About 400 Trinity students and their families gathered to celebrate academic success with a meal and accompanying awards ceremony.The annual Shamrock Awards Luncheon was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Galt House East Hotel. Following lunch, Mr. Craig Kissel, a 1969 graduate, delivered the keynote address. The primary focus of his talk was the pursuit of success in life. “Don’t be tempted by the easiest path,” Kissel said. “Choose wisely. Go to the best college you can get into, and pursue a degree in something that will enhance your employment value.” Kissel, a Naval Academy graduate who has served in a variety of high-level positions in corporate America over the last three decades, most recently as the president of Trane Commercial Systems, also emphasized the importance of following one’s passion and the avenues education opens up for that purpose. “If you’re going to be working, you might as well find something you like to do and enjoy yourself,” he said. On his Trinity education, Kissel said, “It’s a great education. I talk about my high school experience all the time and none of my friends do. It is just so unique.” After Kissel had finished his talk, the awards part of the afternoon began. The first to be honored were the Steinhauser Scholars. The scholarship, named after Monsignor Alfred Steinhauser, the school founder, is given annually to those with the top 20 scores on the high school placement test. Next was the induction of new members into the National Honor Society, of which there were 74. Beta Club inductions followed, with 55 new students joining the organization. The presentation of the Shamrock Awards followed. The Shamrock Award is given to students who place on the honor roll for all four quarters of a school year and who have maintained an overall average of 80 percent or above for each semester in each class. The award itself is a chenille shamrock and was intentionally designed to look like a varsity sports letter to emphasize the importance of academics. “Monsignor Steinhauser wanted academics to be at least on the same level aesthetically as athletics, and this is still a unique idea,” school President Dr. Rob Mullen said. This year 317 students were honored with either their first, second, or third Shamrock Award. “It’s great to see guys earn recognition for all their hard work,” dean of studies Mrs. Jennifer Browning said. “So much has been given to you: wonderful parents, freedom and liberty, and a Trinity education,” Mullen told the students, “and your presence here today signifies that you have taken advantage of all those things.” The Shamrock Awards Luncheon is held every year as the opening event of Pride Week—the week in that leads up to the annual Trinity-St. Xavier football game. The celebration of academics is especially appropriate given that the week is devoted mostly to athletics. “No matter what we do outside the school, the classroom comes first,” Browning said. “We are just as proud of our students as we are of our athletes.” Mullen agreed, saying, “This week is about pride, and that is more than just athletic contests. We have so much to be proud about here at Trinity, especially our students.” How important is the recognition to students? “Many times students are not rewarded for hard work,” senior Patrick Brennan, a three-time Shamrock Award recipient, said. “It’s nice to be recognized.” Two-time Shamrock Award recipient Kirby Fiscus agreed. “It’s hard work, staying on top of all your homework and tests,” Fiscus said, “but then you have an awards ceremony where your effort is recognized, and that motivates you to be a good student.” What sets “good students” apart from the general student population? “A good student,” Browning said, “is one who makes school his first priority. It would be easy on a Sunday afternoon to go hang out with friends, but a good student does homework instead, whether he wants to or not.” “Sometimes in life you are going to be challenged,” Kissel said in an interview after the awards were handed out. “That is why putting in the work required is so important. A good student does that.” One of the unique aspects about a Trinity education is that a “good student” in not necessarily one who has all A’s. “A good student should have grades that reflect the best of his abilities,” Brennan said. “If that’s an A, then that’s great, but if it’s a B or C, then that’s okay too, as long as the effort is there.” Said Browning: “The great thing about Trinity is that we have the LOD’s (Levels of Difficulty) so that there are benchmarks for students who might not have the ability of an Advanced Program kid but who still work hard.” To conclude the afternoon, Mullen spoke briefly to the assembly. His overriding message to students was to persevere. “It’s hard work, but don’t give up,” he said. “The things you work at usually end up being the most satisfying once you succeed at them.” “I look around this room,” Kissel said, “and I see a lot of success.”