Pride Week 2009 officially began on Sunday, Sept. 27, with the annual Shamrock Awards Luncheon at the Galt House.  Students at the event were lauded for their academic achievements from the previous year and encouraged to continue work of the highest caliber.
The keynote speaker was Mr. Ric Cusick, Class of 1961, director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.  He encouraged students to stick to working hard and achieving academic success.  “Do not avoid difficulty,” he said to the students.  “You won’t be great at everything, but you will learn your strengths.”  He also asked the students to become what the 21st century needs most: educated, thinking men of principle.
Students at the luncheon received Shamrock Awards, were honored for being Steinhauser Scholars or for their induction into the National Beta Club or National Honor Society.  Four students were also recognized at the end of the luncheon for being National Merit Semifinalists.
“It feels great to receive something for all the hard work I put in junior year,” senior Mike Jacobsen said.  “My favorite part of the event was sitting and talking with friends, though the food was really good, too.”
Trinity President Dr. Rob Mullen closed out the event with praise for THS first principal Monsignor Alfred Steinhauser’s vision of academic excellence that is the basis of the awards ceremony.  He also commented on the fact that the Galt House’s Archibald/Cochran Ballroom was becoming too small to host the event, due to the increasing number of students receiving awards each year.
“I think it’s very important that we take time out of the school year to recognize academic achievement,” Trinity teacher Mr. Paul Vale said. “There should be an award for academia and it should go across the spectrum.”