Holy Cross Seniors Named National Merit Finalists

NEW ORLEANS—Two Holy Cross School seniors have been named Finalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program.

John Accardo, son of Thomas and Donna Accardo, and Blake Baldassaro, son of Lance and Jenny Baldassaro, have both been named National Merit Finalists. These academically talented high school seniors have met all the requirements to now be considered for one of 7,500 National Merit Scholarships to be offered in 2018. In addition, these two students have earned a full tuition scholarship for their senior year at Holy Cross School as part of the school’s National Merit Award program.

Accardo plans to attend the University of Alabama in Hunstville and will major in aerospace engineering. He says that his Holy Cross education “is an opportunity for me to better myself as an individual and to prepare myself to be an educated and responsible member of society.”

Baldassaro plans to attend Louisiana State University and will major in chemical engineering. “Holy Cross, for me, means achieving excellence of the mind, body and soul, and sharing this excellence with my classmates and brothers,” says Baldassaro.

“We are extremely proud of these students and their academic accomplishments. They have demonstrated that they are true Holy Cross men, both inside and outside the classroom, and we wish them continued success throughout their senior year and beyond,” said Dr. Joseph Murry, high school principal of Holy Cross School.

About Holy Cross School

Holy Cross School is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school founded in 1849 by the Congregation of Holy Cross School to educate young men from metropolitan New Orleans. Serving students grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12, Holy Cross School is fully accredited by the Louisiana State Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and holds memberships in the National Catholic Educational Association, the National Middle School Association and the National High School Association. A Holy Cross School education engages the whole man – mind and heart, body and soul – and is rooted in the teachings of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. For more information about Holy Cross School visit www.holycrosstigers.com or call 504.942.3100.