21 teens to receive ‘Eagle of the Cross’ Award from Diocese of Youngstown

The office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has announced the 21 recipients of the 2024 Eagle of the Cross Award.

The award was created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) and introduced 25 years ago. It’s given each year to a group of extraordinary high school juniors and seniors who model the dedication, integrity, values and promise for Church and society.

The Most Rev. David J. Bonnar will present the awards at a ceremony at 6 p.m. April 30 at Saint Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. A reception will follow in Saint Columba Hall.

The names of each of the 21 award recipients follows:

County Category

Rylee Schor – Ashtabula County | Parish: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Geneva

Grace Burchfield - Mahoning County | Parish: St. Paul the Apostle, New Middletown

Cameron Ward - Mahoning County | Parish: St. Charles Borromeo, Boardman

Madelyn Fonagy - Trumbull County | Parish: St. Thomas the Apostle, Vienna

Kayla Haynie - Trumbull County | Parish: St. William, Champion

Thomas Pesa - Trumbull County | Parish: St. Patrick, Hubbard

Quinn Fogarty - Stark County | Parish: St. Paul, North Canton

Dominic Sheridan - Stark County | Parish: St. Michael the Archangel, Canton

Bernadette Severson - Stark County | Parish: St. Paul, North Canton

Catelyn Lieser - Portage County | Parish: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Aurora

Alexis Staats - Portage County | Parish: Pastorate of Sts. Joseph, Mogadore, and St. Peter of the Fields, Rootstown

Anya Catherine Michlberger - Portage County | Parish: St. Patrick, Kent

Andrew Beck - Columbiana County | Parish: St. Patrick, Leetonia

School Category

Dayna Hughes - Cardinal Mooney High School, Youngstown | Parish: Holy Family Parish, Poland

Isabella Bancroft - Ursuline High School, Youngstown | Parish: St. Patrick, Hubbard

John McNally - Ursuline High School, Youngstown | Parish: St. Dominic, Youngstown

Grace DiSalvatore - Saint John School, Ashtabula | Parish: Our Lady of Peace Parish, Ashtabula

Nick McClure - Saint John School, Ashtabula | Parish: Our Lady of Peace Parish, Ashtabula

Tim Short - Central Catholic High School, Canton | Parish: St. Paul, North Canton

Grace Tabellion - St Thomas Aquinas High School | Parish: St. Louis, Louisville

Ethan DeBernardi - John F. Kennedy Catholic School | Parish: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Warren