Kindergartners at St. Jean Vianney School in Baton Rouge dressed as centenarians to celebrate the 100th day of school. Photo provided by Abby King | St. Jean Vianney
Justin Rivet, a senior at St. John School in Plaquemine, received the Warrick Dunn Award for his performance this football season. Dunn, a graduate of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, played in the NFL for several years. Rivet received his plaque at the annual banquet on Jan. 15. Photo provided by April Hedges | St. John School
Students at Holy Ghost School in Hammond were recognized for their commitment to living out Catholic values with the Good Samaritan Award. Pictured, front row, from left, are Brody Jones, Cody Bates, Cale Carlisle, Jade Thiel, Brennan Bankston; and, back row, Caroline Durnin, Claire Chauvin, Charles Ragan, Bryce Simoneaux, Cross Carlisle, and Kyle Miller. Also receiving the award was Alisha Taylor. Photo provided by Cindy Wagner | Holy Ghost School
Gonzales Mayor Barney Arceneaux signed a proclamation designating the week of Jan. 27 – Feb. 2, 2019, as Catholic Schools Week in Gonzales. St. John Primary/St. Theresa Middle School students pictured are, from left, front row, Tramayne Bourgeois, Louis Currie, Hayes Vance and Ava Nguyen; middle row, Abigail Stevens, Logan Herndon, Arceneaux and Kooper Rome; and back row, Audrey Lanoux, Avery Landry and Evan Pickering. A proclamation was also signed by Ascension Civil Parish President Kenny Matassa. Photo provide by
By Bonny Van
The Catholic Commentator
Gathered around the kitchen table in the Highland Road home in Baton Rouge where they grew up, sisters Margie Harelson Windham, Janice Harelson Troxclair, Dottie Harelson Territo and Catherine Harelson Palermo talked about their years at St. George School in Baton Rouge.
Erin Ory Harelson is surrounded by her great grandchildren who are students of St. George School in Baton Rouge. Every year, since 1960, Harelson
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Nearly 480 youth from the Diocese of Baton Rouge trekked 24 hours by bus to Washington, D.C., then went through a flurry of activities that still allowed time for occasional snowball fights. But they were singularly focused on their mission as they rallied with hundreds of thousands of people to call for the end of abortion during the annual March for Life on Jan. 18.
Mary Elizabeth Cavalier, an eighth-grader at St. Jude the Apostle School in Baton Rouge, stands by her project at the Science and Social Studies Fair on Jan. 17. Photo provided by Starr Driesse | St. Jude
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
January 18 is the peak of a journey to Washington, D.C. filled with “prayer and sacrifice” for hundreds of youth from the Diocese of Baton Rouge, who will march up to the U.S. Supreme Court and call for the to end of legalized abortion at March for Life.
The day of the March is a highlight for the youth from the Diocese of Baton Rouge, who also visited many and
By Bonny Van
The Catholic Commentator
With eager faces, members of the robotics team from Holy Family School in Port Allen grabbed base plates, iPads and bins of Lego pieces and started to work. They were building, creating and coding. However, these students aren’t just playing around, they really understand the challenges and how to execute the program.
Holy Family School in Port Allen technology coordinator Annie Cagle helps
St. John School in Plaquemine held its annual Epiphany concert on Jan. 6 at St. John the Evangelist Church. The Epiphany concert featured songs of the Christmas season and other selections performed by vocalist Father Greg Daigle, pastor of St. John, accompanied by the Bill Grimes Orchestra. This year’s concert also featured a performance by the St. John Children’s Choir. Photo provided by April Hedges | St. John School
Fourth-grade B-Quest students at Holy Ghost School in Hammond celebrate National STEM Day with a maze project. Students in Cindy Wagner’s class used problem-solving skills to successfully design their own mazes. Pictured, from left, are Kailyn DeMarco, Riley Fitzhugh and Charlee Raborn. Photo provided by Cindy Wagner | Holy Ghost School
Youth from the Diocese of Baton Rouge check in before loading the buses at the Catholic Life Center January 14 to go to March for Life in Washington D.C. on January 18. This year nine buses and 457 pilgrims from over 20 churches and schools traveled to the march. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
Pre-kindergartners at Sacred Heart School in Baton Rouge follow the journey of the wise men on their annual Epiphany Hunt. The hunt was led by teacher Kendra Charbonnet. Photo provided by Lisa Cossè | Sacred Heart School
St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge has selected Judy Vu, a senior, the 2018-19 Student of the Year. Vu was chosen based on her academic excellence as well as her accomplishments outside the classroom. Vu has won several awards and scholarships for her musical talents and maintains an above 4.0 GPA while taking AP and honors courses. She enjoys playing piano for the St. Michael band, and is a member of several school clubs. Photo provided by Leighann
