By Bonny Van
The Catholic Commentator
Early on the morning of Sept. 19, the campus of St. John School in Plaquemine was just beginning to buzz with activity from cars filled with teens pulling up to park on one side of campus, to carpool lines of parents dropping off younger students in another area.
Father Gregory Daigle, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Plaquemine, gives blessings to St. John School first-grader Reid Migliacio and his buddy, high school senior Peter Anderson, after they brought up the gifts during a special homecoming week Mass at St. Clement Chapel. The two students are participating in the senior-first-grade buddy program at the school. Photo by Bonny
Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge first-grade teacher Amy Pickenheim gets assistance from her puppet, Ms. J. Kelly, to explain the importance of punctuation to first-graders William Boudreaux and Madison Johnson, while classmate Addison Massey looks on. Photo provided by Lisa Cossè | Sacred Heart School
St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge students Tanner Pike, 10th-grade and Conner Pike, ninth grade, received the Ad Altere De, one of the highest religious emblems awards a Boy Scout can earn. Pictured with Bishop Michael G. Duca are Pike, left, Matthew Johnson and Pike, with their sponsor, Olga Johnson. Photo provided by Leighann King | SMHS
Several seventh-grade students at St. Jean Vianney School in Baton Rouge qualified to participate in the highly selective Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP). The students scored at the 95th national percentile or higher on their standardized testing and can take the ACT or SAT as a seventh-grader. Those students who qualified, from left, are Cole Mogharrebi, Kaylen Teno, Elise Cormier, Jeanne Warren, Lily Zeringue, Audrey Hair, Henry Breeden and Lizzy Brumfield. </span id=”1″>Photo provided by Eliska Dumas | St. Jean Vianney
Staff report
Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School is still seeking 18 jobs to allow students to report to work in September in conjunction with the school’s unique corporate work program.
The money earned by the students pays their tuition. Through the corporate work program, students rotate their schedule with each of them working five full days a month.
“There is little variance or gap in what is delivered each day, despite rotating students, which we all find amazing,” said Stephen Waguespack, CEO and president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
A serenity that often accompanies a leisurely outing in a southeast Louisiana swamp was abruptly interrupted when a snake suddenly appeared on the side of the canoe in which Kathleen Helms was paddling.
The snake did not sliver its way into the canoe, but seeing a snake for the first time certainly left its mark on the Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School junior. Helms, seeing a live snake for the first time, admitted she was too busy trying to get away for fear to set in.
But the experience
Students at Holy Ghost Catholic School in Baton Rouge returned to their first full day of school on Aug. 9. During morning assembly, Father Cayet Mangiaracina OP said a special prayer and blessed the students and their backpacks. First grader-Avery Gay, bows her head and raises her hand in blessing of the new school year. Photo provided by Cindy Wagner | Holy Ghost Catholic School
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Sleepy teens from St. John the Baptist Church in Brusly boarded a bus around 6:45 a.m. on July 14 for the almost 2-hour drive to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, considered “the end of the road,” both geographically as well as the end of the lives for a majority of the inmates housed there.
Confirmation candidates at St. John the Baptist Church in Brusly take a photo before boarding the bus
Students at Catholic Elementary of Pointe Coupee in New Roads will have more opportunities this school year to join new clubs including drama, choir, STEM, art and book club. “If a group of students have a particular interest, we encourage them to form a club,” says principal Jason Chauvin. “CESPC is their school, we simply work for them.” Photo provided by Megan Girlinghouse | Catholic Elementary
Father Cleo Milano, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy School in Baton Rouge, greets students and their families on the first day of school on Aug. 9. Students in grades 3Y through first grade will be attending classes in the new 30,000 square foot Lower School building. Photo by Bonny Van | The Catholic Commentator
Eighth-grade students at St. Jean Vianney School in Baton Rouge participated in the Youth Legislature Program, a two-day mock legislative session. The students signed one bill, “Don’t Take Away Recess,” into law. Pictured in front of the Old Capitol, from top left, Alivia Montgomery, Henlee Hoffer, Lindsey Hunt, LeDamian Dixon, Lauren Reddinger, Madison Heath, Tara Ngo, Ryleigh Williams, Alyssa LeBlanc, Tyler Womack, Mary Kate Preston, Windsor Verret, Sophia Jatho, Joe Kayuha, Lake Mashburn, Michelle Nguyen, Sophie Huffine, Haley Quigley, Matthew Freeman, Gillian LeFleur, Camille Morrison, Julia Clark, Sophia Fontenot, Natalee Chalee, Emerson
First-grade students at Holy Ghost School in Hammond created colorful birds using line and pattern in Jenny Brown’s art class. Pictured, from left, back row, Jaden Freeman, Tripp McGibboney, Wesley Hastings, Collie Sledge, Landon Nash and Jake Hoover; front row, Shane Lindsay, Hugh Taylor, Alex Scott, Andrew Pellichino and Brantley Hines. Photo provided by Cindy Wagner | Holy Ghost School
Students at St. John Primary School in Gonzales stand in line to present their flowers for the May Crowning of Mary on Friday, May 4. Photo provided by Teresa Landry | St. John Primary School
Students at St. Peter Chanel School in Paulina were challenged to find ways to spread kindness. Twin kindergartners, Eva and Liza Kliebert, passed out hand-painted wooden crosses to give to SPC teachers and staff. Included with the Kindness Cross was a beautiful hand-written card saying, “Keep it for a day or two, then pass it on to someone new. If we spread kindness everywhere, there’s more love that’s in the air.” Pictured, from left, are Liza Kliebert, cafeteria manager Kristie Fredric and Eva Kliebert. Photo provided by Paula Poche | St. Peter
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Bedding sets, mini fridges, microwaves, cleaning supplies, snacks, utensils, message board, computers and even stuffed animals are on the checklist for many recent high school graduates to pack for college. Add to that digital and printed reference materials and it seems they are ready for a fun, successful journey at college.
Ascension Catholic High School graduates, from left, Whitney, Victoria and Catherine Eure are among the Catholic high school students who will bring the tools to help them thrive spiritually in college. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The
Several local veterans visited Holy Ghost School in Hammond on Oct. 3. They spoke to the school’s junior high students, sharing stories about their military experience. The veterans also answered questions from the students. Many of the seventh- and eighth-graders in attendance wanted to know what it would be like to serve their country. At the end of the visit, the veterans presented a new flag to the school. Accepting the gift is Melissa Bordelon, third from left, a teacher at the school. Also pictured
The Catholic Commentator
Samee McDaniel’s eyes didn’t twinkle in anticipation of the presents she would receive for her seventh birthday party. Instead, they surveyed what she had. Deciding, “I’m good,” her eyes lit up with joy when she was able to give rather than receive at her party through helping homeless women and children.
Samee McDaniel used the sewing machine she received from her grandmother to make blankets for the
The Catholic Commentator
Derrick Gant and his two sons, A’Niaje and Chanse, emerged from a red truck and smiled broadly as they walked through a parting crowd in a red-carpet like treatment to take ownership of the Habitat for Humanity home on Mississippi Street in Baton Rouge built for them by Catholic High School students Jan. 23.
Derrick Gant walks through the
Court Regina Coeli #2063, Baton Rouge, instituted a new Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court
The August service project for
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Girl Scouts
GOD IS LOVE
Troop
The St. Michael Jazz Combo from St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge performed at
