Bayou
Catholic
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2015 Graduation
Contents E.D. White Catholic
Central Catholic
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70
Nicholls State
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Vandebilt Catholic
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Grand Isle
South Lafourche
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Graduation 2015
Ellender High 64
79 Thibodaux High
South Terrebonne
Morgan City
82
82
82
H.L. Bourgeois
Central Lafourche
85
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Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
Terrebonne High
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Graduation
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
E.D. White commencement is May 15
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dward Douglas White High School in Thibodaux will hold its commencement exercises Friday, May 15, at 6:45 p.m., at the Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium. The 2015 class flower is the coral camellia, while the class colors are indigo and pearl. The class song is “Time of Our Lives.” This year’s class has chosen as its motto, “Believe in the promise of tomorrow, but live this day to the fullest.”
Class officers are: Katherine Bernard, president; Demi Papa, vice-president; and Lauren Bergeron, Talon Blanchard, Mary Bollinger, Adrienne Broussard, Abbey Carmouche, Chloe Collins, Lauren Constant, Lauren Gregory, Charles LeGreca, Brooke Naquin (MJ), Brooke Naquin (NB), Rachel Rathle, Michelle Riviere, Blaire Verdun, senior homeroom officers. The 150 graduates are: Olivia Adamietz, Benjamin Adams, Kaitlyn Adams, Tatum Amedee,
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2014 - 2015 Living Our Mission Imparting the Catholic Faith
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Promoting Academic Excellence
Enhancing Self-Esteem
www.bayoucatholic.com
Graduation Callie Authement, Kayla Baker, Andrew Barbier, Emily Battaglia, Cecilia Baudoin, Hunter Becnel, Cameron Belding, Shecory Bell Jr., Amanda Benoit, Lauren Bergeron, Katherine Bernard, Lauren Bernuchaux, Talon Blanchard, Valeria Blanchard, Elyse Bollinger, Mary Kathryne Bollinger, Sydney Bordis, Noah Boudreaux, Brigitte’ Bourgeois, Cameron Bourgeois, Lauren Bourgeois, Hanna Brignac, Adrienne Broussard, Andre Broussard, Caroline Broussard, Abbey Carmouche, Samantha Cazenave, Gabrielle Champagne, Darius Charles, Chase Chiasson, Connor Chiasson, Victoria Clapp, Kali Clement, Camille Cochran, Chloe Collins, Lauren Constant, Jacob Cortez, Andrew Daigle, Brandon Dempster, Nicole Duplantis, William Eichler, Brennan Eschete, Rhylan Eschete, Sydney Falcon, Cam Falgoust, Joseph Falgoust, Victoria Falgoust, Kaegen Faulk, Victoria Folse, Austin Foret, Robert Frey, Allen Frost, Andru Gathen, Bryce Gaubert, Elizabeth Gaubert, Jordan Gaubert, Robert Gorman, Bobbi Grabert, Jace Granier, Jamie Gravois, Lauren Gregory, Royce Griffin, Jean-Paul Guidry, Luke Hagen, Zachary Hanley, Chloe’ Hebert, Cameron Heintze, Nicholas Hodnett, Nathan Hoffmann, Adrial Hotard, John Hue, Tabitha Kearns, Brittany Kilgen,
Skylar Kilgen, Marcus Kliebert, Vince Kliebert, Annie Knight, Braylen Labbe’, Tessa LaFleur, Charles LaGreca, Briann Landry, David Landry, Felix Lanier, Cody LeBouef, Heidi Ledet, Jessica Ledet, Thomas Legendre, Symone Leonard, Hunter Lindley, John Lirette, Matthew Loker, Gregory Longnecker, Ashley Lucas, Breanna Matherne, Milre Matherne, Natalie Matherne, Sarah McFarland, Jessica Melton, Austin Menuet, Tyler Morvant, Brooke Naquin, Brooke Naquin, Kaleb Naquin, Taylor Naquin, Francisco Navarro, Nina Ordoyne, Victoria Ordoyne, Macie Orgeron, Jacob Oubre, Demi Papa, Conner Pate, Tyler Pellegrin, Mason Perque, Abigail Pizzo, Cameron Poimboeuf, Sarah Portier, Kaitlyn Prejean, Rachel Rathle, Chelsey Richard, Ethan Richard, Alli Rivere, Michelle Riviere, Francis Robichaux III, Dexter Rodrigue, Christopher Rodriguez, Molly Sampey, Logan Sanchez, Cameron Sanders, Jacob Schexnayder, Mary Simon, Katherine Smith, Madison Smith, John Stafford, Lauren Sylvest, Brooke Terrebonne, Emilee Theriot, Brennan Thibodeaux, Caroline Thibodeaux, Ashley Toups, Daniel Triggs, Blaire Verdun, James Viguerie, Savannah Villavaso, Justin Waguespack, Joshua Webre and Peyton Webre.
