they would never end. However, we made it through relatively in tact, and we have our entire futures ahead of us,” she said.

For students who are looking at the future with mixed emotions, Santopietro was reassuring.

“What I can offer you is the assurance that you are prepared to step forward in your lives. Bay View has prepared us in terms of both strong education and enduring relationships. I am confident that there is no group of women better than our class to take on the world,” she said, adding, “The uncertainty of the future may seem scary now, but it is this uncertainty, and the surprises that come with it that make life worth living.”

Bay View’s President Sister Elizabeth McAuliffe echoed Santopietro’s sentiments during her graduation address by quoting the poet E. E. Cummings.

“To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting,” McAuliffe read.

She recognized the choice Santopietro’s parents and the parents of the rest of the class made when choosing a Bay View education for their children. “Those who love you chose a Mercy education for you. They wanted you to find you, with all your many facets.”

Santopietro instilled her philosophy of life upon her sister graduates, saying, “I live by the saying that everything happens for a reason and I implore you to do the same. No matter what the future has in store, I am sure you will approach challenges with the same boldness and poise with which you have tackled problems over the past four years.”

McAuliffe challenged the graduates with the following words: “Great responsibility awaits you. Our world awaits you; a world where women and children, in particular, are very vulnerable. Make a difference in their lives.”

Santopietro reminded her fellow graduates that their graduation day was in fact, a turning point in their lives, whether for better or for worse.

“Today is about looking to the future, and looking towards what we will become after we leave this stage of our lives. As I look at my sister graduates, I no longer see individuals for who they were, but for who they will be: future business leaders, doctors, musicians, teachers and maybe even a president. The future is boundless for us.”

Bay View graduates from Warwick are:
Molly Alves *
Alexandra Baccari *
Amanda Blezard *
Adria Bonaccorsi !*
Maria Christianson *
Lindsay Coffey !*
Katherine Coutu *
Kayleigh Doherty !*
Kelly Harrop !*
Laura Hattoy
Megan Holmes !*
Elizabeth Jones *
So Youn Kweon !*
Hannah Lawson !*
Lauren Mancini
Cristina Marcello
Gina Marzilli
Allison Menard
Elizabeth Miller !*
Christine Nguyen !*
Katelyn Perlini !*
Erika Pistacchio *
Connielyn Ramos !*
Ariana Santopietro !*
Jordan Werner *

! represents National Honor Society
* represents Rhode Island Honor Society

Bay View takes a bite out of the 'Big Apple'

April 29, 2010

Cranston Herald, Warwick Beacon, Johnston Sunrise

All text and photos by: Jen Cowart

TAKE FIVE: Some of the Bay View Players take a break from rehearsing this year’s Cabaret performance, “Leading Ladies.” Pictured in the back row are Matthew Sullivan of Cranston and Billy Cavanagh of Warwick. Second row from left are Tyler Micheletti and Samuel Boadu Jr. of Johnston, John Dale Ritchie, Erika Pistacchio and Andrew Osmanski of Warwick and Christine Antonelli of Cranston. In the front from left are Adriana Lentrichia of Cranston, Victoria Kacprzak of West Warwick, Lauren Moore, Chandi Zeoli and Robert Prudhomme of Cranston and Mike Desmarais of Warwick.

Each spring, St. Mary’s Academy-Bay View attracts thousands of people to their annual Manhattan at the Bay weekend event. From theater shows and reunions, to street cafes and family festivals, Manhattan at the Bay has it all.


“If you've heard of this event and never come, or haven't been in years, this is the year,” said Warwick resident, Bethany Mascena-Tracy, director of Special Events and a Bay View alumna from the class of 1991.

Now in its 27th year, this year’s event begins on Thursday, April 29 with a 7 p.m. performance of “Leading Ladies.” The cabaret show is directed by an award-winning production team lead by Christine D. Kavanagh, and is performed by the Bay View Players.

The Players include young men and women from all over Rhode Island, including Cranston, Johnston and Warwick.

The eight gentlemen performers in the show hail from La Salle Academy, Bishop Hendricken High School and Cranston High School East. Some have been in the show in the past, but for others, like Tyler Micheletti, a junior at La Salle, it’s a brand new experience.

“I’ve seen it growing up and I really wanted to be a part of it,” Micheletti said. “I only regret not having done it sooner.”

This year’s batch of Players insist that this year’s production has something extra special about it.

“This year’s show has everything: great people, great songs, and great dancers,” said Chandi Zeoli of Cranston.

Senior Erika Pistacchio of Warwick plays Marilyn Monroe in the show. She says that this year’s show has a very different feel to it.

“It’s very inspiring for women and it’s a lively show and I think it’ll be the most well received show we’ve put on in a long time. Maybe I’m biased, but I love this year’s the best,” she said. “It will speak to people because it’s about working really hard, and how we all have to work in this world, especially now in these economic times.”

The show, which highlights the contributions of famous women in history, will run seven times throughout the Manhattan at the Bay weekend. Tickets range from $10 to $25 per person.

Last year, a brand new event was added to the weekend’s menu: Family Fun Day.

Held on Saturday, May 1 from 12 to 4 p.m., Family Fun Day features face painting, arts and crafts, a bounce house, food and more. It’s an affordable way to spend a day, with a cost of just $5 per child. Other vendors, such as Noah’s Ark stuffed animals will be available for a slight additional fee, but there are many activities that are included in the regular ticket price.

This year will add another new feature to the line-up with a Times Square venue, which Mascena-Tracey said, “will be hopping with an 80's and 90's dance party on Friday and Saturday night.”

As people stroll the “streets” of Manhattan at the Bay, they can sample fare from Rhode Island restaurants at city cafes set up along the way. There will be corned beef sandwiches from Flannagon’s Shannon View in Warwick at McAuley’s Irish Pub; chicken skewers from L’Attitude Modern Eatery in Cranston at the Tribeca International Café; sausage and peppers, chicken wings and baked macaroni from PJ’s Pub in Cranston at the Dug Out Sports Bar; as well as food from TGI Fridays, Outback Steak House, Edible Arrangements and 1149.

The weekend comes to an end with an alumnae mass and brunch on Sunday, May 2, when the awards are given out to two chosen alumnae who have distinguished themselves since their high school graduation.

“Walking around throughout the weekend, I often see groups of friends who are out for the evening together as well as people who have run into old friends, hugging and smiling,” said Mascena-Tracy. “Simply put, it's a great night out.”

Tickets are still available for all shows and events at the door or by logging onto www.manhattanatthebay.com.