A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNAE, PARENTS AND FRIENDS
A P A R T Y T H AT H A P P E N S O N C E E V E R Y 1 5 0 Y E A R S !
Th0e 150th0 Anniversary Gala Celebrating the 150th anniversary of SJA’s founding by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1868 SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and Program 7 p.m. Dancing 8 – 12 p.m. Raising Cane’s River Center Anniversary Celebration, Seated Dinner, Open Bar and Dancing Music by The Boogie Men New Orleans’ Premier Horn-Powered Band Reserve a table now with your fellow classmates, parents, grandparents, friends and family. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.sjabr.org. Each person who attends will receive the first edition of the SJA History coffee table book with each graduate’s name, including the class of 2019. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime party!
IN THIS ISSUE 4
26
From the President
Planned Giving
SJA Community
On Campus
5
15
27 37
Alums Today
Tribute Donations
Alumnae News
Transitions
21
25
38
Annual Fund On the Cover:
Members of the class of 2019 celebrated the first day of the 2018-2019 school year by striking a celebratory pose. Drone photo by Stevie Toups.
Connections is published four times per year by the St. Joseph’s Academy Communications and Mission Advancement offices. It is distributed free of charge to alumnae, parents and friends of the Academy. Alumnae news, story ideas, photographs and address changes should be sent to Connections, 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-1198 or connections@sjabr.org. Call (225) 388-2258. Because of space limitations, we reserve the right to edit submitted news.
Communications Director Assistant Communications Director Media Coordinator Graphic Designer Mission Advancement Director Mission Advancement Associate Director Mission Advancement Assistant DirectorAlumnae and Constituent Relations Jennifer Knight Mission Advancement Assistant DirectorEvents Donna Blanc Mission Advancement Database Manager Wendy Coniglio Mission Advancement Database Assistant
Mindy Brodhead Averitt Jennifer Menville Fontaine Erin Barrilleaux Albarado Holly Sonnier Meg Gerald Sister Joan Laplace, CSJ Katie Jeter Valenciano
FRO M T H E P R E S I D E N T
Lif e’ s Lessons Along our Jour ney For many who walk the Camino de Santiago to the shrine of the apostle St. James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, it is a journey about the lessons of life. Although I have not taken this 30-day walking journey, I did have the opportunity this summer to speak to pilgrims who arrived at the end of the journey in Santiago. Their stories along the 500-mile walking journey were insightful: People traveled to discover what was truly important in their lives; people sought forgiveness and wanted to learn how to forgive; people wanted to discover the true meaning of love and compassion; and people asked for ways to overcome difficulties in their lives. Their stories reflected the lessons in life that we all face as we walk our own spiritual journey every day. We may not have the opportunity to walk for 30 days on the Camino, but each day, we travel on our own journey and witness how God moves our lives through each experience we encounter. How do we stretch and grow spiritually on our own journey in life, and what lessons along the way may help us achieve the fullness of life in God’s plan for us?
Live in the Now
When we let go of the past and discover the wonderful graces of the now, we experience the beauty of each day. Living in the now opens us up to God’s plan for us and allows us to focus on the present. We let go of the worries of the past and the worries of the future and become aware of the powerful sense of the present and peace we feel within. When we live in the present, we don’t judge the present through the eyes of the past. We experience the joy of being and knowing we are where we are supposed to be. We listen to God and feel His presence in each moment. It is not easy to live in the now, for we are always thinking of the many tasks ahead or the mistakes we have made in the past. If we can work on being present in the moment, we will realize the beauty of life’s goodness and graces. 4 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S From the President
Pray Each Day
Prayer motivates and sustains us. It is a time to communicate with God in our ongoing personal growth. As Henre Nouwen describes, “In prayer, the words of Jesus have the power to transform our hearts and minds. Prayer creates a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit to guide us.” We all endure struggles in our lives, daily disappointments and hurts. Prayer offers us strength and support during these times. Prayer is a communion with God and a way of giving thanks to God for the many graces we receive. Prayer helps us feel the peace of Christ that is within us.
Seek Solitude
We need serenity and solitude to regenerate our spirit. Have a place of solitude, a place to listen, a time to reflect, a moment to rest your body and mind. The quiet of a few minutes in the day helps clear the moments of worry and concern and restores balance to our day. Solitude brings us back to a union with God and an awareness of the goodness in our day. In the quiet of a few minutes, feel the sacredness of life and the people around you.
Embrace Kindness
Every day, we experience acts of kindness. We are often so encumbered by our daily activities that we fail to see the kindness of a smile, a hug, a door opening, a brief conversation, a compliment given to us. Kindness is all around us. A simple gift of concern may be the medicine we need on a weary day. Kindness lifts our spirit, gives us hope and restores a belief that all is good and gracious in the human heart. Each of us is called to give and receive kindness, to find the light of Christ. In kindness, we discover God’s love for us. We experience the joys of the moment and the beauty in life’s activities and challenges. We feel the sacredness of God’s work reflected in people, in events and on our spiritual journey. Let life’s lessons teach us that it is not so much what we do but how we approach life. Let us live in the now, pray each day, have a spirit of gratitude, find time for solitude and appreciate the gifts of kindness and compassion. Trust in God’s guidance and care, and live life’s lessons with God’s divine plan for us.
SJA KICK S O FF YE AR-LON G C E LE BRATION OF
150
1 50th
Anniversary
Cutting the ribbon to signify the grand opening of the Academy Student Center are, from left, Principal Stacia Andricain, Mission Advancement Associate Director Sister Joan Laplace, Board of Directors Chair Suzie Toups Adler, President Jan Rhorer Breen, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, Bishop Robert Muench, Womack Contractors’ Steve Carville, Student Body President Anna Reese Couhig and architect David Hebert.
The 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Joseph’s Academy by the Sisters of St. Joseph is under way. The celebration began on August 8 with a back-to-school prayer service and the grand opening and dedication of the new Academy Student Center. The school will commemorate the milestone throughout the 2018-2019 academic year. A large crowd gathered in the new building on the morning of August 8. Academy representatives and special guests cut the ceremonial ribbon signifying the opening of new building. They were Bishop Robert Muench, MayorPresident Sharon Weston Broome, SJA President Jan Breen, Board of Directors Chair Suzie Toups Adler, Student Body President Anna Reese Couhig, architect David Hebert, Womack Contractors’ Steve Carville and Mission Advancement Associate Director and former Principal Sister Joan Laplace.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome presented a key to the city to Alumnae Association President Wendy Williams Lutgring, class of 1984, and Student Body President Anna Reese Couhig, a senior.
5 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
A 1150 50th Anniversary Prayer After he blessed the new Academy Student Center, Bishop Robert Muench donned a Redsticker spirit shirt to the delight of the large gathering of students, faculty/staff, Sisters of St. Joseph and friends of SJA.
Students representing each of the activities that will take part in the new building paraded to the stage area, and Bishop Muench blessed the facility. Andricain presented Bishop Muench, who retired in late August, with a Redsticker spirit shirt and a lifetime pass to all home volleyball and basketball games. Mayor Broome presented the alumnae and students of SJA with a key to the city. Alumnae Association President Wendy Williams Lutgring, class of 1984, and Student Body President Anna Reese Couhig accepted the gift on behalf of current and former students everywhere.
Shreveport-area
AlumnaeReunion SAVE THE DATE January 23, 2019 At the home of Emily Ellis Welsh ’95
6 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community
By Sister Joan Laplace, CSJ and Hugo Andricain Good and gracious God, St. Joseph’s Academy has sought to educate the young women of Baton Rouge to be unifying members of the world community for 150 years. We praise and thank you for guiding us in the pursuit of faith development, academic excellence and personal growth. We pray for those here today and all who have passed through these halls. May the seeds planted at this Academy continue to bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of those they touch. We pray for the future of St. Joseph’s Academy. May we build an even stronger Academy for generations to come. We thank you for inspiring our sanctity, encouraging joy in one another and guiding our actions. We ask all of this under the care and protection of our patron, St. Joseph. Amen
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 8, 2018: •
Senior Sunrise
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Back-to-School Prayer Service
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Dedication of Academy Student Center
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Legacy Mass and Reception
•
Sisters’ Day of Service for all members of the
AUGUST 19, 2018:
OCTOBER 6, 2018: SJA community
The SJA volleyball team hosted Mandeville on August 28 for the first athletic event to be played in the new Academy Student Center. A large and boisterous crowd was on hand for the 3-0 Redstickers victory. Among those enjoying the action were alumnae and former faculty members, including Jean DeLaune Spain ’66; Sister Johanne Pedersen ’46; Judy Lejeune, one of the Academy’s first volleyball coaches; Kathy Daigre Meares ’64, former SJA registrar; Gail Gaiennie ’66; and Barbara McManus ’66, former SJA volleyball coach. Not pictured is Lurline Hamilton ’64, who was serving as a referee for the volleyball match.
OCTOBER 18, 2018: •
Open House
•
St. Joseph’s Academy 150th Anniversary Mass honoring the arrival of the Sisters of St. Joseph in
OCTOBER 21, 2018: Baton Rouge in 1868
OCTOBER 24, 2018: •
Baton Rouge Redsticker Social
•
The Soirée
•
The first day of school at St. Joseph’s Academy
NOVEMBER 1, 2018:
NOVEMBER 4, 2018:
Alexandria-area
AlumnaeReunion
(November 4, 1868)
NOVEMBER 10, 2018: •
Sticker Stampede 10K, 5K and Fun Runs
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SJA Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
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Give Day
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Challenge Day
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Sticker Scramble Golf Tournament
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The Gala
FEBRUARY 9, 2019:
S AVE T H E D AT E
MARCH 19, 2019:
January 24, 2019
MARCH 22, 2019: APRIL 1, 2019:
APRIL 27, 2019:
L OOK FO R MORE I NFO RMA T I O N A S EACH D AT E NEAR S .
