Special
Leadership Awards recognizing outstanding youth
Ramona Portero/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Story by Janet Marcel
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The Diocesan Leadership Awards, sponsored annually by the Office of Youth Ministry for over 25 years, recognizes youth who have demonstrated exceptional character, leadership skills, service and Catholic identity in their church parish or school. It is the highest honor and achievement that a high school junior, senior or college freshman can receive. The youth for this award are selected at the church parish and school level. “A letter is sent to the pastor of each church parish, the DRE or CRE, and parish youth minister, as well as the principals and campus ministers at the three Catholic high schools,” says Rachel LeBouef, assistant director for the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry and coordinator of the program. LeBouef explains that the qualifications for selection of each of the candidates are as follows: n must be a witness to others through their involvement with their church parish, school and family by sharing of their gifts of time, talent and treasure; n must share their leadership skills, dedication, responsibility and faith with others in their church parish, school and family; n should be involved in diocesan ministry such as Teens Encounter Christ (TEC), Christian Leadership Institute (CLI), aNEW, Youth Rally, Steubenville on the Bayou, etc. Each young person receives an Eagle of the Cross medal comprised of a white and red banner, image of an eagle, a cross and the diocesan crest, which Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2012
is symbolic of the award. The white in the banner represents one’s baptism; the red signifies the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus Christ. The image of the eagle signifies the many qualities of a leader such as courage, strength, loyalty, self-confidence, passion and perseverance. The cross is one of the most recognizable symbols of Catholic Christian faith. And, the diocesan crest represents the place where the recipients of the award were nurtured to become the outstanding young people they are today. Recipients of this year’s Diocesan Leadership Awards were honored at an appreciation banquet and Mass at Annunziata Church in Houma. They are: Joshua Fabre, Hope Hunter, Annunziata, Houma; Wayne Vice Jr., Christ the Redeemer, Thibodaux; Caroline Byrne, Aaron LeCompte, Holy Cross, Morgan City; Heather Lagarde, Marissa Trosclair, Holy Family, Grand Caillou; Candy Baudoin, Austin Trosclair, Holy Savior, Lockport; Hunter Blandino, Jacqueline Brewster, Maria Immacolata, Houma; Grace Calloway, Tess Champagne, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Houma; Whitney Curole, Jovan Fuselier, Our Lady of the Rosary, Larose; Amber Granier, Aimee Webre, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Chackbay; Mark Callais, Alora Verdin, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Golden Meadow; Braden Eymard, Maria Terrebonne, Sacred Heart, Cut Off; Angelica Broussard, Tiffany Naquin, Sacred Heart, Montegut; Collin Conner, Ashley Jennings, Sacred Heart, Morgan City; Matthew Alleman, Tori Benoit, St. Andrew, Amelia; Cassidy Charpentier,
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