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THE MAGAZINE OF JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL OF NEW ORLEANS

VOL. 52 | ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-2026

Class of 2026 | A Blue Jay Moonshot | A Year of 7 State Championships

President Fr. John Brown, S.J., and senior administrators at the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026.

JAYNOTES | 2025–2026 ACADEMIC YEAR JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL President Fr. John Brown, S.J. Director of Institutional Advancement Christian Bautista ’06 Director of Alumni Affairs James Linn ’06 Executive Development Coordinator Krista Roeling Creative Director Brittany Donnes Communication Specialist Melissa Jurisich Senior Development Officer Jean-Paul Perrilliat ’03 Volunteer & Events Coordinators Maura Owers Cindy Wooderson Major Gifts Coordinator Jamie Roy STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Christian Bautista ’06 Brittany Donnes Peter Flores ’09 Melissa Jurisich CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Silas Meister Dmitriy Pritykin Jacob Reeder ’19 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS & EDITORS Christian Bautista ’06 Brittany Donnes Melissa Jurisich Maura Owers STAFF DESIGNER Brittany Donnes

2025–2026 Academic Year Vol. 52 Jaynotes is published by the Jesuit High School Office of Institutional Advancement. HOW TO REACH US Jesuit High School 4133 Banks Street New Orleans, LA 70119 Email: jesuitnews@jesuitnola.org Where Y’at updates and photographs may be submitted online at jesuitnola.org/where-yat.

Men Who Can Be Relied Upon Rev. John Brown, S.J., to the Jesuit High School graduates of the Class of 2026:

et me express the gratitude that I am sure the Class of 2026 is feeling at this moment. Teachers, alumni, mentors, benefactors, friends, guardian angels: thank you. Graduating seniors, it is my great honor and privilege to address you. Let me express the awe that I am sure the audience is feeling at this moment.

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS You are beyond impressive. Savor the feeling. Store it in your memory. You now share the title of alumnus with many other impressive Blue Jays whose lives honor this great institution. Hearty congratulations are in order. It is also important to take stock. You stand at a threshold. You depart from a place that has shaped your memory, your intellect, and your will. You have spent your days and years within a pattern of discipline. You have answered to standards that did not originate in your own preference. That formation has prepared you for reality. The nature of the world you now face abides by its own order, and your class has already learned this the hard way. Much was asked of you very early. Your primary school years were disrupted by the confusion and isolation of the Covid era. Even excellent teachers were working under conditions that made real formation difficult if not impossible. Then you arrived at Jesuit, where the pace quickened immediately with the highest of expectations. The nature of the world you now face abides by its own order. Your class has endured deeper losses. You experienced loss of life (parents, siblings, grandparents, a classmate), loss of innocence, and the loss of moments of childhood that cannot simply be restored. Experiences like these force people to confront difficult questions about God’s providence, and the reality of suffering. What kind of world has God made? Yet hardship can also deepen a person. It can clarify what matters. It can strengthen gratitude, friendship, integrity, and faith. The nature of the world you now face abides by its own order. It carries a moral weight that does not yield to one’s personal opinion. Actions bear consequences and choices leave marks. Habits gather force over time.

A man becomes what he repeatedly experiences, chooses, and does. You have seen this already. A small act of honesty may have strengthened your soul, or a small act of compromise may have weakened it. These moments appear slight, maybe insignificant in isolation, but they accumulate. They either blur or clarify your direction. Eventually, they can define a life. We are all seriously impressed by the Class of 2026 and all its accomplishments too numerous to list. Going forward, away from home and away from Jesuit, many voices will urge you to treat matters lightly, though. While the nature of the world you now face abides by its own order, there will be voices that will invite you to excuse fault as a substitute for seeking forgiveness. They will suggest that the drive for comfort provides a sufficient guide. That counsel, young men, produces confusion. It leaves a man without a stable center and yearning, without relief, to be part of something bigger than himself. This is why you have been trained in a different way. You have been asked to examine your conduct. You have been required to account for your work. You have learned to name failure with clarity, and seek to right the wrong in the past and avoid it in the future. Such habits establish a holy firmness. They allow a man to draw near to Truth itself. This clarity is what sustains the kind hope that defies whatever difficulties you face in any given moment. A man who recognizes his condition can begin again. A man who accepts responsibility opens himself to the grace of God. The Christian life proceeds along this path, and really no other path. You must simultaneously take defeat seriously and trust that redemption is real. Your time at Jesuit has taught you that no one defeat has to set your limit forever. From this moment on, you now enjoy a wider freedom that brings

obligation. It calls for judgment that is steady, born from an integrated discipline of faith, hope, and charity deep in your heart. It especially calls for fidelity when the pressure rises. It is hard to believe looking at you now, but you will encounter some failure in your future. It is inevitable. And increasingly, as you mature, your response will matter. The admission of faults and need for help is crucial, but so is the recognition of your ability to exceed expectations with grace and hard work, just as you have at Jesuit. You have received a Jesuit High School formation that has always aimed at a kind of coherence. Remember what has been given to you. You have been formed in a tradition that does not flatter you. It respects you too much for that. Your formation calls you to become men for whom unity between what is professed and what is lived is crucial. The formation you have received builds men who can be relied upon, looked up to, and men who others are inspired by. The world requires such men. It requires men whose words carry weight. It requires men who can endure strain without losing their bearing. It requires men who understand that life answers to a real, often tough, natural order. I think you all understand this. This understanding has gotten you here, tonight. This is what we see in you and what we are really applauding. Carry this understanding with you. Let your choices reflect it. Build a life that can stand before God and man with integrity. Never stop becoming the man God made you to be. Thank you and may God always bless the Class of 2026. 

Fr. John Brown, S.J. President

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

FEATURES 6 Off They Go

Class of 2026 Graduates 212

21 Academic Results

10 “36ers;” 17 National Merit; Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics, & Chess Secure State Victories

25 Scott Bairnsfather Named Athletic Director 26 Retirements David Moreau — 43 Years 33 The Origins of “Men for Others”

S.D.Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

36 A Blue Jay Moonshot Gene Matranga ’50

42 Guided by the Light Sean Smith ’78

47 From the Archives

John “Fats” Dantonio ’37 Championship Belt Buckle

48 Fall & Winter Events 64 Spring & Summer Events 72 The Line We Inherit

Sailing’s Olympic Foundation

76 Four State Championships, One State Runner-Ups Cross Country, Soccer, Golf, & Rugby

IN EVERY ISSUE 1 President’s Address 28 Co-Curriculars 68 Flying With the Jays 88 Where Y’at 96 Bib List 100 In Memoriam ON THE COVER: Jayson fires up the Gizzard on the sidelines of the Rivalry Game, rallying the crowd during one of the season’s most electric nights.

A “Splendid Benefaction” and a Century of Providence JESUIT’S CAMPUS AND ENDOWMENT TURN 100

n a Sunday in September 1926, crowds gathered on Carrollton Avenue for the dedication of the Jesuit High School “new buildings.” Jesuits’, as the school was known in the city, had broken ground on the project in January, nearly 80 years after the school’s founding on Baronne Street.

Just as importantly, attendees were gathered to celebrate the new Prevost Endowment. Tuition was set to exceed $20, and the Jesuit Fathers, on the occasion of the construction of the new campus, made a commitment to admit students regardless of their ability to pay that rising tuition. Guest orator Louisiana Supreme Court Justice John St.

CAMPUS CENTENNIAL HIGHLIGHT CL A S S OF 1926 19 26 CHRISTIAN RICHARD ANSEL FERNAND J. ARTIGUES EDWARD L. BERTHELSON, JR. GER ALD L. BLACHE JOHN D. BOUDREAUX EDWARD JOSEPH BURKE WALTER H. BURNS CHARLES A. BYRNE, JR. KENNETH CABIRO AUGUST A. CALONGNE, JR. PR AT L. CAMBRE WILLIAM F. CARDNO MAUMUS F. CLAVERIE FRED A. COLLET TE JACOB L. COSTA A. WILLIAM CR ANDELL LAWRENCE L. CR ANE GEORGE J. CROZIER JOHN J. CUMMINGS, JR. J. B. DAUENHAUER III ALV YN JOSEPH DAY HERBERT FOWLER DEBUYS LEO PR AT DEMAREST

ROY E. DUHON

GUY JOSEPH LEMIEUX

WILLIS J. NELSON, JR.

ROBERT E. ROUGELOT, JR.

ISADORE DYER

CLAUDE H. LEVET

MICHAEL G. O’CONNOR, JR.

WALDO A. RYDER

ALBERT J. FITZWILLIAM

MARK W. MALLOY

EUGENE G. R AMEL, JR.

THOMAS E. SCHAFER, JR.

WALTER T. GEARY

ALOYSIUS J. MEYER

FR ANCIS GEORGE R AMEL

JOHN W. SCHEUERMANN

JOHN M. HOYLE

ERNEST J. MIT TLEBRONN, JR.

JOSEPH ANTHONY R ANDO

MARIUS JOSEPH SHEEREN

JULIAN B. HUMPHREY

MICHAEL THOMAS MULLEDY

PAUL ANDREAS REISING

HERBERT ST. GEORGE VERLANDER

NATHANIEL B. KNIGHT, JR.

FR ANCIS A. MUMFREY, JR.

ALFRED JOHN RICHARDSON

EMILE ALBERT WAGNER, JR.

EMIL CECIL LANG

JULES J. MUMME, JR.

SAMUEL JOSEPH RIOLO

CHARLES TAYLOR WALET

MARTIAL O. LAPEYRE

CHARLES B. MURPHY

HAROLD M. ROUCHELL

JACQUES ENOUL DE L. YENNI

Paul and Jesuit’s president, Michael J. Walsh, S.J., spoke of an audacious future; the Times Picayune named Prevost’s gift “a splendid benefaction” as one of the greatest philanthropic and educational acts New Orleans had seen. Fr. Walsh captured the spirit of the moment with a timeless speech. “Who then will presume to tell what this foundation will accomplish? Not until we stand in the presence of God, and the needs of men shall be unrolled before our vision, shall we be able to compute the influence for good starting here as a center and radiating in ever wider circles towards the shores of eternity.” Nearly a century later, the “influence for good” that began on that day still shapes every young man who walks the storied halls on Banks Street.

In 1926, Henry Clay Prevost, himself an 1873 alumnus of the College of the Immaculate Conception who traced much of his success to his early Jesuit education, committed an extraordinary $500,000 to launch the school’s first true endowment and $500,000 to help build the new campus. Adjusted for today’s dollars, his generosity approached $18 million. In memory of his son Francis, the endowment he created was designed to provide full four‑year scholarships for scores of boys who otherwise could not afford a Jesuit education. Prevost’s vision was clear: no promising young man should be turned away because his family could not pay. The school’s bold move from Baronne Street to Banks Street and the endowment that underwrote it became twin acts of faith in the future of Jesuit education in New Orleans.

For much of the last century, Jesuit’s endowment worked quietly in the background. It made possible thousands of scholarships and gave the school a measure of stability through wars, hurricanes, and economic downturns. In recent decades, that legacy took more visible form through Endowed Scholarships: funds set at a level designed to return roughly the average financial aid award to a Jesuit family. Facing an ever-growing need to make good on Jesuit’s century-old promise of “need-blind” admissions, in the early 2010s Father President Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J. ’76, introduced Full Education Funds, designed to support the full cost of a student’s Jesuit education. These tools have been powerful, particularly for families receiving financial aid. But as Jesuit approaches

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

”SPLENDID BENEFAC TION”

its Campus Centennial and the 100th anniversary of Prevost’s “splendid benefaction,” the importance of Jesuit’s endowment has come into sharper focus. Rather than just supporting financial aid, today the earnings from the endowment reduce the cost of education for every student, every year. In 2022 under the leadership of late board chair Brian North ’83, Jesuit created the Jesuit High School of New Orleans Foundation to steward, safeguard, and grow the endowment in a more structured, robust, and intentional way.

Led by a board that includes Fr. John Brown, S.J., Mason Couvillon ’92 , Jack Dardis ’59, Tom Kitchen ’65, and Brett Long ’04, the

Foundation manages the endowment as a perpetual trust benefiting every student, parent, and teacher. Jesuit’s National Advisory Board (NAB) has played a crucial role in elevating the endowment as a strategic priority. Made up of alumni and supporters from around the country and world, and chaired by Chick Schoen ’63, the NAB has consistently pressed school leadership to treat endowment growth not as a luxury

4 | JAYNOTES | ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–2026

but as a necessity. Members such as Dr. Ronnie Alvarez ’75, Christopher Cola ’93, Sterling Helwick ’69, Mike Kopfler ’85, Jeff Laborde ’91, Chuck McClain ’60, Michael McGarry ’76, Bob Murphy ’69, Paul Stevens ’70, and James Yockey ’95 have supplied both candid counsel and generous philanthropy to match their words. The school’s boards and leadership share a clear conviction: if Jesuit is to offer a world-class educational program while remaining need‑blind and mission‑driven for the next 100 years, the Foundation must grow the endowment significantly.

At the heart of this work stand two alumni whose names are now inextricably linked to the next chapter of Prevost’s legacy: Bob Murphy ’69 and John Gin ’73 (pictured right, respectively). “Bob has been a true inspiration and a longtime champion of Jesuit and its mission,” said Christian Bautista ’06, Jesuit’s director of institutional advancement. “Together with John, who is an absolute treasure for our school and city and who is chairing this initiative with Bob, we have seen a new standard of generosity set for what it means to invest in Jesuit’s future. They have encouraged others to think at a different scale than we ever have before.” Murphy has contributed more than $5 million to the cause over the past three years. Gin has contributed more than $1 million and has been tireless in inviting classmates, peers, and friends of Jesuit to see the endowment as the most powerful way to secure the school’s mission. The Foundation’s board envisions a time when Jesuit’s endowment will have grown from $40 million in early 2024 to over $100 million. Today, thanks to transformational gifts from Murphy and Gin, strong investment stewardship, and a widening circle of benefactors, the endowment has already grown to more than $60 million. “A $100 million endowment would provide significantly greater annual support for financial aid, bolster faculty recruitment and retention, enhance co‑curricular and athletic programs, and, most importantly, ensure the school’s ability to respond dynamically to future economic, technological, or cultural challenges,” explained Bautista. “It would sustain Jesuit’s promise that any qualified young man can attend, regardless of his family’s financial circumstances, and that the education he receives will be worthy of the school’s history.” He added, “This work has not been limited to one or two people, and

Al Keller ’55 completed a $500,000

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF PREVOST’S LEGACY

we are now actively searching for benefactors who are looking to make a generational difference.” Across the Jesuit community, alumni, families, and friends are stepping forward to honor Prevost’s example in their own ways. Benefactors have contributed over $6 million to the Foundation in the 2025-26 fiscal year alone. Alumni such as Terry Casey ’75 have established new Full Education Funds. Casey’s fund honors his parents, and alongside other endowment gifts his gift now recognized in the Madonna Della Strada Building. Sid Lawton ’61 and John Amato ’62 recently began Full Education Funds of their own.

gift to the endowment alongside a $500,000 current-use gift for special projects in entrepreneurship, technology, mathematics, and science. The Class of 1973, the first class to jointly pursue a Full Education Fund, has been meeting regularly to encourage classmates to invest in the endowment. Inspired by their example, the Class of 1975 has launched its own Full Education Fund effort, recently completing its goal through a significant pledge from a class member. The friends and family of former board chair North, along with Fifth District Bank, are creating an Endowed Scholarship in his memory. When Henry Prevost stood with the Jesuits in 1926, he could not have known the names of the thousands of boys his gift would touch. He simply knew that the education he had received from the Jesuits demanded a response. He chose to remember the school that shaped him and, in doing so, shaped a century of Blue Jays. Murphy, Gin, the Foundation Board, and the Jesuit’s administration are asking this generation to do the same: to see the endowment as way of guaranteeing strategic continuity and accessibility, and to help carry Prevost’s legacy into a second century. As Jesuit celebrates its Campus Centennial, Blue Jays are invited to consider their own way of participating in this special moment. Those who attended the opening of Jesuit’s “new” campus in 1926 could not have foreseen the challenges and opportunities facing young men in 2026, but they knew that Jesuit’s mission would always require the steady support of its sons and friends. The next century of Blue Jays already walk Jesuit’s halls. The loyalty of all who walked those halls before them will help define the legacy they inherit. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

VALEDIC TORY ADDRESS

CLASS of 2026

e find ourselves this evening on the graduation stage at last. Before the countless pep rallies, game nights in the Gizzard, and intramural basketball games, our class came from 68 middle schools, from many towns and neighborhoods, and even two states, each carrying with us our own life experiences and stories. I came from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. I had an hour-long commute on my first morning as an eighth-grader. Just before getting into the car, I had proudly traded my Stuart Hall blue and gray uniform for khaki-on-khaki for the first time. I could hardly contain my excitement as I tried to memorize my schedule and my new teachers’ names. I had missed the opening day of classes for an athletic event, but I didn’t realize I needed a note from my parents. I found myself face-to-face with Ms. Bondi in the discipline office trying to explain myself. In return, I was handed an ominous pink slip of paper. I looked down and was shocked to discover that only five minutes into my time at Jesuit, I had already received my first PH. With my confidence totally shaken, I headed off to my first class, hoping things would get back on track. Instead, I walked into Mr. Michalik’s Christ in Scripture class to find a pop quiz waiting on my desk. Unfortunately, the quiz covered the syllabus, which I had neglected to read. My first “F.” By the end of that day, I found my mom in carpool, slammed the door shut and told her, “I never want to come back.” Needless to say, she brought me back the next day, and I am eternally grateful that she did. To manage stress during the

challenging transition to a new school, I joined the cross-country team. Who would have known that this team would go on to win five consecutive state championships? I met two lifelong mentors, coach Nick Accardo and coach Cullen Doody ’08, who pushed me beyond what I thought was even possible. Cross country at Jesuit demands... let’s call it…an unusual commitment and hard work throughout the year, even during the summer. That year, Coach Cullen began transforming the program into a nationally competitive one. This national focus included an annual team trip to Flagstaff, Arizona. After a hard run while speaking about success in running and in life at this higher level, he shared the words of renowned Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” The graduates sitting here tonight have given nothing less than their best to achieve remarkable things — academically, athletically, artistically, and beyond. Our Jesuit education has challenged, inspired, and empowered us to reach our full potential. Coach Cullen shared those words to force us to question: what is the purpose of having God-given gifts if we do not use them to their fullest extent? St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit order, teaches gratitude by helping us see our talents, successes,

and all of life as a gift. This gratitude keeps us oriented toward the good. When we have given our best, we have seen God’s gifts amplified beyond what we could have imagined throughout our time at Jesuit. Who would have known that our soccer team, in an undefeated season, would be ranked number one in the country by national publication? Who would have known that our class would set composite state records in both swimming and track and field? Who would have known that a young rugby team would avenge their state title in a gritty state championship match? Who would have known that our cheerleading squad would earn their highest national finish ever, and who would have known that sailing team would be headed off to nationals in two different events to cap off a fiveyear renaissance? Jesuit has always had high academic expectations, but who would have known that Mu Alpha Theta would claim three state titles in a row? That Mock Trial and Robotics would claim their own state titles and go onto national competition themselves? Anyone could have guessed that the Class of 2026 would perform exceptionally well in the National Merit Scholarship Competition, but who would have known that our class alone would achieve seven perfect ACT scores? We’ve all come to expect excellence from our arts programs like the band and the choir, but who could have known that the Phils would sell out multiple shows in our 800-plusseat auditorium with performances of Grease and An American in Paris? Paris? Who would have known that our class

“ To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. ”

6 | JAYNOTES | ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–2026

would give 25,000 hours of national and international service? After our first test in Mr. Keen’s physics class — brutal — who would have known that we’d all make it to the stage together tonight? Through all these experiences, we have learned the importance of gratitude. Extending the lesson from Coach Cullen and Steve Prefontaine, we have learned that “giving our best” is the purest form of gratitude. This is true in both a worldly sense and also in a deeper, spiritual sense. In the worldly sense, using our gifts for the greater good honors our parents, grandparents, godparents, friends, mentors, teachers, and coaches...all who are here with us tonight who have invested in our development. Let us not forget that our successes are not exclusively a product of personal effort, nor forget to acknowledge those who helped us along the way. Mom and Dad — thank you for getting me through that

first week, and through every week since then. Who would have known? You knew. All our teachers and coaches knew: Jesuit saw our highest potential far before we did. I know that each and every one of us on stage is grateful tonight for that. In the spiritual sense, when we have gratitude while striving for our very best, we give glory to God and not to ourselves. This is the motto and highest purpose of Jesuit: to pursue God’s greater glory, and gratitude for our God-given gifts enables us to participate in that purpose wherever we go, whether across the street or around the world. When we depart from this stage tonight, may we carry our responsibility to be men of faith and men for others. In a real way, we can never leave Jesuit, because we will always remember where we came from, who we are called to be, as sons of Jesuit, and the greater purpose for which we are sent.