7 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
S I S T E R H EL EN P R EJ EAN OPENS 1 50T H ANN IVER SAR Y SPEA K ERS SERIES St. Joseph’s Academy continued the celebration of its 150th anniversary with the first in its yearlong speaker series. Sister Helen Prejean, a 1957 graduate of SJA, spoke on September 11 in the new Student Activity Center.
of our soul and we see something that isn’t right. Our conscience kicks in, and we know we have to raise our voice in some way. We have to act. I first learned that here.”
Sister Helen is a best-selling author and leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. She began her prison ministry in 1981 and became pen pals with Patrick Sonnier, sentenced to die in the electric chair at Louisiana’s Angola State Prison for the murder of two teenagers. She visited him as his spiritual advisor, and those visits “set her soul on fire.” Sister Helen described her experiences in Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty, which was number one on the New York Times Best Seller List for 31 weeks. It was also developed into a major motion picture starring Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen.
In the early 1980s, Sister Helen moved into the St. Thomas Housing Project in New Orleans to live among African-Americans who, she said, became her teachers. She learned about the “other” America, a far cry from her privileged upbringing. “The Gospel of Jesus was pushing me to think about what it’s like to live in a society where you can never get a fair shake,” she said.
Her second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, was published in 2004. She recently finished her memoir, River of Fire, which will be published later this year by Random House.
It was at the housing project where she was asked to become a pen pal to an inmate on death row. They developed a relationship, and he asked her to be his spiritual advisor. Little did she know that the result of her acceptance was that she would “The three main things I got from be present when Patrick Sonnier was executed after midnight on April 5, 1984. SJA were Catholic faith, which
means you’re going to follow wherever Christ calls, especially to the poor and marginalized; learning and using your minds and being challenged; and raising your voice, to stand up as a woman and be a leader,”
“The three main things I got from SJA were Catholic faith, which means you’re going to follow wherever Christ calls, especially to the poor and marginalized; learning and using your minds and being challenged; and raising your voice, to stand up as a woman and be a leader,” Sister Helen said. “… In River of Fire, the ‘fire’ part is faith. Catching the fire is when our faith comes alive, when something blows on the coals
“I was there,” she said. “I saw it with my own eyes. And what I saw set my soul on fire, a fire that burns in me now. When I came out of the execution chamber, I threw up. I vomited. I remembered thinking people will never see this. But I had been brought in as a witness, and I thought, I’ve got to raise my voice.”
When Dead Man Walking was published in 1993, support for the death penalty was at 90 percent, Sister Helen said. As she spoke to audiences across the country, she heard both sides of the argument. “People said, ‘Of course you have to kill him. He didn’t respect the human rights of
Sister Helen Prejean spoke to the student body on September 1
8 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community
Senior Rebecca Herin asked Sister Helen a question following her talk to a large gathering of students, faculty, staff, Sisters of St. Joseph and friends of SJA.
SJA those two kids he murdered. Those parents will suffer for the rest of his life. Justice demands that he kills, he dies.’ And I got it. So I was pulled in a huge spiritual stretch.” But while we are outraged when we stand in the face of horrible evil, we must also stand up for the human dignity of even those who committed murder, Sister Helen said. “The death penalty is a human rights issue,” she said. “Catholics are pro-life. We believe in the dignity of life from womb to tomb. The whole tradition of giving government the right to take a life is based on the need to protect society. But we have prisons. We’re protected. So where is the dignity in rendering a human defenseless and then killing him?” Sister Helen told the students to stand up for what’s right and to experience joy as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “Joy happens in our hearts when you do the right thing,” she said. “It comes as a gift that God’s presence has been there with us in action. We are women of action. When we see something, we raise our voice. We join with others in the quest for justice.”
Save t he Dat e:
March 28-31, 2019 Bocage Racquet Club
Senior Hallie Legendre and Sister Helen led the singing of the alma mater following Sister Helen's talk.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alumnae Director Katie Jeter Valenciano ’04 at valencianok@sjabr.org. 9 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
Author Laura Schroff Visits SJA The St. Joseph’s Academy 150th Anniversary Speaker Series continued on October 8 with New York Times bestselling author Laura Schroff. An Invisible Thread, Schroff’s story of a successful ad executive in Manhattan and the 11-year-old panhandler she befriended, was read by Academy students as part of their required summer reading. Schroff and the subject of her book, Maurice Mazyck, first visited SJA in September of 2013. On her return visit, Schroff said she was thrilled to learn that the book was the inspiration behind the Academy’s Sticker Sack program, in which students, faculty and staff provide brown bag lunches to St. Vincent de Paul each Tuesday to help feed the hungry in our community. The program continues today. Since the publication of An Invisible Thread in 2011, Schroff has published An Invisible Thread Christmas Story and Angels on Earth: Inspiring Real-Life Stories of Fate, Friendship and the Power of Kindness. “As I stand here today, I know that anything is possible if you’re focused, determined, willing to work hard and, most importantly, always have a dream and faith in yourself,” she said. Schroff told the story of meeting Maurice 32 years ago, on September 1, 1986. It was Labor Day weekend, and her plans to attend the U.S. Open in New York City were rained out. She went for a walk and happened upon a homeless boy who asked for spare change. She told him no and kept walking. But his words, “I am hungry,” made her stop in the middle of the street and turn around. “His words were ringing in my ears,” she said. “That life-changing instant to turn around and those three simple words changed our lives forever.” She took Maurice to lunch and discovered how dire his situation was. He hadn’t eaten in two full days. He didn’t own a toothbrush or a bar of soap. He was trapped in a desperate cycle of poverty, drugs and violence. His father, a gang member and drug dealer, was gone. His mother was addicted to drugs. He was living in a 12x12-foot room with up to a dozen people at any given time. “I sat there and thought, ‘How is it possible that a child so young could be on a street corner begging for food? We live in America. How is this happening?’ We realized we lived only two blocks apart, yet we came from two vastly different worlds.” 10 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community
Bestselling author Laura Schroff addressed the student body on October 8.
The following Thursday evening, Laura went looking for Maurice and found him on the same street corner on which they had met earlier that week. She took him to dinner and made plans to meet again the following Monday. They would meet every Monday for the next four years. “Together we forged an unplanned path that transformed both our lives forever,” she said. Maurice’s horrible childhood helped Schroff come to grips with her own upbringing in an abusive household with an alcoholic father. She said she was a below-average student because she often went to school tired, having been afraid to fall asleep the night before. “But as a young woman, I discovered I had a secret weapon, and that was my work ethic,” she said. “So I will be forever grateful for both of my parents for giving me a relentless drive and a determination for a better life. So although my childhood was difficult, I do believe that it shaped me to be the person I am today.”
Laura Schroff autographed copies of her book, An Invisible Thread, for each student who brought a copy to the assembly. Here she poses with seniors Emma Daniel, Hannah Mistric and Sydney Melder.
Schroff said her relationship with Maurice taught her to throw a lifeline to someone in need or to grab hold of one if it’s thrown to you. “Big or small acts of kindness can make a difference in your daily lives, and there is an incredible ripple effect that can happen,” she said. An Invisible Thread is not the story of a successful woman saving a young African American boy, Schroff said. It is the story of two people saving each other. “Today, Maurice is 44 and has the most wonderful family of his own,” she said. “… What brings me so much joy is how a cycle that lasted generations has been broken. Maurice and his wife Michelle provide the most loving home for their children, free of hunger, drugs and violence. It is amazing that our unlikely friendship could have created so much. My journey has deepened my belief that there are so many angels all around us and how we all have the potential to be someone else’s angel.”
Freshman Esther Clementine enjoyed speaking with Laura Schroff following her talk.
On display were original works of art by Nicole Lane’s students, inspired by their reading of An Invisible Thread. Laura called the pieces breathtaking and took a picture of each one.
11 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
CO M MU N ITY C EL EB R A TES M A S S WIT H SISTER S O F S T . J OSEP H
A Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 21 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baton Rouge. A large crowd of St. Joseph’s Academy alumnae, faculty/staff and friends of the Sisters gathered at St. Joseph Cathedral for the 2 p.m. liturgy. Bishop Michael Duca was the principal celebrant, and Bishop Robert Muench delivered the homily. Concelebrants were a number of priests who have worked with the Sisters at St. Joseph’s Academy and throughout the diocese in various ministries. Hugo Andricain and Melanie Couvillon ’86 served as cantors. Andricain wrote a special song for the occasion, which was among the pieces sung by an alumnae choir under the direction of Janelle Couvillon. Musicians were Camilla Rachal Pugh ’59, organ, and Ken Thevenet, piano.
Enjoying the reception following the Mass of Thanksgiving are, from left, SJA Principal Stacia Andricain, Bishop Michael Duca and SJA President Jan Rhorer Breen ’69.
At the post-mass reception were, from left, Leroy Harvey, Fran Fetzer Harvey ’76, Michelle Caro Dow ’86, Sister Adele Lambert ’54, Elise Gauthier Fryou ’57, Pat Lambert Brignac ’51, Debbie Kleinpeter Gelpi ’77, Principal Stacia Andricain and Patricia Brignac Talbot ’84.
A reception was held following mass in the Cathedral Hall. Members of the Liturgy Planning Committee were Hugo Andricain, Sister Mary Anne Hebert, Sister Adele Lambert ’54, Sister Joan Laplace, Kathleen Lovretich and Sister Lucy Silvio ’59.
Student Ambassadors assisted as ushers and greeters at the Mass of Thanksgiving. Pictured here are senior Skylar Mancuso, junior Ellie Nelson, senior Katherine Mascari, senior Mary Eiserloh and senior Ashley Ross. 12 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community
The five members of the new Leadership Team for the Congregation of St. Joseph traveled to Baton Rouge for the mass and reception. They are, from left, Sisters Pat Warbritton, Marie Hogan, Sallie Latkovich, Jackie Goodin and Kathy Brazda.
