21 Teens to be Honored at 2021 Eagle of the Cross Awards
The recipients of the 2021 Eagle of the Cross Award have been announced.
The Eagle of the Cross, created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) and introduced to the diocese in 1999, is given each year to a group of extraordinary high school upperclassmen who model the dedication, integrity, values and promise for Church and society.
The award is presented to teens in the six counties of the Diocese of Youngstown who model Christian discipleship and exemplify the qualities of moral integrity, prayer, good works and Christian leadership in their school and parish communities.
While a limited number of recipients are chosen for the Eagle of the Cross Award, they represent many admirable young people around the diocese.
This year's twenty-one recipients were chosen from 51 nominations that highlighted parish, school, and community youth involvement.
Following Ohio Department of Health guidelines, an Evening Prayer and Awards Presentation will be held by invitation only on April 14.
However, interested parties can watch the St. Columba Cathedral Live-streaming starting at 7:00 p.m. online here.
2021 Eagle of the Cross Award Recipients:
Name Grade High School Parish/City
Recipients demonstrating outstanding involvement in the parish and larger community:
Columbiana County:
Victoria Flores 12 Columbiana Holy Trinity
Emmanuel Hiestand 12 United Local St. Jude
Grace Witmer 12 Columbiana St. Jude
Mahoning County:
Aaron Ferguson 12 Canfield St. Michael
Alannah Marie Hetzel 12 Boardman Christ Our Savior
Justin David McLemore 12 Springfield Local St. Paul the Apostle
Portage County:
Brooklyn Duguay 12 Aurora Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Stark County:
Anthony Joseph Jones 12 Perry St. Joseph, Massillon
Reagan Phillips 12 Hoover Little Flower
Aja N. Shriver 12 St. Thomas Aquinas Regina Coeli
Trumbull County:
Lena Dunkerly 12 Hubbard St. Patrick, Hubbard
Giovanni R. Mileto 12 Hubbard St. Patrick, Hubbard
Patrick Michael Joseph Wilson 12 Ursuline St. Stephen, Niles
Recipients demonstrating outstanding involvement in a diocesan Catholic school:
Name Grade Parish/City
Canton Central Catholic High School: (Stark County)
Blake Abbott 12 St. Mary, Massillon
Barrett Christopher Scheatzle 12 St. Michael the Archangel
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School: (Mahoning County)
Steven Hiner 12 Holy Family
Anna Hughes 12 Holy Family
Recipients demonstrating outstanding involvement in a diocesan Catholic school (continued):
Saint John Catholic High School: (Ashtabula County)
Morgan Anderson 12 Our Lady of Peace
David J. DiSalvatore 12 Our Lady of Peace
Ursuline Catholic High School: (Mahoning County)
Megan Brockway 12 Holy Family
Nikolas Hackett 12 St. Rose