To my classmates, never forget “to give anything less than your best,” and never forget to have hearts filled with gratitude. Thank you, and God bless the Class of 2026. In the words of St. Ignatius, “go forth…and set the world on fire!” Congratulations, Class of 2026 2026..  CONNOR A. FANBERG class of 2026 valedictorian

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS Connor Fanberg gives the valedictory speech at the 2026 Commencement in the Pontchartrain Center.

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS Presented to the CLASS OF 2026 Each year Jesuit High School recognizes seniors and underclassmen who have achieved significant academic and athletic honors. Among the awards presented to members of the Class of 2026 were the following:

ACADEMIC & CO-CURRICULAR AWARDS THE PRINCIPAL’S AWARD for excellence in scholarship is

presented to Program I Seniors who have earned A’s in each course every semester throughout their high school career and have taken all honors and AP courses available. This year, the award is merited by James W. Denning , Connor A. Fanberg , and Andrew L. Frey.

President Fr. John Brown, S.J., presents Connor A. Fanberg with the Class of 2026 valedictorian award.

THE SENIOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARD | Being present for all classes, having obtained no absences, tardies, or early departures on a school day | Joseph V. Nguyen THE ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA AWARD FOR THE MEMBER OF THE YEAR | NHS member who embodies the four pillars of the NHS: character, leadership, service, & scholarship | Adam B. al Hariri THE PROFESSOR MICHAEL CUPERO MEMORIAL AWARD (donated by Cupero’s grandson, Col. Hamil M. Cupero ’56) | Overall musical excellence | Andrew L. Frey THE MCJROTC AWARD | MCJROTC senior cadet who made a significant contribution to the ROTC Program by having exhibited exemplary leadership and dedication | Chase D. Carter THE CULTURE OF LIFE AWARD | Exemplary leadership as a member of the JHS Pro-Life Club | Seth P. Neo THE PHILELECTIC SOCIETY AWARD | for outstanding achievement in Dramatics | Nathaniel B. Costantini THE MOCK TRIAL AWARD | for outstanding leadership and achievement in Mock Trial | Benjamin M. Farmer THE SUSAN & GARIC SCHOEN AWARD | Excellence in computer studies | Noah R. LeNormand THE REVEREND WILLIAM J. RYAN MEMORIAL AWARD (donated by the late Dr. J. Joseph Ryan in memory of his brother, Rev. William J. Ryan) | Excellence in social studies | Adam B. al Hariri THE L’UNION FRANÇAIS AWARD | Excellence in French | Nathaniel B. Costantini THE JESUIT 500 CLUB AWARD | Excellence in Latin | Andrew L. Frey THE UBALDO TRELLES MEMORIAL AWARD | Excellence in Spanish | Jake C. Flores THE FRANK T. HOWARD MEMORIAL AWARD | Excellence in English | Andrew L. Frey & James W. Holmes THE WILLIAM HELIS MEMORIAL AWARD | Excellence in Greek | Benjamin M. Evans THE PAQUETTE FAMILY AWARD | Overall excellence in French | Adam B. al Hariri THE EXCELLENCE IN THEOLOGY AWARD | Andrew L. Frey THE LOYOLA UNIVERSITY AWARD FOR MATHEMATICS | Highest overall average in mathematics | Adam B. al Hariri

ATHLETIC AWARDS THE JOSEPH MICHAEL WORLEY MEMORIAL AWARD | Senior who, by his unselfishness, sportsmanship, and spirit, enhanced the athletic program either as a player, manager, trainer, or student | Brennan J. Pitts & Drago J. Cvitanovich THE MOST VALUABLE BOWLER AWARD | Bowler who has best exhibited sportsmanship, leadership, and determination, while also demonstrating a high quality of excellence as a student-athlete | Grant D. Gehring

8 | JAYNOTES | ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–2026

AWARDS PRESENTED AT 2026 COMMENCEMENT

Spencer G. Waguespack received the Harry McEnerny, Jr. Memorial Plaque, an award established to honor one graduating senior who possesses those qualities which symbolize “the most representative student of Jesuit High School.”

Seth P. Neo received the Very Reverend Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Memorial Award, which recognizes the senior who has exemplified the spirit of being a man for others by his participation and excellence in service.

James W. Denning received the Father President’s Spiritual Leadership Award, which is presented to the senior who has exerted the greatest spiritual influence on others by living a life exemplifying his Catholic faith.

THE WILLIAM D. & MAYBELLE POSTELL AWARD (donated by their son, John Blake Postell ’59) | Basketball player with exemplary leadership, scholarship, and spirit | Zachary M. LaGraize THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY AWARD | Most valuable varsity swimmer who has made a significant contribution to the team, having excelled in academics, leadership, and in meet competitions | Grant G. Castillon THE CHRISTOPHER MORGAN MEMORIAL AWARD | for the cross-country letterman who has best exemplified courage, leadership, sportsmanship, and spirit | Brady J. Monahan THE CHESTER M. RIETH AWARD | Track letterman with exemplary leadership, sportsmanship, and spirit | Connor A. Fanberg THE MOST VALUABLE GOLF PLAYER AWARD | Golf athlete who has made a significant contribution to the team, exhibited exemplary leadership, and outstanding tournament performance | William T. Boasberg THE MICHAEL D. CONWAY AWARD | Most valuable soccer player who exhibits leadership on and off the field, discipline, courage, and determination both academically and in extracurriculars | Gavin F. Liantonio THE EDWIN F. STACY, JR. WRESTLING AWARD | for the senior letterman who contributed to the team, excelled in academics, exhibited exemplary leadership, and sacrificially worked for the benefit of his teammates | Michael J. Barnett THE COACH EDWIN W. TORIBIO MEMORIAL AWARD | Senior football letterman who is also a member of another sport team, and has the highest grade point average in his tenure at Jesuit | William H. Berry THE MORRIS B. REDMANN, JR. MEMORIAL AWARD | Outstanding football letterman with best combined who exemplifies leadership and academic excellence | Brock P. Prouet THE DANIEL “RUSTY” STAUB MEMORIAL AWARD | Baseball letterman with exemplary leadership, sportsmanship, and spirit | Michael J. Brothers THE MOST VALUABLE TENNIS PLAYER AWARD | Tennis athlete who made a significant contribution to the varsity team, exhibited exemplary leadership, and performed in an outstanding manner | Matthew J. Bohnet THE MOST VALUABLE LACROSSE PLAYER AWARD | Senior letterman who has made a significant contribution to the team by having exhibited exemplary leadership and performed in an outstanding manner | Zachary P. Raymond THE MOST VALUABLE RUGBY PLAYER AWARD | Senior letterman who has made a significant contribution to the team by having exhibited exemplary leadership and having performed in an outstanding manner | Gerard A. Peterman THE ROBERT T. CASEY MEMORIAL AWARD | Varsity athlete with exemplary sportsmanship and spirit | Tanner C. Hughes & Coleman T. Puneky THE AWARD FOR ALL-AROUND ATHLETIC ABILITY | Most outstanding ability found in a student-athlete in an individual sport | Brady J. Monahan & Aidan R. Villars THE LARRY GILBERT FAMILY MEMORIAL AWARD | Best all-around senior athlete on the varsity teams | William H. Berry

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

OFF THEY GO

10 | J A Y N O T E S | A C A D E M I C Y E A R 2 0 2 5 – 2 0 2 6

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

OFF THEY GO Graduates of Jesuit High School’s Class of 2026 are moving on to 55 different institutions of higher learning. Universities or colleges listed in bold under the names of graduates are the institutions they are attending. Students accepted to that school’s honors program are indicated by an (H). The scholarships listed pertain only to that university or college which the graduate has indicated he will attend. Areas of intended study are included in a graph on page 15. Congratulations to Jesuit’s Class of 2026. The information in “Off They Go” was compiled by Jesuit’s guidance department college counselors from data submitted online by seniors and their parents. Disclaimer: Due to legislative changes enacted last summer that altered the GPA scale and TOPS eligibility requirements, some award categories may appear inaccurate, and not all TOPS awards are listed.

Nick J. Accardo University of Victoria Cross Country Athletic Scholarship, Louisiana American Italian Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Award Adam S. Ahmed Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Tuition Exchange Program Scholarship Adam B. al Hariri Tulane University (H) National Merit Finalist TOPS Excellence Award, National Merit Finalist Scholarship, Posse Foundation Scholarship

Michael J. Barnett Louisiana State University TOPS Excellence Award William J. Barnett University of Mississippi Deven J. Bawa Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Honors Award, Academic Scholars Award Wyatt W. Beach Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award, Transformation Merit Award

Pierce E. Alberado Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Max G. Belsome Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Honors Award

Noah J. Alvendia Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Nelson C. Bensel University of Mississippi Academic Merit Scholarship

Quinn T. Anderson Employment

William H. Berry Princeton University National Merit Commended Allstate Sugar Bowl NFF Scholar-Athlete Scholarship, Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete All-American Team Award, Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Award, Louisiana Elks Association Most Valuable Student Award, NFL Latino Youth Honors Award, New Orleans Elks Lodge #30 Most Valuable Student Award, The American Legion School Leadership Award

Brady J. Autin Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Kevin R. Avin University of Florida UF Distinguished Scholar Tuition Scholarship Nathaniel R. Baines DePaul University

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Zen C. Bibbins Xavier University of Louisiana TOPS Opportunity Award, Xavier University Academic Scholarship William T. Boasberg Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Matthew J. Bohnet Millsaps College Andrew L. Bordelon Louisiana State University Eunice Joseph A. Bosco University of Mississippi Academic Merit Scholarship Peyton M. Bouchon University of Notre Dame National Merit Finalist James A. Breaux Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Benjamin T. Breithaupt Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Jonathan P. Brockhoff The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist UA National Merit Finalist Scholarship Package

OFF THEY GO Michael J. Brothers Delgado Community College TOPS Opportunity Award, Baseball Athletic Scholarship Matthew J. Brown Mississippi State University Ethan M. Cabos Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Joseph C. Campo University of South Florida (H) USF Green & Gold Presidential Waiver Award Jude C. Cannon Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award, LA Tiger Legacy Superior Scholarship, Tiger Excellence Scholars Award Brennan C. Carriere Delgado Community College TOPS Opportunity Award Grant L. Carroll Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award, Academic Scholars Award Chase D. Carter Texas A&M University at Galveston Colt F. Carter Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Anderson D. Casebonne Texas Christian University TCU Scholarship Grant G. Castillon Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award, Academic Merit Scholarship, Swimming Athletic Scholarship Drew J. H. Causey Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Kevin R. Cazalé Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Honors Award Joseph F. Cerruti Delgado Community College TOPS Performance Award Jacob H.-H. Chan University of Rochester Kwaku Charles Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Cameron G. Cockrell Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Luke P. Doiron Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Performance Award, Academic Scholars Award

Ryder N. Comboy University of Mississippi Academic Merit Scholarship Finnian J. Connolly Louisiana State University (H) National Merit Commended TOPS Excellence Award, Flagship Scholars Award, LA Tiger Legacy Excellence Scholarship, President’s Student Aid Job Charles O. Cook III Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award, Rugby Athletic Scholarship

Charles D. Dovie Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Christian B. Dowling Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Nicolas C. Dusang Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Charles W. Edrington, Jr. Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Nathaniel B. Costantini University of Central Florida (H) Knight’s Achievement Award

Coleman M. Edwards Texas Christian University TCU Scholarship, Academic Merit Scholarship

John P. Costello Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Christian M. Ehrensing University of Florida UF Distinguished Scholar Tuition Scholarship

Scout N. Croce The University of New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award

Benjamin M. Evans The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist UA National Merit Finalist Scholarship Package

Harrison R. Culotta Auburn University Academic Heritage Scholarship

Harrison M. Evans The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist UA National Merit Finalist Scholarship Package

Gavin G. Cummings Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Connor A. Fanberg Johns Hopkins University National Merit Commended

Robert M. Cunningham University of Mississippi Chancellor’s Scholarship, Trent Lott Leadership Program

Tyler M. Farley Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Drago J. Cvitanovich Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Benjamin M. Farmer Boston College National Merit Finalist

Gerard L. Danos III United States Marine Corps Enlistment

Sebastian M. Fernandez Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award

Peyton C. Davis The University of Alabama in Huntsville Out-of-State Academic Scholarship

Jake C. Flores The University of New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award

Jude A. V. de Gruy Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award, Tiger Excellence Scholars Award

Wyatt A. Fontana Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award, Academic Scholars Award

Derek M. DeLatte II Delgado Community College TOPS Honors Award

Dhilan K. Chava Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

James W. Denning The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist UA National Merit Finalist Scholarship Package

Carter T. Claus Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award

Logan A. Dlugos Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Dominic G. Forest University of Mississippi Thomas N. Fouchi Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Alumni Legacy Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Jesuit Identity Scholarship

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

CLASS OF 2026

Andrew L. Frey University of Notre Dame National Merit Finalist National Merit Scholarship, University Scholarship Zachary T. Friloux United States Naval Academy Bradford N. Frischhertz, Jr. Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Grant D. Gehring University of Arkansas New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award Scholarship, Louisiana Grand Prix Scholarship Thomas A. Gennusa IV Louisiana State University Grayson D. Gibbons The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Commended Presidential Scholarship Brady M. Gilbert Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Ryan P. Gourgeot, Jr. Belmont University Provost Scholarship Dominic M. Graff The University of Southern Mississippi Academic Excellence Scholarship Tucker C. Graham Southern Methodist University University Scholar

Collin K. Gravener Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Elijah S. Gutierrez Louisiana State University Darrin A. Haase The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist Presidential Scholarship, UA National Merit Housing Scholarship, National Merit Finalist Scholarship Faiez I. Hamdan Tulane University TOPS Opportunity Award Nathan J. Hamrick Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award, Pelican Promise Scholarship, Willis & Mildred Pellerin Foundation Scholarship Dwight C. Hansen Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Luke S. Harell Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award Brandon C. Haynes II Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award, Loyola Scholarship Beau M. Hellmers Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

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Sebastian T. B. Hewett Tulane University TOPS Honors Award, Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award Michael J. Hickham, Jr. College of the Holy Cross James W. Holmes Vanderbilt University National Merit Finalist Nicholas S. Zeppos Scholarship, VU National Merit Scholarship Jack G. Hubbard The University of Alabama (H) National Merit Finalist Presidential Scholarship Avery T. Hughes Nicholls State University TOPS Opportunity Award Tanner C. Hughes Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Brady T. Hunter Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Austin P. Indest Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award, Flagship Scholars Award, LA Tiger Legacy Excellence Scholarship Nathan M. Isaac Southeastern Louisiana University TOPS Performance Award, Housing Scholarship, Southeastern Honors Scholarship

OFF THEY GO Amir Y. Isvandi Loyola University New Orleans (H) National Merit Semifinalist TOPS Excellence Award, Alumni Legacy Scholarship, President’s Scholarship Griffin D. Jeandron Nunez Community College TOPS Opportunity Award, Baseball Athletic Scholarship Brennan J. Jeansonne The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (H) Volunteer Scholarship Sven Jensen Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Bryce W. Johns The University of New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Provost Scholarship Christopher H. Juge II Loyola University New Orleans (H) National Merit Commended TOPS Performance Award, Campus Housing Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Jesuit Identity Scholarship, Social Justice Scholarship David R. Karcher Old Dominion University Leo Royal Scholarship Nur M. Karim Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award Samuel J. Knoll Gap Year Andrew P. Koloski Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Everett P. Kramer United States Coast Guard Academy National Merit Finalist Henry V. Lackey Mississippi State University Zachary M. LaGraize Auburn University Academic Heritage Scholarship Jude P. Langlois The University of New Orleans Roman C. Larré Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Gavin F. Liantonio Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Ethan C. Nguyen Louisiana State University National Merit Commended TOPS Excellence Award, Flagship Scholars Award

Nathan F. Livaudais University of Louisiana at Lafayette Beau J. Luminais Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Excellence Award, Flagship Scholars Award, LA Tiger Legacy Excellence Scholarship Brian I. Manzanares, Jr. Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Brady R. Marino Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award George M. Martin Delgado Community College TOPS Honors Award, Baseball Athletic Scholarship, LLS Visionary of the Year Scholarship Cody J. Martinez Tulane University TOPS Excellence Award, Academic Recognition Award

Joseph V. Nguyen Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Excellence Award, Alumni Legacy Scholarship, President’s Scholarship Nathan V. Nguyen Louisiana State University (H) National Merit Finalist TOPS Excellence Award, Academic Scholars Award, President’s Student Aid Job Tyler J. Nguyen The University of Alabama (H) Presidential Scholarship Clark P. Nolan University of Mississippi Academic Merit Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Patterson School of Accountancy Scholarship Taylor M. Norton II Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Louis J. Matthews Louisiana State University TOPS Honors Award

Luke A. Nuccio University of Louisiana at Lafayette TOPS Opportunity Award

Beau V. Matulewski University of Louisiana at Lafayette (H) TOPS Excellence Award, Live Oak Scholarship

Johnny T. Nyein Southeastern Louisiana University TOPS Opportunity Award

Brock A. Mayer Louisiana Tech University TOPS Opportunity Award, Outstanding Student Scholarship

Tyler C. Oufnac Louisiana State University TOPS Excellence Award, Academic Scholars Award, Innovation Award, Diamond Youth Baseball National Scholarship

Aidan P. McKoin Rollins College Alonzo Rollins Scholarship Javier M. Mezquita, Jr. Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Honors Award, Provost’s Scholarship Cannon M. Mohr University of Mississippi Brady J. Monahan Loyola University New Orleans (H) TOPS Excellence Award, President’s Scholarship

Gavin J. Palmisano University of Louisiana at Lafayette TOPS Honors Award, Magnolia Scholarship Noah J. Pelicano Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award, Dean’s Scholarship Nathan B. Perniciaro Louisiana State University (H) TOPS Honors Award Elijah T. Perrien Boston College

Derek E. Moore Johns Hopkins University National Merit Finalist

Gerard A. Peterman Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Cullen J. Morris Rice University National Merit Finalist

Logan T. Phipps Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Noah R. LeNormand University of South Alabama USA Freshman Admission Scholarship

Seth P. Neo Tulane University TOPS Honors Award

Connor M. A. Pilié Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Eli V. Liantonio Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Patrick J. Newman Loyola University Chicago Dean’s Scholarship

Brennan J. Pitts Southeastern Louisiana University

Christopher G. Lawler Baylor University (H) National Merit Commended Academic Merit Scholarship

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

CLASS OF 2026 Nihar Pothineni Baylor University Baylor Distinction Award Brock P. Prouet Tulane University TOPS Honors Award, Academic Recognition Award

Mason J. Shannon University of Arkansas New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award Scholarship Owen G. Shields Tulane University TOPS Performance Award

Coleman T. Puneky The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Out-of-State Volunteer Scholarship

Martin W. Shute Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Jonathan T. Ray Southeastern Louisiana University TOPS Opportunity Award

Salvadore A. M. Signorelli Gap Year

Zachary P. Raymond Centenary College of Louisiana TOPS Opportunity Award

Edwin A. Siguenza Tulane University TOPS Opportunity Award, Academic Merit Scholarship

Augusto N. Reichard University of Mississippi Academic Merit Scholarship

James M. Silva Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Stephen G. Ritter III Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award

Conrad B. Smith Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

Dax A. Rizer California State University

Jude A. Spano The University of New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award

Dominick A. Roberts The University of Alabama Engineering Leadership Scholarship, UA Scholar Scholarship, Academic Common Market Metallurgical Engineering Scholarship James A. Robichaux Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award David Paul C. Rodriguez Prouet Tulane University (H) National Merit Commended TOPS Excellence Award, Presidential Merit Scholarship Andrew M. Rousselle Johnson County Community College Full-Tuition Scholarship Pharaoh A. Saldana University of South Alabama Benjamin H. Salvaggio Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Matthew D. Scalise Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Thomas M. Screen, Jr. Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award Micah S. Sens Louisiana State University National Merit Commended TOPS Excellence Award Marshal C. Serio Coastal Alabama Community College - South Baseball Athletic Scholarship