Sister Lucy Silvio ’59, Sue Turner, Sister Cynthia Sabathier and Mary Margaret “Moo” Turner Svendson ’72 posed for a picture at the reception on October 21
Day of Service Honors Sisters of St. Joseph The mission of the Congregation of St. Joseph guides our Sisters to identify and respond to the unmet needs of our world. In honor of their passionate dedication to serving the dear neighbor and in celebration of the 150th anniversary of their arrival in Baton Rouge, members of the St. Joseph’s Academy community participated in acts of service.
St. Vincent de Paul served a special sit-down meal in its Dining Hall on October 6 to honor the Sisters of St. Joseph and the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph’s Academy. Volunteers helped prepare and serve the meal to Dining Room guests.
Because feminine hygiene products and diapers are critically needed by many underprivileged people in our local community, SJA students, faculty and staff participated in a drive to benefit Catholic Charities.
Alumnae, parents, students, faculty and staff and friends of SJA honored the Sisters’ legacy on October 6 through volunteer service at Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul and by participating in a week-long drive to collect feminine hygiene products and diapers for Catholic Charities. Alumnae and friends living outside of the Baton Rouge area were encouraged to plan a project in their city.
A group of SJA seniors worked the morning shift at the Junior League’s Diaper Bank. The girls processed more than 25,000 diapers.
Volunteers met at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank warehouse to sort and pack food donations.
Buy a Brick, Leave a Legacy Order your personalized brick today at www.sjabricks.org. Please direct questions to Wendy Coniglio at conigliow@sjabr.org.
13 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
Jacque l i ne Labat
H ON OR ED IN TWO C EREMONIES St. Joseph’s Academy gathered as a school community on the afternoon of August 3 for a special ceremony to dedicate the Jacqueline B. Labat Foreign Language Area on the second floor of Medaille Hall. Jackie’s family, including husband Wade, daughter Michele Labat Wilks ’95 and her grandchildren, Ryan and Camille Wilks and Libbie Labat, were joined by a large group of faculty and staff members, Sisters of St. Joseph, former colleagues, alumnae and friends. President Jan Breen welcomed the visitors, and longtime SJA French teacher Glynis Davis shared her heartfelt thoughts of her friend. Principal Stacia Andricain paid tribute to her mentor, and Sister Joan Laplace sprinkled the area with holy water. Wade Labat shared his thoughts as well as Jackie’s favorite prayer for teachers. Guests then enjoyed French-themed refreshments and continued to share memories of Jackie, who spent 47 years at SJA.
Medal of the Academic Palms On September 10, family and friends gathered in New Orleans at the Consulate General of France in Louisiana as Jackie was posthumously named an Officer of the French Academic Palms. Wade Labat accepted the medal of the Academic Palms from Consul General Vincent Sciama on behalf of the French Minister of National Education. The honor recognizes Jackie’s exceptional accomplishments and commitment to French language and culture in Louisiana. In 2005, Jackie was named Knight of the Order of the Academic Palms (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques). Shortly before she died, Jackie learned that she was to be promoted to the rank of Officer for her continued dedication to the promotion of French.
14 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community
“This medal pays tribute to her persistent work and her commitment to French language and culture in Louisiana,” Consul General Sciama said in presenting the medal to Wade. “Madame Labat was clearly an outstanding leader in foreign language education. We hope that her distinct legacy and inspiration that she offered to her students over the years will give you comfort.” The French Academic Palms is the oldest non-military decoration in France, created by Napoléon I in 1808. It recognizes those who have rendered eminent service to French education and have contributed actively to the prestige of French culture. At the Consulate General of France in Louisiana, Jackie Labat’s nieces, Pat Shuffield and Johanna Speights, posed with the medal of the Academic Palms held by granddaughter Libbie Labat. Wade Labat looked on.
Following a ceremony and reception dedicating the Jacqueline B. Labat Foreign Language Area in Medaille Hall, Jackie’s family posed for a picture. They are from left (back row) her husband, Wade Labat, grandson Ryan Wilks, daughter Michele Labat Wilks ’95, son-in-law Matthew Wilks and (front row) granddaughters Camille Wilks and Libbie Labat.
Friends and former colleagues of Jackie Labat raised their hands in blessing as Jackie’s former principal and mentor, Sister Joan Laplace, sprinkled the Jacqueline B. Labat Foreign Language Area with holy water.
GRA D UA T E R EC EIVES PRE S T I G I O U S SER VIC E A WA RD E R I CA WASHI NGTO N, a 2002 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy, is the 2018 recipient of the Reverend Connie Thomas Service Award in honor and appreciation of her years of service and dedication to Luke’s House and the New Orleans community and her robust work in the healthcare field. Erica was honored in March at the seventh annual Brass Bash, which she organized in 2012 to benefit Luke’s House Clinic. After graduating from SJA, Erica earned her bachelor’s in biological sciences from LSU in 2006 and her master’s in public health from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (SPHTM) in 2009. Just a few months later, she began her career as an epidemiologist for the state of Louisiana, serving as the HealthcareAssociated Infections and Antibiotic Resistance Program coordinator for the Department of Health. In this role, she completes patient safety and surveillance activities for patients and providers across the healthcare spectrum. “When I decided to pursue epidemiology after finishing from LSU in 2006, I didn’t know much about the field,” Erica said. “I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in health sciences, and I felt strongly about being a part of post-Katrina recovery for New Orleans. Studying at Tulane was the perfect fit for my aims at the time, and I have been fortunate to experience professional growth in my role.” When Erica learned that her New Orleans church was collaborating with another congregation to open Luke’s House in November of 2007, she was immediately on board. She served as its first public health intern and recruited other healthcare providers from Tulane SPHTM to volunteer. She joined the Luke’s House board of directors in August 2008 and served as chair from 2012 to 2014. She launched the Brass Bash, the organization’s premier fundraising event, in 2012. The first event raised just $2,000 This year’s fundraiser netted more than $30,000, which will go towards the clinic’s planned expansion.
Luke’s House provides quality medical care to underserved and uninsured people in Greater New Orleans through the use of volunteer nurses and a dedicated team of physicians from the LSU Health Services Center Department of Medicine/ Pediatrics Residency Program. Free medical and mental health services include immunizations, prescription assistance, eye exams and glasses and women’s examinations. Some 800 patients are treated annually. More than 5,000 people have been connected to care since 2007. “It was truly an honor to be recognized by some of the same volunteers with whom I worked alongside for years to make Luke’s House a sustainable part of the community,” Erica said of receiving the Reverend Connie Thomas Service Award. “Luke’s House is dear to me because it serves the medically underinsured and uninsured and merges physical and mental health as well as medical education across many disciplines.” In 2013, Erica was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for Prevention and Public Health. She was among eight healthcare leaders honored for their work in helping communities focus on prevention and public health by tackling issues ranging from childhood obesity to reducing health disparities and taking innovative steps to improve America’s health based on wellness and prevention rather than sickness and disease. In 2016-2017, Erica was an Informatics-Training in Place Program fellow through Project S.H.I.N.E., a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the National Association of City and County Health Officials. S.H.I.N.E. seeks to increase the informatics capacity of health departments nationwide. Erica holds three certifications: public health (CPH), infection control (CIC) and healthcare quality (CPHQ). She is currently pursuing her doctorate in epidemiology from LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health. In her leisure time, Erica enjoys traveling. 15 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
often affect a patient’s ability or desire to eat, thus affecting his or her nutritional status, Samantha strives to help patients achieve or maintain a healthy body to fight the disease.
Abby Duhé Altazan ’07 and Samantha Duhé ’09
Siblings Parlay Love of Food to Careers in Nutrition It’s no secret that food is a big part of growing up in south Louisiana. From tailgate parties to crawfish boils and holiday tables filled to overflowing, food often takes center stage. Growing up in Baton Rouge, sisters Abby Duhé Altazan and Samantha Duhé could often be found in the family kitchen, where they loved cooking for family and friends. As active teenagers – Abby was a dancer, and Samantha was a gymnast – both also recognized the benefits of fueling their bodies with good nutrients to enhance performance. Perhaps it was only natural that both would be drawn to a career in a nutrition field. Abby, a 2007 graduate of SJA, is a research specialist in the Reproductive Endocrinology and Women’s Health Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Led by Dr. Leanne Redman, Abby’s laboratory conducts research to improve health for women and understand the effect of prenatal and postpartum health on the future health of mothers and babies. Recently, she presented a talk about maternal attitudes toward infant feeding behavior at the National WIC Association Nutrition Education and Breastfeeding Promotion Conference. Samantha graduated from the Academy in 2009. She is the outpatient oncology registered dietitian at Ochsner’s Benson Cancer Center in New Orleans. She provides nutrition therapy to patients before, during and after cancer treatment based on their specific cancer diagnoses, diet limitations, medical history and lab results. Because the side effects of cancer treatment 16 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today
Abby earned a bachelor of science in biological engineering and a master’s in human nutrition from Louisiana State University. Her master’s focus was infant health, and her thesis project addressed infant feeding and food intake. She especially enjoys health research because each case is novel and the scope of her work is far reaching. “We’re trying to provide background and evidence for the recommendations that physicians, dietitians, nurses and others in the healthcare field provide to the public,” she said. “Right now in our lab, we have studies focusing on gestational weight gain, postpartum weight loss, gestational diabetes, breastfeeding and infant health and development.” Samantha earned a bachelor of science in dietetics from LSU and completed a dietetic internship and earned a master of science in health and human performance from McNeese State University. An exciting new development in her field is the use of telemedicine to provide nutrition education from a distance. “Telemedicine allows me to reach out and serve more patients in need of nutrition therapy,” she said. “St. Joseph’s gave me a great foundation for the growing use of technology in healthcare as well as the importance of compassion and service to others.” Coach Elizabeth Fontenot’s PE class at SJA also helped lay the foundation for Samantha’s career path. “We learned the fundamentals of nutrition and the impact nutrition has on many chronic and acute conditions,” she said. “I appreciated the science-based information that Coach Fontenot presented, and this fueled my desire to pursue a degree in nutrition.” Abby pointed to her science classes at SJA as instrumental in her career choice. “Science was always my favorite subject,” she said. “Sophomore year at SJA, I participated in the science fair, and from there was always encouraged by teachers at SJA and then by professors at LSU to stay in the science field because there’s always room for more women.” In their spare time, both sisters love attending LSU football and baseball games. Abby enjoys traveling and earlier this fall experienced a trip to South Africa, complete with a safari, with her husband. Samantha loves to cook, trying new recipes and experiencing the New Orleans culinary scene with her fiancé. And which of the sisters is the better cook? “Sam’s definitely the better chef,” Abby said.