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Congratulations 2015 Graduates! Leslie Daigle, PT Eddie Himel, PT, DSc., OCS, Cert. MDT John Daigle, PT, OCS, COMT Tracy Peltier, PT, CMT Steven Landry, OT, CHT Sawyer Triche, PT, DPT Frannie B. Allen, PT, DPT Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
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Graduation
Central Catholic graduation is May 9
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
C
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entral Catholic High School in Morgan City will hold its commencement exercises Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m., at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Morgan City. The members of the 2015 graduating class chose the magnolia as its flower, gold and navy as its colors; and “Our lives are before us, the past is behind us, but our memories are forever with us,” as its motto. The class song is “Hold Us Together.” Class officers are: Paige Thomas, president; Mary Frances Aucoin, vicepresident; John Parker, secretary; and Madeline Conrad, senior class treasurer. The 38 potential graduates are: Peyton Acosta,
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CONGRATULATIONS
Central Catholic High School Class of 2015
CCHS proudly salutes our Class of 2015. You carry on a tradition of over 122 years of Catholic education in the Morgan City area, and we wish you continued success for a lifetime of accomplishments and contributions. Central Catholic High School 2100 Cedar Street Unit 1 Morgan City, LA 70380 985-385-5372 ~ Fax: 985-385-3444 www.cchseagles.com www.bayoucatholic.com
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Graduation
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
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Vandebilt commencement is May 16
V
andebilt Catholic High School in Houma will hold its commencement exercise Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m., at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. The class of 2015 selected the forget-me-not as its class flower, purple as its color, and “Miracles Happen” as its song. The class quote is “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” Class officers are: Olivia Domangue, president; Mary Frances Cannata, vice-president; and Taylor Charpentier, secretary/treasurer. The 153 graduates are: Ryan Abboud, Stephanie Alevizon, William Angelette, Elise Armand, Mason Arnette, Anna Babin, Cassidy Barrios, Payton Barrios,
Megan Benton, Margaret Bergeron, Madalyn Beyer, Patrick Bond, Grant Boquet, Alexander Boudreaux, Taylor Boudreaux, Joseph Bourg, Benton Bourgeois, Amber Brady, Jimmy Brewer, Kaylie Brinson, Phoebe Butler, Parker Callais, Mary Frances Cannata, Jayce Carrere, Matthew Cenac, Lydia Chaisson, Steven Charpentier, Taylor Charpentier, Emma Chauvin, Katelyn Chauvin, Marianne Clark, Tyler Colombel, Trent Constant, Cassidy Cornes, Douglas Corte, John Corzo, Kyle Crispino, Alyssa Crochet, Madeline Cronan, William Curth Jr., Trevor Daigneault, Hannah D’Angelo, Reese Dantin, Kaitlynn Dardar, Jackie Davies Jr., Cullen Diebold, Austin Dillon, Ericka Dinger, Kristen Doiron, Allyson Domangue, Bethany Domangue, Olivia Domangue, Stephen Donovan,
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Congratulations, Graduates!
