St. Edmund High School held its Senior awards Night May 19 where seniors received academic awards, scholarships, honors and recognition.
The program began with the traditional school’s “Passing of the Candle,” with the senior class president Kylie Hebert.
Each year the passing of the candle plays a very important part in the ceremony.
Hebert explained, “We, the seniors of 2017, give to you juniors our light. This is the light of knowledge, leadership, and most importantly the light of Christ.
“Carry it proudly because it lights the way for those who come after you. You are the new leaders of St. Edmund Catholic High School. Hold your light high, guard it carefully because it symbolizes both the joy and the responsibility of being the seniors of 2018.
Recognition of Honor graduates, who have maintained an overall weighted/honors GPA of 37.5 -3.99 included: Valedictorian Lucy Brown and Salutatorian Issac Marshall Fontenot.
Other honor students are: Mallory Allain, Kathryn Leger, Kelli Richard, Benjamin Vidrine, Ashton Eckholdt, Allison LaFleur, Judah Barber, Austin Gradney, Kylie Hebert, Peter Miller, Preslie Vidrine, Ashley West and Michael Zaunbrecher.
St. Edmund students scoring a 22 or higher on the ACT included Judah Barber, Lucy Brown, Ashton Eckholdt, Isaac Marshall Fontenot, Sarah Fruge, Austin Gradney, Allison LaFleur, Kathryn Leger, Kelli Richard, Alex Stelly, Benjamin Vidrine and Ashley West.
Students earning a composite score of 30 or above on the ACT were awarded membership to the Saint Aquinas Society. Judah Barber and Isaac Marshall Fontenot were the recipients.
Kathryn Leger was honored with a plaque of recognition for service and leadership as Student Council president.
Kylie Hebert was presented an award of recognition for serving as president of the senior class.
The Campus Apostolate Plaque of Recognition for leadership as Campus Apostolate Team president was presented to Lucy Brown.
Ashton Eckholdt was presented with a plaque of recognition for her role as yearbook editor.
Mr. SEH Benjamin Vidrine and Miss SEH Mallory Allain was honored as Mr. and Miss, and voted upon by all the high school teachers.
The Hall of Fame, voted on by all senior students and consists of a minimum of eight senior students to include four boys and four girls. Senior Hall of Fame included Mallory Allain, Lucy Brown, Isaac Marshall Fontenot, Allison LaFleur, Kathryn Leger, Peter Miller, Benjamin Vidrine, James-Patrick Ward, and Michael Zaunbrecher.
Students were presented with medals of recognition for having the highest cumulative average in different subject areas.
English and Spanish: Lucy Brown
Mathematics: Kelli Richard
Science: Lucy Brown and Isaac Marshall Fontenot
Social Studies: Isaac Marshall Fontenot.
The Religion Award is given to a male and female student who have demonstrated and upheld the Christian values of faith. This years’ recipients are Lucy Brown and James-Patrick Ward.
These students participated in and placed both in District Literary Rally and State Literary Rally.
In the District Literary Rally, first place winners received a $50 per year LSUE scholarship.
The 2017 District Literary Rally winners are: Lucy Brown, first place in physics, $50 per year; Ashton Eckholdt, first place in fine arts survey, $50 per year; Marshall Fontenot, first place in world history, $50 per year; Kylie Hebert, first place in advanced math: functions and statistics, $50 per year; Kathryn Leger, first place in English IV, $50 per year; Kelli Richard, first place in advanced math-pre calculus, $50 per year; Alex Stelly, first place in health, $50 per year.
The 2016 District Literary Rally winners included: Lucy Brown, first place in chemistry, $50 per year; Ashton Eckholdt, first place in Spanish II, $50 per year; Marshall Fontenot, first place in U.S. history; and Kelli Richard, first place in algebra II, $50 per year.
In State Literary Rally, students who placed first received a gold medal, second place received a silver medal, and third place received a bronze medal.
The 2017 State Literary Rally winners are Ashton Eckholdt, second place in fine arts survey; and Benjamin Vidrine, first place in health.
The Rodney Edmund Landreneau Jr. MD Memorial Award has been established to honor a senior who has demonstrated love, compassion, dedication, and service to our community. In addition, the senior must have performed well in Foreign Language, history, and science, and participated in athletics. This year’s recipient is Kathryn Leger.
