RIVER PARISHES PROFILE 2017 Our Community Stories
A special publication of L'OBSERVATEUR
www.lobservateur.com
February 25, 2017
Our Community Faces Table of Contents PAGE 3: Kiana Knight recently posed with St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre after she was awarded the Sheriff’s Star Award during this year’s annual Officer of the Year awards banquet.
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PAGE 8: Robbie Tomeny has been a prominent figure in St. John the Baptist Parish since she moved here from Iberville Parish in 1970. She taught home economics around St. John Parish for 32 years, 22 of those at East St. John High.
PAGE 10: Wayne Norwood explains his experiences diving into murky waters Sept. 13, 1976, after a barge ran into the bridge at Pass Manchac in Akers, Louisiana, also known as Manchac.
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PAGE 14: “Coach D” Williams describes himself as a doer. The former amateur boxing champion turned coach/trainer shows off that attitude every day along Airline Highway as he runs eight to 10 miles at an impressive clip.
PAGE 16: Riverside Academy Spanish teacher Lisbeth Jackson grew up in Madrid, Spain, and said there is great importance in serving others. Today she is Benevolence Ministry director.
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PAGE 18: Adam Martin was awarded the 2017 Marie Ory Dupont Scholarship, and he will receive $2500 towards his SCC tuition.
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Kiana Knight , left, and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre pose after Knight was awarded the Sheriff’s Star Award during this year’s annual Officer of the Year awards banquet.
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| PROFILE 2017 |
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Knight finds purpose in jail treatment
K
iana Knight was having a wonderful time. It was St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre’s fourth annual Officer of the Year awards banquet. Prior to the main event, Tregre was honoring the many deputies who had stood out over the previous year. Knight and her husband, Josh, were happily applauding her fellow officers. “I was just clapping, having a great time,” she said. “Everybody looked so nice in their uniforms.” Then Tregre called her name. “I was shocked,” she said. “I had no idea.” Tregre then presented Knight with the Sheriff’s Star Award, given annually to an employee or employees for outstanding service to the community and/or the St. John Sheriff’s Office. The recipient is selected by Tregre himself. “It meant a lot,” said Knight, the mother of three. “It was like everything I’ve sacrificed, everything I gave up, it felt like everything I did was worth it. The long hours, the training, everything was worth it. It was an honor to receive the Sheriff’s Award. Usually it goes to someone in narcotics or 9-1-1. You very seldom hear about the jail.” Knight received the 2016 award for her diligent service as the medical supervisor at the St. John corrections facility. She is the person who takes care of the sick and the injured during their stay at the jail. A thankless job to begin with, Knight also managed to streamline the department to save the Parish thousands of dollars by, among other things, switching to a mailorder pharmacy and having medical professionals come to the jail, rather than taking inmates off site. “She has a tough job,” Tregre said. “She deals with cancer patients, people with high blood pressure, mental issues. It’s one of those positions where she is not in the front line catching burglars or armed robbers, but she has saved us thousands of dollars. She has saved the parish thousands of dollars and she has saved lives. Her performance fit the criteria for the Sheriff’s Star.” It was never Knight’s dream to be a police officer. What she really wanted to be was a news anchor and went to Nicholls State to major in Mass Communications and a bit of
Kiana Knight
psychology. While doing a project on professions and pay, she decided to become a medical assistant. Her first job was working in an HIV clinic in New Orleans. Eventually she found her way to a local well-known medical practice. One of her patients was Sheriff Tregre. At the banquet, Tregre admitted he stole her away from the doctor’s office. “Stole is a strong word,” Tregre said. “I should have said I recruited her.” Knight laughed at the memory. “He did,” she said. “He would always tell me, ‘You do good work. You have a great personality.’ He said, ‘I need someone in my jail in the medical department.’ I was like, ‘Oh no. I’m not going to go work at the jail. No way.’” After discussing the idea with her husband, Knight decided to give it a try. “I always was fascinated by criminal justice,” she said. “The Sheriff told me his medical department was one of his weakest links and he wanted to make it one of the
best in the state.” Once she got out of her car the first day, she said, everything just fell into place. “At first I was, like, ‘what have I gotten myself into?’” she said. “I couldn’t even get out of the car.” After a prayerful night, she returned for the second day. “That second day was much better,” she said. “The third day was better. The fourth day I was fitting in. I was starting to organize things, I stepped up and took over a few things, revamped a few things. I kind of took over the department. I’m a Virgo. I like a challenge.” She did a lot of reading on correctional facilities, asked questions of other medical professionals and began making changes. She implemented training for the Sheriff’s personnel, including CPR training for deputies. Not long after she became the supervisor, the department received its A audit from the Department of Corrections. “That was major,” she said. “The Sheriff