Vandebilt Catholic High School Class of 2015
As you received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2: 6-7
www.bayoucatholic.com
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Graduation Jacob Duet, Kylie Dufrene, Gretchen Duplantis, Jonah Dupre, James Erny, Josie Eschete, Allison Fail, Matthew Fanguy, Sarah Favret, Joseph Folse, Courtney Fondren, Olivia Fontaine, Saadi Francis, Logan Gautreaux, Gregory George, Caroline Gisclair, Margaret Hamilton, Rachel Haydel, Ethan Hebert, Joseph Hebert, Patrick Hernandez, Andrew Herques, William Huber, Tyler Hutchinson, Mitchell Hymel, Joshua Janway, Alex Kee, Nora Keehn, Brianna King, Kylie King, Brendan Landry, Eric Landry, Joseph Lapeyrouse, Allison LaRose, Abbie LeBlanc, Cassidy Ledet, Sarah Ledet, Thomas Lewis, Lauren Lirette, Garrett Lopez, Julia Lusco, Michelle Mai, Justin Marceaux, Jean-Paul Marmande, Carla Martin, Jessica Martin, Hunter Matzke, Marisa McAllister, Kylar McGuire, Alex McRae, Sarah Miller, Cameron Moen, Devin Molina, Christina Morales, Maggie
Moreau, Aimee Naquin, Ashlyn Naquin, Lauren Neil, David Norman IV, Kaitlyn Oeser, Adam Olivier, Monique Oncale, Christian Page, Alexis Pellegrin, Bailey Pere’, Adeline Perryman, Michael Peters, Jessica Poirrier, Lauren Pontiff, Brianne Porche, Joseph Positerry, Kristen Prestenbach, Matthew Prosperie, Thomas Rhodes, Alexandra Richard, Brennan Richard, Bailey Richmond, Michael Risener, Jessica Robichaux, Lauren Rodriguez, Lani Rousse, Gabrielle Russell, James Shaffer, Bre Smith, James Smith, Kimberly Smith, Sara Smith, Thomas St. Martin, Catherine Swindel, Mackenzie Theriot, Megan Thibodaux, Kristen Torres, Bailey Trosclair, Jenna Venable, Kathleen Vinci, Garrett Vogt, Catherine Voisin, Patrick Voisin, Dylan Ward and Joseph Yesso.
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Congratulations & Best Wishes to the 2015 Graduates! HONORING LIVES, HEALING PEOPLE 5899 Highway 311 Houma, LA 70360 985.868.2536
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Enjoy the celebration and keep it a joyous one ... Be Responsible. Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
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Graduation
Guest Columnist
‘D 76
Preparing for College: Moving On
Maria L. Montet
“Dr. Seuss once said, “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” May is an exciting month for high school graduates and their families. Graduation is a milestone in life where students leave the comfort and care of their parents, teachers, coaches and loved ones, and venture out into a brave, new world. Here are some basic tips for students to ensure that the transition to college is a smooth one. Make a checklist of all the tasks you need to complete before you start school in the fall. Have you accepted all scholarship offers? Are your immunizations up-to-date? Have you completed your housing and roommate preference forms? If you are a student athlete, make sure your high school sends your final transcript to the NCAA Clearinghouse. It’s a good idea to check your email regularly and follow all instructions sent to you by the university. Attend an orientation program at your university. Orientations are a great opportunity for you to meet new people, get introduced to your academic advisor, schedule classes, learn about programs and student organizations available on campus, and tour your new school. This is also a good time for you to bond with those in your orientation group so that you have a few familiar faces around campus come August.
Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
Moving Up Moving Out Set goals for yourself. College is a fresh start. Who do you want to be? What do you want to be involved in? What are your goals you have set for yourself? Students may be trying to maintain scholarship eligibility from year to year, or some may be trying to attain Dean’s List status. Many students also find it beneficial to join student organizations and Greek life on campus. This is a great way to make new friends, join with others who have the same interests, and get involved in campus life. Most universities also have intramural sports and student recreation centers. These places offer ways for students to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take part in fun, competitive sports. Stop and smell the roses. Your time in high school is quickly coming to an end. Take a moment to take it all in. Graduation is quickly approaching and there will come a time where you will miss talking on the way to class, biscuits at recess, dances, poster painting parties, and school uniforms (yes, you will miss not having to think about what to wear in the morning). Your teachers and parents have worked hard to get you to this moment.
Appreciate all that is before you and all that is to come. Spend quality time with your family and friends. As exciting as it is to move on to a new phase in your life it can also be emotional and tense. Hug your parents. You may be excited about the new journey you are getting ready to embark on but your parents may be sentimental, and even a little sad. Your parents want you to be independent and they want to watch you grow. But it is also hard for them to watch their baby become a young adult before their very eyes. Be happy, because that’s what this time is about … but don’t forget to give your parents a hug and let them know you appreciate all the sacrifices they have made for you through the years. In closing I’d like to leave you with a quote from Eleanor Powell, “What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.” Congratulations to the Class of 2015! I wish you success in your journey. (Maria L. Montet is the senior high guidance counselor at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux.)
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Graduation
Nicholls spring commencement May 16
N
icholls State University in Thibodaux will hold its spring 2015 commencement exercises Saturday, May 16, in Stopher Gymnasium on the Nicholls campus. Ceremonies for the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and College of Nursing and Allied Health graduates will start at 10 a.m. Ceremonies for the College of Business Administration and University College graduates will begin at 2 p.m. Scheduled to deliver the commencement speech is Nicholls President Dr. Bruce T. Murphy, who has led the university since January 2014. Before joining the Nicholls family, Murphy served eight years as vice president for academic affairs at Air University in Montgomery, AL. He was also founding dean of the School of Business at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, and has directed and instructed numerous educational and leadership programs across the country. Murphy, a retired lieutenant colonel, served 23 years in the U.S. Army.
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s, n io t la u t a r g n Co 15! Class of 20 Here for you through all of life’s milestones.
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LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Grand Isle High graduation May 24
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rand Isle High School will hold its commencement exercises Sunday, May 24, at 1 p.m., at the Grand Isle School Gymnasium. The class colors are sand and aqua, and the class flower is the wildflower. Class song is “Hall of Fame.” The class motto is “Today I close the door to my past, open the door to my future, take a deep breath and step through to a new life.” Class officers are: Madison Mulac, president; Jessica Hagan, vice-president; Bryce Readenour, secretary; and Ashlynn Besson, treasurer.
South Lafourche graduation May 28
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LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
outh Lafourche High School in Galliano will hold its commencement exercises Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m., at the South Lafourche High School Stadium. The class song is “Here I Go Again”; and 79 the class flower is the white rose. The class colors are royal blue and silver, and the motto is “Each of us has different talents, different dreams and different destinations, but we all have the same power to make a new tomorrow.” The class officers are: Dustin Bergeron, president; Hannah Autin and Fallon Chiasson, vice-presidents; Tristan Plaisance, secretary; Claire Pierce, reporter; and Keilan Kiger, treasurer. Representatives at large are: Janie Blanchard, Brennen Curole, Connor Gisclair, Tricia Martin, Sloane Ougel and Lindsey Wood.