AT HL ETIC HAL L OF FAM E Congratulations to the 2019
St. Joseph’s Academy ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CLASS
EL I Z A B ET H “ LI Z” FO N T E NOT
SIST ER U RSUL A HA RE LSO N, CS J ’ 45
Coach (Strength and Conditioning, Soccer, Cross Country, Softball, Track and Field)
Contributor/Distinguished Volunteer Honored posthumously
JU LIE NEUMA NN ’ 03 Volleyball, Swimming, Softball and Soccer
Join us for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Saturday, February 9, 2019 6:30 p.m. Academy Student Center Tickets available at www.sjahalloffame.org
17 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
Redstickers Return
SA CRED THREA DS CONNECT G RA DU A TE S A T LSU A LUM NI A SSOCIA TION
After enjoying a few years of retirement, SJA graduate Jackie Hood Bartkiewicz ’62 returned to Louisiana State University in 2008 as editor of the university’s Alumni Magazine, reprising a role she’d held earlier in her LSU career. A decade later, Jackie finds herself working with three fellow Redstickers who joined the LSU Alumni Association family in the last year.
There are currently 41 St. Joseph’s Academy alumnae who have returned to their alma mater and now serve on the faculty and staff or as members of the athletic department. They are (bottom row) Erin Barrilleaux Albarado, Media Coordinator; Jacqueline Barker Savoia, Science; Laura Flandez, Foreign Language; Patrice Stevens Aiken, The Arts; Alise Alexander, Campus Minister; Alexis Stein, Science; Katie Jeter Valenciano, Assistant Director of Advancement-Alumnae; Jan Rhorer Breen, President; (second row) Jennifer Menville Fontaine, Assistant Communications Director; Aimee Cronan, Science; Katherine (Kaki) O’Connor Lowe, Math; Kristian Kinamore Vukojevic, Assistant Admissions Director; Nicole Delaune Lane, The Arts; Sara Tomeny Rounds, The Arts; (third row) Brianna Pettijohn Sommers, English, Innovation & Design; Valerie Bordelon Brubaker, Counseling Center; Alexandra Hedrick Arceneaux, English; Rhonda Baird, Science; Yvette Barbier Aillet, The Arts; (top row) Claire Luikart, Technology; Meghan McGinty, The Arts; Amy Panepinto Parker, English; Erin Eckert McLean, Students’ Receptionist; Sarah Elisar McCann, Social Studies; Dede LeBlanc, Accounting Clerk; and Michelle Hagemann Lofland, Senior Accountant.
Mignon Town Kastanos, class of 2004, leads the association’s marketing and communications program; Rachel Rhodes, a 2010 Academy graduate, manages alumni chapter relations; and Ali Duplessis, SJA class of 2014, handles Traveling Tigers activities. “We’ve connected the 20th and 21st centuries,” Jackie said, adding another “small world” twist to the story. “Mignon’s great-grandmother, Marguerite May, taught me in first and second grades, 1950-1951 and 1951-1952, and Mrs. May’s daughter – Mignon’s greataunt George May Jeansonne ’62 and I were 12-year classmates.” Do you have a “small world” story to share? Have you reconnected with a fellow Redsticker in an unexpected way? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at connections@sjabr.org.
Not shown are Erin Aguilar, Basketball; Heather Bennett, Technology; Allison Hipwell Bruton, Counseling Center Chair/College Advisor; Colleen Frazier Bryant, Human Resources Director/Executive Assistant to the President; Kate Butler Cook, Cross Country; Krysia Sherburne Duplessis, Technology; Gretchen Kirsch Fairbanks, Archivist; Melissa Morrison Gaffney, Golf; Rebecca Barber Gilbert, Swimming; Tina Vicari Grant, Social Studies; Amy Scheurich House, Counseling Center; Barbara McManus, Math Tutor; Bonnie McKowen Rader, Assistant to the Deans; Jessica Windham Simon, Softball; and Alysse Wiggins, Science Tutor.
SJA alumnae (from left) Rachel Rhodes ’10, Jackie Hood Bartkiewicz ’62, Mignon Town Kastanos ’04 and Ali Duplessis ’14 at the 2018 Alumni Professionals of the SEC Conference hosted by the LSU Alumni Association in July. 18 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today
Redsticker Reunions AND OTHER HAPPENINGS
The St. Joseph’s Academy Alumnae Office hosted the sixth annual Legacy Mass and Reception on August 19. Generations of Academy graduates, along with their daughters, granddaughters and nieces who are current students, gathered in the Chapel at SJA for the Eucharistic celebration. Father Joel LaBauve was the celebrant. Following mass, the multi-generational families posed for group photographs, then gathered in the Commons of Mother Alice Hall for a reception catered by SAGE Dining Services.
Families with three or more generations of Academy graduates gathered for a picture. Families with three or more generations of Academy graduates gathered for a picture.
Members of a family who have been part of SJA for four generations were recognized at mass. Shown here are Madison Mabile ’21, Jill Hurst Mabile ’91, Marie Gros Favrot ’67, Theresa Gros Landry ’67, Toni Landry Ransome ’97, Kelsi Landry ’19 and Lindsey Landry ’22. They trace their legacy to Marie’s mother, Anelia Rabalais Gros, class of 1940, and Anelia’s sister, Katherine Rabalais ’42, who later joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and was given the name Sister Maria.
Two-generation families posed for a picture in front of Mother Alice Hall.
Enjoying the Legacy Reception following mass are Madeleine Brown ’22, Anglyn Hughes Brown ’89, Dyra Culotta Hughes ’66, Alice Dugas Greer ’66 and Gifford Greer ’22.
19 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
1968 50-YEAR REUNION
On April 21, members of the St. Joseph’s Academy class of 1968 gathered on campus to celebrate their 50-year reunion. The celebration began with mass that included songs from the musical The Fantastics, which many of the graduates saw off Broadway on their 1968 senior class trip to New York City. SJA Mission Advancement Associate Director Sister Joan Laplace, one of the trip chaperones, helped coordinate the mass, which was celebrated by Father Frank Uter in the Chapel at SJA. Following a campus tour, the graduates enjoyed a reception in Mother Alice Hall. Following the reception, a number of alumnae enjoyed an after party at the home of Jan LeBlanc Cox, telling stories and reminiscing with Sr. Joan. Friends came from as far away as Australia and Maine.
Houston REUNION
20 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today
A large group of Academy graduates gathered at the home of Jeannie Wong Joe ’90 for a reunion of alumnae living in the Houston area. Representing SJA were Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald, Mission Advancement Associate Director Sister Joan Laplace, Alumnae Director Katie Jeter Valenciano ’04, PE department member Brenda LeBlanc and former PE teacher Holly Randow.
Coach Brenda LeBlanc enjoys visiting with Patricia Swenson '70.
’34 JENNIE CRIFASI FONTE, the oldest living graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy, celebrated her 101st birthday on July 30. A former Baton Rouge resident, Jennie has moved to a senior center in Houston, where she enjoys current events, playing bridge and watching the LSU Tigers.
’50 BONNIE BONANNO EAST works as a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway in Houston. ’61 TONI POST lives in Houston, where she is a longtime volunteer at Angela House, a transitional residential facility for women upon their release from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison and state jail system as well as county jails. Residents of Angela House are typically homeless or at risk of being homeless and have few resources with which to begin the process of moving toward stable residency and productive lives. Volunteers provide services ranging from computer support and tutoring to Bible study, bookkeeping and general maintenance. ’79 DR. MARIE “TONETTE” KROUSEL-WOOD is part of a team of Tulane University researchers exploring ways to implement new guidelines to more aggressively manage high blood pressure in adults, particularly low-income patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease. The National Institutes of Health awarded Tulane a five-year, $6.28 million grant to explore the NIH’s Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial, which calls for blood pressure targets well below previously established guidelines. Tonette is a professor and senior associate dean of Tulane University School of Medicine and Tulane associate provost for the health sciences.
’80 KRIS CANGELOSI, artistic director and owner of Cangelosi Dance Project, has been appointed president of the 2019 board of directors for Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana.
s w e N e a n m u l A
’88 JEN STEELE has been appointed to the Leadership Institute for Medicaid Directors. She is among directors from six states chosen to participate as fellows in the 2019 class. The prestigious executive training initiative, which is directed by the Center for Health Care Strategies, is a 10-month program during which fellows gain skills in fostering deliverysystem innovation, leading effective multi-sector collaboration, engaging key stakeholders, communicating the impact of their programs and developing leaders of the future. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Jen earned an MBA in public policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. She has been employed by the state of Louisiana since 1999.
’00 MELISSA CARUSO is a student at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, studying for an MBA. More than 80 countries are represented at the school, which was ranked #3 in Europe this year by Forbes and has been ranked in the top 12 MBA programs in the world. Melissa graduated from Louisiana State University in 2004 with a major in history and minors in political science and sociology. She graduated with a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 2007. She also has a certificate in international law. ’00 KRISTIN NEVELS CLARKSON received the Ada Green Recruitment Award from Dillard University in May. The award recognizes the alumni chapter or individual whose efforts result in the highest number of students to enroll at Dillard in the preceding fall and spring semesters combined. Kristin recruits students from across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to attend the private, liberal arts school in New Orleans. 21 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
’03 DR. LINDSEY RICHARD FAUVEAU graduated in June from LSU Health New Orleans General Surgery Residency and will begin her career as a general surgeon at Ochsner Health in Baton Rouge.