Bienvenue! Welcome:
It is my pleasure to present to you St. John the Baptist Parish, a community located in the heart of the River Parishes along the Mighty Mississippi River. St. John is home to nearly 45,000 residents living in Edgard, Garyville, Mount Airy, LaPlace, Lucy, Pleasure Bend, Reserve, and Wallace. This issue will highlight life in the River Parishes and the many organizations and businesses proudly located in this rich and diverse community. In coordination with our partners, the Port of South Louisiana, the River Parishes Tourist Commission, GNO, Inc., Louisiana Economic Development and the River Region Chamber of Commerce, our efforts to promote and enhance our community are finally coming to fruition. It is a great time to live and work in St. John the Baptist Parish where billions of dollars of new investments are on the horizon and millions of dollars are being invested in infrastructure and quality of life improvements. As Parish President, I am committed to continuing to move St. John the Baptist Parish forward beyond pre-Isaac. As we work toward a full recovery, our vulnerabilities continue to be exposed by the increases in the frequency and intensity of severe weather events. Our hard work advocating for a hurricane protection levee has finally resulted in an authorized project and we are now working on securing funding for construction of the project. St. John the Baptist Parish is located along a major corridor with various modes of transportation that make us an ideal location for new businesses, industrial developments, and a future depot along the Super Rail between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. However, the beauty and uniqueness of our communities along Historic River Road continue to draw tourists from around the world. Locations such as San Francisco Plantation, Evergreen Plantation, Cajun Swamp Tours, Historic Riverlands, Woodville Cemetery, and others deliver the story of St. John’s rich history and culture to tourists from near and far. Please take time to read this special issue and share in the pride of our community and our people. We ask that you support our local newspaper, as it features important news and community events. Be a part of something great and help make St. John the Baptist Parish the best that it can be. Please visit the parish website at www.sjbparish.com to view our latest news and upcoming events in the community. St. John the Baptist Parish is the best place to live, work, and raise a family, and we invite you to take part in all that we have to offer.
– Natalie Robottom St. John the Baptist Parish President
| PROFILE 2017 |
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Kiana Knight was given the Sheriff’s Star Award in January.
was so pleased. He said, ‘I told you I needed you.’” Knight also added to her own experience, becoming a nationally certified correctional professional in 2015. She even attended the police academy to officially become an officer, graduating in 2013. Now overseeing a staff of five, Knight says the most important thing is to provide quality care to the people who come through the jail, some of whom do not get adequate care on their own. “It’s different than anything I have experienced because the inmates need help,” she said. “With regular patients, you don’t have to worry about what are they here for. We all want to do the best. We want to help. Honestly, I think when you treat an inmate, they appreciate you and value you more than a person who is not incarcerated. A person who is incarcerated is limited in care. If they don’t like what you do, they can’t just go to another jail. They don’t have choices.” Knight said her job is very rewarding. “You have to really love what you do,” she said. “Not everybody can do this.” — By Lori Lyons
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Veteran teacher continues to serve BY RILEY EDWARDS SPECIAL TO L’OBSERVATEUR
Robbie Tomeny has been a prominent figure in St. John the Baptist Parish since she moved here from Iberville Parish in 1970. The mother of 5 is also known as “Gernie” to 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. She taught home economics around St. John Parish for 32 years, 22 of those at East St. John High. She said the most important lesson she attempted to instill in her students was “everyone has something special to offer and everyone has a talent. And once that is learned, it becomes a great tool for life.” Over the course of her time teaching at East St. John High, many students classified her as their “favorite” teacher because of her caring and enthusiastic personality. To this day, Tomeny is constantly stopped by former students who are overjoyed to speak to her once again. Tomeny was brought up around a family who continuously gave back to their community and believed one’s talents should be shared with those who need it. This taught her to become extremely thankful to be able to give because, as she said, “when you give, you receive more.” She is currently involved in many things, including volunteering at the A.R.C. to teach special needs children how to cook, hosting the Teddy Bear Tea as a fundraiser for St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, hosting a Lundi-Gras Luncheon as a construction fundraiser for St. Charles Catholic High School and judging 4-H contests and social study fairs all over the River Parishes. She also is the treasurer of the LaPlace Rotary Club and participates on the 4-H advisor board. Last year she even sponsored St. Charles Catholic’s Teacher of the Year Award, saying she enjoys giving
Katherine Chapman, from left, is pictured with Hartley Faucheux, Robbie Tomeny and Caleigh Remondet. Tomeny is seen while hosting a Teddy Bear Tea at Christmas time as a fundraising benefit for a local elementary school.