Ellender High graduation May 18
A
llen J. Ellender Memorial High School will hold its commencement exercises Monday, May 18, at 7 p.m., at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. The class song is “Can’t Hold Us.” The class colors are red, white and blue, and the class flower is the red rose. The class motto is “Where the present ends, the future begins.” The class officers are: Khadijha Woods, president; Courtney Dardar, vice-president; Jenna Theriot, secretary; and Jahel Orsornio, treasurer. Class Representatives are: Krishawn Celestine, Dylanda Bolden and Kiara Scott. www.bayoucatholic.com
Graduation
Why all moments of importance aren’t important moments
By ERICK ROMMEL 80
Catholic News Service
As you grow older, you’ll learn that things that are important now won’t be that important in the future. That fight you had this morning will be forgotten the next time you see the person with whom you argued. That show you watched last night? In most cases, it won’t be nearly as important by the time the next episode begins. The truth is that most important moments are only important in the moment. As an example, let’s use your high school graduation. Don’t get me wrong. Graduating high school is extremely important. Beyond its value in helping you get a job or acceptance into college, a high school diploma proves you are capable of seeing something to completion. Graduating high school may be monumentally important, but the graduation itself is only important momentarily. Looking back on my high school graduation, I recall certain memorable moments. I remember it was outdoors. I remember it was hot. And I remember where my family went to eat after the ceremony. Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
There’s more that I don’t remember. I don’t remember the guest speaker or what the valedictorian or salutatorian said. Honestly, I don’t even remember the valedictorian or salutatorian. That’s not to say that they didn’t say something important, but it wasn’t important enough for me to remember. Students at Charles Drew High School in Georgia may have a different experience than mine. Just a few weeks ago, they listened as Chelesa Fearce gave her valedictorian speech. She deserved the honor. She earned a 4.46 GPA and scored 1900 on her SATs. While doing that, she also took advanced courses and earned enough credits that she’ll start college next year as a junior. I guarantee that most, if not all, of Chelsea’s classmates will forget everything in the preceding paragraph within the next 10 years. What they will remember is this: Their school’s valedictorian accomplished the honor while spending most of her high school years living in homeless shelters. It certainly puts our daily struggles into perspective, doesn’t it? Chelesa’s classmates may forget
her name, but they’ll remember that the girl who received the highest grades in school earned them while studying by the light of her cell phone. We forget the details of many moments because their importance is fleeting. The days, weeks and months leading up to graduation are important because graduation is a goal to obtain. But once that goal is achieved, a new one takes its place and the previous is a distant memory. The important moments that stay with us are those that are too unique to forget. Some are obvious because they bring great joy or pain. They include births, deaths, hellos, goodbyes, weddings and funerals. Others can’t be anticipated. It’s the unexpected moments that I anxiously await. In a moment, your life is richer than seconds before, and you never saw it coming. I hope there is an unexpected moment that you treasure your entire life. The most amazing of lives are marked by unexpected moments. You never know when the truly important ones will occur. When one does, it’s something to treasure.
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Graduation
Thibodaux High graduation May 26
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hibodaux High School will hold its commencement exercises Tuesday, May 26, at the Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium, at 6:30 p.m. The class of 2015 chose “Living on a Prayer,” as its class song. Class colors are aqua blue and lime green. The class officers are: Hannah Hebert, president; Payton Chiasson, vice-president; Shae Adams, secretary; and Randilyn Toups, reporter. Executive board members are: Kyle Barksdale, Alexis Becnel, Adrien Gauthreaux, Tory Hebert, Courtney Hepola, Jill Knight, Jamie Miller, Quintarius Queen, Cassidy Rodrigue, Emma Roger, Emily Theriot and Jewel Triggs. LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
South Terrebonne graduation May 20
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LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
outh Terrebonne High School will hold its commencement exercises Wednesday, May 20, at 7 p.m., at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. The class motto is “Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Class colors are green and black; and the flower is the magnolia. “Dem South Terrebonne Gators” is the class song. The class officers are: Katie Benoit, president; Carrigan Chauvin, vice-president; Jade Dardar, secretary; and Laura Pellegrin, treasurer.
