DIOCESAN NEWS
06/08/07
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Catholic honor students thank parents,
schools for preparing them for life
A prayer for college students
SCRIPTURE
Whoever holds wisdom close will inherit honor,
and the Lord will bless him wherever he walks. (Sir 4:12)
BLESSING
Caring Lord, we praise and thank you for calling us
to live life to its fullest.
You are the source of all goodness, all knowledge
and wisdom.
Bless these members of our community
who are embarking on their pursuit of truth
on campuses of higher education.
May they find inspiring teachers and loving friends.
May they also find a place of worship
that will challenge them in their Christian life
and relationship with you.
We ask this, Lord, with trust and confidence
in your loving concern,
through Christ our Lord. Amen
From “Bless your People” by Catherine H. Krier, Paulist Press.
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St. Joseph, Greenville
Greenville St. Joseph School held commencement exercises May 24 at 7 p.m.
Valedictorian La’Toyia Slay, a member of Sacred Heart Parish, graduated
with a 4.0 GPA and her ACT score was 28. She will major in pre-med at the The University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., this fall on full scholarship. She was selected as a regional winner in the 2007 Toyota Community Scholars Program, selected as a State finalist in the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award Program, was the Mississippi High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Lindy Callahan Scholar-Athlete Award winner and honored with an Educational Foundation of Greenville Scholarship. She was homecoming queen and voted Most Likely to Succeed by her peers.
In her speech Slay challenged all current and future students at St. Joe to embrace faith, school, classmates, teachers, sport’s teams, and club members. “Allow yourselves to open up and I guarantee these high school years will be some of the best years of your life.”
Slay said at St. Joe she also had the opportunity to develop personal relationships with her teachers. “Here each of us is known by name, and a teacher has time for you before and after class. I commend all the teachers here at St. Joseph for encouraging us all to be the best we can be. Thanks for all of your support. Without all of you, my class would have not made it this far. I know I am prepared to take on any challenge placed before me.”
When Sarah Beth McDowell, co-salutatorian, was in sixth grade, as part of a class assignment she wrote down her short and long term goals. One of her long term goals 
was to become valedictorian or salutatorian of her class. “My goal came true!” she said in her speech. “I don’t think it really should have been a ‘long-term’ goal . . . if I only had known then how fast junior high and high school would go by.”
McDowell was St. Joseph’s STAR student and was selected by the Belvidere Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to be their representative in the state competition. Sarah was an Educational Foundation of Greenville Scholarship winner, Miss SJS 2007 and voted Most Athletic by her peers.
She graduated with a 3.93 GPA and she scored 29 on her ACT. In sports, she played basketball, softball, cross country, and was an athlete trainer.
McDowell, who volunteered in an elementary school reading program and with the Salvation Army, gave her classmates 10 things to remember, among them: have dreams, think outside of the box, laugh, never give up, don’t pay attention to what others think of you, and be honest.
McDowell will attend Delta State University (DSU) in the fall on full scholarship. and will major in physical therapy. Co-salutatorian Justin Tyler Parks encouraged his classmates to celebrate this graduation day not only as the end of high school but also as the beginning of a great future . . . “high school was just the beginning. Now we have to find our own sense of motivation. We have to find our own determination to achieve,” he said.
His GPA was 3.93 and he scored 27 on his ACT. Parks will attend Mississippi State University (MSU) in the fall. He was a winner of the Rotary Club 4 Way Test Award, received an academic scholarship from MSU and was selected as a winner of the MSU Washington County Alumni Scholarship.
Parks told his classmates to succeed in life three things are needed: intelligence to make decisions; trust in one’s self; and God, who makes all things possible.
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St. Joseph, Madison
At Madison St. Joseph School twin brothers shared the honors of being valedictorian and co-salutatorian of the Class of 2007. Commencement exercises were held May 23 at 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium.
The twins are members of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Jackson.
Valedictorian James McClain, an Eagle Scout and STAR 
student, graduated with a 3.94 GPA, scored 34 on his ACT and 2290 on his SAT.
In his commencement speech, Jim said graduating from high school is one of the many milestones he and his classmates will partake in.
“These students have developed into outstanding individuals from their choices and through the gospel lessons present in our St. Joseph School experience, and hopefully, they will continue this exploration in the years to come for a better understanding of what they want in life,” he told the audience.
He acknowledged all of those behind the scenes who helped them: faculty, parents, friends, relatives, and others they looked to for guidance, or perhaps stumbled upon.