many others. Tomeny said she attempts to give back every day even if it’s something as simple as saying “good morning” or doing something special for someone in need. “When you open a door for others, you are doing God’s work,” she said. “By giving up yourself in a gracious manner, your attitude improves.” In her spare time, Tomeny enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loves watching them play sports.
The Teddy Bear Tea, hosted by Robbie Tomeny, right, was a memorable experience for those who won the prize package at St. Joan of Arc’s silent auction. The girls learned to make pastries, quiches, and meat pies, along with other treats. back because it keeps her days full. Tomeny has been recognized over the years for her hard work and dedication to the community, receiving multiple awards, including 1986-1987
St. John the Baptist Parish Educator of the Year, 1987 4-H Alumni Award, 2012 Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame award and 2015-2016 Rookie of the Year Rotary Club Award, among
Riley Edwards is a senior at St. Charles Catholic and is enrolled in Peggy Bordelon’s Composition and Language Honors class. Riley is a cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society and is also a member of the art club.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
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| PROFILE 2017 |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Wayne Norwood, standing center on the center line, works to respond to the Manchac Bridge disaster in September 1976.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
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Manchac Bridge disaster seen from one of men who dove into the water
O
ver the years, I have been asked about the details of the Manchac Bridge disaster — when a large barge ran into the bridge at Pass Manchac in Akers, Louisiana, also known as Manchac by locals. Well, let me tell you about the disaster as John Hoover and I lived it from under the surface of the pass. As many stood on the banks and watched, we dove into the murky water to recover anyone that had gone off the bridge. DAY 1 The day was Sept. 13, 1976 and I was a deputy with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Frank M. Edwards Jr. I had worked the 3 to 11 shift and had left my unit at the sub-station for repair. At the time, police radios were mounted inside the police car, so if you stepped away from your unit, you could not hear the dispatches. Suddenly, sirens began WAYNE blaring and I immediately knew something was NORWOOD wrong. I called the office Guest and learned a barge hit the Columnist Manchac Bridge and people and cars had gone into the murky water. I headed home to get my diving gear and then rushed to the scene. Upon arriving at Pass Manchac, I found crowds of people along the bridge. Some residents of Manchac were already in boats in the water. Several sections of bridge were gone and also in the water. One section was half in the water with a freight truck sitting on the half that was sticking out of the water. Apparently, when this section of bridge fell, one of the pilings under the bridge went through the bridge, coming to rest under the motor of the freight truck, holding it in place. This piling held the large truck in place, stopping it from rolling backward into the water and saving the lives of the drivers. This truck was loaded with sugar. The back of the truck broke open from the weight and tons of sugar fell into the water. At the time of the wrecks, Highway 51 was the
only bridge on North Pass and was a busy stretch of highway from Ponchatoula to LaPlace. I was told several vehicles, including both cars and trucks had gone into the water. John Hoover, a teacher at the time at Ponchatoula High School and also a scuba diving expert, was my diving partner. I had the office call and tell him to come as quickly as possible to the scene. John arrived and we started making plans to get into the water. We did not know, at that time, was this would be the most challenging and dangerous dive of our lives. As we entered the water, it was black with zero visibility and a current heading toward Lake Pontchartrain was the fastest I had ever known of. The water under the bridge was 50-feet deep with broken concrete and wrought iron bars everywhere. Looking into the muddy water I could see bubbles coming up and the water moving around like something on the bottom was moving. We were hoping this meant someone was trapped alive in a vehicle and we could save a life. Under normal circumstances a diver would use a lifeline, but these circumstances were anything but normal. The use of a lifeline was impossible. We decided we would use hand signals by touch to communicate under water to save time. We first tried to go down with an anchor line, but the current took the anchor and us with it. We came back up and, after a brief discussion, decided to slide down one of the pilings and keep the current to our backs. The force of the current would then push us into the piling, allowing us to get to the bottom. It was total and complete darkness. The bottom was cold, and we began to hear noises. The sounds were like eerie cries as pieces of the bridge and slabs of concrete and iron settled to the floor of the pass. We held hands and felt around in the darkness until we found a large iron beam. We knew this was part of the bridge. As we held onto the beam, it suddenly moved. We would stop and wait to see what would happen next. A few times, we were lucky and a few pieces of small concrete hit us but the large ones always missed us. When we came to a crossbeam, John would stay where he was as I worked my way across