Paul J. Sparacello III University of Notre Dame National Merit Finalist William M. Stackpole Auburn University Christopher A. Stricker Auburn University Academic Presidential Scholarship, Engineering Departmental Scholarship Max R. Sutherlin Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Patrick C. Talbot Ave Maria University Academic Merit Award, Harnischfeger Endowed Scholarship, Thomas S. Monaghan Founder’s Scholarship, Catholic Youth Leadership Award Keshaun M. Tervalon Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award, Rising Artist Award Sean M. Timler The University of Alabama National Merit Commended ACM Merit Presidential Scholarship, Engineering Scholarship, Academic Common Market Scholarship Alexander K.-N. Tran The University of New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Provost Scholarship Julien P. Tullier Louisiana State University TOPS Performance Award

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James H. Turner Auburn University Spirit of Auburn Presidential Scholarship Isaac J. Uhlich Benedictine College (H) Premier Scholarship Connor A. Vargas University of Mississippi Pablo W. A. Villalobos The University of New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award Aidan R. Villars Florida State University Swimming Athletic Scholarship Joshua P. Volpe University of Colorado Boulder National Merit Commended Taylor D. D. Vu The University of New Orleans TOPS Opportunity Award Spencer G. Waguespack Washington and Lee University Vincent M. Welty Texas A&M University at Galveston Carter J. Westerfield The University of Alabama in Huntsville Joseph C. Wherritt Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Provost’s Scholarship Connor E. Wilken The University of Alabama at Birmingham (H) National Merit Commended Merit of Distinction Scholarship, National Recognition Program Scholarship, Out-of-State Supplemental Scholarship, Presidential Elite Scholarship, Catholic Youth Leadership Award, Diamond Youth Baseball National Scholarship Ethan J. Williams University of Louisiana at Lafayette TOPS Opportunity Award Christian E. Wilson University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ty D. Woolf University of Mississippi Eric Xiang Louisiana State University TOPS Opportunity Award Chadwick York, Jr. Loyola University New Orleans TOPS Performance Award, Dean’s Scholarship, Loyola Grant Diego P. Zelaya-Ruiz University of South Alabama Cheer Athletic Scholarship Gabriel P. Zeringue Spring Hill College Magis Scholar Award

OFF THEY GO

WHAT THEY’RE STUDYING NUMBER OUT OF 212 GRADUATES: 35 24 23 14 12 12 12 11 09 09

07 06 06 06 06 05 04 06 01

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

WHERE THEY’RE GOING Arizona State University Arkansas College Arkansas State University Auburn University (5) Ave Maria University (1) Baton Rouge Community College Baylor University (2) Belhaven University Belmont University (1) Benedictine College (1) Berry College Boston College (2) California State University (1) Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Centenary College (1) Christopher Newport Clemson University Coastal Alabama South (1) Colby College College of The Holy Cross (1) Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Columbia College Delgado College (6) Depaul University (1) Eckerd College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Fisk University Florida International University Florida State University (1) Fordham University High Point University Indiana University Johns Hopkins University (2) Johnson County Community College (1) Lenoir-Rhyne University Louisiana State University (76) Louisiana State University-Eunice (1) Louisiana Tech University (1) Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago (1) Loyola University Maryland Loyola University New Orleans (14) Maine Maritime Academy Marymount Manhattan College Massachusetts Maritime Academy McNeese State University Mercer University Merrimack College Millsaps College (1) Mississippi College Mississippi State University (2) Nicholls State University (1) Northwestern State University Nunez Community College Oklahoma State University Old Dominion University (1) Oregon State University Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine Point Park University Princeton University (1) Providence College Purdue University

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Regis University Rhodes College Rice University (1) Rider University Roger Williams University Rollins College (1) Roosevelt University SUNY Maritime College Samford University Santa Clara University Savannah Colllege of Art & Design Seton Hall University Southeastern Louisiana University (4) Southern Methodist University (1) Spring Hill College (1) St. Louis University St. Mary’s College Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University-Galveston (2) Texas Christian University (2) The University of the South Trinity University Tulane University (9) U.S. Coast Guard Academy (1) U.S. Naval Academy (1) University of Alabama (10) University of Alabama at Birmingham (1) University of Alabama in Huntsville (2) University of Arizona University of Arkansas (2) University of Central Florida (1) University of Colorado at Boulder (1) University of Dallas University of Denver University of Florida (2) University of Georgia University of Holy Cross University of Houston University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Louisiana Lafayette (6) University of Louisiana-Monroe University of Maryland University of Miami University of Mississippi (11) University of Missouri University of Mobile University of New Orleans (8) University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of Northern Colorado University of Notre Dame (3) University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pittsburgh University of Portland University of Rochester (1) University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Alabama (3) University of South Carolina University of South Florida (1) University of Southern Mississippi (1) University of Tampa University of Tennessee (2)

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CLASS OF 2026 CANADA

Sixty-two percent of students are going to college in-state (128). Thirty-eight percent of students are going out-ofstate (80) .

Thirty-four graduates are attending Christian institutions. Among them, 26 are enrolled in Catholic institutions, and 19 of those are Jesuit schools.

The largest contingent, 76 Blue Jays, is destined for Louisiana State University.

University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at Dallas University of Utah University of Victoria (1) University of West Florida University of Wisconsin-Madison Vanderbilt University (1) Villanova University Virginia Polytechnic Institute Washington And Lee (1) Wingate University Xavier University of Louisiana (1) — Employment (1) Military Enlistment (1) Gap Year (2)

On the map below are listed the 145 colleges and universities to which the graduates of the Class of 2026 were accepted. Schools listed in bold are the 55 institutions they are attending with the number of attendees in parentheses.

This year’s “long distance award” goes to Nick Accardo who is traveling more than 2,164 miles to attend the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

ENLISTMENTS

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

CLASS OF 2026

The State of the Blue Jay Address ”Jesuit will give you what you give a hundredfold... I urge you to be the man Jesuit has formed you to be. Bring your light to your next step and continue to order all of your actions Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. Let us be men of faith and men for others.” Scan below to hear the full “State of the Blue Jay” address from Student Body President Spencer Waguespack.

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A C A D E M I C R E S U LT S

Called to Excellence

he numbers tell only part of the story. The Class of 2026 produced 17 National Merit Semifinalists, roughly 8 percent of Louisiana’s total, 16 of whom advanced to finalist status. Twelve additional class members earned commendations or other distinctions from the program, and most recently, four students across grade levels recorded a perfect 36 on the ACT. These achievements are the natural outgrowth of what Jesuit asks of its students: to pursue God’s greater glory in all things, and to become, through that pursuit, the men they were made to be. “The accolades that Jesuit students earn are not themselves the goal,” said Fr. John Brown, S.J., Jesuit’s president. “They signify that something more fundamental is at work. I couldn’t be prouder of these Blue Jays’ academic accomplishments, but my greatest pride comes from seeing them respond fully to God’s call.” Jesuit’s faculty, administration, and staff extend their congratulations to each of these students on their achievements. 

CLASS OF 2026: 17 NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS Top row (from left): Amir Isvandi, James Denning, Paul Sparacello, Andrew Frey, Benjamin Farmer, Cullen Morris Middle row: Adam Bassam Al-Hariri, Harrison Evans, Ben Evans, Jonathan Brockhoff, Jack Hubbard, Derek Moore, Peyton Bouchon Bottom row: Sarrin Haase, Everett Kramer, James Holmes, Nathan Nguyen

’26

PAUL SPARACELLO

’26

ISAAC UHLICH

Son of Mary & Paul Sparacello

Son of Christina & Kenneth Uhlich

Attended St. Pius X School

Attended Lake Castle Madisonville Private School

’27

Access the complete 2025 Academic Accomplishments brochure via the QR code.

CONNOR BUSSEY

’27

LUKE CAVALLINO

Son of Chelsea Bussey

Son of Amy & Marc Cavallino

Attended St. Ann School

Attended Christian Brothers School

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A C A D E M I C R E S U LT S

PEAT

JAYS DEFEND MATH CROWN

or the third straight year, Jesuit’s Mu Alpha Theta and Chi Alpha Mu proved themselves the premier math team in Louisiana, capturing another state championship at the Louisiana Mu Alpha Theta Convention in Baton Rouge. Competing against more than 32 schools and approximately 750 students from across the state, the 76-member Blue Jay delegation continued one of the most dominant runs in recent convention history, finishing first overall while the Alpha Division captured its division title and the Theta Division placed second. The victory secured Jesuit’s fourth championship in the past five years. Jesuit earned several top finishes on the area tests. Junior Ashton Hall captured first place in Algebra II, while juniors Kale Le and Colton Bollman placed second and third, respectively, on the Advanced Math Test. On the individual exams, freshmen Jude Truxillo, Coleman Bourg, Stephen Perry, Krishan Thambiaiyah, and Miles Goudelocke all placed in the top 10 on the Geometry Test. Senior Ben Farmer led Jesuit on the Mu Alpha Theta

Calculus Test with a fourth-place finish. Jesuit also excelled in the fast-paced Gemini competitions. Freshmen David Gomez and Henry Dimm captured first place in Geometry Gemini, while sophomore Andrew Harrison and Arav Kamboj won Theta Algebra II Gemini. Juniors Leon Edmond and Gus Goudelocke earned first place in Alpha Precalculus Gemini. The Blue Jays advanced teams to the finals in four of the five ciphering divisions. Jesuit earned first place in Alpha Precalculus Ciphering behind juniors Connor Bussey, Luke Cavallino, Connor Eagle, and Grady Miles. Additional strong finishes included second and third place in Geometry Ciphering, second and third place in Theta Algebra II Ciphering, and second place in Mu B Calculus Ciphering. With strong performances at every level, Mu Alpha Theta and Chi Alpha Mu once again set the standard for mathematical achievement in Louisiana, securing Jesuit’s third consecutive state championship. 

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A C A D E M I C R E S U LT S

MOCK TRIAL VERDICT:

STATE CHAMPIONS

he courtroom belonged to the Blue Jays this spring. The Mock Trial Team capped off a dominant season by capturing the 2026 Judge Richard N. Ware IV Memorial State High School Mock Trial Competition, advancing to represent Louisiana at the National High School Mock Trial Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. The championship run followed a strong performance at the regional tournament held at the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna, where three Jesuit teams competed in a strong field. The all-senior team of attorneys Ben Farmer, Christopher Juge, and Derek Moore led the courtroom strategy, while witnesses Grant Carroll, Everett Kramer, Paul Sparacello, and Isaac Uhlich delivered poised and persuasive testimony. The Jays advanced to the regional final before narrowly falling to Haynes Academy, securing a runner-up finish and a berth in the state competition.

Additional attorneys rounded out the Blue Jay contingent at regionals, including junior Evan Morgan; sophomores Mike Graugnard, Charles Juge, Jackson Lane, and Vico Vignes; and freshmen Parker Lilly and Liam Moore. Witnesses included pre-freshman Miles Bradley; sophomore Matthew Brandner; juniors Logan Clark and Benjamin Keller; and seniors Brady Gilbert, Bryce Johns, and William Stackpole. Jesuit also earned individual honors at the regional competition. Charles Juge tied for Best Attorney, while Uhlich received Best Witness honors for the second consecutive year. At the state tournament in Shreveport, the Jays built on that momentum with a series of polished performances. The Jays opened with a decisive victory over Carencro before avenging its regional loss to Haynes Academy in the semifinal round. In the championship trial, the Blue Jays faced defending state champion Caddo Magnet and secured the state

(left to right) Paul Sparacello, Christopher Juge, Isaac Uhlich, Grant Carroll, Derek Moore, Ben Farmer, and Everett Kramer.

title with disciplined legal strategy, confident courtroom presence, and compelling witness work. The Mock Trial season demands months of preparation as students master case materials, craft legal arguments, and sharpen direct- and cross-examination skills. The program is moderated by Greg Ernst ’83 and guided by coaches Brett Wise ’82 , Mike Mentz, Nick Mole ’01, Jordan Lacoste ’14, and John Schmidt ’18, along with a dedicated group of alumni coaches whose mentorship continues to strengthen the program. The team represented Louisiana at the National High School Mock Trial Tournament in May, competing against many of the nation’s top programs in what proved to be another milestone season for the Mock Trial Team. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A C A D E M I C R E S U LT S

CHECK

MATE ROBOTICS TEAM

EARNS INSPIRE AWARD

esuit’s robotics team 6448 earned the Inspire Award at the regional FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) championship this season, the program’s highest honor and its first at the regional level. This season’s game, Decode, challenged teams to design robots capable of collecting, sorting, and scoring small wiffle balls called “artifacts.” Matches included a 30-second autonomous period followed by two minutes of drivercontrolled play. The team’s robot, measuring approximately 18 by 18 inches and weighing about 30 pounds, featured a 12-inch intake system, an automatic sorting mechanism known as a “spindexer,” and a self-aiming turret. After qualifying for the regional championship in December, the Blue Jays competed in Denham Springs as the fifth seed. Partnering with the Circuit Breakers alliance, they advanced through the elimination rounds, including an upset victory over the top-seeded alliance. Their run ended in the championship match with a three-point loss, earning a runner-up finish in robot competition.

The Inspire Award, which recognizes excellence in engineering, leadership, outreach, and “gracious professionalism,” is based on engineering documentation, presentations, and community engagement. Members participated in the Tulane Engineering Forum, the National WWII Museum Robotics Challenge, and Tulane’s G.I.S.T. program. They also served as counselors for GNOSTEM camps and mentored FIRST LEGO League teams at St. Rita School and St. Catherine of Siena, logging approximately 130 volunteer hours. Although the team finished second in robot competition, the Inspire Award elevated it to first place overall at the regional championship. The achievement follows last season’s first state championship since 2019. Founded in 2012, Team 6448 is moderated by James Keen ’99 and Travis Kieff ’17 and mentored by Dr. Paul Trepagnier ’98. 

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CHESS DEFENDS

STATE TITLE

ne move at a time, the Chess Team worked its way to the top of Louisiana, defending its state title with a second consecutive state championship. The championship squad consisted of sophomores Austin Janusa, Aidan Thomas, Arav Kamboj, and Yousef Fallaha, and freshman Kristofferson Mercadel. Janusa led the Blue Jays to the state title with an undefeated record, while Mercadel earned a sixth-place individual finish. The state championship capped an impressive season that included a first-place finish in the K–12 division at the New Orleans Youth Chess Tournament. Janusa earned second-place individual honors after scoring three out of four possible points, while Mercadel claimed first-place individual honors with three wins and one draw. 

S TA FF U PDAT E S

Scott Bairnsfather Named Athletic Director Continuing Jesuit’s tradition of athletic excellence

esuit has named Scott Bairnsfather as its next athletic director following a national search that drew candidates from coast to coast and included interviews with leaders from multiple states, Catholic schools, independent schools, and public-school athletic programs. Bairnsfather brings decades of experience as a Catholic educator, coach, and athletic administrator. Since joining Jesuit in 2017, he has served as a teacher, department chair, assistant athletic director, and football coach. In his current role, he has managed athletic scheduling and logistics, coordinated budgets, and worked closely with coaches across Jesuit’s athletic program. “Coach Bairnsfather has earned the respect of our coaches because he understands their work, supports their programs, and holds himself to the same standards he expects of others,” said Jesuit principal Dr. Jeremy Reuther ’01. “He knows the Catholic League, he knows the LHSAA, and he knows Jesuit. Most importantly, he understands that athletics here must

serve the formation of our students. I couldn’t be more excited for the future of Jesuit athletics.” Before coming to Carrollton & Banks, Bairnsfather served as a teacher and head football coach at Archbishop Shaw, his alma mater, and Holy Cross, giving him extensive experience in the Catholic League and with the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. His years in Catholic education have shaped his understanding of athletics as part of a school’s larger mission: forming young men for others through discipline, accountability, sacrifice, resilience, and teamwork. Bairnsfather holds a Bachelor of Science in physical education from the University of New Orleans. As athletic director, Bairnsfather will be charged with preserving Jesuit’s athletic traditions while strengthening the school’s long-term developmental model for studentathletes. His priorities will include supporting coaches, sustaining programs rooted in character formation, expanding opportunities for student development, and

building up more comprehensive programming, such as the school’s strength and conditioning program, across Jesuit athletics. Jesuit’s athletic tradition has long emphasized competition as a means of formation. Under Bairnsfather’s leadership, the school will continue to pursue that 179-year-old spirit for every student-athlete and every Blue Jay. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Jesuit in this role,” Bairnsfather said. “Our coaches care deeply about our students, and I look forward to supporting them as we continue building programs that develop young men for others. Jesuit athletics has a proud history, and our responsibility is to honor that history by developing each student into the man that God made him to be.” Longtime coach, teacher, and athletic director David Moreau will assume the role of emeritus athletic director, ensuring a successful transition. Jonathan Orillion ’01 will step into the assistant athletic director role in the fall as well. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

S TA FF U PDAT E S

A Career in Blue & White

(top left) Coach Moreau watches the game from the dugout. (top right) Moreau gets the Gatorade bath after Jesuit’s 2005 state championship victory.

David Moreau Closes a 43-Year Chapter at Jesuit

fter more than four decades at Jesuit, years spent in dugouts, gymnasiums, classrooms, and along the sidelines of nearly every field on campus, David Moreau is entering a new chapter in a career that has shaped Blue Jay athletics for a generation. Following 43 years of distinguished service, Moreau has transitioned from the day-to-day responsibilities of athletic director and now serves Jesuit as emeritus athletic director, helping ensure a

1986

smooth transition for the program. For generations of students and families, “Coach Moreau” has been a constant presence at Jesuit: steady, familiar, and deeply invested in the formation of young men through athletics. His career began in 1983 when he joined Jesuit’s faculty, teaching Louisiana History, health, and physical education while coaching the school’s American Legion baseball program. From there, he built one of the most successful eras in Blue Jay baseball history, serving as head coach from 1983 to 2005

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2026

before transitioning into athletic administration. He became athletic director in 2007. “Coach Moreau has been a steady presence for generations of Blue Jays: an educator and leader who consistently put the formation and well-being of students first,” said Dr. Jeremy Reuther ’01, Jesuit’s principal. “His work has shaped the culture of our athletic program and the athletic landscapes of New Orleans and Louisiana, strengthening bonds between teammates, coaches, families, and alumni.”

As head baseball coach, Moreau compiled a 532–160 record while leading Jesuit to three state championships and nine district championships. Yet numbers alone do not fully capture the influence he carried in the dugout. Former players often describe a coach whose standards rarely changed and whose expectations extended beyond baseball. During his years in athletic administration, Moreau helped oversee a period of significant growth for Blue Jay athletics, not only in competition, but also in opportunity. Jesuit expanded its athletic offerings to include programs such as bowling, bass fishing, rugby, lacrosse, gymnastics, and powerlifting, broadening the ways students could find community through sports. At the same time, Moreau became a vocal advocate for multi-sport participation, encouraging students to resist the growing culture of athletic specialization. Under his leadership, Jesuit celebrated as many as 66 multi-sport athletes in a single

year, reinforcing the school’s belief that athletics should complement the formation of the whole person rather than narrow it. His tenure also coincided with major developments in Jesuit’s athletic facilities. From the Louis J. Roussell Building to John Ryan Stadium and the Gayle and Tom Benson Arena, Moreau played an important role in shaping spaces that would serve generations of Blue Jays both as athletes and classmates. In recognition of his contributions to the sport and to the school, Moreau was inducted into both the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Prep Hall of Fame. In 2023, he was also named a recipient of Jesuit’s John Paquette Award, an honor recognizing faculty members who have completed 40 or more years of service to the school. Despite the accolades, those who know Moreau best often point less to championships and facilities than to his enduring belief in Jesuit itself. In his own words: “I like to be a part of something great, and Jesuit is great…

(clockwise from top) Members of the 1988 team celebrate Moreau’s 100th win at Jesuit; Moreau with his wife, Rosalyn; Coach Moreau motions to the outfielders where to play a particular hitter; Moreau on campus; Moreau with his father Don Moreau ’54; Coach Moreau and Scott Senner wait for the next pitch; Moreau shares a laugh with Fr. Fitzgerald, S.J.