The Ross Andrus Memorial Scholarship has been established to assist a deserving student who will be attending a Technical College. Jacque Richard received the scholarship of $1,000 in Memory of Ross Andrus, St. Edmund Class of 2008.
The Tony Fuselier Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $500, in loving memory of Tony Fuselier, the class of 1971, went to Mallory Allain.
The Louisiana National Guard Scholarship is presented to a student who has joined the Louisiana National Guard. He has taken a stand to say he wants to be a part of something greater, which is defending our great nation, and selflessly giving back to his community. Noah Russell is the recipient of the Louisiana National Guard scholarship in the amount of $76,000.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship in the amount of $500 each was given to Sarah Fruge and Benjamin Vidrine.
The Woodman of The World American History award is given to a student who has the highest average in American History. This year’s recipient is Isaac Marshall Fontenot.
The VFW scholarship in the amount of $1,000 went to Benjamin Vidrine.
The Eunice Junior Auxiliary scholarship in the amount of $250 went to Benjamin Vidrine.
The Stephanie Vidrine memorial scholarship is given to a student interested in pursuing an education in the medical field, in the area of pediatrics. This year’s award in the amount of $1,000 went to Benjamin Vidrine.
The St. Edmund Parent Teacher Club Academic scholarships, in the amount of $250 each, went to Lucy Brown and Isaac Marshall Fontenot.
The Eunice Kiwanis Club scholarships in the amount of $250 each went to Peter Miller and Michael Zaunbrecher.
The St. Landry Parish Chamber of Commerce Horses and Harmony Academic scholarship in the amount of $500 went to Lucy Brown.
The St. Landry Parish Hospital Service District scholarships are given to two students who plan to pursue careers in the field of medicine, in the amount of $500 each, went to Kathryn Leger and Benjamin Vidrine.
The Bayou Des Cannes Water System Glen Mentel Scholarship award in the amount of $800 went to James-Patrick Ward.
The Captain Jim Smith Award, a $300 cash award given by John and Connie Baham, went to Ashley West.
The Tri-Parish Bank of Eunice awards are presented to Valedictorian, Lucy Brown in the amount of $150, and to our Salutatorian, Isaac Marshall Fontenot, in the amount of $100.
The Jeff Davis Bank of Eunice scholarship in the amount of $400 was presented to Kelli Richard.
The VFW Voice of Democracy award went to Kathryn Leger.
The Eunice Mardi Gras Association Scholarship in the amount of $150 went to Alex Stelly.
The Louisiana High School Association All State Sugar Bowl scholarship in the amount of $1,500 went to Lucy Brown.
The Rotary Club scholarships in the amount of $500 each, which is sent directly to LSUE bookstore, went to Kylie Hebert and Benjamin Vidrine.
The LSUE award scholarships were awarded to many students. These scholarships have been made possible through private donors and/or institutional funds:
Kathryn Leger, Ray Croc Memorial scholarship, $1,000;
Kelli Richard, Centennial Honor Scholarship, $4,000, and Eunice Chamber of Commerce scholarship, $250.
Benjamin Vidrine, Centennial Honor scholarship, $4,000; and Ashley West, Dr. Gladys Peck Memorial scholarship, $2,000.
Mallory Allain, the Louisiana College Academic scholarship, $10,800.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette presented scholarships to the following students:
Judah Barber, Academic scholarship, $9,600, ULL Housing scholarship $24,000; meal plan scholarship, $12,792; Academic Job scholarship, $8,000; and Computer Usage scholarship, for the use of a computer for eight semesters.
Louisiana State University presented scholarships to Lucy Brown; Tiger Excellence Scholars & Resident award, $6,000; Louisiana Tiger Legacy Excellence scholarship, $4,000;
Louisiana Tech University scholarships went to Lucy Brown, with Outstanding Student scholarship, $18,000; and Academic Excellence scholarship $8,500.
Ashton Eckholdt was awarded from Louisiana Tech University scholarships, Outstanding Student scholarship of $10,000; Outstanding Graphic Design Student scholarship of $1,250; and from the University of Louisiana Lafayette the Distinguished freshman scholarship of $1,600; and Louisiana State University, the LA Tiger Legacy Merit scholarship of $2,000.
