ATTLEBORO, MA - Bishop Feehan High School proudly announces its top-ranked students in the Class of 2021, who have excelled inside and outside the classroom during their four years on the school’s Holcott Drive campus.
These ten soon-to-be graduates rank the highest among a class of 257. The Class of 2021 will be the 57th to graduate from Feehan and will be another class with 100% of graduates accepted into one or more four-year colleges or universities.
The Top Ten students (alphabetically) are: Jason Bisciotti (Mansfield, MA), Rachel Costello (Mansfield, MA), Anna Jones (North Attleboro, MA), Lindsey Moskal (Wrentham, MA), Brianna Murphy (Wrentham, MA), Michele Schremp (Attleboro, MA), Abigail Smith (Attleboro, MA), Seamus Sutula (North Attleboro, MA), Ellia Sweeney (Cranston, RI), Mary Woods (Norton, MA).
In addition, the top three students (in order and with profiles below) are: Valedictorian Ellia Sweeney (Cranston, RI); Salutatorian Mary Woods (Norton, MA); Tree Dedicator (third in class) Brianna Murphy (Wrentham, MA).
“Our Class of 2021 has had a Feehan experience unlike that of any previous class, and we couldn’t be more proud of how they’ve handled the challenges they’ve faced,” said Bishop Feehan President, Tim Sullivan ‘87. “Our top academic students and the entire class have been resilient and positive, even as they were forced to sacrifice so many traditions. More importantly, they’ve remained connected to each other, their teachers and our school, despite those connections being more difficult to maintain than ever before. These exceptional young women and men deserve every good thing that we know is coming their way in the future.”
Valedictorian
Ellia Sweeney is the daughter of Mr. George Sweeney and Dr. Lynn Sweeney of Cranston, Rhode Island. Ellia and her family are members of Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston, Rhode Island where she serves as a Youth Ministry Team Leader.
School and community are two things very dear to Ellia’s heart. She has been involved in activities, clubs, athletics and volunteer opportunities all while earning top grades each year. Academically, Ellia has excelled in the most rigorous courses offered, her schedule is filled with our highest honor and advancement placement level classes. Last fall, Ellia was selected to speak at the Massachusetts Junior Academy of Science Symposium at MIT, she was also a finalist at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Ellia genuinely loves learning for the sake of learning, and studies various topics independently.
Ellia is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the History, English, Latin, Mathematics, Science, and Spanish Honor Societies. She has been an asset to the Mock Trial Team throughout her time at Bishop Feehan. In addition she is active in the Saint Vincent dePaul Club, Students Demand Action, and the Math Team. Ellia is a talented rower and is a member of the Narragansett Boat Club.
In addition to her academic achievements, Ellia is an extremely sincere and genuine young woman. During what was a very challenging year, Ellia took to printing 3D shields and mask parts for medical personnel on the front lines. Ellia will offer a kind smile to a nervous freshman, never let a student eat lunch alone and encourage her peers while being their biggest cheerleader.
Ellia is thrilled to be attending Brown University's Program in Liberal Medical Education.
Salutatorian
Mary Woods is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy and Rayanne Woods of Norton, Massachusetts. The Woods family are members of St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
Mary is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the English, French, Mathematics, Science, Spanish, and Social Studies Honor Societies. Mary’s hard work has been recognized with many accolades and awards throughout her time at Feehan. As a student taking two languages, Mary earned the Bronze Medal for both the National Spanish Exam and the National French Exam. She was awarded 2nd place at the Regional Science Fair in 2019 for her project on the efficiency of pulley systems and won the Society of Safe Engineers Award at that same fair. She placed 3rd at the Regional Science Fair the previous year. In 2020 Mary was named as a Commended PSAT student. Over the Summer of 2019, Mary enrolled in a semester's worth of college courses at Georgetown University where she participated in debates and visited the US State Department and the Embassy of Saudi Arabia.
Writing and literature are two of Mary’s passions. She is very involved with Bishop Feehan’s Literary Magazine, serving as editor this year and is a member of a small writing group outside of school. She is an active fencer, both on Bishop Feehan’s fencing team, as well as the Ocean State Fencing Club. Mary is very involved with our theatre program, acting as a side head since her freshman year and then as an assistant set head as a junior. She is a humble yet natural leader.
Mary will be attending Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland where she will pursue her studies in international relations.
Tree Dedicator (Third-Ranked Student)
Brianna Murphy is the daughter of Dr. Craig Murphy and Dr. Tracey Murphy of Wrentham, MA and a member of St. Mary’s Parish.
Brianna has been enrolled in the most rigorous curriculum offered at Bishop Feehan since the beginning of her freshman year. Complementing a full Honors 1 curriculum, Brianna is an AP Capstone Diploma Candidate and has taken a total of seven Advanced Placement courses as an upperclassman. In addition to being a member of the National Honor Society, Brianna has also earned induction into the English, Math, Science, History and Spanish National Honor Societies. During her freshman and sophomore years, respectively, she earned both a Gold and Bronze Medal on the National Spanish Exam. As a junior, Brianna was the recipient of the Villanova University Book Award.
Outside of the classroom, Brianna has been a member of both the cross country and lacrosse teams for all four years at Feehan. She is a varsity letter winner in lacrosse and currently serves as a team captain. Having been involved in campus ministry since her freshman year, she was selected as a Campus Ministry Student Associate leading into her junior year. Within St. Mary’s Parish, she has served as a CCD teacher. Both within our school and the greater community, Brianna has also volunteered as a peer tutor in mathematics. During the summer months, she takes on a high level of responsibility in her job as a lifeguard at the Adirondack Club in Franklin.
In the fall, Brianna will be attending the University of Virginia where she will pursue a degree in Biology.
Bishop Feehan Class of 2021 Top 10
Front Row: Rachel Costello (Mansfield, MA), Brianna Murphy (Mansfield, MA), Abigail Smith (Attleboro, MA), Mary Woods (Norton, MA), Lindsey Moskal (Mansfield, MA);
Back Row: Principal Sean Kane, Anna Jones (North Attleboro, MA), Jason Bisciotti (Mansfield, MA), Ellia Sweeney (Cranston, RI), Seamus Sutula (North Attleboro, MA), Michele Schremp (Mansfield, MA), President Tim Sullivan ‘87