Sen. Barrasso to deliver JH Classical Academy commencement address

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Jackson Hole Classical Academy announced U.S. Senator John Barrasso will address the Class of 2022 as its commencement speaker.

The private K-12 school’s second high school graduation will take place on Friday, June 3, at 5pm at their campus located at 2500 South Park Loop Road in Jackson, with a private reception to follow.

Sarah M. Tallerico, JHCA’s sole graduate this year, is graduating with academic honors, earning a perfect score on her ACT. Tallerico has accepted a prestigious appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The Academy accepts only 9 percent of applicants per year, and appointment is equivalent to a full scholarship.

Tallerico received her official recommendation from Sen. Barrasso. Such a recommendation is among the first of many qualifications leading to acceptance into West Point.

“Sarah has shown she is highly motivated and possesses the strong leadership skills needed to succeed. It’s an honor to nominate her, and I am confident that if she is offered an appointment, she will represent the Cowboy State well,” Barrasso stated in a release late last year.

Dr. Mark Johnson, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army in Wyoming and Wyoming state coordinator on the West Point Field Force, will personally present Tallerico with her official appointment papers at the ceremony.

Upon graduating, Tallerico will move back to New York to begin Cadet Basic Training, described on the Academy’s website as a 6-week training course before a cadet’s first year, and referred to as the “Beast.” She plans to major in Life Science or Math, complete officer training, and go on to study medicine with the U.S. Army.

“I hope to become an orthopedic surgeon and serve my country as an officer in the Army,” Tallerico said.

Tallerico’s graduation will culminate the eleventh year of operations for Jackson Hole Classical Academy, a private, classical model school serving students in grades K-12, where the mission is focused on excellent academics and virtue development with small class sizes.

“My favorite part of being a JHCA student is the strong relationships my teachers and I have formed with each other. Our small classes allow each of my teachers to get to know me personally. I love being able to hold both academic and personal conversations with my mentors, because they truly care about me and offer true, virtuous, and always humorous insight,” Tallerico said.

Head of school Polly Friess added, “Sarah has displayed exceptional maturity and independence throughout her time at JH Classical Academy. She embodies our mission of cultivating wisdom and virtue in students so they may discover and fulfill their God-given potential. I am so proud of Sarah and have no doubt that she will be a positive contributor to a flourishing and free society.”