’03 DR. KATHERINE RAIA WHITTAKER recently completed her family medicine residency training at Baton Rouge General Medical Center, where she was elected to serve as chief resident in her final year. Katie earned a bachelor of science in biological sciences from Louisiana State University in 2008, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. She graduated cum laude in 2015 from American University of Antigua College of Medicine. She has accepted a position with Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group and will join the clinic on Picardy Avenue in Baton Rouge. ’04 DR. AMANDA MESSER BOENEKE is a pediatric hospitalist at LSU Health Sciences Center/Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She graduated from LSUHSC-New Orleans in 2012, completed her pediatric residency at LSU/Children’s Hospital New Orleans in 2015 and completed her pediatric hospital medicine fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine/ Texas Children’s Hospital in 2017. She and her husband, Chase, have two daughters, Marielle Kate (2) and Audrey Elizabeth (7 months). ’04 DR. KATIE EVANS MOFFIT is an orthodontist in Alexandria, serving the central Louisiana community. She graduated in 2009 from LSU Health Science Center with her doctorate of dental surgery. She completed her orthodontic residency in June of 2015. She also received a master’s of science in dentistry. She purchased her practice, Moffit Orthodontics, in May.
’04 KATIE JETER VALENCIANO was accepted into the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s 2019 Leadership Baton Rouge program. The program’s goal is to prepare a diverse group of professionals for leadership positions in the community, focusing on education, diversity and inclusivity, city and state government, healthcare and social issues, economic development, the arts and culture and the criminal justice system. Katie is the alumnae director at St. Joseph’s Academy. ’04 DR. DANIELLE ANDRY WIJAY recently completed her six-year residency training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at The University of Texas Medical Branch. She is one of a few women in Houston to become a partner in a cosmetic plastic surgery group practice. She has a special focus in aesthetic surgery, particularly “mommy makeover” procedures; injectable procedures; breast reconstruction after breast cancer; and body contouring after massive weight loss. She enjoys spending time with her husband and partner at The Oaks Plastic Surgery, Dr. Nandi Wijay, and their daughter, Hudson Victoria Wijay. ’05 DR. MEGAN THIBODEAUX BORENS completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology in June with Louisiana State University at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. She served as administrative chief resident during her final year. At graduation, she received The Golden Award in recognition of being an outstanding resident. She has joined Caring for Women, a private practice in Frisco, Texas (North Dallas), where she lives with her husband and son.
’05 ELLEN CARMICHAEL GUGENBERGER recently launched the NOMAD Food Truck App serving the New Orleans area, with plans to expand to Baton Rouge in October and beyond Louisiana in 2019. NOMAD is a mobile application that connects customers to food trucks. With NOMAD, users can find food trucks, view company profiles and menus, order, pre-pay and skip the lines.
DR. MELISSA ROLFSEN WOOTEN graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in May and began her internal medicine and pediatrics combined residency training at UNC.
’07 LYDIA BARRETT ACKERMAN is a project manager for Stryker, a medical device company in New Orleans. She graduated from Tulane University with a degree in biomedical engineering. She married Brian Ackerman on July 14 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in New Orleans. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in finance. The couple met while serving in the Navy as junior officers aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN68) out of Bremerton, Washington.
’08 DR. KAITLYN CHUSTZ FREE graduated from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in May with a doctorate of nursing practice in family nurse practitioner. Kaitlyn was the recipient of the Outstanding Family Nurse Practitioner Award for the class of 2018.
’11 ASHLEIGH NABERS graduated from West Virginia University in May with a master’s of science in animal physiology.
’13 ABIGAIL GRANT graduated from Texas A&M University at Galveston in December with a degree in marine biology and minors in history and diving technology and methods. She recently began a job as an environmental scientist for the Office of Conservation within the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.
’13 GRACE AND HANNA MIKESELL graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in May. Grace graduated with a bachelor of science in nursing and is employed as a registered nurse in the NICU at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. Hanna graduated with a bachelor of science in education and is employed as a sixth-grade teacher at Juban Parc Junior High in Denham Springs. ’14 LAUREN JOHNSON recently moved to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and accepted a job with Marriott SurfWatch as the resort’s operations supervisor. She graduated from Louisiana State University in May with a degree in business management with a concentration in entrepreneurial leadership. She was active in the Greek and Panhellenic community, serving in her Alpha Phi chapter and alongside PHC council as a Gamma Chi throughout the recruitment process. In her spare time, she loves to cuddle with her two puppies and blog at her DIY site, LJ’s Way (www.LJsWay.com). She especially enjoys the times when her family visits Hilton Head. Her mother, Elizabeth Rappe Johnson, is a 1987 graduate of SJA, and younger sister Ashley Johnson is a member of the class of 2018.
’14 PAIGE MISURACA graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University with a bachelor of science in accounting in May of 2017 and a master’s of accountancy in May of 2018. While at LSU, Paige was a member of Phi Mu Soriority, vice president of Beta Alpha Psi and was recognized with various accounting awards. Paige has passed all four parts of the CPA exam and is employed by Ernst & Young in New Orleans, Louisiana. ’15 CAROLINE TRAMMELL was recently named to the dean’s list at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Furman’s dean’s list includes full-time undergraduate students who earn a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher on a 4-point system.
’16 ELEANOR KOONCE is a three-year member of the LSU Tiger Band. She was recently named co-captain of the LSU Golden Girls. Eleanor is a junior majoring in kinesiology with a concentration in pre-medicine. She is a member of the Phi Beta Phi sorority. After she graduates, Eleanor plans to attend medical school.
’17 CLAIRE GONSOULIN was selected to participate in the Disney College Program, a semester-long paid internship in which participants work in the parks and resorts at Walt Disney World. This program invites participants to network and develop skills such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork and communication. Claire is a sophomore at Louisiana State University majoring in communication disorders and is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
’17 JULIANA HABISREITINGER was recently selected for the Geaux Teach program at Louisiana State University. This program through LSU’s College of Science allows students to receive a degree in mathematics, physics, biology or chemistry while simultaneously earning a Louisiana teaching certificate. Juliana will have opportunities to teach at local elementary, middle and high schools while earning her degree. Juliana is a member of the Geaux Teach Student Organization, which provides professional development in the field of education. She currently teaches math at McKinley Middle. ’17 BETHANY SEAGRAVES is a member of the Emory University swim team. In March, she was one of three freshmen chosen to compete in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship in Indianapolis. Emory captured its ninth consecutive Women’s Division III National Championship. Bethany finished eighth in the 100 yard backstroke, becoming an automatic CSCAA All-American. She was named Rookie of the Year by her teammates. Bethany was recently admitted into the Emory School of Nursing program for the 2019 enrollment cycle.
REGISTER TODAY 7 TH ANNUAL
STICKER SCRAMBLE
April 1,
Benefiting SJA Athletics and SJA Dads' Club Men's and Women's teams welcome 2019
Greystone Golf and Country Club Shotgun Start: 1 p.m.
Join us! Sponsors needed!
Contact Meg Gerald with questions: geraldm@sjabr.org
Annual F UN D
2018-2019 ANNUAL FUND CAMPAIGN OFF TO A
Every year, St. Joseph’s Academy asks our alumnae, parents, faculty/ staff and friends to invest in our mission of educating young women as responsible and unifying members of the world community by making a gift to the Annual Fund. Our goal this year is a simple one: to raise 4 percent of our yearly operating revenue budget through the Annual Fund. Our benefactors are responding! To date, we have raised almost 2 percent of our annual budget and are projecting to reach our goal by June 30, the end of our fiscal year. Below is how we are achieving success to date. 100%
60% 40%
0%
20 % 6.2 % FACULTY /STAFF $22,512
•E nable SJA to recruit and retain the highest caliber of teachers who serve as role models for our students; • Contribute to the cutting-edge technology, lab equipment and other state-of-the-art learning tools used in the classroom; • Provide a dynamic spiritual development program;
• Ensure that SJA continues its winning athletic tradition; and • Give students an extraordinary and enriching experience – The SJA Experience – that they will treasure for a lifetime. St. Joseph’s Academy alumnae, parents and friends know firsthand the transformative power of an Academy education. Consider sharing that gift with others. Those who financially support SJA uphold the spirit of philanthropy that has sustained this school for 150 years. Your generosity, leadership and faith in our mission help St. Joseph’s Academy flourish. The Annual Fund continues to be the primary vehicle for members of the Academy community to join together in a meaningful effort to support the mission of this great school. If you have not yet had the opportunity to give, donations or pledges to the SJA Annual Fund may be made online or by check. You can also text your donation. Text to the number 41444. In the message section, type SJA1868 (no spaces) and hit send. You will receive a message in response with the link that you will use to complete your gift by entering your credit card information.
80%
20%
S P EC IF IC ALLY, A GIF T TO TH E ANNUAL FUN D W I L L :
• Offer students the opportunity to uncover hidden talents through our fine arts offerings;
GREAT START
100%
All gifts to the Annual Fund have enormous impact on SJA’s ability to enhance our standards of excellence in teaching, scholarships, student development and facilities. Annual gifts fuel the success of this school and touch every aspect of our students’ experience.
10.8%
PARENTS ALUMNAE FRIENDS $156,056 $78,342 $56,586
Your generosity and commitment to St. Joseph’s Academy allow us to continue to graduate young women who will carry on the SJA traditions which date back to 1868. Our students know the importance of helping others by watching our alumnae, parents, friends, faculty and staff give of themselves. Thank you.
No matter the amount of the gift, your investment in the Annual Fund enables current students to receive an education that will last a lifetime. We welcome and are grateful for your support. If you have any questions, please contact Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald at (225) 388-2254 or geraldm@sjabr.org.
25 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
Planned Giving THE LEGACY SOCIETY
Over the years, many wonderfully generous individuals have included St. Joseph’s Academy in their estate planning. Some have been motivated by appreciation for what the school has done for them or their daughters. Some chose to honor a special teacher or Sister of St. Joseph or a person who helped them at an important juncture in their life. The Legacy Society was established to recognize these generous parents, alumnae, parents of alumnae, grandparents and friends of St. Joseph’s Academy for their commitment to and support of our mission.