It’s a place that helps so many people do special things.” With this chapter’s close, Jesuit marks the end of an era in Blue Jay athletics. Moreau’s presence long shaped the rhythms of campus life, from practices after school to Friday night games and the countless conversations that took place in hallways and coaches’ offices. For decades, students encountered in Coach Moreau not only an athletic director or coach, but an educator who believed athletics could shape character. His legacy will remain visible not only in championship banners or athletic facilities, but in the generations of Blue Jays who learned from him what it meant to represent Jesuit with humility and pride. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

MCJROTC

MCJROTC HONORS BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS LEGACY Jesuit’s MCJROTC band and color guard participated in a Jackson Square ceremony commemorating the 211th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans. Cadets also conducted a formal American flag retirement and raising ceremony, honoring the battle’s lasting significance in U.S. history. 28 | J A Y N O T E S | A C A D E M I C Y E A R 2 0 2 5 – 2 0 2 6

B LU E J AY B A N D

CELEBRATING A YEAR OF MUSIC One of the highlights of the annual spring concert, the Blue Jay STOMP ensemble delivered a performance that blended precision and creativity. Its distinctive bucket percussion routine drew enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

PHILELETIC SOCIETY

GREASE IS THE WORD The Philelectic Society delivered a high-energy production of Grease that captivated audiences with standout performances and dynamic choreography. Featuring a cast of more than 80 students, the production nearly sold out its entire run as audiences packed the theater for this year’s show.

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SPRING PRODUCTION

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

PA R ENT TE S TIMONI A L

When people ask why we drive 40 minutes each day for our sons to attend Jesuit, my answer is simple: If you could drive 40 minutes to have your children attend the best school in the country, wouldn’t you?

A Northshore Family’s Journey to Jesuit Gabriella Thompson, Mother of Four Jesuit Sons

here were several factors that made Jesuit the right decision for our family. Even before we stepped foot on campus, Jesuit’s reputation for excellence, known not just across New Orleans, but throughout the country, had already caught our attention. That reputation led us to explore Open House and see for ourselves what everyone was talking about. Once we arrived under the beautiful oak trees and were greeted so warmly, we were captivated by the testimony of a current student. He shared how he had no family affiliation with Jesuit, his father was a blue-collar worker, and though he wasn’t at the top of his class, he had found a home where he was accepted, challenged, and encouraged to thrive. He was sincere, humble, and most

of all, relatable. His story mirrored what we hoped for our own sons — a place where they could belong and become their best selves. We also had no prior Jesuit affiliation. My husband is a landscaper, and we wanted our boys to be part of a community that values hard work, faith, and service. Our sons have each found their own place at Jesuit. Our oldest joined multiple teams, including football, baseball, track, and even the bass fishing team. The younger boys followed right in his footsteps, getting involved in football, paintball, fishing, and even student media, with plenty of time to explore new activities as they grow. Each of them has been encouraged to find balance between academics and extracurriculars, and their counselors have provided wise guidance along the way. As parents, we’ve also found our own connection to Jesuit. Volunteering came naturally to me. I signed up for whatever I could. Through that, I’ve made wonderful friends and experienced firsthand the community spirit that makes Jesuit feel like more than just a school; it feels like family. Volunteering also

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allows me to model the Jesuit motto in my own way: They say “men for others,” but I like to say “moms for others,” too. Spiritual formation was a major factor in our decision. In today’s world, our children face so many challenges, and we wanted them in an environment where faith is at the center. Jesuit helps them recognize Jesus as their source of strength and challenges them to become the men God created them to be. Service, too, is deeply woven into Jesuit’s culture. From the Thanksgiving Drive and Sophomore Service Day to the Big Brother Program, opportunities to serve are everywhere. Time and again, we’ve seen teachers, coaches, and students live out the call to be men for others. We feel truly blessed to be part of the Jesuit family. Our boys are now part of a long tradition of young men striving for excellence and serving others — all for the greater glory of God. We couldn’t ask for anything more. Gabriella and Jason Thompson are the parents of Jason Jr. ’23, sophomore Sebastian, freshman Lucian, and pre-freshman Perrin. 

Servant of God Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

s many of you know, the mission statement of Jesuit High School is “to develop in its students the competence, conscience, and compassion that will enable them to be men of faith and men for others.” The school’s philosophy states that its “fundamental purpose … is to form ‘men for others’ – men of faith who are motivated by genuine Gospel charity; new men transformed by the message of Christ, who are open to their own time and to the future; leaders who have acquired a way of life that is a proclamation of the love of Christ, of faith, and of justice.” But do you know from where and how the ubiquitous “men for others” entered the Jesuit High lexicon? Its proponent was Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the twenty-eighth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. In a 1973 address in Valencia, Spain, to the International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe Father Arrupe stated: “Today our prime educational objective must be to form menfor-others; men who will live not for themselves but for God and his Christ – f or the God-man who lived and died for all the world; men who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men completely convinced that love of God which does not issue in justice for men is a farce.”

More Than a Motto: The Origins of “Men for Others” BY DAVID M. PRADOS ’75

Following this speech, the phrase, “men for others,” became a theme for Jesuit education worldwide. Pedro Arrupe was born in 1907 in Bilbao, in the Basque region of Spain, like St. Ignatius, whose spiritual teachings he personified. Arrupe was described as “physically almost Ignatius’s double. A little taller than the founder, not quite so haggard

JESUIT PROFILES

or ethereal, slender rather than emaciated. But with the same almondshaped face, the same bony forehead, backward-sloping and hairless, his skull like an ivory helmet, his nose an eagle’s beak, his eye-sockets like vaults, a nimble gait allied to a 1 curiously heavy manner.” Arrupe’s compassion for others led him to study medicine in Madrid with the intent of becoming a doctor. However, his calling was elsewhere, and he entered the Society of Jesus in 1927. As a result of the political turmoil in Spain in 1932, the Jesuits were expelled by the Republican Government. He finished his studies in Belgium, Holland, and at St. Louis University in Kansas, where he was ordained in 1936. 1 Jean Lacouture, Jesuits, A Multibiography, Counterpoint (Washington, D.C., 1995) (English Translation by Jeremy Leggatt), p. 461.

He was then sent in 1938 to do missionary work in Japan. After the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Arrupe was arrested on suspicion of espionage and imprisoned in solitary confinement. He was released after thirty-three days. This experience engendered in him a deep inner calm founded on an existential trust in God. By 1945 he was serving as the master of novices at the Jesuit seminary in Nagatsuka, about three miles on the outskirts of Hiroshima. After the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, Arrupe was part of the first wave of rescuers, employing his medical training to provide immediate care. In 1954 he became a Vice Provincial in Japan, and in 1958 he was appointed the Provincial for all of Japan. He held this office until he was elected the 28th Superior General of the Society

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of Jesus in 1965, at age 58. He spoke eight languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and French. Arrupe’s experiences in Japan formed his practice of promoting peace, justice, and compassion for the suffering. In keeping with the spirit of Vatican II which ended in the same year he assumed leadership as Superior General, Arrupe committed the Order to working more intentionally with the poor and oppressed. He directed both the Society and all Catholics to become more involved with the marginalized and to employ their faith to create justice in education and social services and to advocate for human rights. For example, in late 1967, Arrupe wrote a letter to the United States’ Jesuits in the aftermath of the “long hot summer of 1967” calling for a more adequate institutional response to addressing racial discrimination

SERVANT OF GOD PEDRO ARRUPE , S.J.

(right) Pedro Arrupe, S.J., cleans the shoes of a young boy in Quito, Ecuador, in 1971, demonstrating the humility and compassion that defined his life and ministry. (bottom) Arrupe visits children at a boarding school in India in July 1977. Photo courtesy of Jesuit Generals.

and the struggles of the Black and white poor. Among those who helped draft the letter was the noted Jesuit social scholar in New Orleans, Fr. Louis Twomey at Loyola University, who was a trusted friend to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Responding to the signs of the times, Arrupe saw firsthand the cause for social justice as a natural aspect of the Order’s original apostolic function to serve the least fortunate. This new perspective contributed to a growing movement in Latin America among theologians of various backgrounds that became known as “liberation theology,” the emphasis of which was on freeing those marginalized in the world from the socio-economic injustices they face. Arrupe’s vision for the Society of Jesus was interpreted by some as a move toward secularism, which led to perceived conflicts with Pope Paul VI over what critics considered the

Order’s support of social activism rather than social justice. Later, in 1980, spurred by the plight of the Vietnamese boat people and other refugees around the world, Arrupe founded the Jesuit Refugee Service to coordinate the Society’s assistance. This response was part of his continuing efforts to support the displaced. On August 7, 1981, after 16 years as Superior General, Arrupe suffered a stroke that led to his becoming mute. He was eventually forced to withdraw from active service as leader of the Society. In 1983 he retired from office, having served as the Superior of the Order for eighteen years. During his Generalship, Arrupe led the Order through the tumultuous period of ecclesiastical and cultural renewal following Vatican II. While Arrupe urged the Society as a matter of obedience to the Pope to implement its reforms, his leadership in embracing social justice also brought new energy to the Jesuits in line with the history of the Jesuits from its early days. He championed a spirituality of engagement with the world, not

retreat from it. As a result of his commitment to the spirit of St. Ignatius and its application to modern times, Arrupe has been called the “Second Founder.” His legacy of “men for others” challenges us to serve for human dignity and the promotion of justice. Arrupe died in Rome on February 5, 1991, age 84. His body lies in a chapel at the Jesuit Church of the Gesú in Rome. He followed the spirit of Ignatius, who sought the greater glory of God and the wellbeing of all humankind. In one sense, the legacy of this holy leader is being vindicated by the Holy See in the beatification process that is well underway for now Servant of God Pedro Arrupe. Arrupe’s personal prayer sums up his life and the Ignatian spirit that formed him: “Grant me, O Lord, to see everything now with new eyes, to discern and test the spirits that help me read the signs of the times, to relish the things that are yours, and to communicate them to others. Give me the clarity of understanding that you gave Ignatius.” 

DAVID PRADOS ’75

Former Jesuit Educator

This piece is the fourth in a series of Jesuit Profiles by Prados. He is retired from practicing law and is now studying for a degree in Art History at the University of New Orleans.

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A LU M N I FE AT U R E

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It is true that no Blue Jay has yet set foot on the moon. But it is also true that only because of a Blue Jay that anyone ever has.

A BLUE JAY’S

MOON

SHOT

hen Gene Matranga ’50 rode his bicycle to the New Orleans airport as a boy, he was drawn to the simple mystery of airplanes lifting themselves into the sky. By July 1969, just a couple of decades after he first set foot on Jesuit’s campus, that early fascination had carried him to the center of a moonshot. Or, rather, the moonshot. The Catalogues of Jesuit High School from Matranga’s graduation year emphasized that “No instrument can act beyond its capabilities. The intellect is man’s God-given instrument. The wider its capabilities, the more and better work it can do.” Matranga’s life reflected the heights to which humanity can ascend with such a well-trained intellect, and his contribution to NASA as the project manager and senior engineer for the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle marks his accomplishments not only among Blue Jay alumni, but in the halls of twentieth century history. The iconic Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV), the openframed “flying bedstead” he helped build at NASA’s Flight Research Center, gave Apollo astronauts the closest thing Earth could offer to the feel of landing on the moon. Neil Armstrong, who counted Matranga as a friend and colleague, said Apollo 11 would not have succeeded without the LLRV and its training successor.

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A LU M N I FE AT U R E

Matranga grew up across Lake Pontchartrain in Abita Springs, LA, before moving during World War II to the south shore, where his grandfather had a home in the Marigny. Matranga graduated with honors from Jesuit in 1950, part of a generation formed in the years just after the war. In Matranga’s case, the habits of mind he

formed on Banks Street traveled well: from Mid-City classrooms to the high desert of California, from slide rules to rocket planes, and from academic promise to work on machines that demanded both precision and nerve. After earning his mechanical engineering degree from LSU in 1954, Matranga moved west and joined the

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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which would become NASA. He later earned his master’s in aeronautical engineering from the University of Southern California. He arrived at Edwards Air Force Base while the Mojave was emerging as the nation’s premier center for experimental flight research, the place

G E N E M AT R A N G A ’ 5 0

where supersonic and high-altitude aviation moved from daring concept to disciplined practice. Matranga was not simply present for that era; he was doing the technical work that defined it. In 1959, he co-authored a NASA technical memorandum with Neil Armstrong on approach-and-landing

characteristics. In 1961, he published a NASA technical note analyzing the first 30 X-15 landings. The X-15 program itself would feed knowledge into Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and later the Space Shuttle. That background made Matranga a natural fit for one of NASA’s most unusual and consequential assignments. When Apollo planners needed a way to simulate the final descent to the lunar surface, the Flight Research Center developed the LLRV, with Donald Bellman and Matranga serving as senior engineers on the project. The vehicle looked awkward by design. It was solving a problem no aircraft had ever been asked to solve before: how to help a pilot learn the feel of one-sixth gravity and no atmosphere. The result proved indispensable. NASA’s history of the program records that every Apollo moonlanding commander and backup completed certification in the LLRV or LLTV, and that the commanders credited that training with their successful landings. The same work also contributed to the early development of digital fly-by-wire technology, another reminder that the lunar program left behind more than footprints.

Matranga’s career did not end with Apollo. NASA’s history of the YF-12 program identifies him as the first YF-12 program manager, notes that he headed NASA’s team at the start of the joint research effort in 1969, and he was later promoted to Director of Projects. His later work included the SR-71, the F-117 stealth fighter, and consulting work on the YF-22. He went on to help write the history of the machine most closely associated with his professional legacy, serving as a co-author of NASA’s monograph Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle. Yet his family portrait is as telling as his résumé. Matranga was a voracious reader, a woodworker, a Little League coach, a backpacker with the Boy Scouts and his family, a model-railroad builder, a lover of classical music, and a man who spent decades building a life with Catherine, his wife of 70 years, and their seven children, Eugene, Eric, Mark, Jo, Kirk, Claire, and Gregory. He is survived today by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and his brother, Roman. On the day Apollo 11 landed, his family hurried home from vacation in time to watch the telecast. The engineer whose work helped make the landing possible was not in front of the cameras. He was at home, watching with his family, part of the larger American story he had helped write. For fellow Blue Jays, that may be the clearest measure of Matranga’s life. He was a gifted student who went on to industry-leading work in one of the defining technical enterprises of the twentieth century. His legacy is an inspiration to Jesuit students and alumni alike, to seek to put their own God-given gifts to “more and better work” in service to others. When the first Blue Jay does land on the moon, he will have Gene Matranga to thank for it. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A LU M N I FE AT U R E

Guided By The Light Sean “Scoop” Smith ’78 Comes Home

SEAN SMITH ’78

In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius sets forth a difficult task: to look back over the whole of one’s life — from sins to blessings, wounds to rescues — and “recall the sins of one’s life… and consider the Divine Goodness: how God has preserved me, and given me understanding and freedom.” The goal is not to fixate on failure but to recognize that, even in disorder and poor decisions, God has been at work, quietly drawing us toward love. This piece represents just such a prayerful looking back. The story is not a straight line from Banks Street to spiritual perfection. It is the kind of “history” Ignatius expects most of us to find: loss, complicated human dynamics, gifts discovered through mentors, and seasons when bad habits and old pain seem to have the last word.

(opposite) Sean “Scoop” Smith ’78 photographed in Death Valley in 1989. (top) The photo-covered wall of Smith’s high school bedroom, reflecting the passion for photography that earned him the nickname “Scoop.”

Ignatius’s final contemplation, the “Contemplatio ad Amorem,” invites us to review our lives again from the vantage point of gratitude, “recalling the blessings of creation, redemption, and particular gifts.” The personal pilgrimage in this piece traces that Ignatian journey: from confusion to clarity, from selfreproach to forgiveness. As you read, you are invited to notice, in Ignatius’s words, “how the Lord deals with you,” and to see that God has been present in every frame of your own life.

ean Smith ’78 does not say Jesuit changed his life. He says it saved it. “My mother passed away when I was 10, and my sister and I were raised by a father whose demons left him incapable of mentoring me,” Smith recalled. “Jesuit gave me so many good role models, a place where I was known and protected, a Christian education, and an opportunity to find my creative voice.” That door to Carrollton & Banks opened in part because his aunt, Terry, a Franciscan nun, flew from Columbus to New Orleans and firmly “encouraged” Fr. Harry Tompson, S.J., to admit her nephew. For Smith, that decision became the hinge between a childhood marked by grief and a future shaped by grace, mistakes, and an unexpected vocation behind the camera. Still, his first years at Jesuit did not feel heroic.

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A LU M N I FE AT U R E

Smith did not know it at the time, but the connection that he made with O’Dwyer placed him in proximity to a long line of Blue Jays: O’Dwyer’s father, Rudolph O’Dwyer, Jr., was a member of the Class of 1935; his nephew, Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J., was named president of De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis in 2022. Rudolph O’Dwyer ’35’s great grandson is currently a pre-freshman at Jesuit.

“I spent most of my first two years invisible: wandering those halls like a clear frame on a roll of black-andwhite film.” Everything changed junior year, in a filmmaking class taught by Rudolph “Teddy” O’Dwyer ’65. One assignment required students to film a short scene demonstrating continuity. Smith teamed up with classmate William Harrison ’79 to stage a mock bank robbery outside the Whitney Bank. Smith had cleared the scene with the guard at the door but did not realize police were working undercover down the block. When Harrison jumped into his getaway car and sped toward St. Charles Avenue,

three plainclothes officers rushed Smith. “They were at my feet telling me how much my Elmo 8mm movie camera looked like a machine gun,” Smith said. “Luckily, when I told them I was shooting my homework assignment for a Jesuit filmmaking class, they let me go. I wish I still had that 8mm footage.” O’Dwyer saw more than a close call. He saw talent. Recognizing Smith’s eye for capturing life through a lens, O’Dwyer steered him to the school newspaper and yearbook. When Smith hesitated to ask his father for money for a real camera, O’Dwyer quietly

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Through Scoop’s Lens: (top photo) Students fill the stands during a 1977 Jesuit basketball game, capturing the enthusiasm and camaraderie of Blue Jay fans. (bottom left) English teacher Charles McGannon with the classroom’s famed “big dictionary,” a memorable fixture of his lessons. (bottom right) Rudolph “Teddy” O’Dwyer ’65, longtime Jesuit educator who taught Filmmaking/Radio Broadcasting, English, Speech, and Diction.

loaned him the $200 he needed to buy his first Pentax K1000. “It would be considered a clunky metal box by today’s standards,” Smith said. “It was purely mechanical and built like a tank. You could literally drop it, kick it down the hall, pick it up, and keep shooting.” Armed with a camera and a few

SEAN SMITH ’78

rolls of Tri-X film, the once-invisible student became a fixture at games, assemblies, and on the sidelines of student life. Despite what he calls his “geeky, skinny frame and blackrimmed glasses,” Smith quickly became known. “With that camera, I captured basketball games, football games, pep rallies, Phil’s plays, and a few of wellknown classmates such as Mickey ‘Big B’ Bordes ’78,” he said. In the darkroom, he learned to develop film and print enlargements. Along the way, he discovered that cheerleaders and leading ladies in school plays were happy to sit for portraits as his talent for capturing faces developed. “My camera and I became friends,” he said. “I found I could now talk to people — fellow students, teachers, even girls.” A new identity emerged. “Scoop” was born. By senior year in 1978, Smith was already operating like a freelance photographer. He can still open his notebook from Charlie McGannon’s English class and find traces of that early hustle. “In between definitions from Beowulf or rough drafts of my senior term paper on James Joyce’s ‘Araby,’ you can see scribbled notes of clients and 5x7 print prices that I sold,” he said. After graduation, Smith washed dishes at the Anything Goes Restaurant in the French Quarter. Ever the photographer, he taped prints around the time clock so coworkers could see his gallery every time they punched in or out.

But as his photography advanced, old wounds and new vices began to take hold. “At only 18 years old, I consumed my free time by struggling with my childhood and emotional abuse, the pursuit of love as a Southern romantic, the joy of a beautiful 8x10 black-and-white print, and the newly found freedom of Dixie Beer with Louisiana’s drinking age still set 18 in those years,” he said. He chased happiness with new jobs, apartments, and relationships. In six years, he cycled through positions at CF Weber Photography, K&B Camera Center, The Hammond Daily Star, and Colorpix. Dixie gave way to Jax and then to Amaretto with 7UP. All the while, the aspects of his own foundation from before his time on Banks Street remained shaky. Even then, Jesuit stayed in his orbit. “When I had the chance, I would walk those halls that had protected me, given me love and guidance, and introduced me to my photographic voice,” he said. “In my way I was searching for my mother, trying to understand my father, and hoping to find spiritual forgiveness.” The next 18 years blurred into what many would consider an extraordinary photographer’s résumé. “When I tell people about my adventures, places I’ve lived, and people I’ve photographed, they look at me in awe and admiration,” he said. “But inside, I was still wrestling with the same demons.” In 1984, Smith attended the

Through Scoop’s Lens: (left) A Lower Ninth Ward classroom one year after Hurricane Katrina. (middle) Bruce Hornsby and Bonnie Raitt, 1989. (right) Laramie River Ranch, Wyoming, 2005.

