VASJ's student leaders recognized at pinning ceremony

“Leadership is a really, really important thing,” says VASJ Campus Minister Jill Latkovich.

For that reason, VASJ brings the school’s student leaders together before the official start of the school year for a leadership pinning ceremony.

As VASJ’s enrollment continues to grow (this year’s enrollment is the highest it has been in years), so does the number of student leaders.

This was the fifth year of the leadership pinning tradition and with nearly 150 student leaders being presented with a pin, it was the largest group to date.

VASJ's Founders Chapel was standing-room only as nearly 150 student leaders gathered for their pinning ceremony. 

The student leadership pinning ceremony is a way to not only congratulate and honor the students for their leadership positions but also to emphasize the great amount of power that comes with being a student leader.

“As the student leaders, you have a tremendous amount of power,” says VASJ President Richard Osborne ’69. “You command respect just by virtue of who you are and what you do.”

And as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility.

“As leaders, you will be faced with difficult decisions -– every leader is,” says VASJ Principal David Csank . “What we are charging you with is to make the right decisions. We believe in you. You would not be sitting here right now if we didn’t.”

Each student was called by name and presented with a pin displaying a cross, an anchor and a heart to represent faith, hope and charity.

VASJ senior Olivia Vidmar, Student Ambassador and President of National Honor Society, receives her leadership pin. 

Student leaders are asked to wear the pin as a reminder of their commitment to serving as leaders in VASJ by membership in National Honor Society, Student Council, Peer Ministry, Student Ambassadors. LIFE, Kairos and athletic team captains.

Osborne thanked the student leaders for their role in making the school such a wonderful place.

“You are the reason that our school is the great school that it is.”

VASJ Math Chair and Student Council Moderator Mr. Gary Minadeo '74 presents senior Joe Martin, Student Ambassador
and Student Council Treasurer, with his leadership pin as classmate John Henry Posey looks on.