the beam. I would then make my way back. This trip across the beam took about 15 minutes. As I think back now, I realize how hard it must have been for John to hold onto an iron beam for 15 minutes in 50-feet of muddy water with pieces of concrete falling down around him, and also wondering if I was going to make it back. I would count arm lengths while going down the beams so that when I reversed I would know how far back I had to go. We would continue this process until we ran out of air in our tanks. A tank of air lasted about an hour, but we could not see our gauges. When it started getting hard to breathe, we gave a signal and began to backtrack to where we started. At one point, we were under a large piece of concrete so we knew we couldn’t go straight up. We dove two or three hours like this and, eventually, realized this would not be a rescue operation, only recovery. We stopped for the first day and started making plans for the next day. We knew we would need many tanks of air, additional equipment, food and many other things. Divers from everywhere began arriving to help, but only a few were experienced enough to go into the muddy conditions. Fellow police officer Ernest Lavigne, with the Hammond Police Department, was able to assist. DAY 2 The following day, Sheriff Edwards was at the scene early and headed up the operation. On this day, Mother Nature was on our side. The current was less than half as fast as the day before and the visibility was almost two feet. After almost two hours of diving we came upon a large pile of concrete and tucked inside the pile was a pickup truck. I was able to get the license plate number and bring it to the officers working in the boats. John and I would return down to the truck. It was upside down in the concrete and only the passenger side window was exposed and not broken. It was very muddy, and we could not determine if anyone was inside the truck. We would go back to the surface and explain to Sheriff Edwards the situation below. We would need rope and an iron bar to break out the window. We took needed supplies back down to the truck and broke the window. We couldn’t tell if anyone was inside of the cab without getting inside. I couldn’t fit into the cab without taking
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off the diving tank. John held the tank as I went in and checked the truck. I could now see someone behind the steering wheel. I went back out and got a rope and tied it to the victim. After putting my tank back on, John and I got the person out of the truck and brought him to the surface. The victim turned out to be a friend who I had just talked with the week before. I never imagined that the following week I would be recovering his body from the muddy waters of North Pass. DAY 3 The third day of the dive was unbelievable. When we arrived, the water was calm and sparkled like glass. It was as clear as waters you would see off the coast of Florida. John and I went to the bottom and got on one of the sections of bridge that was still in one piece. We stood on opposite sides of the concrete slab that was once the road over North Pass. He would stand on the white line and I on the other. It was surreal. We dove down using the center line of the road as our guide and then went under the section of the bridge until it disappeared into the mud. All of the broken concrete and exposed iron was strewn everywhere. We went over the same section that we had been the day before, because we were in total darkness the previous day. We couldn’t believe we had actually been diving through this war zone without getting hurt. We would also recover the driver of the truck and all of this would be done by touch of our hands and our instinct. We went back to the truck that had lost the tons of sugar, and there were hundreds of fish feeding on the sugar that had spilled into the water. The water was so clear that we could see things on the bottom of the pass that you normally could not see. I found several old bottles, two stolen license plates and a gun still in the holster, which had been used in a robbery in Tangipahoa Parish. This disaster would claim one life and cause injury to two others and cost billions of dollars in damage. Because this was the only road over the pass, it was a miracle no one else was hurt or killed. We dove hundreds of times after this, but as far as John and I were concerned, this disaster, by far, was truly the height of our diving careers and will be etched in our minds forever. I have talked to many people who say that they passed over that bridge every day, but this day something had happened to change their plans and they too may have been crossing the bridge on this day. Many say it was God’s plan for them not to be there. Lt. Wayne Norwood is a retired Lieutenant from St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office and the owner and operator of the Louisiana Treasures Museum. For more information call 225-294-8352.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
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People and cars fell into the murky water Sept. 13, 1976, after a barge struck Manchac Bridge.