Morgan City High graduation May 15
M
organ City High School will hold its commencement exercises Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m., at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. The class song is “On Top of the World.” The class colors are gold and teal, and the flower is the tiger lily. The class motto is “We’ve come a long way but not half as far as we will go.” The class officers are: Valeria Nolazco, president; Diana Tran, vice-president; Johnny Ha, secretary/ treasurer; Omar Ledezma, executive president; and Dian Tran, executive vice-president. LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
Living a life that’s better than a dream By ERICK ROMMEL
Catholic News Service
The moment you transition from being a student to being a graduate is one of the greatest changes that takes place in your life. For many, this takes place upon the completion of high school and again after four years of college. Others then seek advanced degrees, while some make the quest for another diploma a lifelong affair. Regardless of the number of times that you’ve graduated or plan to graduate, each moment is a milestone. No longer are you seeking knowledge to gain the approval of a teacher; you quickly trade one grading system for another. You must begin to please yourself -- and the grading curve is much steeper. We all set goals based upon what we’ll do after our formal education ends. We plan to buy a car or go on a vacation in the same way we plan for an upcoming test. We imagine a successful career, a family and a perfect life much the way we look at year-end finals. Then we peer into the distant future and imagine a retirement, surrounded by loved ones, and enjoying a routine without school or work, just as we longed for a graduation still years into the future. These short- and long-term goals drive us forward and compel us to succeed, but what happens when life doesn’t proceed the way we imagine? Finding any job,
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let alone the perfect job, is always tough, especially nowadays. Seniors who start looking for a job in their career field today may still be looking a year from now. The important thing to remember is to remain calm. Don’t panic. The life you live will be far different from the one you imagine, but different can still be great. In fact, different is often greater than you can dream. Many of the most famous people in the world finished school and immediately failed to find success. For example, when he was 30, Sylvester Stallone wrote the movie “Rocky,” which won an Oscar for Best Picture. Before that? He worked as a deli attendant. So, what does this mean? Let life happen around you. Don’t be so obsessed with what happens next that you miss what happens now. The approval that you seek will not come from a paycheck or an employer or even family; it’s the selfapproval that comes from successfully accomplishing your desires. No matter where you imagine yourself in 10, 20 or 50 years, chances are that, when you arrive at that special moment in time, the life you will be living will be far different from the life you expected to be living. I hope it is true that the life you are capable of living is far better than the life of your dreams. So embrace it. It won’t be what you imagined; it will be better! It will be the life you are living.
Congratulations Graduates and Best Wishes for a Bright Future!
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Graduation
Catholic Schools Snaps: A quick take on issues and statistics 84
Congratulations Class of 2015 and Best Wishes for a successful future.
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H.L. Bourgeois graduation May 19
H.
L. Bourgeois High School in Gray will hold its commencement exercises Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m., at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic
Center. The class of 2015 chose the white rose and forgetme-nots as its flowers; and royal blue, silver and black as its colors. The class motto is “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters … compared to what lies within us.” Class officers are: Madison Creppell, president; Meggie Lam, vice-president; Brittney Buquet, secretary; and Lauren Mills, treasurer.
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Central Lafourche graduation May 27
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entral Lafourche High School in Raceland will hold its commencement exercises Wednesday, 85 May 27, at 7 p.m., at the Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium. The class flower is the talisman rose, and the class colors are green and gold. The class chose as its motto, “Truth Will Prevail.” The senior class officers are: Jye Falgout, president; Megan Cole, vice-president; Daniel Frias, secretary; Chase Matherne, treasurer; Nicole Breaux, parliamentarian; and Kayla Thibodaux, reporter.
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Terrebonne High graduation May 21
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errebonne High School will hold its graduation for 2015 Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m., at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. The 2015 class flower is the tiger lily, while the clasas colors are crimson and gold. The class song is “You’re Gonna Miss This.” This year’s class has chosen as its motto “United we stand; divided we fall; Class of 2015 has it all.” Class officers are: Brittany Dupre, president; Madeline Adams, vice-president; Sarah Steele, secretary; and Cecilia Hazard, treasurer. LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
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Graduation
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An optimistic view of a college graduate’s future By ERICK ROMMEL
Catholic News Service
For those about to earn a college diploma, the end of an era has arrived. For most graduates, their years of formal education are over and it’s time to move into a bigger world.