LEAVING A LEGACY AT ST. JOSEPH ’S ACADEMY
The Legacy Society allows us to recognize our legacy donors during their lifetime. Unfortunately, many of our generous supporters have never notified the school of their intentions. We would be humbled and honored to welcome you into The Legacy Society if you have or would like to • provide for St. Joseph’s Academy in your will or trust; • designate SJA as the beneficiary of a qualified retirement plan, savings bond, bank account or life insurance policy; and/or • name St. Joseph’s Academy as a beneficiary of a planned gift.
Contact Information:
To be added to the membership of the Legacy Society, please contact Sister Joan Laplace, associate director of Mission Advancement, at laplacej@sjabr.org or (225) 388-2220 or clip and mail the following to her attention at St. Joseph’s Academy, 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70808.
State:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2018
8th Annual
SJA
I am/We are pleased to inform you that I/we (check all that apply): o Have already included SJA in my/our estate plans. o Am/are considering a planned gift to St. Joseph’s Academy. o Would like a personal call or visit to discuss a planned gift. o Would like to receive information about how to include St. Joseph’s Academy in a will.
Name(s):
Address:
City: Zip: Phone: Email: PRESENTED BY
TIMING
Registration now open!
2018
Sticker
STAMPEDE
Join us for a morning of family fun as we honor our veterans. Visit www.stickerstampede.org to walk, run, sponsor or volunteer. 10K, 5K Half-Mile and One-Mile Fun Runs
26 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Planned Giving
GOLD
763-4500
SJ A C ON GR A T ULA TES RECORD NUM BER O F NATIO N AL LY RECOG NIZED SCHOLA RS
lauren arceneaux
annaclaire acosta
juliet alise
emma allemond
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Sheri and Chad Acosta Attends University of Georgia
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Ruth and Mark Alise Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Amy and Jason Allemond Attends University of Mississippi
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Rebecca and Bryan Arceneaux Attended The Dunham School
clare barfield
ella barhorst
ashlan belanger
kennedy benjamin
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Nan and Tim Barfield Attends University of Texas
Class of 2019 National Merit Commended, AP Scholar Daughter of Tracey and Brad Barhorst Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Stacy and Mike Belanger Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Kim and Chris Benjamin Attends University of Pennsylvania
Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Marci and Charles Blaize Attended St. Aloysius
margaret blouin
hannah blum
anna borne
jolie boudreaux
madi boudreaux
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Peggy and Andy Blouin Attended Baton Rouge International School
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Donna Blum and Jeramiah Blum Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar Daughter of Janine and Manville Borne Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Molly McWhorter and Donny Boudreaux Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Lisa and Jules Boudreaux Attended St. Thomas More
grace brierre
amy brouillette
livie broussard
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Kathryn and Stephen Brierre Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lisa and Jerry Brouillette Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Pam and Alex Broussard Attends Louisiana State University
anna ball Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Carla and Ed Ball Attends Louisiana State University
abby blaize
marigny broussard
vivian brown
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Runnette and Brent Broussard Attends University of Alabama
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Jane and the late Greg Brown Attends Fordham University
27 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
emrey broyles
lauren campbell
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Angela and Joseph Broyles Attends Tulane University
lena cates
lauren chauvin
madeleine chenevert
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Mary Campbell and the late Mark Fritts Attends Columbia University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Regina and Tremayne Cates Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Kathy and Mike Chauvin Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Katherine and Scott Chenevert Attends University of Alabama at Birmingham
sydney clebert
RACHAEL COATES
hope coleman
caroline cotten
anna reese couhig
Class of 2019 National Merit Commended, AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Kelli and David Corkern and Austin Fontenot Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar Daughter of Jamie and Kevin Coates Attended St. Alphonsus
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Michelle and Hugh Coleman Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Kerin and Jeff Cotten Attends Louisiana State University
megan crawford
eloise day
sophie deoliveira
danielle depierri
emily desoto
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Marieke and Randy Crawford Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Bridget and Bryan Day Attends Spring Hill College
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Tracy and Mario DeOliveira Attends University of Mississippi
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Michelle and Bob DePierri Attended St. Theresa of Avila
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Tonya and Mark DeSoto Attended Our Lady of Mercy
olivia devall
raeann didier
amelia dittmar
claire doucet
carley dugas
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Alice and Jamie Devall Attended Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School
Class of 2019 National Merit Commended, AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Stacie and Keith Didier Attended Most Blessed Sacrament
Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Millicent and Edward Dittmar Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Gena and David Doucet Attends University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Gina and Steven Dugas Attends Louisiana State University
camille frugĂŠ
maddie fuselier
drue gautreau
julia goodson
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Karen and Farrell FrugĂŠ Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Amy and Sean Fuselier Attended Most Blessed Sacrament
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lisa and Quinn Gautreau Attended St. Theresa of Avila
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Amy and Bill Goodson Attends Auburn University
alexandra fields Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Kelly and Chris Fields Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Finney and Peter Couhig Attended West Feliciana Middle School
mia goodson
mary mary elizabeth elizabeth gordon gordon
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Allison Goodson and Jason Goodson Attends Louisiana State University
marie gosserand
isabel grandy
madelyn graves
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lori Taylor and Brian Gordon and Caroline Dupuis Attends Louisiana Tech University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Dana and Thomas Gosserand Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Claire and Greg Grandy Attends DePaul University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Alysia and Kurt Graves Attends Louisiana State University
sinclair green
sydney hamilton
anna hampshire
julia henderson
macy heroman
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Robin and Mike Green Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Kelli and Rusty Hamilton Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of David and the late Denise Hampshire Attended St. George
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Laurie and Troy Henderson Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Lori and David Heroman Attends Spring Hill College
chloe hoang
raquel hodgeson
gracie hufft
sarah hill
alexandra hinkle
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Ardella Hill and Robby Gill and Chuck Hill Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Jeannemarie and Rob Hinkle Attends University of Chicago
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Kim and Andrew Hoang Attended St. George
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Rima and David Hodgeson Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Kelly and Chris Hufft Attended St. Jude
jane jeha
addison jones
sydney keller
breann keowen
sarazen knight
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Chantal Lutfallah and George Jeha Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Julie Jones and Brian Jones Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lisa and Brian Keller Attends University of Arkansas
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Pam and Mike Keowen Attended Sacred Heart
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Paige Renfro and David and Jennifer Knight Attends Louisiana State University
anna koonce
emily kukura
abbie lafleur
camille lanata
caroline anne leblanc
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Edy and Jeff Koonce Attends California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Beth and John Kukura Attended St. George
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Kim Lafleur and Andre and Stacie Lafleur Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Christine and Tony Lanata Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Wendy and Mark LeBlanc Attends Southeastern Louisiana University
anna claire lejeune Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Whitney and Rick LeJeune Attended St. Thomas More
audrey lejeune Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Tara and Sid Lejeune Attends Louisiana State University
madeline lemoine
mary catherine lorio
claire lynch
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Nancy and Marcel Lemoine Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Dawn and Keith Lorio Attends Princeton University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Michelle Benoit and Robert and Rhonda Lynch Attends Louisiana State University
skylar mancuso
catherine marchand
natalie marionneaux
ANGELLE MARTIN
emily martin
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Danielle and Barry Mancuso Attended St. George
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Lisa and Mike Marchand Attended Holy Family
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Beth and Mark Marionneaux Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Missy and Mike Riddle and Jody and Christie Martin Attended Holy Family
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Ellen and Nate Robinson and Chris and Caroline Martin Attended Most Blessed Sacrament
sydney melder
hannah miletello
cathryn morris
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Laura Melder and Chad Melder Attended Our Lady of Mercy
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Elizabeth Miletello and Patrick Miletello Attends Boston University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Sonya and Jason Morris Attends Louisiana State University
maryn matthews Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar Daughter of Alison Matthews and Michael Matthews Attended St. Thomas More
andrea matus Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Ghedy and Aldo Matus Attended Baton Rouge International School
maurie morris
jessica munson
anna myers
ellie nelson
meagan newton
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Sheri and Norman Morris Attended St. Jude
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Michele and John Munson Attends DePaul University
Class of 2019 National Merit Commended Daughter of Temple Beeson and Lou Fey and Kevin Myers Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2020 AP Scholar Daughter of Rebecca and Dyke Nelson Attended University Lab School
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Suzette and David Newton Attends Louisiana State University
30 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus
ann nguyen
lara nicholson
grace o’neill
madeline ortego
allie peever
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lan and Joe Nguyen Attends University of Southern California
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Lisa and John Nicholson Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Peggy and Raph O’Neill Attended St. George
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Gwen and Kevin Ortego Attends Spring Hill College
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Cathy and Lloyd Peever Attends Tulane University
anna peever
adele poché
grace richardson
adeline roemer
isabella rovere
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Cathy and Lloyd Peever Attends Tulane University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Sharon and Tim Poché Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 National Merit Semifinalist Daughter of Jill Ratcliff and John Richardson Attended University Laboratory School
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Tena and Chas Roemer Attended Our Lady of Mercy
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Nicolle and Valentino Rovere Attended The Dunham School
elise saloom
lauren saunders
katherine sclafani
molly shepherd
emily shore
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Laura and Russell Saloom Attended Christian Life Academy
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Karen and Henri Saunders Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Michelle and Pete Sclafani Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Katy and Dan Braun and Kent and Tyra Shepherd Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Alan and the late Tammy Shore Attends Franciscan University at Steubenville
abby shortess
taylor silvey
madie simpson
paige smith
summer smith
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Paula and John Shortess Attends Tulane University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Amanda and Craig Silvey Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Monique and Brent Simpson Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Sherry Smith and Brad and Gina Smith Attends Georgia Institute of Technology
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Dana and David Smith Attends Louisiana State University
31 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
ashlynn sorrells
kate stanford
sophia stuart
adair talbot
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Laurie and Don Snaith Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Michelle and Mike Sorrells Attended St. George
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Sheila and Geoff Stanford Attended St. Aloysius
Class of 2020 AP Scholar Daughter of Terrie and Mike Stuart Attended Baton Rouge International School
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Janet and Kevin Talbot Attends University of Georgia
camille taylor
gabrielle taylor
alexandra thibodeaux
madeline thomas
aliya trapp
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Yolunda and Jonathan Taylor Attended St. Luke’s Episcopal Day School
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Cherie and Jason Taylor Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Megan Coon and Luke and Morgan Thibodeaux Attended St. Jude
Class of 2018 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Debbie and Abboud Thomas Attends Tulane University
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Stephanie and Edward Francis Attended St. Aloysius
malorey uzee
an vu
caroline walters
parker wilson
taylor winters
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Michelle and JP Uzee Attended Holy Family
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Kim Mai and Don Vu Attends Louisiana State University
Class of 2018 AP Scholar Daughter of Terri and John Walters Attends University of Alabama
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Joanie Brocato and Todd Morris and Scott and Kristi Wilson Attended St. Thomas More
Class of 2019 AP Scholar with Honor Daughter of Arlette and Brad Winters Attended Christian Life Academy
marli ann snaith
grace wisdom
jade woods
Class of 2019 AP Scholar Daughter of Kimberly and Anthony Wisdom Attended Most Blessed Sacrament
Class of 2018 National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction Daughter of Jewel and Victor Woods Attends Harvard University
32 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus
SJA CELEBRATES GRANDPARENTS WITH TWO CELEBRATIONS St. Joseph’s Academy celebrated the special bonds between grandparents and their grandchildren with two celebrations this fall.