Portfolio School for Photography in Atlanta. With just four months left before graduation, he and his instructors agreed that advertising photography wasn’t his calling. Sent to photograph the Amish, he ended up living among them for two months. He fell in love with a girl in Savannah, preserving that brief, luminous chapter in Kodachrome slides he still cherishes. He moved to New York City to work for other photographers, riding subways through Harlem at night with his camera. Back in New Orleans, he became staff photographer at Baptist Hospital and shot for local bands, including the Meters. That work opened doors to the best stages at Jazz Fest and gave him privileged access over other photographers. He began shooting freelance for the Times-Picayune, where his father had once served as photo editor and later as editor of the Sunday magazine, the Dixie Roto. Later, he even photographed Bruce Hornsby, shooting two albums at the musician’s home in Virginia and following him on tour. On paper, the career looked enviable; internally, it was fragile. “The bad choices were always by my side,” Smith said. “Alcohol and other escapes formed my foundation. And any connection to Jesuit or a spiritually based life mostly faded like

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

A LU M N I FE AT U R E a poorly developed photograph.” In 1997, he left New Orleans for New England and eventually started a family of his own. That chapter lasted about a decade before divorce left him, again, chasing happiness. He moved to Grand Isle for a time; Hurricane Ida would later claim his apartment. “There were moments I would talk to God,” he said, “but I never felt I deserved a reply.” The reply began in an unexpected place: a house-sitting job in Milwaukee, a phone in his hand, and a simple search. “While house sitting in Milwaukee in November 2024 and desperate for guidance, I asked Google Maps for the closest church,” Smith said. “I found Holy Rosary was 240 feet away.” There he met Fr. Tim. “He rescued me emotionally, physically, and spiritually,” Smith said. “He reminded me of so many Jesuit priests who had nurtured me 50 years ago.” As Smith’s relationship with Holy Rosary deepened, an old thread from New Orleans tugged at him. He reconnected with a band he had last photographed in 1997. An idea formed: a return to the Crescent City, to Jazz Fest, and to the places that had shaped him. “It might help me sort some things out in my mind,” he said. “A photographic and spiritual pilgrimage of sorts.” Encouraged by Fr. Tim and a spiritually grounded friend, and bolstered by what he calls “a huge dose of self-motivation,” Smith booked plane tickets and reserved an Airbnb in the Lower Ninth Ward. Two weeks before the trip, Fr. Tim made a request that stopped him cold. “Almost casually, he said, ‘While you’re there, and visiting your

mother’s grave and Jesuit High School, I want you to forgive your father and mother,’” Smith said. “My mind screamed and silently questioned his sanity.” But as they talked, Smith realized that forgiveness might be central to the journey. “I began to understand how this would help fulfill the true purpose of this pilgrimage,” he said. “Not only to photograph people and places that had shaped my youth and early life, but to see how Jesuit’s teaching had — and can continue to — be a guiding frame in my life.”

On the last day of his visit, Smith returned to the school that had, in his words, raised him. He met with Jean Paul Perrilliat ’03 in the development office and walked back into memories of playing the role of Caiaphis in Jesus Christ Superstar, student Masses, the TV studio O’Dwyer managed, chalk dust flying in McGannon’s English class, and Fr. Tompson’s imposing frame shepherding him through those four years. As they approached the entrance to the auditorium, Smith pointed out a specific spot from decades earlier. “I told Jean Paul about the day I

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asked the female lead of Jesus Christ Superstar to the junior-senior prom,” he said. “I mentioned calling her from a pay phone along the wall.” They pulled back a folding table. On the wall, faint but visible, was a dark rectangular imprint where that pay phone had once hung. “I could see where my trembling hands once placed that call,” Smith said. He still has the prom photo of the two of them from that night. Later that day, he sat in the front pew of the renovated chapel. His thoughts turned back to another sacred place on the trip: his mother’s grave. A dear friend and fellow photographer from the Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson, had accompanied him there, and together they prayed. “We talked about how I might consider how hard their lives must have been as an alcoholic and an addict,” he said. “There it was — the beginning of forgiveness. Forgiveness for them and maybe, just maybe, forgiveness of myself.” Looking back, Smith describes his four years at Jesuit with striking simplicity. “Whenever I tell people about those formative four years in high school, I talk about how Jesuit actually raised me and literally saved my life,” he said. Now, months after his Banks Street pilgrimage, that conviction has only deepened. “I find myself more and more grateful,” Smith said. “Sure, I’m still asking for forgiveness and wrestling with how God fits into Sean ‘Scoop’ Smith’s life, but now I know that Jesuit’s guiding light always shines for me. And I know those doors are always open.”  More of Smith’s photography can be found at www.seancsmithphotos.com.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

John “Fats” Dantonio ’37 1936 BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT BUCKLE Throughout the long and memorable history of Jesuit athletics, there have been many notable moments and achievements. Our archive is full of incredible photographs, artifacts, and pieces of Jesuit history which makes it difficult to only pick one to highlight. One such piece is this 1936 Baseball State Championship belt buckle worn by John “Fats” Dantonio of the Class of 1937. The 1936 season was the fifth of seven consecutive championships for the Jesuit program. Details are hard to come by, but we believe a number of people on the team had these belt buckles made as a commemorative keepsake for the players.

Dantonio went on to play in Major League Baseball during World War II, making his profession debut September 18, 1944, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves. While he only played in 50 games over two seasons in the majors, Dantonio and his Jesuit teammates made their mark on the New Orleans baseball scene with their 1936 team being named one of the best, if not the best, in New Orleans history. Dantonio himself would go on to be inducted into the Jesuit High School Hall of Fame, the Diamond Club Hall of Fame, as well as the Louisiana American Italian Sports Hall of Fame. 

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“No White Flags” Twenty Years Later, Jesuit Reflects with Gratitude

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wenty years after floodwaters swallowed Banks Street, Jesuit did not mark the anniversary with a moment of silence. Students, faculty, and alumni from the Classes of 2006– 2010 gathered for a Katrina Memorial Assembly built on a single conviction: the storm was not just something that happened to Jesuit — it revealed what Jesuit is. The program opened with an invocation from Fr. John Brown, S.J., who prayed words adapted from the Church’s baptismal rite: “O God, who in many ways have used water, your creation, to show forth both trial and grace… look now with mercy upon us as we recall the storm that devastated our city and our coast.” Setting the tone, Christian Bautista ’06, Jesuit’s director of institutional advancement, told students the assembly was “not to dwell on tragedy from 20 years ago,” but to draw out what the storm revealed about Jesuit’s identity. “Some think greatness is inevitable or far off,” Bautista said. “This is not what Jesuit teaches. Jesuit is here to teach you that great men are made for all times and that all times will be hard in some way… those times will need Blue Jays.” He anchored that call with the Suscipe prayer of St. Ignatius: “Take my memory, my understanding, my entire will. Do with it what you will.” “GRATEFUL, RESILIENT, ADAPTIVE” Former president Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. ’66 widened the lens before narrowing it back to student responsibility. He began with three watchwords — gratitude, resilience, and adaptation — and first offered thanks “to the faculty at that time, the parents, the students, the wider community, all those people who helped us to return.” He then turned to “you who are in khaki,” reminding students that “the future of Jesuit High School is you.”

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Fr. McGinn traced the storm’s hard facts and the choices that followed: a shifting forecast, late warnings, and unused buses that compounded the harm. The core lesson was not recrimination but response: “We adapted to the results of someone else’s poor choices.” He pulled the thread back further, to Bienville’s founding of the city in a bowl ringed by swamps, and the A. Baldwin Wood pumps that later made Mid-City and Lakeview livable, only for miscalculated levee design to leave outfall canals vulnerable when Lake Pontchartrain surged. “That’s life,” Fr. McGinn said. “Life is adapting ourselves to other people’s mistakes, not complaining about it, whining about it, catastrophizing about it.” He pressed a clear choice on students consuming Katrina retrospectives: one path is “self-pity and blame, which leads to paralysis and hopelessness and helplessness.” The other is to be “grateful, resilient, and adaptive.” He closed with a prayer that the Holy Spirit would grant students precisely those virtues, not excuses, but the steady work of rebuilding.

WELCOMING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RESTARTING SCHOOL Longtime teacher and administrator Michael Prados ’83 recalled

remaining on campus as water rose. When flooded neighbors arrived by boat at “our boat dock, which was the steps by the Mary statue,” Prados and Fr. Richard Hermes, S.J., brought families inside, found them food, and got them out safely. Days later, a text arrived: “We have 200 students in Houston. We’re starting classes at Strake Jesuit and we need teachers.” Prados paused: “I have never felt the call to be a teacher more in my life.” Peter Kernion ’90 described arriving at Strake expecting about 20 students and instead facing as many as 400, all to be scheduled without a computer program. Faculty rallied despite flooded houses and personal upheaval, because the goal was straightforward: “create as normal an experience as we could.” Kathy Juhas evacuated, then went to Houston to help organize operations, eventually serving as acting principal — the only woman to occupy the role in the school’s

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history — while also serving as disciplinarian, P.E. teacher, and math teacher. Jack Culicchia ’83 recalled the selflessness on display, from Strake families filling the auditorium lobby with book bags stuffed with cash, PlayStations, and books: “It is a memory that I always can look back on to remember that we do take care of each other.” At the night school that opened at St. Martin’s in Metairie, Tim Powers recalled students arriving “thoroughly exhausted” from gutting houses by day and studying by night then dinner at 6 p.m. in the courtyard featuring “those never-tobe-forgotten MREs.” The return to campus, he said, was “a very, very emotional experience.” Culicchia added simply: “The real hero is Fr. McGinn. He actually saved the school.” AN ANCHOR, A COMPASS, AND A MAP James Linn ’06, now Jesuit’s

alumni director, offered a student’s vantage on those months. He recalled watching meteorologist Carl Arredondo late at night as the track

shifted. The family fueled up at 11 p.m. “There was no one in line,” he said. “By the time we finished, the line was around the corner.” Then came eight hours on the road to Baton Rouge, watching with horror as the city filled with water. Communication was largely text and email, at 25 cents per message. The questions were blunt: “Was there going to be a New Orleans to come back to, and was there going to be a Jesuit to go back to?” The rhythm at Strake settled into night classes during the week and weekend trips back to gut houses. When the Class of 2006 finally returned in January, senior rings were distributed; with the Roussel Building damaged, the homecoming game was played at Brother Martin, where a last-second win prompted court-storming despite coach Chris Jennings ’78 urging students off the floor. “At that point, we had been through enough,” Linn said. “There was no way that was gonna happen.” Graduation brought Fr. McGinn’s charge that Jesuit had given the class “an anchor, a compass, and a map.” Years later, the insight finally clicked for Linn: “The anchor was Jesuit.”

Echoing Fr. McGinn, Linn urged students to reject grievance: “Self-pity destroys confidence and ambition.” The task, he added, is to keep passing on the Jesuit tradition of being men of faith and men for others through “more hurricanes, pandemics, and even a flood or two here on Banks Street.” ”NO WHITE FLAGS” The assembly closed with a talk from Steve Gleason, whose blocked punt on September 25, 2006, became a civic emblem of New Orleans’ rebirth. A graduate of Gonzaga Prep, a Jesuit school in Spokane, WA, Gleason addressed students directly: “Our power doesn’t come from size or strength. It comes from your mindset, and from the trust and commitment that you build with the people around you.” In 2005, he said, New Orleanians had to love the life they had, practice radical acceptance, and reimagine their future. That posture, choosing to love and serve rather than surrender, is what he calls no white flags: “May we never surrender our ability to unconditionally accept our

(top) Alumni from Jesuit’s Katrina years pose with faculty and staff who served during that historic period, honoring the resilience and brotherhood that carried the school through Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

circumstances… then transform ourselves to love the life we have while serving and loving others.” The blocked punt, he added, “is a symbol of the commitment of the people who chose to return and rebuild.” From Fr. Brown’s opening prayer to Gleason’s closing charge, the assembly traced a single thread. Jesuit does not wait for great men to arise. It forms them, for all times, including the hard ones. When floodwaters rise on Banks Street or trials arrive in whatever form they take, Blue Jays are called to respond with competence, conscience, and compassion: no selfpity and no white flags.  Watch the Remembering Hurricane Katrina: 20th Anniversary Assembly.

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Reclaiming the Gold A 20–12 victory over Holy Cross puts the trophy back in Blue Jay hands

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ne trophy. One hundred and seven years of history. The Blue Jays delivered when it mattered most, topping Holy Cross 20–12 to reclaim the Golden Football marking their first rivalry win in several years. Rivalry Week featured a chin-up challenge won by Jesuit students, a Benson Arena pep rally honoring Marchant Kenney ’93 as the 2025

Legend of the Game, and a Friday morning address from Lt. Col. Jared Brupbacher ’97, the 2025 Distinguished Military Alumnus. On the field, senior quarterback Sully Sullivan scored two rushing touchdowns, and senior kicker Ethan Cabos drilled two field goals. A pivotal interception by sophomore cornerback McKinley Perry and a

clutch sack by junior Chase Cooper sealed the win. At halftime, senior William Berry was named the Great American Rivalry Series Student-Athlete, and senior Coleman Puneky earned the Royal Honda Community Service Award. The Jays improved to 62–43–1 alltime against Holy Cross. 

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THE AZBY FUND

East Jefferson Emergency Physicians Dr. Roland Waguespack III & Dr. André Mouledoux, Jr.

Donald & Cherie Albro Annuciation Contracting Balfour New Orleans Rich & Cathy Barnett Greg & Jane Bensel Mr. & Mrs. Guy H. Bumpas IV Judge & Mrs. Roy M. Cascio Caroline & Jonathan Cerise Ralph & Patricia Cox Gerard & Tonya Danos Dardis Couvillon & Assoc. Capt. & Mrs. Dennis P. Durham, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Eric Ehrensing David & Louise Esola Prentice & Melissa Fuselier Johnny & Alexandra Giavotella

Mrs. Jeanie Favret Janet & James Frischhertz

Grass Inc., Landscape & Horticulture Drs. Michael & Golda Hartman Home Team Elevation & Construction Jessica & Robbie Hughes Renee’ & Mike Hulefeld David & Alicia Joint Judge & Mrs. Christopher H. Juge Jay & Stacey LaCour Mary & Brian Larson Chris & Amy Lawler Robért & Danielle LeBlanc Jeff & Michelle Lyon Dr. Michael & Mrs. Christine Maristany Missy & Tom Martin Mike & Suzanne McGlone Mr. & Mrs. Kevin McGlone

Patrice & Ron Mills Chad & Rachel Mollere Brian & Kristin Moore New Orleans Nephrology Associates Stephen & Katie Perrien Stephen & Colleen Peterman Ann & Mark Schreiner Kevin & Michelle Serigne Steven & Jennifer Serio Jessica & William Skelly The Dugan Law Firm Drs. Ann & Greg Tilton Kelly & Paul Uddo ’97 Jay & Jessica VanVrancken Welty Architecture

* jesuit thanks its generous benefactors *

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he Cannery came alive with the sights and sounds of the ’60s as hundreds of parents, alumni, faculty, and supporters packed the venue for Jesuit’s annual Celebration Auction & Gala. Presented by Ryan Gootee General Contractors, the night centered on the theme “Blue Jay Beatlemania,” with vinyl records and peace signs dressing the tables and

walls, live music from The Walrus greeting guests, and a Strawberry Fields dessert room rounding out the atmosphere. The evening’s spread featured New Orleans staples including crawfish mac ‘n’ cheese, shrimp and grits, and bananas foster. Silent auction highlights included commissioned artwork by Becky Fos, and raffle offerings ranged from a Southwest

Airlines gift card to Ippolita “Rock Candy” earrings, with the success made possible by raffle and sales committee chairs Cherie Albro, Kristin LaGraize, and Christine Maristany. Event chairs Sara Gootee and Colleen Peterman led the evening alongside auction chairs Rachel Mollere, Jenn Serio, and Kelly Uddo, whose efforts made another memorable Celebration possible. 

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Labor of Love Alumni Weekend Comes Home to a Restored Chapel and Pauses to Honor Those Who Have Given the Most

he celebration returned to the Chapel of the North American Martyrs following its restoration, and the effect was immediate: warm new lighting, and above, a sweeping field of stars replicating the New Orleans night sky as it appeared on the night of the Resurrection two millennia ago. As alumni and guests entered, many found their eyes drawn upward before they even reached their seats. Fr. John Brown, S.J., made the most of the setting in his homily, drawing from the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica to reflect on why the Church cherishes its sacred spaces. He described God’s grace as “cascading down… making holy whatever comes in contact with God’s Holy Spirit,” and invited those present to see the chapel not merely as a building, but as a visible expression of that reality. The Mass was celebrated by Frs. Brown, Anthony McGinn, S.J. ’66, Roy Joseph, S.J., and Penn Dawson, S.J., with music from the student choir led by Patrick Cragin ’06. Following Mass, the celebration moved to Traditions Courtyard and the Student Commons, where alumni gathered over raw and chargrilled oysters, gumbo, whole roasted alligator, and shrimp pasta from Acme Oyster House and Drago’s Seafood, reconnecting with classmates and touring the latest additions to campus. The evening also brought several significant recognitions. Robert S. Boh ’76 was named Jesuit’s 2025–26 Alumnus of the Year. A summa

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ALUMNI WEEKEND

cum laude graduate who went on to earn degrees in civil engineering and business from Tulane University, Boh became President and CEO of Boh Bros. Construction Co., LLC, in 1994 and now serves as Chairman and CEO. “To join the distinguished list of past recipients, which includes

my late father in 1998, is one of the great honors of my life,” he said. He also addressed students at Morning Assembly, urging them not to overlook the chance to build their relationship with God, the foundation, he said, that has carried him through every challenge.

Brian North ’83 was inducted posthumously into Jesuit’s Hall of Honors. Elected to the board in 2013 and named chair in 2015, North guided the school through a decade of growth, strengthened its endowment, and advised four presidents. Fr. Brown recalled North’s words on his

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years of service: “He told me it had been a labor of love.” North passed away June 2, 2025, at the age of 59. Chris Jennings ’78 received the John Paquette Award, which honors faculty members with more than 40 years of service. A teacher, coach, and Jesuit’s all-time leading scorer with 2,011 career points, Jennings has led the basketball team to five district titles and the 2001 state championship. Known throughout the Catholic League as “the Dean,” he now stands just a dozen wins from 750 career victories. Members of the Classes of 1975 and 2000 were also recognized, receiving their 50-year diplomas and 25-year pins, reminders, as Alumni Director James Linn ’06 noted, that the honors carry a forward-looking charge: to keep living as men of faith and men for others. 

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ALUMNI WEEKEND

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All for the Greater Glory Serving New Orleans, One Basket at a Time

efore the sun rose on New Orleans the day before Thanksgiving, the Blue Jay community gathered at Robért Fresh Market on Allen Toussaint Boulevard. Students, faculty, and alumni began arriving around 5 a.m. to purchase perishable food items for Jesuit’s annual Thanksgiving Drive, a service tradition that has supported families across the region for nearly a century. In the weeks leading up to the event, homerooms, clubs, honor societies, athletic teams, and other student groups collected nonperishable food items on campus. These donations were combined with turkeys, once again provided by the Class of 1983, ensuring that each family received a complete Thanksgiving meal. “I love seeing how students rise to the challenge of the Thanksgiving Drive,” said Paul Hatty, a history teacher and wrestling coach. “It’s a great opportunity for them to step into leadership roles and work collaboratively to shape the drive each year. I’ve been part of it for eight years, and no Thanksgiving Drive is ever the same. It’s truly studentdriven, and they’re free to make it their own.” After completing their earlymorning shopping, students returned to campus to assemble the baskets for delivery. Once packing was complete, the school community gathered in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for a prayer service and time of reflection. The service drew on the leadership and talents of many students and faculty. Senior Anderson Casebonne and coach Chris Jennings ’78 each offered reflections. Casebonne drew on his summer at Krewe de Kamp, where he served as an attendant to a young camper with Down syndrome and autism. “I had never felt the joy of service quite like I did at Krewe de Kamp,” Casebonne said. “We do service not because we have to, but because it

is the right thing to do. The essential part of this whole process is empathy.” Jennings reminded students that more than 600 families would share a holiday meal because of Jesuit’s generosity and encouraged them to recognize their capacity for goodness as men for others. The prayer service was celebrated by Fr. John Brown, S.J., with special guest Most Reverend James Checchio, Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans. He reminded students

that Christ’s command to love God becomes tangible through service, urging them to see Jesus in those they serve, whether feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely, or offering hope to those who suffer. Numerous co-curricular groups contributed to the effort, and alumni groups representing more than a dozen classes assisted with packing, logistics, and deliveries. In total, the Jesuit community delivered 680 Thanksgiving baskets to households

throughout the New Orleans area. The Thanksgiving Drive remains one of the clearest expressions of Jesuit’s mission to form men for others, an annual reminder that the joy found in service is both lasting and transformative.  Take a special look at Jesuit’s recent Thanksgiving Drive.