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
THE RUNNING MAN Coach D covers roadways across St. John Parish
D
arrence “Coach D” Williams describes himself as a doer. The former amateur boxing champion turned coach/trainer shows off that attitude every day along Airline Highway as he runs eight to 10 miles at an impressive clip. “I run every day no matter rain, sleet, snow,” he said, with a laugh between training sessions at his gym, Grind Time Fitness. “It is just a part of my training regiment, my discipline, my focus, my commitment to health and wellness. I’m not only a boxing coach, but I’m also a personal trainer. I like to practice what I preach.” Williams said if he tells someone to do a specific exercise, then he should have done it himself a thousand times over. Coach D came to Louisiana in 2012 from California after Hurricane Issac struck. He wanted to help to be here for his family. “I just wanted to come out and help,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that everything that they needed was taken care of. When I came, I stayed and started a boxing gym. I saw the need to help those who wanted to get in shape. Boxing does help a lot of inner city youth focus their energy into something positive.” Boxing has done a lot for Williams, as well. In 2011, he was an amateur fighter in Dayton, Ohio. He became the amateur state champion of Ohio in the 165-pound weight class, and then was invited to train at Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood under Coach Freddie Roach. He was in California for about eight months before relocating to Louisiana. When he first came to LaPlace, he was actually running 16 to 20 miles a day, once in the morning at 4:30 a.m. and again in the afternoon. “Running is a part of what I do,” he said. “I’ve been running for over 12 years. It’s a part of my boxing training. It’s a part of what I implement to my clients and the boxDarrence Williams, known by many as ‘Coach D,’ is a routine scene in greater LaPlace as he runs 10 miles a day.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
| PROFILE 2017 |
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ers here. It’s a good way of getting healthy and staying in shape.” Now, he’s limited to just the afternoon outing, but he’s often joined by his teenage son Ryan, who is also an amateur fighter. “I wanted to instill in him a level of discipline, focus and a level of stick-to-itiveness at a young age,” he said. “So as he grows up in life, no matter if he does boxing or whatever, that he will be great. I know it sounds like a cliché when people say that if you put your mind to it that you can do anything, but that is what I wanted to instill in him.” Williams, who returned about a month ago from an extended visit to California, said running is just one part of his training, which he says focuses on the whole person. “Boxing is a stress reliever,” he said. “I tell my clients all the time that if you’re feeling better on the inside, it will show on the outside. That’s a big part of success. Discipline, focus and commitment are key to being successful at anything in life.” — By Joseph Paul
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| PROFILE 2017 |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Riverside Academy Spanish teacher Lisbeth Jackson practices a community-giving spirit that was taught to her at a young age.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
| PROFILE 2017 |
PAGE 17
Daughter of Diplomat creates Benevolence Ministry to provide BY ALI VICKNAIR SPECIAL TO L’OBSERVATEUR
In order to stand out from the crowd, one must stand for something other than one’s self. For Riverside Academy’s Spanish teacher Lisbeth Jackson, assisting others is an initial instinct. Jackson, who grew up in Madrid, Spain, said there is great importance in serving others. While there are advantages in providing support to those in need, she insists serving others surpasses personal benefit. “There is a lack of involvement, and by participating with the Benevolence Ministry, I see it all the time,” said Jackson, who serves as the ministry’s director. Benevolence is a ministry in St. John the Baptist Parish, focusing on those less fortunate than most. The ministry provides poverty-stricken individuals with a new chance at life. From finding the individuals places to live to buying food for them to eat, the ministry’s primary goal is to be the change members would like to see in the world. The Benevolence ministry welcomes all adult Christians. “I saw how children were longing for a trend to follow, so 18 years ago, I answered my calling and became a teacher,” Jackson said. “I can only try my best to live by example. Helping was just an act at first, but is now a honor and a blessing.” Jackson admits serving others is a trait passed down by her father, who was Ambassador to Spain representing Honduras for most of her childhood. Sharing his beliefs with her as a little girl, Jackson continues grasping on to her faith, rising above the worldly limitations she faces each day. Around the holiday seasons, Jackson said she finds herself dis-
Lisbeth Jackson gives back to the community through the Benevolence Ministry. heartened discovering how many adolescents are unable to receive presents due to financial issues. This prompted her to build an idea that turned into an annual event — a toy drive. It becomes more popular each year. “The toy drive came out of parents calling the church and telling us they had nothing to give their children for Christmas,” Jackson said. “I knew it was completely true because they hardly had any food for them.