During the week of September 1721, grandparents of seniors met their granddaughters for lunch in Mother Alice Hall, followed by family photographs and tours of campus.
Lunch was prepared by SAGE Dining Services and served by members of the SJA Mothers’ Club, Alumnae Association and Mission Advancement staff. continued on page 34
Senior ALEX BELANGER, third from left, with her grandparents, Paul Belanger, Sam Levert, Jo Ann Thompson, Anne Belanger, Christine Carville Levert (a 1971 SJA graduate) and Rich Thompson.
Senior CAMILLE TAYLOR and her grandparents, Florena and Willie Johnson.
Senior CATHERINE COUVILLION and her grandparents, Sidney and Gerry Chaisson and Clare and Billy Couvillion.
Senior CLAIRE SUREK with her grandmother, Elizabeth Klein Bahlinger, a 1942 graduate of SJA, and her grandfather, Marion Bahlinger.
Senior DANIELLE JONES and her grandparents, Mary Alice and James Robert Sr.
Senior LAUREN MULHERN and her grandparents, Obie and Gerri Watts, Gnita and Johnny Ellen and Carol and Pete Mulhern.
Senior LEANNE LIVINGSTON and her grandparents, Herman and Angie Adams and Barbara and Roland Livingston.
Freshman ALANNA MEYERS and her grandmother, Zoe Magee.
On October 12, grandparents of freshmen joined their granddaughters for lunch in the new Academy Student Center. Visitors enjoyed a jambalaya lunch, courtesy of the SJA Dads’ Club and prepared by head chef Wayne Barrilleaux and SAGE Dining Services. Members of the SJA Mothers’ Club helped serve the meal. SJA Mothers’ Club members and alumnae provided desserts. Following lunch, freshmen and their visitors posed for family pictures by Kleinpeter Photography, then toured campus. They also received a 150th anniversary commemorative cup.
Freshman BLAKE HESTER with her grandfather, Nelson Maddox, and her grandmother, Debra Fournet.
Freshman MADISON MOREL with her grandparents, Robert and Sandy Larche.
Freshman CARLY MCCONNELL with her grandmother, Lorena Russo.
Freshman ALEXIS HARVEY with her grandmother, Natalie Walker.
Freshman JAYLA HOWARD with her grandmother, Dorothy Gant.
Freshman DEMIA HARRISON and her grandparents, Donald and Faye Harrison.
Freshmen MEGAN OTTERSTETTER, third from left, and MAEVE ZELDEN with their grandparents, Noël and Jim Prescott and Michael and Judy Zelden, respectively.
34 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus
DA DS ’ C L U B H OST S
F at he r -Da ughter Da y St. Joseph’s Academy students and their dads gathered on campus October 14 for Father-Daughter Day 2018. The event is hosted each year by the SJA Dads’ Club. This year’s theme was Me and My Dad: A Dynamic Duo. Freshman Alexis Harvey created the winning theme and t-shirt design. The day began with a prayer service led by Mark Reynaud in the Academy Student Center. Coach Pete Boudreaux then shared his insights on Raising a Redsticker. Mission Advancement Associate Director Sister Joan Laplace blessed the St. Joseph medals the seniors gave to their dads. Fathers and daughters enjoyed a taco salad bar prepared by SAGE Dining Services, then teamed up for fun and games, including basketball in the Academy Student Center; volleyball in the Activity Center; and bocce ball, Frisbee golf, cornhole, ladder toss, connect four, memory, Uno, Jenga and tug-of-war in the courtyard near the Dining Hall.
Junior Faith Woods and her dad, Victor Woods Jr.
Sophomore Alex Stoute and her grandfather, Mark Bowling.
The Father-Daughter Day planning committee was chaired by Scott Lachney. He was assisted by committee members Ron McDaniel and Dan Boudreaux. Meg Gerald is the Dads’ Club moderator.
Sophomore Jules Culotta and her dad, Roy Culotta; senior Margaret Turner and her dad, Christopher Turner; and freshman Kelsey Brown and her dad, Frederick Brown.
35 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
O P EN H OU S E D R A W S L A R GE, EN T H U SI A ST I C C R OW D S St. Joseph’s Academy hosted Open House 2018 on October 18, welcoming more than 1,400 visitors to campus to enjoy the SJA Experience firsthand. Girls in grades 6-8 and their parents enjoyed tours of campus and visiting with current students, administrators, faculty, staff and parents. Student Ambassadors led the campus tours, enabling visitors to see student performances and demonstrations showcasing the arts, academics, athletics, sports medicine, the STEM and Innovation & Design labs and the SJA/CHS Marching Band and Bruinettes.
Students taking French at SJA performed a skit for visitors.
Guests saw the volleyball and basketball teams practicing and watched student technicians at work in the student-run Help Desk. Tours ended in the Dining Hall, where guests enjoyed refreshments and posing for pictures.
Visitors watched a science experiment demonstrating the causes of erosion.
Student Ambassadors led families on tours of campus.
36 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus
Visitors were able to see math classrooms in action during their Open House tour.
TR I B UTE DONATIONS
Tours concluded in the Dining Hall, where middle school students received a gift and posed for pictures.
The following tribute donations were made between July 1 and September 30, 2018. Please remember those being honored, as well as those who honored them, in your prayers. If you wish to make a special gift in honor of member of a family member or friend, you may do so online at www.sjabr.org. Click the “Giving” tab at the top right of the homepage, then “How to Give.” If you have questions, please call the Mission Advancement Office at (225) 388-2219. In Memory of Mrs. Frances Robichaux Bahlinger ’41 Mr. Paul Bologna and Dr. Bunnie Hill Mrs. Edith Mae Boudreaux
Guests enjoyed watching students work on their art projects.
In Memory of Sister Kathleen Brogdon, CSJ ’42 Sister Frances Landry, CSJ In Memory of Mrs. Helen Cangelosi Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dauzat In Honor of Ms. Elise Caruso ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Todd Caruso
Students demonstrated their recipe for mall pretzels in SJA’s cooking lab.
In Honor of Ms. Kristian Caruso ’16 Mr. and Mrs. Todd Caruso In Memory of Ms. Allison Clement ’81 Mr. and Mrs. John A. Clement In Honor of Miss Emma Coniglio Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Coniglio In Honor of Ms. Laura Coniglio ’15 Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Coniglio In Memory of Mr. Christopher Dimattia Dr. and Mrs. William J. Dimattia In Memory of Mrs. Martha Dupuy Mr. and Mrs. Daniel G. Farris In Honor of Ms. Savannah Esteve ’16 Mr. and Mrs. Darren Esteve
St. Jude students enjoyed a campus tour and visiting with SJA Ambassador and cheerleader Ashlynn Sorrells, a senior.