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Blue Jay Mothers Who Serve with Heart

ear after year, Blue Jay mothers show up not because they have to, but because they believe in Jesuit’s mission. Through their generosity, leadership, and countless hours of service, they help strengthen the mission of the school and the experience of every student. The Alma Mater Award recognizes mothers whose dedication has gone far beyond what was ever asked of them. This year, that honor was given to three remarkable women: Tiffany Cazabon, Maria Siebenkittel, and Pam Waguespack. Jessica Waguespack, luncheon chair, welcomed guests to the 2026 Mothers’ Luncheon and offered a special greeting to Jesuit alumni mothers, current mothers, senior mothers, and the honorees and their families. She also invited past Alma Mater Award recipients to stand and be recognized for their lasting contributions to the school community. The program began with Roberto Matthews ’96 performing the National Anthem and “God Bless America.” Fr. John Brown, S.J., then presented the Alma Mater Awards, sharing the stories of each honoree’s service alongside reflections from their sons. Through these tributes,

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MOTHERS’ LUNCHEON

attendees were reminded of the many ways each woman has supported Jesuit and its students over the years. Fr. Brown also reflected on the Fr. Richard Thomas, S.J., and

Madonna della Strada stained-glass prayer cards each attendee received, emphasizing the faith that underlies every act of service at Jesuit. Together, the afternoon celebrated not only

three deserving honorees but also the enduring spirit of service that Blue Jay mothers bring to the Jesuit community. 

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A Bazaar Kind of Day

unshine and Blue Jay spirit filled the Carrollton & Banks campus as the Blue Jay Bazaar returned for another year, drawing hundreds of Jesuit families for a day of food, music, and community. Among the crowd was a strong showing of incoming prefreshmen getting their first taste of the event. Jesuit’s President Fr. John Brown, S.J. opened the day with a warm welcome before the Blue Jay Jazz Band filled campus with its signature sound. Guests moved through classic Bazaar staples: food, live music, and

family-friendly games. Entertainment also featured performances by the Rockenbraughs, the Jayettes, the cheerleaders, and the J-Troupe Improv Comedy Club. A standout moment came when the Philelectic Society drew one of the day’s largest crowds with a preview of its spring musical, Grease. The stage also served as the setting for a special presentation honoring 15 past Bazaar chairs, including several who served as far back as the 1990s, celebrating the decades of dedication that have helped shape the event into what it is today. Culinary competition returned at the fifth annual Laissez Les Bons Temps Blue Jay Cook-Off, featuring a new addition this year: all four Jesuit houses entered the contest alongside

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the returning community teams. Attendees sampled each dish and cast their votes for the best of the day. The Crème de la Crème honor went to Xavier House for its Vietnamese Pork Bowls, which drew consistent praise from voters throughout the afternoon. The Krewe de la Crème title went to “Gillens’ True Blue BBQ,” led by Glenn Gillen ’85, for its pulled pork sliders with smoked pickles. Jesuit extends its deepest thanks to the generous sponsors, booth captains, and volunteers who made the day possible. Special recognition goes to Bazaar chairs Missy Martin and Gabby Thompson; food and drink chairs Leanne Durham and Erin Mouledoux; and game chairs Lindsay Gibbs and Meredith Yount. 

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS! B LU E J AY B A Z A A R PRESENTING SPONSOR

F I S H I N G RO DE O

SILVER STAGE SPONSORS

PLATINUM STAGE SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

JUNIOR ANGLER TROPHY SPONSOR

James S. Hotard, Jr.’81 FAMILY GOLD STAGE SPONSORS

FISHING BUCKET SPONSORS SOUVENIR CUP SPONSORS

T-SHIRT SLEEVE SPONSORS

KOOZIE SPONSOR

KOOZIE SPONSORS

FISHING BUCKET SPONSORS

T-SHIRT SPONSORS

Amy Falcon State Farm Agency www.amyfalcon.com 504-441-8900

Helm Paint & Decorating

A SPECIAL THANKS TO WELCOME TENT SPONSOR

BOOTH SPONSORS The Barnett Family The Blanchard Family Bourgeois Bennett CPA

The Joseph Patrick Uddo Foundation The Mistretta Family

East Jefferson Emergency Physicians

Brian & Kristin Moore

The Grilletta Family

Promotional Products for You, LLC

The Honey Baked Ham Co. Tchoupitoulas St.

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OCSM Healthcare

The Yount Family

C A P T. E VA N H AT R E L ’1 7

C A P T. D U D L E Y VA N D E N B O R R E

Blue Jay Anglers Weather the Storm

he Brother Dardis Fishing Rodeo brought Blue Jay anglers, alumni, families, and friends back to Carrollton & Banks for another day of competition and fellowship. Although rainy conditions from a tropical storm greeted participants throughout the weekend, the weather did little to

slow the fishing, as anglers returned with impressive catches from across south Louisiana. Weigh-in and award festivities were held in the Student Commons and Traditions Courtyard, where participants gathered to celebrate the day’s catches, enjoy food and refreshments, and reconnect with fellow members of the Blue Jay community. Several anglers earned top honors across the divisions. Vaughn Leopold landed the rodeo’s Biggest Fish with a 28.5-pound alligator gar, while

Team Puckett captured the Five-Trout Stringer title with a combined weight of 18.66 pounds. Jesuit extends its sincere appreciation to Brian Bent ’89 and Greg Bent of Bent’s RV and Bent Marine for their generous presenting sponsorship and for showcasing their impressive RVs and boats. Special thanks also go to all sponsors and in-kind donors whose support helped make the rodeo a success. The school also thanks Fred Goodrow ’97 and Nathan Abercrombie ’92 for their leadership during their first year as co-chairs of the Brother Dardis Fishing Rodeo. 

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Par for the Course

hat more could a Blue Jay golfer ask for than a day on the fairway with fellow Blue Jays? Thanks to beautiful weather and great company, the Jesuit Golf Classic delivered just that. The event was proudly presented by First Horizon Bank and Marsh McLennan Agency. Participants enjoyed breakfast, jambalaya, and refreshments throughout the day before teeing off

for one of Jesuit’s favorite annual traditions. The course at Bayou Oaks provided a fitting backdrop for a day of friendly competition. The Gaudet family foursome of Ryan Gaudet ’16, Sean Gaudet ’04, Gerard Gaudet ’06, and Brett Gaudet ’01 earned Best Dressed honors. In the morning round, the Class of 2002 team of Kris Martinez ’02, Jonathan Schultis ’02, Blake Garin ’02, and Joe Vaccaro ’02 captured first place and the Class Cup, awarded to the lowest-scoring foursome from the same graduating class. Will Scheffler ’88 won the closest-to-the-pin contest, while

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Mark Haley ’00 claimed the longest

drive title. Afternoon round champions were John Gunaldo ’20, Chase Rushing ’16, Grayson Glorioso ’18, and Michael Hill. Cris Jackson ’84 earned closestto-the-pin honors, and Don Barnes took home the longest drive prize. Jesuit extends its sincere gratitude to the Golf Classic committee, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and the staff at Bayou Oaks for making this year’s tournament a success. Their generosity and dedication ensure the Golf Classic remains a highlight of the alumni calendar for Blue Jays of all generations. 

Strength of the Jesuit Network

early 30 Jesuit alumni walked back through the doors of their alma mater last week, not to reminisce, but to invest in the students sitting in the same classrooms they once occupied. The morning opened with a keynote address for underclassmen

from Dominic Massa ’94, executive vice president and chief operating officer at WYES-TV. Drawing on a career in broadcast journalism and public media, Massa urged students to think intentionally about their futures without letting uncertainty become fear. He highlighted internships and shadowing programs as practical ways to test interests and build professional habits, and spoke at length about networking, integrity in media, and the value of arriving prepared and staying curious. Massa encouraged students to approach every interaction with authenticity and gratitude, treating relationships as lasting investments rather than transactions.

Throughout the keynote, he challenged students to “do the work,” arrive early, stay late, and remain open to learning, grounding those ambitions in Jesuit values and finding purpose and meaning in all they do. Juniors and seniors then rotated through small-group classroom sessions led by alumni working across law, medicine, banking, marketing, nonprofit work, engineering, historic preservation, ministry, and more. The breadth of fields represented was a reminder that a Jesuit education does not point students toward a single destination; it prepares them for any room they choose to walk into. 

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Men for Others, Now and Always Chick Schoen ’63 Offers a Framework for Life Beyond Jesuit

CHICK

SCHOEN ’63

ith applause from generations of Blue Jays filling the ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton, Jesuit’s Class of 2026 officially took its place in the school’s Alumni Association during the annual Commencement Luncheon. The long-standing tradition marked the seniors’ transition from students to lifelong members of the Jesuit brotherhood, celebrating the shared mission that connects Blue Jays across generations. Alumni Director James Linn ’06 opened the luncheon with remarks focused on the enduring bonds formed at Jesuit. He encouraged seniors to remain connected to one another and to the school as they move into college and early adulthood. Senior class president Michael Barnett introduced guest speaker John “Chick” Schoen ’63, chair of Jesuit’s National Advisory Board. Schoen reflected on how Jesuit informed both his professional career and personal values. During his years at Jesuit, Schoen participated in intramural sports and played on the golf team. After graduating with honors from the University of Notre Dame, he earned degrees from the Tulane School of Law and the Tulane Graduate School of Business, where he graduated first in his class. Following work in his family’s business, Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home, he began a forty-four-year career in technology

COMMENCEMENT LUNCHEON

consulting, eventually holding leadership positions with Andersen Consulting and NetApp while directing teams serving clients across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In his address, Schoen encouraged graduates to prepare not only for college, but for lives rooted in purpose, leadership, and service. Drawing from his professional experiences, he emphasized qualities that remain essential in an increasingly technology-driven world: curiosity, courage, communication, and compassion.

Schoen urged graduates to build a record of meaningful experiences in college and beyond, reminding them that the values learned at Jesuit would guide them through new environments and challenges. Throughout his remarks, he returned to the Jesuit ideal of being “men for others,” encouraging seniors to serve with responsibility and compassion while helping others grow toward independence. He also shared several guiding questions rooted in Ignatian spirituality: What are you good at?

What brings you joy? What does the world need you to be? Schoen challenged graduates to continually reflect on how they can grow closer to God and neighbor through their actions and choices. The luncheon concluded with alumni and graduates joining together in singing the Alma Mater, a fitting close to a celebration that has welcomed Blue Jays into the brotherhood for generations. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

THE LINE WE

Inherit

Jesuit sailing’s Olympic foundation meets a new generation of Blue Jay sailors

ake Pontchartrain has a way of teaching New Orleans to look forward. Since Bienville chose the city’s site in 1718 near the old portage between the Mississippi River and the lake by way of Bayou St. John, New Orleans has understood water not as an edge but as a passage outward, homeward, and ahead. Today, it provides a literal horizon on daily commutes to and from the Northshore for thousands of Louisianians. For a century of Blue Jay sailors, the lake has been a place where Jesuit’s nautical athletes look forward to hard work and patience yielding to competitive success far beyond Carrollton & Banks: on the lake, Jesuit’s sailing tradition has produced four of the school’s eight Olympian alumni. One of Jesuit’s first notable nautical stories begins with Eugene Henry “Gene” Walet, Jr., of the Class of 1916 at a time shortly after Jesuit’s college division split off and moved to St. Charles Avenue to become the future Loyola University. Walet went on to graduate from Georgetown University in 1922 before earning a law degree from Loyola, building a career as a lawyer and executive. But in the sailing history of New Orleans, he is remembered most vividly in the cockpit, especially as a crew member for his son, Gene Walet III ’54, in a family story that reached the Olympic Games. The younger Walet’s rise came early. As a 10-year-old in New Orleans, he persuaded his father to buy him a Snipe-class sailboat. The elder Walet soon became his son’s weekend crewman on Lake Pontchartrain. By Walet III’s senior year at Jesuit, the arrangement had

grown into something rare: the son remained at the helm, the father had become an experienced crewman, and both were racing in the finals of the North American Sailing Championship. The race made Walet into a national name. Walet III had reached the finals by surviving sectional eliminations that drew roughly 1,600 yachtsmen from 599 clubs. At Larchmont Yacht Club, he sailed unfamiliar International Class sloops, recovered from a poor third race, and won the final race after carefully covering his closest challenger. He finished with 48½ points and became the year’s top skipper. The story ended with a detail that belongs as much to Jesuit lore as to sailing history: he returned to New Orleans with a trophy but, as reported by TIME magazine, “the national champion would have to account to his teachers for missing two weeks of school.” That race turned out to be more than a passing success. In 1954, Sports Illustrated described Walet III as “the pride of New Orleans” after he won the Mallory Trophy for a second consecutive year. The trophy was awarded through the North American Sailing Championship, whose winner was recognized at the time as the top sailor in the United States and Canada. His crew included Gilbert “Gibby” Friedrichs Jr. and fellow Blue Jay Allen “Pudgy” McClure, Jr. ’53. Olympic records list McClure at six-foot-three, a physical presence matched in memory by the enduring nickname “Pudgy.” The three had sailed together for years, and Sports Illustrated described them as an unusually smooth working team. Walet credited Friedrichs and McClure directly, saying he could not have won without them. Six years later, McClure would sail again with Walet, this time for the United States, but first Walet would

THE JESUIT SAILING OLYMPIANS

Eugene H. Walet, Jr. Class of 1916

Daniel B. Killeen, Sr. Class of 1950

Allen W. McClure, Jr. Class of 1953

Eugene H. Walet III Class of 1954

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

THE LINE WE INHERIT (left, top to bottom) Gene Walet III, Loyola sailor and future Olympian, is featured in The Maroon during his campaign to qualify for the 1956 Olympic Games; Following his North American sailing championship, Gene Walet III is honored by Mayor deLesseps “Chep” Morrison with the key to the City of New Orleans. (opposite) Freshman Aidan McKoin sails for Jesuit at the Great Oaks Regatta in November 2024, helping the Blue Jays earn a 10th-place finish against a 28-school field from across the nation.

achieve Olympic glory with another Blue Jay on his crew: Danny Killeen, Sr. ’50. Killeen linked up with Walet for his Lightning crew at the 1955 Pan American championships and was serving in the U.S. Army at the time of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. At the 1956 Games, the United States’ Dragon-class entry, Spirit III, carried a crew with deep Jesuit connections: the father and son Walet pair, Killeen, and Carlos Echeverria.

The boat finished ninth overall on Port Phillip Bay and won one of the seven Olympic races. Four years later, Walet III returned to the Olympics, this time in Naples at the 1960 Rome Games with his Blue Jay schoolmate McClure aboard. After having sailed together as boys on Lake Pontchartrain and winning the Mallory Trophy together, the two had the chance to represent the United States together in Olympic competition. The U.S. Dragon entry Spirit VI finished 10th of 27 boats with Walet III, Claude Kohler, and McClure on the team. In two Olympic cycles, Jesuit sailors carried a Lake Pontchartrain apprenticeship to the far side of the world. The record reads in placements — ninth on Port Phillip Bay, 10th on the Bay of Naples — but the fuller story is in how those crews were made: a father learning the discipline of crewing for his son, classmates trusting each other under pressure, and New Orleans sailors taking local habits of patience and judgment into international waters. For Walet, Killeen, and McClure, the Olympic course was not an ending. It was one expression of lives that remained anchored in work, family, and the institutions of the city that had formed them. Beyond these international accolades, the trio of ’50’s graduates went onto prominent careers in New Orleans. McClure’s later professional life included a Loyola dental degree, Navy service, and a long New Orleans dental practice that lasted more than 40 years until his retirement in 2004. One of his sons, Dwayne McClure ’79, and two of his grandsons, Grant McClure ’12 and Kevin Tully ’12 , went on to become Blue Jays themselves. Killeen’s life after the Olympics

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moved through technology, teaching, and civic sailing leadership. After graduating from Loyola and Notre Dame, he worked for IBM for four years, then spent 34 years at Tulane, serving as director of the Computer Center for 25 years and teaching in the Freeman School of Business. He has the fascinating distinction of having installed Tulane’s first computer. He retired in 1993. His sailing life continued long after Melbourne. He served as commodore of Southern Yacht Club and the Gulf Yachting Association, and in 1996 won the L-16 International Championship with his sons John and Danny Killeen, Jr. ’79 as crew. For his part, Gene Walet III became the first Blue Jay to receive a letter in sailing from Jesuit and then received a key to the city of New Orleans after the city threw a parade honoring his Olympic accomplishments. In a rare break from the usual decorum, Jesuit gave students the day off to attend the festivities. He attended Loyola and Tulane and served as a pilot in the United States Air Force. He opened a yacht sales business, eventually selling it to Timothy Murray whose son, J. Stanton Murray ’81, would himself become a Blue Jay and go on to own and operate the company. The threads of these living histories have not been left in a trophy case. Today’s Jesuit sailing team still trains and competes from the same local sailing culture that formed the Olympians of the 1950s. Class of 2026 captains David Karcher and Aidan McKoin lead the team from Southern Yacht Club. The recent results show a program with competitive depth. In 2021, Jesuit won the Allstate Sugar Bowl Regatta. Then pre-freshmen Connor Fanberg and McKoin took nine first-

B LU E J AY S A I LO R S place finishes in 10 races in A division, while then-senior Caleb Keister ’22

and Karcher earned seven first-place finishes in B division. Just a year later in 2022, McKoin earned a place on USODA Team USA and competed internationally in the Magic Marine Optimist Regatta in Holland, Netherlands. By the next year in 2023, Jesuit’s name would appear on the New Orleans district Fall Racing Series perpetual trophy at SYC, and the team placed second among 28 schools at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Great Oaks Invitational Regatta. In 2024, Karcher finished second in the SEISA ILCA6 Singlehanded Championship, Arthur Meade finished sixth, and Anders Fanberg finished fifth in the SEISA ILCA7 category. Jesuit then won the Great Oaks qualifier overall, with Meade and Karcher taking first place, Parker Lilly and Harrison Teske finishing sixth, McKoin and Thomas Denning finishing seventh, and Jonathan Brockhoff and Vincent Welty rounding out the team. The team later placed 10th at the Great Oaks Regatta against a field of 28 schools, including 24 from outside Louisiana. The outstanding results have continued through this past academic year. In 2025, Jesuit placed first overall at the MS Champs Team Racing regatta, hosted by St. Stanislaus. This spring, the team captured the Mississippi State Championship again, going 5–1 to claim the title before sweeping both the 2026 Southeast Interscholastic Sailing Association (SEISA) Fleet and Team Racing Championships. The squad then advanced to both ISSA national championships, finishing

16th in Fleet Nationals and 12th in Team Racing Nationals. The team that made that run included seniors Karcher, McKoin, Matthew Brown, and Brockhoff; junior Arthur Meade; and freshmen Teske, Jack Meade, Liam Moore, Lilly, and Reed Gibbs. This spring, Karcher and McKoin added another chapter: Karcher committed to continue sailing at Old Dominion University, and McKoin committed to continue sailing at Rollins College. Old Dominion’s sailing program competes on a national collegiate schedule, and Rollins’ current schedule includes SAISA and interconference competition. This spring, Karcher and McKoin added another chapter: Karcher committed to continue sailing at Old Dominion University, and McKoin committed to continue sailing at Rollins College. Old Dominion’s sailing program competes on a national collegiate schedule, and Rollins’ current schedule includes SAISA and interconference competition. These stories from the 1950s and the 2020s have strong parallels with success in Jesuit sailing projecting success in higher education and beyond. Killeen’s story carried from Jesuit and Loyola to Notre

Dame, Tulane, IBM, the Army, the Olympics, and decades of sailing leadership. McClure’s story moved from Jesuit and Loyola to the Navy, a dental practice, and an Olympic crew with a former schoolmate. Perhaps the most poetic parallel of all comes from the Walet father-son duo. The Walet sailing story began with a father learning to crew under his son’s command. Today, one of the team’s graduating senior captains, Aidan McKoin, has come up as a Blue Jay sailor with his father, Donald McKoin, as the team’s proud coach. Jesuit sailing has always depended on more than one gifted skipper. It has depended on fathers and sons, classmates and crews, coaches and captains, and local clubs and distant travel for competitions. For their part, Karcher and McKoin will now carry lessons learned on Lake Pontchartrain into college programs after helping build one of Jesuit’s strongest runs on the water. The lake keeps giving the school new sailors, and Jesuit keeps sending them back to the water formed by something beyond mere talent: a century-long tradition of discipline, loyalty, and learning to serve others. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

Blue Jays Capture Fifth Straight State Championship

he cross country team stood atop Louisiana for the fifth consecutive year, capturing the LHSAA Division I State Championship at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. Led by senior Brady Monahan’s first-place finish in 14:59.63, the Blue Jays placed five runners in the top 10, extending one of the longest championship runs in state history. Monahan paced the field wireto-wire, while senior Nick Accardo finished third (15:18.29). Senior Connor Fanberg crossed in seventh (15:37.18), junior David Quintana placed eighth (15:38.29), and junior Nicholas Braud completed the scoring in 10th (15:46.91). Junior Andrew Nimmo added a 14th-place finish (16:10.71), and junior Patrick Fitzmorris rounded out the lineup in 23rd (16:29.97). All seven runners finished among the top 25, a margin that reflected the team’s depth throughout the roster. The title capped a season built on consistent results at every level of competition. The Blue Jays swept the District 9-5A Championship with a perfect score of 15, claiming seven of the top eight finishes to secure the program’s sixth consecutive district championship. Earlier in the fall, the team earned a third-place finish at the Pete Boudreaux Invitational, a runner-up result at the Randy Zell Classic on their home course, and a fourth-place finish at the Jack Schommer Invitational, each meet sharpening the squad’s fitness and confidence heading into the postseason.