Some of his awards/honors include: membership in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Mississippi Rural Medical Scholars Program, highest score American Mathematics Competition, top 10 percent in physics and top three percent in math in the Mississippi Science and Math Tournament, several awards in the Mississippi Math and Engineering Fair, Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi Outstanding Service Award. Extracurricular activities include membership on the St. Joseph Academic Quiz Bowl team, Speech and Debate team, Chess Club, bowling team, City of Madison Junior Ambassador Program, Junior MacDowell Music Club, Music Forum of Jackson/Mississippi pianothon.
He received class awards in Spanish I and II, honors geometry, biology, English 10, algebra II, chemistry I, world history, pre-calculus and trigonometry.
Co-salutatorian Michael McClain graduated with a 3.84 GPA and scored 31 on his 
ACT and a SAT score of 2290.
His awards, honors, and scholarships include: membership in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, 2005 Mississippi Governor’s School, and member of the Quiz Bowl team, Speech and Debate team, Chess Club team, and bowling team.
His speech began with a quote from “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in which the writer talks about lies and the loss of respect for oneself and others.
Mike centered his presentation on advising his classmates on independence, honesty, good and evil, and thoughts of what the future will bring them.
“Right now, though we look with hope into the future, we still want to hold on to the present in an attempt to show these relationships are not meaningless. And do not think that they are. These relationships have made us who we are today.”
Mike is an Eagle Scout, an accomplished classical pianist under the direction of Annette Joe/Briarwood School of Music. His extracurricular activities and volunteer service include: membership in the school’s academic Quiz Bowl team, Speech and Debate team, Chess Club, bowling team, City of Madison Junior Ambassador Program, Junior MacDowell Music Club, and the Music Forum of Jackson/Mississippi Pianothon.
Co-salutatorian, Jeffrey Paul Schwindaman, has not decided yet what he will major in but will attend College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., which awarded him a four-year 
Presidential Scholarship. His GPA was 3.8 and he scored 32 on his ACT.
Schwindaman said while writing his speech he asked himself, what exactly is St. Joe? He realized the foundation for St. Joe is people. “The people that walk and laugh through those hallways. . . . The people that thrive and the people that struggle in those classrooms.” He said St. Joe is great because of great people. “I recognized this is the most diverse, interesting, positive learning environment in the state and I truly mean that,” he added.
Schwindaman, who is a member of Jackson St. Therese Parish, was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, captain of the school’s academic Quiz Bowl Team, and the varsity baseball team in which he lettered all four years of high school.
He was nominated WAPT/ Bank Plus Scholar Athlete, and received The Clarion Ledger Star Senior Award.
He received academic excellence awards in English, social studies and religion.
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Cathedral, Natchez
Commencement exercises at Cathedral School were held May 25.
Valedictorian Mimi Thuy Nguyen maintained a 101.577 average for four years receiving the highest average award in her class for four years.
Her speech centered on the meaning, in the Vietnamese culture, of the concept called long me that translates as “in the heart of a mother.”
Nguyen explained that in her culture the primary virtues are the very virtues Cathedral School instilled in them: humbleness, patience, high expectations, and living life to the fullest.
“Now, it is our turn, the class of 2007’s turn, with all of these virtues as guides, to live life to the fullest. Now, we are those being sent forth by the spiritual mother long me, that represents all of our education and the influence of our faith, our family, and our friends that have brought us to this point of graduation . . . .
“We have had the opportunity to have a Catholic education; knowledgeable, dedicated, and inspirational teachers and administration; and the love of our hospitable community.”
Nguyen is a member of the National Honor Society where she held the offices of vice-president and president. She is a member of the Key Club where she was recognized as secretary-treasurer and president, member of the peer ministry team, the math and science team, and attended the Youth Legislature.
Her extracurricular activities include membership on the tennis team, cross-country team and the soccer team. She received the CARE award for four years in a row and was vice-president of St. Mary Basilica CYO. Nguyen was awarded the Jon Steckler Memorial Scholarship for three years and in 2007 was awarded the Stuart and Stella G. Handy Memorial Scholarship, the Wal-Mart Community Scholarship, and the Natchez Lion’s Club Scholarship.
She will attend Millsaps College in Jackson where she was awarded the Millsaps’ Second Century Scholarship. She is a member of St. Anne Parish in Fayette.
Caitlin Paige Johnson, this year’s salutatorian, maintained a 99.426 average for four 
years. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Key Club, the Math Quiz Bowl team, and served as class officer for two years.
For Johnson graduation is not the end of something great and memorable but the beginning of something new. She acknowledged the religious values she received during her years at Cathedral School which always will be a part of who she is.
