Gracie Tillinghast, was nominated by her grandmother, Ellen Schulte, for being an incredible role model who is always looking to help others, from her family members to her peers at BK, and throughout the community. 

At Bishop Kearney, Gracie is a dedicated member of the soccer and track teams and serves as President of Bishop Kearney's Best Buddies club, which promotes inclusion and friendship between students with and without developmental disabilities. Gracie not only coordinates but actively participates in meaningful social events with her Buddies. Some of the activities Gracie has helped organize for her Buddies this year are, pumpkin painting, cookie decorating during Christmas time, and participating in the regional Best Buddies Walk! 

Gracie is also a member of Bishop Kearney's National Honor Society and our House Leadership team, where she serves as House Bayern's Prefect. Senior service projects are a cherished tradition at Bishop Kearney, each project making a lasting impact on the broader community. For her senior project, Gracie organized a book drive, collecting 240 books that were donated to Golisano Children's Hospital during the Christmas season - a gift that will continue to bring joy well beyond the holidays. 

This recognition from the Rochester Police Department is truly well deserved. Gracie embodies the Bishop Kearney motto, Do All Things Well, in every aspect of her involvement. In addition to her many leadership roles, she volunteers after school as a tutor with the Notre Dame Learning Center, providing academic and social support to students from a variety of local elementary schools. 

As if her dedication to service and extracurricular involvement were not impressive enough, Gracie also maintains a 100.7 GPA at Bishop Kearney! The BK community could not be more proud of Gracie and the exceptional role model she continues to be. Congratulations Gracie on this remarkable and well-earned accomplishment.