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CROSS COUNTRY

Following the state championship, the Blue Jays traveled to The Woodlands, Texas, to compete in the Nike South Regional against many of the nation’s top programs. The team placed third in the championship race, highlighted by Monahan’s 16th-place finish in 15:18.3, which earned him Nike Cross South Third Team All-Region honors. Fanberg (26th), Quintana (31st), sophomore

Joe Accardo (35th), Braud (122nd), Nimmo (179th), and junior Rhys Grant (319th) completed the lineup

as the Blue Jays closed a strong postseason run against elite national competition. Monahan’s senior season was recognized in February when he was named the 2025–26 Gatorade Louisiana Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. The award recognized

not only his state championship performance but also his excellence in academics, leadership, and community service. His individual honors were a fitting capstone to a season in which every runner contributed to something larger: a fifth consecutive state title built not on any single performance, but on the collective depth and preparation of the entire squad. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

UNBE ATEN F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

SEA SON

Soccer Wins State, Earns National Recognition

he soccer team capped one of the most decorated seasons in program history, claiming the Louisiana High School Athletics Association (LHSAA) Division I State Championship, a top-two national ranking, and the Allstate Sugar Bowl Outstanding Boys Prep Team award.

The Blue Jays entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed after an undefeated regular season that included a victory over Brother Martin. From there, the squad recorded three consecutive playoff shutouts, outscoring Sulphur, Dutchtown, and East Ascension by a combined 20–0, before defeating

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Baton Rouge High 5–2 in the state semifinals to set up a rematch with the Crusaders in the final. At Strawberry Stadium, Brother Martin struck first when a blocked shot by junior goalkeeper Vance Andry ricocheted in off the deflection to give the Crusaders an early lead. The Blue Jays responded with

SOCCER

composure. With 33:33 remaining in the second half, junior Casey ParkerKarst delivered the equalizer, then struck again at the 29:15 mark to put Jesuit ahead 2–1. In the final minute, Andry came up with a clutch save to preserve the lead, and the Blue Jays walked off the field as state champions for the 14th time in program history.

Parker-Karst was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player. The championship closed out a 23-0-2 campaign. Head coach Hubie Collins has now led the program to 10 of its 14 state championships. The national soccer community took notice as well. The Jays finished the season ranked No. 2 in the

country by both the United Soccer Coaches and MaxPreps, placing them among the nation’s elite high school soccer programs. With the program’s standard firmly set, the Blue Jays will look to carry that momentum into next season as they defend both their state title and their place among the nation’s best. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

Golf Captures State Crown

or the sixth time in program history, and the first since 2017, golf is a state champion. The Blue Jays captured the LHSAA Division I title at The Wetlands Golf Course in Lafayette, capping an undefeated season with a two-day team score of 587 (+11). The victory also swept the district and regional championships. Guided by head coach Bryan Bairnsfather and assistants Adam Gros, Hunter Hoffmann ’21, and Si Holmes ‘21, the Blue Jays put together a complete performance from start to finish. Junior Duke Nitcher led the way, firing a two-under-par 142 to finish tied for second in the individual standings and earn top scorer honors for the team. Freshman Augustin Gros followed with a strong showing at +2 (146), while sophomore Brooks Blanchard posted a +3 (147). Senior William Boasberg and sophomore John Discon each contributed rounds of +9 (153) to complete the scoring lineup. All five Jesuit golfers finished among the top 25 individual competitors in the state tournament field. The title capped a season of consistency from the five-man lineup. The Blue Jays opened postseason play by capturing the Division I,

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GOLF

District 4 title at Beau Chêne Country Club behind an even-par 72 from Nitcher, then followed with another championship effort at regionals to advance to Lafayette. For Nitcher, the title carried a weight that went beyond the scorecard. The Blue Jays dedicated the season to the memory of teammate Evan Johnson, who passed away last

year. “As many people know, we lost one of our teammates last year, and this one is definitely for him,” Nitcher said. “I know he was watching over us this entire tournament, and so it feels good to get it done for him. He was there with us every step of the way.” With the victory, the Blue Jays claimed the program’s sixth state championship, adding 2026

to previous titles in 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, and 2017. Even more encouraging, they return the core of their championship lineup next season, including three underclassmen who finished among the state’s top performers, and will enter next spring with their sights set on defending the state title. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

BLUE JAYS F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

BACK ON TOP Rugby Reclaims State Title

esuit rugby returned to the top of Louisiana rugby, outlasting cross-town rival Brother Martin 33–29 in the state championship. In a rematch of last year’s title game, when the Crusaders halted the Jays’ four-peat bid, the victory marked rugby’s fifth consecutive appearance in the state championship and restored the trophy to Carrollton & Banks. The match featured momentum swings, lead changes, and relentless physical play that has come to define one of the state’s premier rivalries. Brother Martin struck first, capitalizing on early pressure to take the lead, but the Jays responded with composure. Jesuit leaned on disciplined defense and opportunistic attacks to even the score and establish the back-and-forth rhythm that would carry through the game. Neither side yielded much over the next stretch, as both teams traded possession and field position in a tightly contested battle. Blue Jay forwards controlled key phases with powerful, grinding runs, while the backs found space when opportunities emerged. The Jays capitalized to build a narrow advantage, but the Crusaders answered in kind, sending

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RUGBY

the teams into halftime with the outcome still unclear. The second half belonged to junior Oliver Burgau. He delivered a dominant performance, powering through the Crusader defense for four tries and earning championship MVP honors. Each score came at a pivotal moment, allowing Jesuit to match every Brother Martin surge and maintain a slim edge as the clock wound down.

As expected in a rivalry of this magnitude, the Crusaders mounted a late push. Capitalizing on penalties and field position, they closed the gap and threatened to seize control in the final minutes. With the championship on the line, the Jays were forced into a defensive stand that would define the match. Junior Sal Le raced across the field to deliver a try-saving tackle, keeping the Crusaders out of the end zone and

preserving the lead. Moments later, senior Matt Scalise delivered a hit that forced a turnover deep in Blue Jay territory, shifting possession back to the Jays. From there, Jesuit calmly worked the ball into touch, sealing the 33–29 victory as time expired. The win adds another chapter to the team’s record book, validating months of hard work and preparation. competition and brotherhood. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

INDOOR TR ACK & FIELD

Indoor Track Finishes State Runner-Up, Sets Two Records

esuit’s Indoor Track & Field team closed out an outstanding season with a runner-up finish at the LHSAA Division I Indoor State Championships in Baton Rouge, competing against the best athletes from across Louisiana. Junior Ja’ir Burks headlined the meet by breaking his own school record in the 60-meter hurdles, winning the event with a time of 7.88 seconds to claim a state championship. Senior Spencer Waguespack also set a school record, launching the indoor shot put 17.04 meters for a fourthplace finish. Distance runners added crucial points to the team score. Junior David Quintana placed second in the 3200-meter run with a time of 9:19.03, while senior Nick Accardo followed in third at 9:20.44. Senior Connor Fanberg placed fourth in the 1600-meter run, crossing in 4:22.43. The 4×800-meter relay team of senior Finn Connolly, junior Patrick Smith, junior PJ Fitzmorris, and sophomore Rhys Grant earned third place with a time of 8:11.47. Senior Drago Cvitanovich placed eighth in the pole vault at 3.95 meters, and the 4×400-meter relay team of Cvitanovich, Burks, junior Enzo Beaucoudray, and Connolly finished 10th in 3:34.59. The state runner-up finish marks one of the program’s strongest performances at the Indoor State Championships, fueled by recordbreaking individual efforts and depth across multiple events. 

F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

W I N T E R // S P R I N G

BASEBALL

Michael Brothers

Delgado Community College

ATHLETIC

BASEBALL

Jacob Chan

University of Rochester

BASEBALL

Derek DeLatte

Delgado Community College

BASEBALL

Maes Martin

Delgado Community College

BASEBALL

Marshall Serio

Coastal Alabama Community College – South

CHEERLEADING

Diego Zelaya-Ruiz

University of South Alabama

CROSS COUNTRY

Joe Accardo

University of Victoria (BC, Canada)

CROSS COUNTRY

Connor Fanberg

Johns Hopkins University

FOOTBALL

Will Berry

Princeton University

LACROSSE

Zachary Raymond

Centenary College

RUGBY

Oliver Cook

Loyola University

SAILING

David Karcher

Old Dominion University

SAILING

Aidan McKoin

Rollins College

SOCCER

Gabe Zeringue

Spring Hill College

SOCCER

Andrew Rousselle

Johnson County Community College

SWIMMING

Grant Castillon

Loyola University

SWIMMING

Aidan Villars

Florida State University

TENNIS

Matthew Bohnet

Millsaps College

TRACK & FIELD

Spencer Waguespack

Washington and Lee University

SIGNING DAYS Nineteen student-athletes from Jesuit made commitments this winter and spring to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. (above, top row) Oliver Cook, Will Berry, Jacob Chan, Marshal Serio, Maes Martin, Connor Fanberg, Joe Accardo, Gabe Zeringue, Andrew Rousselle, Spencer Waguespack, and David Karcher (bottom row) Diego Zelaya-Ruiz, Grant Castillon, Zachary Raymond, Aidan McKoin, Aidan Villars, Matthew Bohnet, Derek DeLatte, and Michael Brothers

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

F LY I N G W I T H T H E J AY S

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AT H LE T I C H I G H LI G H T S

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

Where

Y’at?! ALUMNI: TELL US WHERE Y’AT! Submit online at jesuitnola.org/where-yat. 1

1940s 1

Thomas Whittaker, Jr. ’44†

was posthumously inducted into the Loyola University New Orleans Wolf Pack Athletics Hall of Fame. A member of Loyola’s 1945 national championship basketball team, Whittaker became the fourth player from that historic squad to receive the honor. Following his collegiate career, he played minor league baseball in the New York Giants organization before co-founding Lake Castle Private School, where he served as a mathematics teacher and athletics director.

1950s Ronald Drez ’58 has published his

twelfth book, The Long Purple Line: The Military History of LSU and the Heroism of Its Cadets and Associates, which chronicles LSU’s military tradition from the university’s founding in 1860 to the present. Drez is also the author of Gallant Fighting Sons, a history of the Jesuits in Louisiana and of Jesuit High School.

1960s Sid Lawton ’61 recently retired to

Denver after a 33-year career as a

radiologist at Baton Rouge General Hospital. He and his wife, Cheryl, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and enjoy spending time with their four children and six grandchildren. 2

Mike Nolan ’63 and his wife,

Cindy, were named recipients of the 2025 Saint John Paul II Award by the Catholic Community Foundation and Archbishop Gregory Aymond. The award recognizes their lifetime of faith-filled service and leadership within the Catholic community. Together, they have devoted decades of volunteer service to Catholic organizations while raising their three children and welcoming eight grandchildren. Leo Lay ’67 retired after more than 32 years with the Jefferson Parish Department of Engineering, where he served as chief civil engineer for utilities. Jay Zainey ’69 recently received

LSU Law’s Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to the Profession, adding to a remarkable list of honors. Judge Zainey has been recognized as Alumnus of the Year by every educational institution from which he graduated: St. Catherine of Siena School, Jesuit High School, the

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University of New Orleans, and the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

1970s Steve Foley ’71 was inducted into

the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026. Following standout careers at Jesuit and Tulane, Foley spent 11 seasons with the Denver Broncos, earning All-Pro honors, making two Super Bowl appearances, and recording a franchise-record 44 interceptions. He is also a member of the Broncos Ring of Fame, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and the Allstate Sugar Bowl New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame. 3 Michael Giorlando ’76 was named athletic director at LSU New Orleans following the university’s transition into the LSU System. Giorlando returns to a familiar campus after previously serving as an assistant basketball coach at UNO and LSU, as well as athletic director at Loyola University New Orleans. He brings more than 30 years of experience in collegiate athletics to the role.

Michael Rareshide ’78 recently

celebrated 10 years with Site Selection Group, where he leads the firm’s Data Center Practice and National

W H E R E Y ’AT

Accounts Group. In 2025, he was named to D CEO magazine’s Dallas 500, recognizing North Texas’ most influential business leaders, and was appointed to Blackstone’s Infrastructure Advisory Board. He and his wife, Jill, reside in Dallas and enjoy traveling the world and spending time with their three sons, Michael, Austin, and Mason.

1980s Alex Barthé ’81 will celebrate 20

years this July as owner of The UPS Store franchise in Crestview, Florida. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Barthé is also pursuing his private pilot certificate. Tony Toups ’81 serves as board president of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity while continuing his professional career as a principal at Advantage Capital. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his six grandsons. 4 Brett Schwartz ’83 was inducted into the USTA Louisiana Hall of Fame in recognition of decades of leadership and service to tennis. Throughout his career, Schwartz has served in leadership roles at the local, sectional, and national levels of the

USTA while mentoring generations of players and growing the game across Louisiana.

1990s Christopher W. Cola ’93, CPA

was named chief financial officer of Detmar Logistics, where he will oversee the company’s finance organization and support its next phase of growth. After graduating from Jesuit, Cola earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and taxation from the University of Mississippi, where he was also a twotime football letterman. He credits Jesuit with instilling the ideal of being a man for others, a principle that continues to guide him as a business leader, father, mentor, and professor.

Dominic Massa ’94 was inducted

into Loyola University New Orleans’ Den of Distinction, the College of Music and Media’s Hall of Fame honoring distinguished alumni for excellence in their professions. Massa graduated from Loyola in 1998 and serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer of WYES-TV. 6

Lt. Col. Jeremy Broussard ’95

was appointed as a military judge with the U.S. Army’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. Based at Fort Hood, Texas, he presides over courts-martial throughout Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Michael Toups ’93 earned his 300th

career victory as a head basketball coach while leading East View High School in Georgetown, Texas. During his third season with the Patriots, Toups guided the program to its first district championship and first area championship before advancing to the regional semifinals. Joshua Williams ’93, M.D., Ph.D. was

named chief of staff at Merit Health River Oaks Hospital in Flowood, Mississippi.

7 Stephen Hanemann ’95 recently reconnected with fellow alumnus Benjamin Nguyen ’20 while riding in the Krewe of Orpheus parade. What began as a chance meeting grew into a conversation about careers, family, and medicine, with Hanemann offering guidance as Nguyen pursues a career in the field. The encounter reflects the enduring connections and spirit of mentorship that continue to unite Jesuit alumni across generations.

Andrew Higgs ’95 was named an

equity partner and shareholder at Lynberg & Watkins, where he also serves on the firm’s board of directors. He leads the firm’s General Liability

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

Practice Group while remaining actively involved in mentoring associates and advancing firm leadership initiatives. Jeffrey Simno ’97 produced Beaches: A New Musical in its Broadway debut at New York City’s Majestic Theatre. Based on Iris Rainer Dart’s novel and the 1988 film, the production marked a full-circle moment for Simno, once a familiar face on Jesuit’s own stage. 8

2000s Casey Creel ’01 recently relocated

to Vienna, Austria, after eight years of teaching in Zurich. He joined the faculty of the American International School of Vienna, where he teaches German in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and serves as the Extended Essay coordinator for German studies. Gregory Agid ’05 continues to tour internationally as a saxophonist and clarinetist with Michael Bublé while serving as co-founder and executive

director of the Second Line Arts Collective. Through the New Orleans nonprofit, Agid mentors young musicians by combining professional performance training with career development and entrepreneurship education.

10 Duval Hilbert ’07 recently returned to New Orleans after managing Camp Fern Legacy in East Texas for three years. He has joined French Quarter Realty as he begins a career in residential real estate.

Jonathan Mann ’06 was promoted

was sworn in as 2026–27 chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the Louisiana State Bar Association and now serves on the association’s Board of Governors. Sellers is assistant vice president and associate general counsel for Ochsner Health.

to partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he advises leading U.S. and global energy companies on mergers and acquisitions. He and his wife, Marie, live in New Orleans with their three children. 9 Briggs Barrios ’07 was recently profiled in Biz New Orleans for his success as founder of Super Witch Ice Cream. What began as a hobby quickly evolved into one of New Orleans’ most recognizable craft ice cream brands, featuring weekly limited releases and a new soft-serve shop in Old Metairie. Barrios says his greatest measure of success is treating employees well, serving customers with excellence, and making a positive impact on the community.

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Christopher J. Sellers, Jr. ’07

2010s Nathan Vicknair ’11 recently joined

Ochsner Health in Baton Rouge as a gastroenterologist. John Guerra, S.J., ’14 recently began theology studies at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, the final stage of Jesuit formation before priestly ordination. After completing three years of Regency at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Houston, where he taught 12

W H E R E Y ’AT was named the Allstate Sugar Bowl Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and June Athlete of the Month. Larriviere’s personal-best throw of 258 feet, 1 inch ranks second in LSU history. 16

Roland Waguespack IV ’23

reunited with former Jesuit strength coach Terry Ursin ’91 following Cornell University’s football game at Dartmouth. The postgame visit highlighted the enduring connections shared among Blue Jays, even hundreds of miles from New Orleans.

Frank Finicle, Ian Miranda, and Giovanni Matranga, all ’25, 17

theology, coached, served in campus ministry, and directed the choir, Guerra now resides with the St. Peter Faber Jesuit Community in Boston as he prepares for ordination. He asks for the prayers of the Jesuit community as he continues this next step in his vocation. Dominic Fleury ’16 is the owner of Bonnaroo Luxury, an exotic and luxury vehicle rental company based in New Orleans. He also serves as project manager for the New Beginnings Foundation.. Braden Bent ’19 received Lockheed Martin Aeronautics’ Aero Star Award, the company’s highest employee recognition presented to fewer than one percent of its workforce each year. Bent’s team was honored for developing the most impactful production efficiency improvement in the history of the F-35 fighter program. 13

2020s 14

David Claiborne Webster ’21

graduated from Tulane University and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He is stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. William Hawkins ’21 and Sebastian Upshaw ’21 recently co-founded

H&U Express Moving, a locally owned company providing residential and commercial moving services throughout Louisiana. Hawkins also serves as a petroleum engineer with Liberty Energy, while Upshaw is a supply chain manager with Textron Systems. 15

Jack Larriviere ’22 continues to

excel at LSU as one of the nation’s top collegiate javelin throwers while pursuing a degree in chemical engineering. This season, he earned First Team Academic All-America honors, captured the bronze medal in the javelin at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and

made history as three of the first five student-athletes to sign rugby scholarships with Loyola University New Orleans. The three will become members of the inaugural Wolf Pack men’s rugby team when varsity competition begins in fall 2026, helping launch the university’s newest athletic program. Finicle was named the 2025 Louisiana High School Rugby Player of the Year, while Miranda and Matranga both earned All-State honors during their Jesuit careers. Christian Lang ’25 accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and joined the Class of 2030 at Annapolis.