She was on the peer ministry team last year. She was a cheerleader for four years and served as captain this year. She also played and lettered in soccer. She has been a participant in the Natchez Historic Pageant for years and has been a part of the Jefferson Street Youth Group and St. Mary Basilica CYO.
Johnson was awarded the Natalie Couillard Luscombe Memorial Scholarship and will attend Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson on a full academic scholarship this fall.
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St. Aloysius, Vicksburg
Sarah Elizabeth Kerut, valedictorian, is confident that all in the graduating class of 2007 
are going to achieve incredible things in life because “every one of us has the ability to do amazing things in our world.” Her ACT score was 28 and her GPA was 4.56. She will attend Mississippi State University (MSU) and will major in biological engineering.
Kerut’s honors and awards include: National Honor Society, member of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, 2007 Outstanding Female Athlete Award, Wendy Heisman nominee and state finalist, Presidential Volunteer Service Award, 2006 Kodak Young Leaders Award.
In sports, she excelled on the varsity cross-country team, varsity basketball team, and the varsity softball team.
She is a member of First Baptist Church youth group, and other clubs including Vicksburg Sub-Deb Club, Vicksburg Cotillion Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Vicksburg Rebelettes Service Club and the Key Club.
About St. Aloysius School, Kerut said many people are going to remember the 2007 class for leading five of its varsity teams to district championships. “We have three state champions in our class and many more phenomenal athletes.”
She told her fellow graduates to never sell themselves short, to live up to their potential, and always know that God is with them wherever they go.
Kerut thanked her teachers and school administrators for their patience and the love they showed to all the students throughout the years. “You not only have taught us about derivatives and punctuation marks, but you have also taught us hard work and self-discipline.
Co-valedictorian Emily Clark is leaving St. Aloysius School with the ability to achieve great things and the hope of not letting down her teachers.
Her GPA was 4.56. She received the following honors and awards: math and science team, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, National Honor Society, and the Presidential Service Award. In sports she excelled in swimming and was recognized as Varsity Swim Team Most Improved, Heart of a Champion, and was captain of the team, and City Swim Team Most Improved, Outstanding Age Group Swimmer. She also was part of the varsity basketball team.
Clark is a member of St. Michael Parish, sings in the choir and is a member of the CYO.
Salutatorian Taylor Thomas said in her speech her class is a perfect example of a well stocked pantry. 
“We include scholars, athletes, musicians, debaters, facilitators, rebels and peacemakers. Different, but we have created just the right mix and are a perfect recipe for success.”
Thomas graduated with a GPA of 4.51 and scored 29 on her ACT. Among the honors and awards she received are: President’s Award for Educational Excellence, Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference (ambassador and junior counselor), President’s Volunteer Service Award, University of Mississippi (UM) Academic Excellence Scholarship, the UM Vicksburg UDC Scholarship, the UM Chancellor’s Leadership Class.
She is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, and member of the student council, the Key Club, math and science team, and the Rebelette Service Club.
Thomas has been a bell ringer for the Salvation Army, a teacher assistant at St. Francis Elementary School, has delivered food for Meals on Wheels, has danced at nursing homes and was captain of St. Aloysius retreat team.
In her speech she recognized the importance of her Catholic education. “The gifts of a Catholic education are numerous, but I believe the greatest of these was the opportunity to pray and worship our Lord at school.” She told her classmates never take that privilege for granted because all across the nation prayer and worship in schools are not only forbidden, but in many cases, frowned upon.
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Oxford High School
Michael Field, Oxford High School graduate, was first in his class with a GPA of 4.28. He is a member of St. John Parish. Since Oxford High School does not have a valedictorian 
or salutatorian, the top three students spoke at graduation.
Field is an artist, having already illustrated a children’s book, “The Apple of Aresnioth” by Wendy Havens, which was submitted for publication in 2006.
His editorial cartoon won first place in the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association and he received a certificate of merit at the 2006 Scholastic Writing and Arts Contest.
Field’s academic honors include: Mississippi Governor’s School scholar, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Math Honor Society, National Art Society, Delta Epsilon Phi, German Language Honor Society, third place in the Mississippi Region VII Science and Engineering Fair, and second place in the Oxford School District Science and Engineering Fair.
Looking at his extracurricular activities, Field participated in several school dramas/musicals, was a member of the Art and German clubs, and for three years participated in the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) hosting exchange students and in 2005 was an exchange student.
Field’s hobbies are painting, drawing political cartoons, and traveling.
He plans to attend Tufts University in Medford, Mass., and major in biology. He plans to specialize in herpetology.
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