Once again it was standing room only at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point as 113 students became graduates of Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish.
Notre Dame’s Class of 2018 was celebrated via a Mass before its commencement ceremony Friday morning beginning at 9 a.m. Both events were held at the church.
The graduation Mass was celebrated by Fr. Mikel Polson, NDHS chancellor and pastor of St. Michael in Crowley. Con-celebrating Mass was Fr. Kevin Bordelon, pastor at St. Joesph in Rayne, Msgr. Jefferson DeBlanc, pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Church Point and Fr. Paul Broussard, pastor of St. Leo IV in Roberts Cove.
Fr. Polson delivered the homily during the Mass and implored the graduates to live their lives in the Lord.
Addressing the students, he said, “We are here to celebrate not just graduation but your life in the Lord, which is the whole point of attending Catholic School to celebrate your life in the Lord in the presence in today and in the future.”
At the close of Mass, commencement exercises began and Principal Cindy Istre called upon graduates to imitate one other person as well: this year’s inductee into Notre Dame High School Shoe of Fame, the late John Dan Gielen.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. This passage epitomizes the character of this year’s Shoe of Fame honoree,” said Lewis Cook, school administrator.
“Notre Dame High School has the privilege to honor this fine man who has been so generous of his time and talents to serve our school and our community.”
As for awards for the graduates themselves, two were presented Friday morning: the American Legion Post 15 and Catholic Action awards.
Michael Stefanski, representing Post 15, presented its award to Catherine Gonzalez and Cameron Russell.
The Catholic Action Awards, Notre Dame’s most prestigious awards, were presented to the outstanding boy and girl displaying qualities of leadership, service to community and church and Christian attitude toward all they meet. The recipients, voted on by their classmates, were Alyssa Williams and Cole Zaunbrecher.
Istre then recognized the Beta Club graduates as well scholars honor, cum laude and magna cum laude. The applause from all in attendance continued as Fr. Polson presented Alex Keith Foreman, Catherine Leonor Gonzalez, Valerie Claire Harson, Elise Katherine Landry, Cameron Michael Russell, Meaghan Grace Thibodeaux and Henry Jackson Wild summa cum laude graduates, a Notre Dame paper weight.
It was Foreman who delivered the valedictory address.
Foreman had many thanks to offer in the address. First, he thanked the staff of Notre Dame for that they taught the class over the years. The he turned to Fr. Polson, thanking him for leading the class in their spiritual journey and striving to elevate Notre Dame to its highest potential. And, finally thanking the parents for making numerous sacrifices to ensure the class received an outstanding Catholic Education.
Foreman also called upon his class to make the most of their lives and live in the moment. Calling up a quote from the hit TV show The Office, Foreman said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” As Foreman pointed out, high school is now complete.
The highlight of the morning was conferment of diplomas by Fr. Polson and Istre to the 2018 graduates.
Notre Dame graduates include Londyn Elizabeth Babineaux, Mckenzie Leigh Bares, Garrett Joseph Bergeron, Hunter Anthony Bernard, Gentry John Borill, Ian Jett Bourgeois, Mary Kate Bourgeois, Waylon Guy Bourgeois, Macie Elise Breaux, Alec Michael Brouillette, Annie Kate Brouillette, Collin Shane Brouillette, Abram Wesley Broussard, Jacquelyn Kate Broussard, Julia Claire Broussard, Konnor Robert Broussard, Maria Louise Brown, Kaileigh Nicole Cart, Madeline Claire Cassedy, Lacey Kaye Castille, Victoria Brook Cates, Chad Everett Chaisson, II, Kallyn MaKay Clark, Garrett Austin Cormier, Patrick Alan Scott Cormier, Bethany Elise Cramer, Brooke Marguerite Cramer, Catherine Jane Cramer, Madelyn Rene Danna, Anna Claire Dardeau, Jakob Daniel Didier, Luke Anthony Dupre’, Taylor Ann Faul, Benjamin Joseph Faulk, Anders Hardy Fontenot, Alex Keith Foreman, Mitchell Paul Fruge, James Alexander Gardiner, Catherine Leonor Gonzalez, Anna Claire Gossen, Marcella Elizabeth Gossen, Melise Elizabeth Gossen, Leeann Beth Gray, John Elias Hains, III, Noah Anthony Hale, Zachary Hunter Hanks, John Thomas Harrington, Valerie Claire Harson, Hannah Renee’ Hazlett, Evan Louis Hebert, Kyser Lee Hebert, Logan Keith Hebert, Abbey Christine Higginbotham, John Lewis Hoffpauir, Collin Maxwell Kirsch, Tucker John Kojis, Lex Gregory LaCroix, Elise Katherine Landry, Ciara Lyndie Lavergne, Alexis Elise Estella LeBlanc, Grant Thomas LeBlanc, Joshua Keith LeBlanc, Anna Claire Ledet, Bailey Heath Leleux, Audrey Elizabeth Leonards, Mary Julia Leonards, Jack Hayden Link, Ethan Kade Lowery, Kyle David Lyons, Sydney Claire Lyons, Megan Claire Maloz, Landon Thomas Meche, Jett Michael Miller, Natalie Claire Miller, Zachary Todd Miller, Gregory Kirk Minix, Jr., Payton Elizabeth Mitchell, Jack Thomas Monceaux, Benjamin Michael Morrow, Cameron Grant Nelson, Peter Phuc Nguyen, Nolan Anthony Olinger, Brookelyn Nicole Owens, Lauren Belle Ponthie, Sydni Faith Prevost, Meredith Elaine Raspberry, Hayden Patrick Reiners, Madilynn Claire Richard, Jacquelyn Maureen Richey, Jack Michael Robichaux, Sophie Elizabeth Robichaux, Cameron Michael Russell, Sarah Michelle Sarver, Brantley David Schefcik, David Henry Schmid, Lundyn Gale Shreve, Vincent Palmer Shreve, Dakota Douglas Sikat, Kennedy Paige Smith, Thomas Joseph Stevens, John Thomas Swacker, Bailey Nicole Thevis, Meaghan Grace Thibodeaux, Kyle Patrick Touchet, William Fischer Veillon, Nicholas Paul Venable, Breann Elizabeth Vincent, Joseph Bradford Ware, Henry Jackson Wild, Alyssa Nicole Williams, Cole Joseph Zaunbrecher, Emily Ann Zaunbrecher and Steven Lawrence Zaunbrecher.