McNeese State University scholarships went to the following students:
Austin Gradney, Academic Excellence award of $6,000;
Allison LaFleur, Academic Excellence award of $6,000.
The University of Louisiana Monroe went to Kathryn Leger, with an Academic Recognition award of $14,000;
Peter Miller was awarded the McNeese State University H.C. Drew scholarship of $2,000;
Kelli Richard was awarded the McNeese State University John McNeese scholars award of $12,000; the Residence Hall award of $4,000; the Louisiana Tech University Outstanding Student scholarship of $14,000; the Northwestern State University NSU Leadership scholarship of $1,600 and the University of Louisiana Monroe Academic Recognition scholarship of $22,000.
Benjamin Vidrine was awarded the LA Tech University Outstanding Student award of $14,000; The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Academic Excellence scholarship of $7,200; the Northwestern State University NSU Award scholarship of $1,600; the NSU Opportunity scholarship of $7,200; and the Outstanding Student award of $7,200; and the NSU Leadership scholarship of $1,600; and from the University of Louisiana Monroe the Academic Recognition award of $18,000.
Michael Zaunbrecher was awarded the McNeese State University HC Drew scholarship of $4,000.
The State of Louisiana awards Full Tuition Scholarships to those students who have attended qualified schools for at least two years prior to graduation.
These awards are contingent on the State of Louisiana’s financial budget each year. Provided that the state has money to be allocated to TOPS for the next fiscal year, the following students are anticipated to receive TOPS Scholarships based on the current school data. The State of Louisiana still must verify student grades and issue final TOPS GPAs.
*Students who have earned a 2.5 TOPS grade point average in the TOPS Core Curriculum and scored at least 20 on the ACT are awarded the TOPS Opportunity scholarship, which includes tuition. The following students are anticipated to receive this award:
Mallory Allian, Sarah Fruge, Kylie Hebert, John Hull, Allison LaFleur, Kathryn Leger, Peter Miller, Alex Stelly, and James-Patrick Ward.
*Students who have earned a 3.0 TOPS grade point average in the TOPS Core Curriculum AND scored at least 23 on the ACT are awarded the TOPS Performance scholarship. This includes full tuition, certain fees, and $400 a year.
The following students are anticipated to receive this award:
Ashton Eckholdt, Austin Gradney, Kelli Richard, and Ashley West.
*Students who have earned a 3.0 TOPS grade point average in the TOPS Core Curriculum and scored at least 27 on the ACT are awarded the TOPS Honors scholarship which includes full tuition, certain fees, and $800 a year.
The following students are anticipated to receive this award: Judah Barber, Lucy Brown, Isaac Marshall Fontenot, and Benjamin Vidrine.
The total anticipated TOPS Award amount is $373,024.
The Beverly Wyble Memorial Award is given to a female student who has the highest academic average and who participated in two sports and the Stanislaus Wyble Memorial Award, which is given to a male student with the highest academic average and who has participated in two sports.
This year, the Beverly Wyble Award goes to Lucy Brown, and the Stanislaus Wyble Award goes to Austin Gradney.
The Shelby John Manuel Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $100 is awarded to a very deserving senior by St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and this year recipient is James-Patrick Ward.
The American Legion Awards went to Mallory Allain and Benjamin Vidrine for exhibiting character, courage, scholarship, leadership, and service.
The Service Scholarship Awards in the amount of $200 each, are given to young people who have served the St. Anthony Church community faithfully as altar servers from the fifth- grade through their senior year. Recipients are: Ashton Eckholdt, Sarah Fruge, Kylie Hebert, Kathryn Leger, Jacque Richard and Kelli Richard.
The total TOPS and scholarship award amounts for the St. Edmund Class of 2017 totals to $759,669.
The Distinguished Service Award is the most significant award a St. Edmund High School senior can receive. It is, in fact, the highest honor given by St. Edmund High School.The senior class votes on the recipient, then the top two boys and the top two girl’s names are submitted to the faculty for all high school teachers to select one student from the nominees chosen by the senior class. The 2017 Distinguished Service award recipient is Jacque Richard.