Former Blue Jay Educators 18

Fr. David A. Brown, S.J.,

former Jesuit teacher and current astrophysicist with the Vatican Observatory, recently had an asteroid named in his honor by the International Astronomical Union. Fr. Brown conducts research in stellar evolution and speaks publicly on the relationship between science and faith through lectures and public outreach. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

W H E R E Y ’AT

FRANK FINICLE ’25

Blue Jay to Team USA Just months after graduating from Jesuit, Frank Finicle ’25 represented the United States on the international stage as a

member of the USA Men’s Under-20 National Rugby Team at the 2026 World Rugby U20 Trophy in Tbilisi, Georgia. Finicle earned his place on the national roster following one of the most decorated rugby careers in Jesuit history. A three-time state champion, three-time AllState selection, and captain of the 2025 Blue Jays, he was named the 2025 Louisiana High School Rugby Player of the Year after helping lead Jesuit to another state title. Competing against the world’s top emerging rugby talent, Finicle and

MASON SALTARRELLI ’97

Local Roots, Global Canvas Abstract artist Mason Saltarrelli ’97 has built a presence in the contemporary art world, with recent exhibitions spanning the United States and Japan. Based in Brooklyn,

Saltarrelli has earned recognition for his vibrant, large-scale abstract paintings that explore movement, color, and emotion. Over the past year, his work has been featured in a solo

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Team USA faced national squads from around the globe, gaining international experience while representing American rugby on one of the sport’s biggest youth stages. As one of the program’s founding scholarship athletes, he will help launch Loyola’s first varsity rugby season in fall 2026. From state championships at Carrollton & Banks to wearing the red, white, and blue on the international stage, Finicle carries the standard for Louisiana rugby as he takes his game to the collegiate level. 

exhibition at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus in New York, the prestigious NADA Art Fair in Miami, and gallery exhibitions in Los Angeles and Tokyo. He also recently traveled to Japan to complete a commissioned mural, further expanding his international portfolio. Saltarrelli’s artistic journey has been shaped by a willingness to experiment while

remaining committed to a distinctive visual language. His work is held in private and corporate collections and has been exhibited throughout the United States and abroad. While his career has taken him around the world, Saltarrelli continues to credit New Orleans as an enduring influence on his creative perspective. From Carrollton & Banks to galleries across the globe, he has built a career that demonstrates how a passion first nurtured at Jesuit can lead to opportunities on the international stage. 

ALUMNI

2027 REUNION SCHEDULE

1957+

June 5*

1962

March 12–13

1967

May 28–29

1972

April 10

1977

Alumni Weekend

1982

May 22

1987

May 28–29

1992

April 17

1997

May 22

2002

April 3 & Alumni Weekend

2007

May 8

2012

April 10

2017

April 17

2022

June 4

* Emeritus Reunion (1942-1957)

Your Story is Jesuit’s Story Help preserve Jesuit’s history by donating memorabilia to the Jesuit Archives. Programs, photos, letters, and uniforms help tell the school’s story. DONATIONS MAY BE SHIPPED TO:

Jesuit High School Archives Attn: Alumni Director 4133 Banks Street, New Orleans, LA 70119 jesuitnola.org/jesuit-archives Please complete a donation form by scanning the QR code.

W H E R E Y ’AT

REUNION TIME

1975

The 2026 alumni reunion season produced another opportunity for classes to come together and celebrate the times they shared on Carrollton & Banks. While each reunion had its unique style, they all had the classic Jesuit camaraderie that will sustain each class until the next gathering. Photo galleries of each reunion event are available on the alumni section of the Jesuit website. 

1996

1991

2006

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1966

REUNION RECAPS

1971

1996

2006

1971

1966

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

BIB LIST J U N E 1, 202 5 – M AY 31, 2026

JESUIT CONGR ATULATES: 1 Jessinia Venegas & Terry Lee ’97 on the birth of their daughter Ziza

Grace Lee, Aug. 30, 2025. 2

Bridget & Ryan Robicheaux, Sr. ’99

Jessica & Garrett Thibodeaux ’09

on the birth of their son Isaac Edward Thibodeaux, Dec. 29, 2025. 9

Kristi & Michael Hooper, Jr. ’10

on the birth of their son Gerard Andrew Robicheaux, July 20, 2025. Gerard is the grandson of Glenn Scheyd, Sr. ’67.

on the birth of their daughter Marley Marie Hooper, Jan. 12, 2026.

Sarah & Richard Jones ’04 on the

the birth of their son William Ryan Acomb II, Jan. 4, 2026.

birth of their son Richard Baker Jones, Jr., Feb. 3, 2025. Layla Wojkowski & Andrew Legrand ’04 on the birth of their 4

daughter Zahra Samira Legrand, April 1, 2026. Brittney & Stephen Carriere ’06 on

the birth of their daughter Charlotte James Carriere, Jan. 24, 2025. Kelly & Shelby Johnson ’06 on the

birth of their son Caleb William Johnson, Sept. 9, 2025. Caleb is the great-grandson of Edgar Saunders ’51. 5 Stephanie & John Viviano ’06 on the birth of their daughter Sophia Marie Viviano, Aug. 6, 2025. Sophia is the granddaughter of Nicholas Viviano ’72 . 6 Katelyn & Ian Gunn ’07 on the birth of their daughter Charlotte Madeleine Gunn, Sept. 25, 2025.

Kaitlyn & Mark Tufts ’08 on the birth

of their daughter Penelope Joseph Tufts, March 26, 2026. Penelope is the granddaughter of Fred Tufts ’82 . Claire & Jonathan Coote ’09 on the

birth of their son Anthony Philip Coote, April 4, 2025. 7 Elizabeth Newell & Richard Garvey III ’09 on the birth of their son

Michaela & Joseph Acomb ’11 on

Susan & Randal Agee ’11 on the birth

of their son Simon Augustine Agee, Dec. 15, 2025. Mary & Tony Barletta ’11 on the birth of their daughter Marie Jeannette Barletta, March 22, 2026. 11 Lindsey & Mac Bulloch IV ’11 on the birth of their daughter Camille Marie Bulloch, Nov. 5, 2024. 12 Lucy & Alexander Burch ’11 on the birth of their son David Michael Burch, April 3, 2025. 13

Caroline & Ed Ellinghausen IV ’11

on the birth of their son Edwin August Friedrich Ellinghausen V, June 30, 2025. Juliann & Alexander Nay ’11 on the

birth of their son George Alexander Nay, Feb. 21, 2026. Macie & Taylor Billings ’12 on the

birth of their daughter Anna Catherine Billings, Dec. 23, 2025. Anna is the granddaughter of Terry Billings ’74. 14

Abbey & Blake Cookmeyer ’12 on

the birth of their son Banks Blake Cookmeyer, July 10, 2025.

Carlo Jensen Garvey, May 26, 2026.

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15 Kelsey & Austin Delery ’12 on the birth of their son Jordan Thomas Delery, Nov. 22, 2025. Jordan is the grandson of James Delery ’87 & the great-grandson of Lucien Delery, Jr. ’65.

Katelyn & Andrew Giorlando ’12 on

the birth of their daughter Stella Giorlando, Aug. 28, 2025. 16 Jenny & Ronald Hoefeld III ’12 on the birth of their daughter Elsie Jane Hoefeld, July 28, 2025. 17

Katie & Denis Joachim ’12 on the

birth of their son William Jack Joachim, April 25, 2025. 18 Taylor & Jeremy Kozel ’12 on the birth of their son Cooper Francis Kozel, Aug. 22, 2025.

Hayden & Tyler Rooney ’12 on the birth of their daughter Frances Marie Rooney, Oct. 3, 2025. Frances is the granddaughter of J. Michael Rooney, Jr. ’84 & the great-granddaughter of J. Michael Rooney, Sr. ’59. 19

20 Piper & David Scotton ’12 on the birth of their son William Roy Scotton, June 9, 2025. 21 Julie & Matthew Felger ’13 on the birth of their son Ford Brandon Felger, Aug. 25, 2025. Ford is the grandson of Kevin Heigle ’69. 22 Kiara & Gage Grush ’13 on the birth of their son Luca James Grush, Dec. 18, 2025. 23 Julie & William North ’13 on the birth of their son Nathan Brian North, Oct. 21, 2025.

BIB LIST CONTINUED. . .

BIB LIST

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

Miriam & Dylan Redmann ’13 on

the birth of their son Austin Alexander Redmann, Feb. 7, 2025. Austin is the grandson of Kristopher M. Redmann ’75. 25

Rachel & Benson Tucker ’13 on

the birth of their son Benson Semmes Tucker, June 13, 2025. 26

Coral & Albert Vallon IV ’13 on the

birth of their daughter Palmer Frances Vallon, July 21, 2025. Palmer is the granddaughter of A.J. Vallon III ’72 . 27

Brienne & Daniel Abadie, Jr. ’14

on the birth of their daughter Magnolia Lorraine Abadie, June 27, 2025. 28

Emily Wild & Austin Aucoin ’14

on the birth of their son Graham Joseph Aucoin, April 15, 2026. Graham is the great-grandson of David Cambre ’62 . 29 Lauren Saunee & Brendan Besh ’14 on the birth of their son

Matthew Joseph Besh, June 28, 2025. Matthew is the great-grandson of Patrick Joseph Berrigan, Sr. ’59.

Madeleine & Connor Gillen ’14

on the birth of their daughter Georgia Cambre Gillen, Jan. 19, 2026. Georgia is the granddaughter of Greg Gillen ’79 & the great-granddaughter of David Cambre ’62 . 31 Caroline & Philip Legrand ’14 on the birth of their daughter Lily James Legrand, Oct. 31, 2025. 32 Katherine & Robert Montenegro ’14 on the birth of

their son Nolan Benedict Montenegro, March 20, 2025. Rebekah & Grant Nichols ’14 on

the birth of their son Clarke Nichols, Sept. 17, 2025. 33

Christina & Evan Dudenhefer ’15

34 Emily & Collin Gillen ’16 on the birth of their son Beau Benedict Gillen, Oct. 14, 2025. Beau is the grandson of Gene S. Gillen ’91. 35

Millicent & Brady LeBlanc ’16 on

the birth of their son Robert John LeBlanc, May 30, 2026. 36 Rebekah & Jacob Acosta ’17 on the birth of their daughter Magnolia Acosta, Jan. 11, 2026. 37 Julianna & Collin Miller ’18 on the birth of their son Joseph Albert Miller, March 21, 2025.

Nicolette & William Newell, Jr. ’19 on

the birth of their son Paul Ignatius Newell, June 16, 2025. 

on the birth of their daughter Stella Ruth Dudenhefer, June 11, 2025. Stella is the granddaughter of Chuck Dudenhefer ’88 & the greatgranddaughter of Frank Charles Dudenhefer, Jr. ’63.

BIB LIST SUBMISSIONS Upon receiving a Bib List submission, Jesuit will mail new parents a pink or blue bib to welcome their new arrival. Information and photos for the Bib List can be submitted by scanning the QR code on the opposite page or by visiting www.jesuitnola.org/bib-list. At this time, the Bib List features only the newborns of Jesuit alumni.

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BIB LIST

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

In Memoriam

Jesuit remembers deceased alumni and faculty in Jaynotes, which is published biannually. The listing below includes notified passings from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. We continue to memorialize deceased members of the school community — with links to their obituaries and other details — on a daily basis in the In Memoriam section of our website. To notify us of a death, please complete the online form at jesuitnola.org/in-memoriam or call Jesuit’s event and volunteer office at (504) 483-3947.

1940s

1940s – 1950s

Joseph E. Young ’43

Richard P. Colomes ’50

James A. Apken ’52

George F. Rojas ’53

Frank P. Incaprera ’44

Lester J. Lautenschlaeger, Jr. ’50

Jerry P. Casey ’52

Richard A. Eckert ’54

Chris M. Kontos ’44

Gene J. Matranga ’50

Erwin A. Caswell, Jr. ’52

Michel S. Medawar, Jr. ’54

Casmier J. Blanda ’46

Joseph H. Wirth, Jr. ’50

Guy G. Trouard ’52

Christian D. Rodick III ’54

Gerald J. Russell, Sr. ’48

Alvin W. LaCoste ’51

Albert H. Hanemann, Jr. ’53

Robert J. Shirer ’54

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1950s – 1960s

Alfred J. Spansel ’54

Franklin V. Endom, Jr. ’56

John H. Boh, Jr.

John E. Unsworth, Jr. ’59

Donald F. McClure ’55

Leo V. Seicshnaydre, Jr. ’56

Richard A. Fontenot ’58

Charles M. Vairin ’59

Peter N. Molligan ’55

Robert G. Weilbaecher ’56

Dennis J. O'Callaghan ’58

R. Douglas Bostick, Jr. ’60

Robert R. Quintana, Jr. ’55

Henry J. Campeaux ’57

Sincay F. Baxter, Jr. ’59

Clark J. Colgan ’60

Gerard R. Williamson ’55

John L. Cocchiara ’57

Vincent J. Imbornone, Jr. ’59

David A. Diliberto ’60

Anthony M. Chapin ’56

Wayne O. Weilbaecher, Sr. ’57

Laurence E. Larmann ’59

John W. Gray, Sr. ’60

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

101

IN MEMORIAM

1960s – 1970s

James J. Krutak ’60

Philip M. Denman ’63

Gregory E. Middleton ’64

John J. Fenerty III ’66

David C. Raphael, Sr. ’60

John A. Edwards ’63

Henry A. Schumacher, Jr. ’64

Daniel J. Himel ’66

Lawrence J. Ecuyer ’61

Joseph D. Jordan, Jr. ’63

Roy A. Troendle, Jr. ’64

Gerry M. McClure ’66

Edward J. Cambre, Jr. ’62

Pierre J. Kirk ’63

Barry J. Bache ’65

Robert P. Barbalich, Jr. ’67

Warren M. Jones ’62

Barrie J. Muldrey ’63

Alvin D. Boudreaux ’65

Edgar B. Dixey III ’68

Anthony R. Messina ’62

John K. Hecker ’64

Terrence J. Cullen ’66

Thomas A. Boos ’70

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Glenn B. Guilbault ’70

1970s – 1990s

1990s – 2020s

Leon A. Flettrich III ’75

Eugene J. Hoffman IV ’91

Evan M. Johnson

FULL LISTINGS

James C. Azcona, Jr. ’71

Jeffrey G. Rojas ’78

Stephen K. Schwarz ’98

Grant G. Griffith ’71

Michael J. Brown ’80

Brian T. Hopkins ’02

Richard F. Keen ’71

David J. Licciardi ’81

Kyle J. Evans ’08

Vernon J. Hood, Jr. ’73

Marc E. Belloni ’83

Benjamin A. Malbrough ’08

Bruce A. Bannon ’74

Christopher M. Gagnon ’85

Nathan T. Vatter ’22 JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

103

IN MEMORIAM

JESUIT REMEMBERS BELOVED BLUE JAY

Evan M. Johnson (2008-2025)

A student, athlete, and man of deep faith, Evan Michael Johnson of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, passed away July 18, 2025, at 17. Jesuit mourns the loss of Evan Michael Johnson. A proud Blue Jay, Johnson was known for his deep faith, generous spirit, and love of the outdoors, as well as the

quiet, steady way he lived all three. Born and raised in Belle Chasse, Johnson attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School before enrolling at Jesuit, where he was preparing to begin his senior year. He distinguished himself academically as a National Honor Society member and spiritually through the Sodality of Our Lady, while also contributing as a dedicated member of the varsity golf team. Yet Johnson possessed a humility that would never boast of these accomplishments. He was known to spend time in Jesuit’s small campus chapel, seeking prayer and the presence of the Lord, not for recognition, but because his faith was the quiet foundation of everything he did.

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Jesuit calls its students to be men for others, and Johnson lived that call with remarkable consistency. Varsity golf coach Bryan Bairnsfather captured it well: “Everyone I know who played golf with him, no matter their age, loved him at the end of 18 holes. He had a way of bonding with everyone. I never heard him say a negative word about anyone. He always saw the good in people.” An excellent listener, Johnson had a rare ability to make every person in the room feel heard and cared for, a quality his family, friends, teammates, and classmates all recognized in him. His commitment to faith and service extended well beyond the classroom. An active member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish community,

Johnson served as an altar server and volunteered regularly at the Knights of Columbus Council 6357 Annual Lenten Fish Fries, the OLPH Annual Fair, and most recently with residents at Riverbend Nursing Home. A hard worker with a love for people, Johnson worked at B&B Tackle after school and on weekends, where his reliability, expertise, and kindness made him a valued presence to customers and colleagues alike. He also served as a deckhand for Calcutta Gold alongside Capt. Eric Newberry and Capt. Josh Edwards, and was trusted to lead offshore fishing excursions, a testament to his work ethic and the confidence others placed in him. A true bayou sportsman, Johnson found joy in

“Everyone I know who played golf with him, no matter their age, loved him at the end of 18 holes. He had a way of bonding with everyone. I never heard him say a negative word about anyone. He always saw the good in people.” – Bryan Bairnsfather Varsity Golf Coach

fishing, hunting, and time spent outdoors, whether at camp, on the water, or on the links as a Junior Member at English Turn Country Club. How he balanced work, school, sports, and every other demand of high school life was, by all accounts, a reflection of his priorities: faith and family. Those who knew Johnson best remember his characteristic sideways smirk and the warmth it carried. He never met a stranger and carried himself with a quiet humility and kindness that left a lasting impression on everyone he encountered. The through line, for all who knew him, was love: for his faith, his family, his friends, and the life he lived so fully in the short time he had.

Johnson, of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, was the beloved son of Caren and Robert Johnson III; the loving brother of Tyler Johnson ’20 and Emily Johnson; and the cherished grandson of S.J. and Gail Mayeaux, Robert Johnson, Jr. ’66 and JoAnn Dauenhauer, and Gwendolyn and William Davis. He is also survived by his girlfriend, Kayden Carrere, and many devoted aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. The Jesuit community extends its deepest condolences to the Johnson family and all who mourn Johnson’s passing. His impact on his classmates, teachers, and the broader Jesuit community will not be forgotten. 

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | NEW ORLEANS |

105

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL OF NEW ORLEANS 4133 Banks Street New Orleans, LA 70119 jesuitnola.org

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT NO. 313

Parents of Alumni: If you are receiving your son’s copy of Jaynotes and he no longer lives with you, please let us know so we can update our database and send the magazine directly to him. Let us know if you enjoy reading Jaynotes. We will be glad to send a copy to his new address and a copy to you. Email changes to alumni@jesuitnola.org.

A SYMBOL OF FAITHFUL SUPPORT

The Jesuit Parent Loyalty Giving Pin is presented to parents during their son’s senior year in recognition of five consecutive years of support to the Parents’ Annual Giving Drive. Every gift, regardless of size, helps sustain the mission of Jesuit High School and reflects a family’s enduring commitment to dedication to forming young men of faith and men for others.

Inspired by Jesuit tradition, the pin incorporates the stripes from the crest of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Old English “J,” and the AMDG banner: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (“For the Greater Glory of God”). Together, these elements reflect the faith and values that have defined Jesuit for generations. More than a keepsake, the Parent Loyalty Giving Pin is a lasting symbol of the partnership between Jesuit and the families whose faithful generosity strengthens the school year after year.

FOLLOW JESUIT ON SOCIAL MEDIA Alumni are encouraged to stay connected by joining the Jesuit New Orleans Alumni Facebook and LinkedIn pages. @JesuitHSNOLA @JesuitNOLA @JesuitNOLA @JesuitHighSchoolNOLA @Jesuit-NOLA JesuitNOLA