In Memory of Mrs. Julie Terracina Fresina ’84 Mrs. Jan Breen Mrs. Julia McGuire 37 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Fall 2018
Norman Heffron Mrs. Mary Heffron deBrueys In Memory of Ms. Allison Honeycutt ’12 Mr. and Mrs. D. Blayne Honeycutt In Honor of Ms. Haleigh Hooks ’19 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth H. Hooks III In Memory of Mrs. Eleanor Dixon Kleinpeter ’54 Mrs. Lane Chenevert In Memory of Mrs. Jacqueline Billeaudeau Labat ’64 Class of 1988 Estate of Mr. Lawrence J. Delaune Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Errol Labat Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pecue III SIR Investment Club Mr. and Mrs. Bud Thompson In Honor of Mrs. Amy Lambert Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Lambert In Honor of Sister Joan Laplace, CSJ Mr. John F. Laplace Mrs. Linda Marchand
In Honor of Mrs. Mary Hebert McCowan ’61 Mr. Paul M. Hebert Jr. Mrs. Barbara Magruder In Honor of Ms. Madeline McCrary ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Martin S. McCrary In Memory of Mrs. Clifton Morrell Mr. Howard Burwell Mrs. Dana Guitreau Favaro In Honor of Ms. Cathryn Morris ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Jason Morris In Memory of Ms. Courtney Myshrall ’95 Mrs. Britney Myshrall Piner Mr. and Mrs. Brett Stafford In Honor of Ms. Frances Purgerson ’22 Ms. Judy McColgan In Memory of Mrs. Audrey McGuire Ellis Santos ’37 Mr. and Mrs. Randall J. Ellis Jr. In Honor of Ms. Caroline Scrantz ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Tom Maurer
In Memory of Mr. John F. Laplace Mrs. Pat Brignac
In Memory of Ms. Joan Starring ’51 Mrs. Pat Brignac
In Honor of Ms. Madeleine LeBoeuf ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Murray A. Forman
In Memory of Mrs. Carolyn Borne Stewart ’55 Mr. and Mrs. Bryan P. Arceneaux Mr. Donald Stewart
In Honor of Ms. Anna LeJeune ’19 Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. LeJeune In Honor of Ms. Angelle Mall ’21 Dr. and Mrs. Gary Mall
In Memory of Mrs. Rita Kleinpeter Strate ’51 Mrs. Pat Brignac
In Memory of Mrs. Josie Marino Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dauzat
In Honor of Ms. Madeline Toler ’19 Mr. and Mrs. David T. Toler
In Memory of Sister William Matthews, CSJ ’51 Mrs. Tena F. Anderson Mrs. Pat Brignac Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dauzat Mrs. Beverly Jackson Mr. and Mrs. Mackie Langlois Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Leglue
In Memory of Mrs. Genevieve Berryhill Toomer ’51 Mrs. Pat Brignac
In Memory of Ms. Marjorie Claire McAnelly ’95 Ms. Amanda Register
38 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Tribute Donations
In Memory of Mrs. Sylvia White Zimmerle ’56 Peachie and Phil Ragusa
Transitions
WEDDINGS, BIRTHS, PASSINGS
W ED D I NG S
’89 Megan Elizabeth Aultman to Benjamin Christopher Schulze 4/7/2018 ’03 Blythe Marie Roubique to Ricky Waguespack 10/5/2018 ’04 Susan Claire Harrison to Rick Roudolph 8/17/2018 ’04 Alexandra Claire Marquette to Hunter Scott Whitfield 4/14/2018 ’09 Hannah Elayne Honeycutt to Taylor Calandro 8/17/2018 ’09 Hannah Elizabeth Shedlof to Mark Kenney 10/5/2018 ’10 Katherine Elizabeth Alch to Myles Roberts 6/22/2018 ’11 Rebecca LaPorte to Michael Murray 6/29/2018 ’11 Malena Moreau to Shawn Jezek 6/30/2018
B I R TH S
’94 Brandi Polito Aertker: daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, born 4/4/2018 ’98 Melissa Borne Glover: daughter, Marie Glover, born 9/11/2018 ’99 Anna Mechling Perkins Wolf: daughter, Olivia Laure, born 9/13/2018 ’02 Natalie Manda Bourgeois: son, Michael Joseph, born 5/18/2018 ’03 Katherine Raia Whittaker: son, William Hayes, born 7/9/2018 ’04 Caroline Savoie Dufresne: son, Daniel Joseph, born 9/10/2018 ’04 Tracie LeBleu Pearson: son, Houston Hayes, born 9/15/2018 ’04 Lauren Salvant Pritchett: son, Nolan David, born 8/24/2018 ’04 Brooke Ellis Sabadie: daughter, Carsyn Noelle, born 9/12/2018 ’10 Morgan Adams Desselle: daughter, Olivia Grace, born 1/14/2018
I N M EM O R I AM
We make a sincere effort to publish any close alumnae family connections with the names of the deceased. With nearly 10,000 alumnae, please note that our database does not include all possible SJA relationships. We appreciate receiving this information from family whenever possible. Notices which appear in this issue were received by October 12, 2018.
Frances Robichaux Bahlinger ’41 Mother of Juli Bahlinger Dodds ’66, Patricia Bahlinger Capdevielle ’70, Barbara Bahlinger Griffin ’77, Lisa Bahlinger Marcello ’79 and Mary Bahlinger Bueche ’81 Grandmother of Alyce Capdevielle Blackstone ’95, Jamie Black Hernandez ’97 and Kelli Black Ferachi ’00 Great-grandmother of Hensley Grace Blackstone ’21 Marvin Simon Bezdek Brother of Janet Bezdek Walker ’69 Father of Terri Bezdek Loughlin ’86 and Perri Bezdek Prellop ’91 Jerry Anthony Bourgeois Sr. Grandfather of Juliana Elizabeth Habisreitinger ’17 Juliette Breaux ’42 Helen O. Cangelosi Mother of Pam Cangelosi Ducote ’70, Janet Cangelosi Hibbard ’71, Judy Cangelosi Brousseau ’73 and Gwendolyn Cangelosi Mitchell ’76 Grandmother of Helen Claire Jewell ’11 George Donald “Don” Cary Father of Kimberly Cary Hotard ’84 Grandfather of Rebecca Jacqueline Cary ’08, Caroline Lorraine Cary ’08 and Hannah Nicole Hotard ’14 Paul F. Cashio Husband of Audry LeBlanc Cashio ’53 (dec.) Barbara Kleinpeter Chenevert ’69 Daughter of Hazel Harelson Kleinpeter ’35 (dec.) Sister of Carolyn Kleinpeter Morris ’61, Shirley Kleinpeter Roubique ’62 and Kay Kleinpeter Brignac ’67 Kimberly Brewer Cobb ’89 Layton Cole Crawford Husband of Amanda Simoneaux Crawford ’10 Carolyn “Gay” Derbes Mother of Erin Derbes Brown ’81 Cary G. Fontenot Father of Stephanie Fontenot Stengl ’77 Grandfather of Lauren Fontenot Bottomley ’00 Julie Terracina Fresina ’84 Stella Maranto Fritcher ’38 Grandmother of Nicole Combs Amon ’95 and Erica Combs ’03
Mary Catherine Barrett Fruehan Mother of Margaret Fruehan Miller ’82 Grandmother of Stephanie Miller Virgets ’08, Mary Elizabeth Miller ’11 and Maggie Miller ’13 Donald Jude Gonzales Father of Ava Gonzales Losavio ’75, Lisa Gonzales Zumo ’78, Donna Marie Gonzales ’82 (dec.) and Sister Drita Maris, MC (Dana Diane Gonzales ’85) Grandfather of Deana Losavio Meredith ’01, Mary Grace Losavio ’05, Rose Marie Losavio ’09 and Catherine Ruth Losavio ’14 James J. Hannie, MD Husband of Patricia Copponex Hannie ’52 (dec.) Father of Erin Hannie James ’84 (dec.) Grandfather of Molly Elizabeth Hannie ’21 Jeanne Fourrier Haynie ’37 Sister of Laura Fourrier Diel ’34 (dec.), Elise Fourrier Miller ’36 (dec.) and Josie Fourrier Daniel ’43 Andrew Leo Harelson Jr. Brother of Hazel Harelson Kleinpeter ’35 (dec.), Rita Harelson Garon ’42 (dec.) and Sister Ursula Harelson, CSJ ’45 (dec.) Grandfather of Katherine Drusilla Harelson ’16 William Thomas “Bill” Heflin Father of Kristin Heflin McCoy ’86 and Kendall Laird Heflin ’88 Mary Ursula Helouin ’53 Sister of Joy Helouin Lefebvre ’41 (dec.), Janice Helouin Madden ’51 and Frances Helouin Medici ’53 (dec.) Rosa Kennedy Mother of Cheryl Kennedy Kratochvil ’66 Great-grandmother of Shelby Ann LeBlanc ’17 JoAnn Wingerter Kopelman Mother of Joette Monaghan (former SJA staff member) Corine Elizabeth Pruet LeClercq Father of Cindy LeClercq Ristroph ’75 Grandfather of Carly Ristroph Broussard ’06 and Eric Ristroph (former SJA staff member) Olivia Frank Lamonica Grandmother of Drew Lamonica Arms ’91 and Leigh Lamonica ’98
Isabel Lasseigne Mother of Julie Lasseigne Neupert ’75, Margaret Lasseigne Musso ’77 and Jennifer Lasseigne Batson ’82 Grandmother of Lauren Elizabeth Neupert ’03, Kathryn Blair Neupert ’05, Allison Lasseigne Pumilia ’08, Leah Neupert Bullock ’09, Emily Lasseigne Cotton ’11, Elizabeth Rae Foshee ’14 and Lauren Kate Foshee ’16 Irvin Joseph “IJ” LeBlanc Father of Frances LeBlanc McDonald ’73 Grandfather of Melissa McDonald ’02, Lauren LeBlanc Bahlinger ’04 and Brooke LeBlanc Verzwyvelt ’07 Marie Theresa “Piper” Higginbotham Guitreau Losavio Mother of Margaret Losavio Jolly ’69 (dec.) Grandmother of Claire Losavio Willis ’99, Deana Losavio Meredith ’01, Anna Losavio McEvers ’04, Mary Grace Losavio ’05, Elizabeth Rose Jolly ’09, Rose Marie Losavio ’09, Sarah Ann Losavio ’11 and Catherine Ruth Losavio ’14 Sister William Matthews, CSJ ’51 Vonnie Langlois Morrel Mother of Martha Morrell Hayes ’77 and Margaret Morrell Long ’78 Parviz Moshtael Husband of Anne Kavanagh Moshtael ’66 John Peter Murray Brother of Dana Murray (SJA faculty member) Odrie Ortego Father of Karen Ortego Lacroix ’73, Konnie Ortego Wren ’75 and Kristi Ortego Thibodeaux ’82 Grandfather of Ashley LaCroix Bourgeois ’95, Lindsay Marie Ortego ’16 and Madeline York Ortego ’18 I.J. Sherman Father of Beth Sherman Thomas ’86 Grandfather of Lauren Sherman Goodrich ’11 Marcus Gray Smith Brother of Holly Elizabeth Smith ’12 and Leigh Ann Smith ’13 Rita Kleinpeter Strate ’51 Grandmother of Melissa Drouin Funk ’93 Earl F. Sundmaker Jr. Father of Kim Sundmaker Gassie ’79 Grandfather of Hannah Elyse Gassie ’11 Barbara T. Thompson Mother of Barbara Terry Thompson ’73 (dec.) and Margaret “Peggy” Thompson Robert ’76 (dec.) Kim Weil ’78 Sister of Leslie Weil Schulte ’80 William H. Wright III Father of Caroline Arwin-Anne Wright ’15 39 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Transitions
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