Father Reuben Dykes, pastor of Mater Dolorosa Church in Independence, gets to know students during his first weeks as pastor. Photo provided by Erin Mendez | Mater Dolorosa School
Students at St. Aloysius School in Baton Rouge create cards for the American Red Cross’ ‘Holiday Mail for Heroes’ campaign. Students created more than 1,200 cards. Photo provided by Edie Boudreaux | St. Aloysius School
Three students in advanced band under the direction of Dr. Kevin Andry at St. Jean Vianney School in Baton Rouge were awarded seats in the All District Band held on Dec. 8. Callie Suadi, left, was awarded first alternate in the concert band. Ethan Johansen, center, was awarded 8th chair trumpet in the Symphonic Band. Antonio Barraza was awarded 2nd chair alto sax in the Symphonic Band. Photo provided by Abby King | St. Jean Vianney School
Students from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge placed first, third and an honorable mention in the 2018 Congressional App Challenge competition. Mack Kemper, a senior, and Christian Thompson, a sophomore, placed first with a school safety application, UniteSMS, which could be used in an emergency to allow teachers and students to verify they are physically safe. Juniors Jeremy Worley and Mateo Rosas took third place, creating a charitable donation application to run on cell phone platforms. Receiving an honorable mention were juniors Josh Harold and Jefferson Koonce
St. Joseph’s Academy/Catholic High School | Baton Rouge
Catholic Elementary of Pointe Coupee | New Roads
Sacred Heart of Jesus School | Baton Rouge
St. Aloysius School | Baton Rouge
St. Alphonsus School
Every year during the first weekend of December, St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge hosts “Christmas Cookies with Santa.” On Dec. 3, more than 60 elementary and middle school students enjoyed the event in the SMHS cafeteria. </span id=”0″>Photo provided by Leighann King | SMHS
Emily Vosbein, a student at Mater Dolorosa School in Independence, lights a candle on the Advent wreath. Photo provided by Erin Mendez | Mater Dolorosa School
Members of the cross country team at Holy Family School in Port Allen ran in a Color Run to raise funds for “A Door of Hope,” a nonprofit group that helps girls and women dealing with life controlling issues. Photo provided by Annette Fitzgerald | Holy Family School
By Bonny Van
The Catholic Commentator
On Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings at 8:30 a.m., students ranging in grades from pre-K to 12, arrive at St. Anne Church in Sorrento to attend class.
Becky Wild, technology coordinator for Ascension Catholic School, assists students at St. Anne Church in Sorrento parish hall. The church has become a satellite location two days a week for students who live on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Pictured,
The 4-H club at Holy Ghost School Hammond had a pumpkin decorating contest and pumpkin carving contest at its October meeting. Pictured with their winning pumpkins are, from left, Kayla Merwin, Kady Cormier, Ava Merwin, Reece Pecoraro, Tate Soileau and Porter Foster. Photo provided by Cindy Wagner | Holy Ghost School
The sixth-grade Beta Club of Catholic Elementary of Pointe Coupee in New Roads, along with the help of the other students, collected 2,107 pounds of food for H.O.P.E. Ministry of Pointe Coupee, the local food bank. Photo provided by Megan Girlinghouse | Catholic Elementary of Pointe Coupee
Second-grade students at Holy Family School in Port Allen recently held a mock election based on the book “Grace for President.” The students explored what an election is, the voting process, and what they can do to help until they are old enough to vote. Each student was able to fill out a voters’ registration card. Pictured, Aubrey Berthelot casts her vote. Photo provided by Annette Fitzgerald | Holy Family School
Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge inducted 25 new members into its Beta Club on Nov. 7. Pictured, front row from left, are Gabriela Journée, Derald Spears, Edwin Perrault, Claire Tramonte, Morgan Massey, Drew Ourso, Isabella Rawlinson; second row, Lilla Aucoin, Whitney Bracken, David Carroll, Tavio Cinquemano, Blanche Coleman, Alfred Cooper, James McKay, Averie Harris, Turner Hester; and, back row, Caro Bookman, Bennett Barber, Luke Broussard, Reagan Chapman, Danny Woods, Jack McKay, Caroline Campbell, Ethan Hunter and Lucy Herasymiuk.
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
Tanner Pike, a sophomore at St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge, completed
By Bonny Van
The Catholic Commentator
John Paul and Alex Neal, seventh-graders at St. Alphonsus School in Greenwell Springs and members of BSA
The Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools Office held a Leadership Appreciation Luncheon Nov. 6. Pictured,
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