Recently, however, I’ve seen increased negative talk about the responsibilities, and what some see as setbacks, after college graduation. Cynics enjoy telling graduates that no one cares about their degree. That has some truth. I’ve never had a job where I was asked to provide a transcript
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or produce a diploma. That doesn’t mean degrees have no value. At the most basic level, a diploma means you’re capable of completing a large task. That’s important. Not to belittle either, but outside of raising a child, four years of college is probably the longest project most people will ever manage. Cynics miss the point. They see a diploma as the end of education. It’s not. A diploma means the owner should be capable of self-education beyond the limits of a classroom. Most of the work I do every day, from writing and graphic design to computer programming, is completed by using skills I acquired after college. My degree, however, gave me the foundation necessary to learn new skills throughout my career. Cynics also point out the debt some take on to obtain a degree. They point out credit card bills and student loans that need to be paid back. They point out the negatives of moving back home if a graduate’s first job doesn’t pay a salary that can afford them independence. They point out the stress placed on personal relationships if a graduate has to move away from home to find a job. But let me put some of this into perspective. Bills? Yes, graduates have them. They have credit cards and loans to pay, but also rent, food, car insurance and utilities. They’re the price of being an adult. That price is worth paying. It takes a while, but we learn to budget our money, what can and can’t be spent and on what. For those moving home after college ... no one looks forward to parental supervision, especially after the freedom of college, but a return to a childhood home is not detrimental. As for personal relationships surviving a longdistance move if a graduate has to leave home for work? Those are challenges that must be faced and overcome. Like the other challenges, you can’t face them and overcome them if you only focus on the negative. Get over it. Life can be hard. Life can be painful. But if you focus on overcoming obstacles instead of complaining when they’re placed in front of you, you’d realize they can be conquered. I know because I lived this. I moved home after college for six months. My first professional job was 2,000 miles from home. I maintained a long-distance relationship and struggled to pay bills on an annual salary of $17,000. But everything worked out. My relationship with my parents changed, but not in a bad way. The jobs that followed paid better. My romantic relationship survived and eventually led to marriage. The obstacles faced after graduation are no different from the challenges we face during every phase of our lives. They can be overcome. But you have to be willing to try.
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Graduation
Don’t grow up so fast;
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! e f i L Teen 88
LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC
By KAREN OSBORNE
Catholic News Service
Being a teenager can be frustrating sometimes. You feel that you’re old enough to make decisions about your life, but the rest of the world doesn’t agree. You want to go places, experience things, be somebody, but the people who make the rules in your life still want you home by 10 p.m. It can be aggravating how your parents can trust you with the car to drive to school but not to that
Friday night party. You hear all the time about the freedom of being a teen, but you feel more like an inmate. I remember that feeling every time I get behind the wheel of a car. My parents didn’t want me to get my driver’s license until I was 18. So, while my friends were driving to school during senior year like hotshots, I sat on the big yellow bus, staring out into space while listening to the freshmen talk about how cool they were to finally
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be in high school. After graduation, when I turned 18 and inherited my mom’s old Nissan, I finally felt as if the world was mine. Little did I know what was in store for me by age 21: at least three speeding tickets, a rear-ending (in the DMV parking lot, of all places) and a high-speed highway crash that could have killed me. I don’t remember crawling out of the twisted wreckage, miraculously unharmed and without a
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scratch. I don’t remember the good Samaritans who stopped at the crash site and called 911. I do remember, however, the last three seconds before impact, and the clarion-clear thought I had. “This is it,” I remember telling myself. “This was my life. I’ll never get to grow up. Why did I mess it all up?” Before the accident, I had been in such a hurry to grow up, to go to college, to get a car, to get a dorm room, an apartment, a boyfriend and a life. I was so concerned with complaining about all of the rules I had to live under that I didn’t really pause to enjoy a time in my life that would never come again. These days, I have car repair bills, a mortgage that’s higher than the worth of my house, a cat with a thyroid problem and an angry phone call to make to my health insurance company. Being an adult really is super, amazing and fun, but sometimes I would give pretty much anything to go back to the beginning of senior year, when all I had to worry about was who to invite to the school dance and whether my teacher liked my paper. I know things can seem dismal at times. I know it can feel like the real freedom of adulthood is a long time away. But trust me, the responsibilities of adulthood come quicker than you know. This spring, work hard for those grades and your brilliant future. Take a few minutes to look around and appreciate what you have: the football games, the cafeteria pranks, the school dances, the extracurricular activity. These moments will never come again.
