Editor’s note: The Diocese of Palm Beach honors its Catholic high school graduates, particularly the valedictorians, with senior spotlights. In the second of three articles shining a light on excellence in Catholic education, the Florida Catholic spoke with the top graduates at John Carroll High School.
FORT PIERCE | Instead of naming one valedictorian and one salutatorian, John Carroll High School has adopted a Latin distinction honors system that reflects the academic recognition practices of many colleges and universities. With the summa cum laude designation, John Carroll honors all graduates who have achieved the highest level of excellence.
Principal Michael Bryk explained how eight 2026 graduates were named as JCHS valedictorians.
“Rather than reducing four years of hard work to small differences in GPA, this system celebrates a broader group of students who have demonstrated exceptional academic commitment, consistency and perseverance,” he said. “It also encourages a healthier sense of academic pursuit by recognizing excellence without creating unnecessary competition among students who have all performed at an extremely high level.”
To earn the title of valedictorian, students must be enrolled at John Carroll for three consecutive years and earn the summa cum laude distinction, Bryk said. “Students participating in full-time dual enrollment at Indian River State College are not eligible for these designations because their academic experience and grading structure differ from the traditional JCHS program,” he added.
“All valedictorians then have the opportunity to participate in the commencement speaker selection process and earn the honor of delivering one of two graduation speeches,” Bryk said.
John Carroll’s 2026 valedictorians are Ruby Annen, daughter of Michael and Lauren Annen; Grace Avril, daughter of Jake and Johanna Avril; Kali Clive, daughter of Corey and Katie Clive; Blake Ellwood, son of Eric and Heather Ellwood; Addison Fromang, daughter of Graves Fromang and Sue Ellen Guettler; Colton Perrone, son of John and Leslie Perrone; Nicole Resende, daughter of Jose Resende and Karola Garcia; and Malory Vaudrin, daughter of Adam Vaudrin and Katy Simard.
The Florida Catholic emailed questions to each of the top graduates about their high school highlights, impactful teachers, thoughts on Catholic education, advice to freshmen, and college and career plans. Here are their edited responses:
Ruby Annen
Her top teachers include Rebecca Dempsey, Beau Roberts and Melissa Dahne. “All of them are so passionate about teaching and genuinely care about the well-being of their students,” she said. “They have helped me so much over the past four years, both inside the classroom and out, offering advice, providing encouragement and sharing their knowledge to guide me.”
Annen, who is heading to the University of Florida to major in biomedical engineering, advised “incoming freshmen to not use AI to cheat because the skills you build doing assignments and writing essays will not only help you pass tests but also help you in your day-to-day life and in the future.”
Grace Avril
Avril, who will attend the University of Miami, majoring in neuroscience, said she is most proud of how she has grown in her faith, leadership skills and friendships at John Carroll.
“All my teachers have had a great impact on me, and I am very grateful for them, but I want to give a special shoutout to Mrs. (Retta) Kittrell for being the best yearbook advisor ever.” she said. “I am very blessed to have had a Catholic education. It has taught me how to incorporate my faith into my daily life, and it taught me important life skills like respect, confidence and kindness.”
Kali Clive
Being a Catholic school student for 11 years, Clive said, “has taught me to root all I do in Christ, and I believe it is because of this value that I am where I am today.” In the fall, she will be at the University of Tennessee seeking a major in sports management and law, working toward a career as a sports agent.
“John Carroll not only teaches a curriculum, but teaches students how to become well-rounded people, so I am proud to see how my classmates and I have grown,” she said. Her advice to freshmen is to “take it all in. There will be good and there will be bad, but always remember how blessed you are. Experience everything you can while you can because high school goes by faster than you know it.”
Blake Ellwood
Heading to his “dream college,” Florida State University, on a pre-med track hoping to become a neurosurgeon “after a lot of college,” Ellwood said, “Going to a Catholic school has helped me continue to stay connected in my faith. It showed me that I am not alone in my beliefs in this world. There are kids my age who believe in the same things and go through the same trials. Overall, I think it helps unite our community as a whole.”
Science teacher Beau Roberts was a major influence, he said. “He didn’t just teach chemistry and marine biology; he taught important life lessons and relevant information about Florida’s ecosystem. Rather than most teachers, who are just trying to teach the material, Mr. Roberts goes into depth about what we’re learning and prides himself on making sure his students are knowledgeable outside of the classroom.”
Addison Fromang
Fromang said she is proud of pushing herself to excel, hold leadership roles in clubs, play sports and create “the graphic for our senior shirt. I strived to say yes to opportunities, help others and give back to my school community.” She plans to take her skills to the University of Florida while majoring in business.
Besides learning about the Catholic faith at John Carroll, Fromang said, “There was something about experiencing and living out my faith alongside friends that truly fueled my relationship with the Lord. I believe you can’t walk your faith journey alone, so having other people to support you, to listen to you and reveal God’s greatness is truly a blessing.”
Colton Perrone
Perrone, who will head in the fall to Florida Atlantic University’s Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter to study marine biology, gave special thanks to teachers Beau Roberts and Retta Kittrell. “I had Mrs. Kittrell for AP Environmental Science, and in this class her passionate and kind demeanor helped me to foster a deep love for the environment, which has made me interested in majoring within biology,” he said.
His advice to freshmen is a little different from his fellow valedictorians, suggesting they take the ACT and SAT exams multiple times to make their college applications more competitive. He also urged underclassmen “to try to limit procrastination in completing schoolwork as well as in completing service hours to graduate. This will prevent work from piling up and making completing it all in a short time period harder than it was initially.”
Nicole Resende
Resende said she is proud of pushing herself to improve in high school, and is “especially proud of my years in yearbook club and the role I’ve had in making such amazing books with even more amazing memories.”
Planning to attend the University of Central Florida, though undecided on a major, she expressed appreciation for teachers Retta Kittrell, Maria Boylan and Cyndee Shevak and the opportunity to attend a Catholic school. “It has made a difference in my life because it has helped me grow stronger in my faith,” she said. “It has allowed me to express my love for God in an encouraging environment and has given me a community to be a part of.”
Malory Vaudrin
Vaudrin is most pleased with the growth of her Catholic faith at John Carroll. “I first came to John Carroll not believing in God, and now I have recently been confirmed, which shows how much I have grown personally and spiritually. That journey, along with the values and sense of purpose I have gained, has been the most meaningful part of my years at John Carroll,” she said.
On track to study business management at the University of Central Florida, her goal is to become a sports agent for hockey players. She suggests that future students take every class seriously and step outside their comfort zone, adding, “High school goes by fast, so work hard, enjoy the moments, and do not be afraid to ask for help along the way.”
For more information on John Carroll High School, visit www.JohnCarrollHigh.com, call 772-464-5200 or visit pages on Facebook, Instagram and X.
This article was first published on thefloridacatholic.org
