The 2021 Canisius High School Higher Achievement Program wrapped up Friday, giving rising eighth graders from all over Western New York an experience to remember.

The four-week program concluded with an awards ceremony to recognize HAP participants' achievements in academics, athletics, and service.

Austin Xiao earned the Mr. HAP award, the program’s top prize.

“The Mr. HAP award is presented to the student who best exemplifies the qualities associated with Canisius High School and the Higher Achievement Program,” said Canisius HAP Director Mr. Tom Coppola ’01. “Mr. HAP shows an aptitude to grow and learn in the classroom and displays integrity and sportsmanship on the athletic field.  He is dependable and exhibits the desire to achieve what others think is unreasonable.  He is a genuine man for others.”

The Mr. HAP award also includes a $1000 scholarship to attend Canisius.

Participants spent their four weeks taking classes, in English, reading, and math, competing in team sports, and much more.

The Xavier Musketeers group took home the top overall team prize. Jack Eskridge won the Jack Lilley Sportsmanship Award, Brady Rakowski won the Pedro Arrupe Award for Service, and Patrick Cosgrove won the Spirit of HAP award.

Sports MVPs went to Luke Boryszak, Jeson Huff, Mitchell Masiello, Henry Smith, and Markos Kollidas.

English awards went to Ronan Cummings, Christopher Marsh, Shaun McCleary, Lucas Bonilla, Evan Mitskovski, Charles Pollock, Corbin Bryant, Anthony Pepe, Patrick Basil, and Zack Benczkowski.

Amir Hernandez-Huggins, Charles Delahunt, Clark Estrada, David Chiu, Aiden Falk, Logan Radloff, John Griffin, Gregory Taver Jr., John Duffet, and Amad Sheikh Omer earned the reading awards. Daniel McQueary, Dieudonne Byaombe, Brendan Copeland, Tyler Meredith, Taylor McGrath, Kyree Elliott, James Eskra, Robert Johnson III, Noah Cosgrove, and William Bowling won the math awards.