Bethlehem Catholic HS seniors donned their caps and gowns and marched triumphantly through the school's auditorium to "Pomp and Circumstance" to collect their diplomas at the June 6 commencement ceremony.

Bethlehem Catholic HS boasts a small and tight class of 2014. Four years of dedication to both their education and their Catholic faith led up to Thursday night's graduation ceremony as seniors reminisced about their years at "Becahi" and looked forward to their future.

Valedictorian Jonathan Neupauer recalled the many memories that made the senior class' s years at Bethlehem Catholic special during his commencement speech; memories that included tailgating, in-school retreats and the senior lock-in. He thanked teachers and parents for their guidance and urged his classmates to learn from their mistakes, to follow their dreams, and to continue to trust in their faith in a world that is becoming more and more secular.

To end his speech, Neupauer quoted Theodore Roosevelt: "Believe you can and you are halfway there."

Neupauer, a Bethlehem resident who will attend the University of Notre Dame for engineering in the fall, spoke to the Bethlehem Press about his feelings upon graduating from Bethlehem Catholic. "I'm so excited," he said. "I'm looking forward to doing new things."

Despite his excitement, Neupauer will miss his years at Bethlehem Catholic.

"This group of people is almost like a family," he said.

Principal John Petruzzelli encouraged the graduating seniors to "focus on going out and creating a masterpiece" during his commencement address. He urged each student to use his/her talents and get together with other people to do great things, just as they had done during the past four years as students at Bethlehem Catholic.

"This is a bittersweet ceremony for me," said Petruzzelli a few moments before entering the auditorium for graduation. "This was my first freshman class. They have been an exceptional class. I'm excited for them to start a new chapter in their lives, but I am sad to see them go."

More coverage the Bethlehem Catholic's 2014 graduation will appear in our special June 25 supplement.