“I decided to get my students involved, and I love when they help.” Chanel Hotard, a former Riverside Academy student, said Jackson is a woman of character. “She is loyal, persistent and trustworthy,” Hotard said. “She has never shown hypocrisy in her leadership, and she is always a woman of her word. I would consider her a person of merit because she practices what she preaches and always brings forth truth with love in everything that she has poured into
my life.” Putting action behind her words, Jackson serves as a prime example of someone making a change one altruistic act at a time. Call Jackson at 504-909-0190 to learn more about the Benevolence Ministry. Ali Vicknair is a standout student at Riverside Academy and co-founder of V.E.T.S., Volunteers Embracing True Soldiers. She participates in many school and community activities.
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| PROFILE 2017 |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
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Joan Ory recently visited St. Charles Catholic High School to present the annual scholarship in her daughter Marie’s name. Pictured, bottom row, from left, are Mallory Brignac, Callie Henry, Grace Richoux, top row, Shea Poche, Joan Ory and 2017 Marie Ory Dupont Scholarship Adam Martin.
| PROFILE 2017 |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Owner, Wayne Vicknair, is a 1993 Riverside Grad
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5099 Highway 18 • Wallace, LA
225-265-3300
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Scholarship forever honors Marie Ory Dupont
T
he Marie Ory Dupont $2,000 SCC Tuition scholarship was created by Marie’s family and friends as a way to pay it forward to other students and their families in order to continue with a Catholic education at SCC. A graduate of St. Charles Catholic High School in 2000, Marie Ory was voted Outstanding Student of the Year her senior year. She received a degree in Mass Communications from Nicholls State University, where she served as editor of the Nicholls Worth. Marie earned her Masters in Journalism from the University of Louisiana Lafayette. Her love for her alma mater brought her back to St. Charles Catholic, where she served devotedly for five years as Development
Director. Marie passed away in 2011, and she is dearly missed by all whose lives she touched. Adam Martin was awarded the 2017 Marie Ory Dupont Scholarship, and he will receive $2500 towards his SCC tuition. Joan Ory, Marie Ory Dupont’s mother, recently announced Adam Martin as the 2017 scholarship winner after a schoolwide Mass at St. Charles Catholic High School. Shea Poche, Mallory Brignac, Callie Henry, and Grace Richoux each received consolation awards of $100 each because of the high quality of their essays. Anyone interested in donating to the Marie Ory Dupont Scholarship fund is encouraged to do so at St. Charles Catholic High School or call the school at 985652-3809 ext. 119.
Excerpt from Martin’s essay: The St. Charles Catholic Alma Mater is special to me because it embodies the essence of who we are as a school and as a community. When we link arms and sing the opening line “we raise our voice to you,” it is a symbol of the shared voice and spirit that SCC uses to make a positive impact in the community. The line “for the guidance that you give us” reminds me of the excellent teachers and mentors who have helped motivate and shape me into the person I am today, and “friends we hold so true” represents the lifelong friendships and sense of belonging that await every student who walks through these doors. “Endless wisdom through the ages” pays respect to the lasting tradition of success that SCC has created and passes on to each new class, and “reaches far and wide” reminds me that as a Comet, I have had countless oppor-
tunities to serve others and volunteer to spread God’s love and make a difference. “Ever striving to fulfill your teachings” is a call not only to embody the values of SCC but also to follow the teachings of Christ, something my Catholic education pushes me to do every day. And as we sing the last line “fly high and shine bright,” our voices loud and filled with pride, I am reminded that my school always encourages me and gives me the tools to be the best version of myself every day. SCC has taught me service, humility, and respect, and I know that I will carry the Comet spirit of compassion and dedication with me long after I graduate. The Alma Mater binds us together as Comets, as brothers and sisters in Christ, and represents both all that SCC has accomplished and the bright path that lies ahead.
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| PROFILE 2017 |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
St. Charles Catholic High School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, or national origin in the administering of its educational policies.
Accepting Applications for the 2017 - 2018 School Year
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