Congratulations Graduates and Best Wishes for a Bright Future!
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Congratulations to all 2015 Graduates For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you... plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 We have gifts for the following occasions:
Graduation • Anniversaries • Baptism • Confirmation • First Communion • Dance Recitals Mother’s Day • Father’s Day • Weddings • Plus Other Seasonal Items
We carry a large selection of:
Bibles • Crucifixes • Rosaries • Medals • Prayer Cards Holy Water Fonts • Indoor Statues • Books • Music Gift Certificates Available Free Gift Wrapping with any In-Store Purchase
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God’s Promises Books & Gifts
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Inspiration comes from life, not from age By ERICK ROMMEL
Catholic News Service
When a child challenges an adult, they hear one statement more than anything else: Children should be seen and not heard. Some people continue to use that refrain long after the person has moved past childhood. Those who use that statement as a weapon have a limited comprehension of the world. They’re so obsessed with insulating their point of view that they dismiss insightful and inspiring individuals who happen to be young yet could broaden their world. I can’t imagine anyone dismissing Dillan Barmache because of his age. The California boy may be 14, but his challenges make the obstacles most of us face appear incredibly small. As a featured speaker at his class graduation, the teen spoke about the power that comes from self-expression. “We all want to share who we are, we all want to share our thoughts and ideas and questions and worries, and I think every individual has that right,” he said. That’s fairly insightful for a teenager who has never spoken a day in his life. Dillan is autistic and nonverbal. As a child, he frequently became frustrated because he was unable to share the ideas in his head. That changed when a school instructor taught him to speak using an iPad. With that technology, our world is no longer denied Dillan’s voice. Next year, Dillan starts high school. And though it’s still early, he’s already thinking about earning a Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • May 2015
psychology degree in college. Another teen who shouldn’t be dismissed is Griffin Furlong, who recently graduated as valedictorian of his class and will attend Florida State University this fall. He’s known for never missing a day of class and never skipping assignments. “Everyone thinks I try to make good grades because I’m smart,” he said. “Not true. I perform the way I do in the classroom because I have everything to lose.” Griffin isn’t speaking metaphorically. He is homeless. He spent most of his high school years living in shelters and on the couches of family and friends. He’d prefer to forget the past, but bad experiences have served as inspirations that help him bring an important point of view to others. “Don’t dwell on the past. Use it as motivation for your future,” he told his classmates. “It’s amazing what you can do with your life when you have motivation, ambition and most importantly, a purpose.” These young men have used their voices and experiences to share a lesson that empowers many of us, regardless of age. If they refuse to be silent, why should we find it acceptable to say nothing, to refuse to share our experiences with others? The next time you feel you shouldn’t speak up because of your age, or your lack of experience, or your education, or for any other reason, think of these young men. They are young, they are untrained. At this stage in life, they lack the traditional measures of expertise, but what they have to share from life so far is greater than anything learned from age alone.
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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
Office OF Youth Ministry
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Michael J. DiSalvo, Director • Rachel LeBouef, Assistant Director Angelle Babin, Administrative Assistant
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