Senior Graduation 2023
Saint Paul’s School honored the Class of 2023, the 112th graduating class, with the traditional commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 13th, 2023 at 4:00 pm in the Briggs Assembly Center on Saint Paul’s campus. One hundred eighty-four students received diplomas from Mr. Joe Dickens, Principal of Saint Paul’s School, at the graduation mass celebrated by the school chaplain, Father Matthew Clark, OSB. Mr. Lee Pierre, Assistant Principal, served as Master of Ceremonies, while St. Tammany Parish President Michael Cooper ‘71, Senior Counselor Mrs. Renée Miller, and Curriculum Coordinator Mr. Matt Pinero assisted with awards and diploma presentations. Brother Ken Boesch, FSC, served as the musician for the graduation ceremony. Evan Leaber, Sean Matthew Roberts, Jr., and Peter Verges, all valedictorians, served as readers for the mass. Jude Barcelona, Richard Burvant, Jr., John Palmer, and Davis Peltier, all honor graduates, led the intercessions.
The Class of 2023 boasts a number of major academic and athletic accomplishments. They have been accepted to 113 colleges and universities and have earned over $29 million dollars in scholarships. Fifteen students were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program: Peter Verges, Preston Tate, Vincent Ruiz, Riley Hidalgo, Dominic Muguira and Ethan Wilson were recognized as a National Merit Hispanic Scholars; Jackson Hadskey, Riley Hidalgo, Evan Leaber, and Ethan Wilson were named Commended Scholars; Nicholas Achee, Keegan Burrell, Sam Gold, John Palmer, Sean Matthew Roberts, Jr., Peter Verges, and John Arnold Keller II were recognized as National Merit Scholarship Finalists. Forty-nine seniors were named to All-State Academic sports teams by the state of Louisiana.
Six students earned the title of valedictorian for the Class of 2023: Keegan Burrell, Samuel Gold, Kilian F. Henderson, Evan Leaber, Sean Matthew Roberts, and Peter Verges. Nicholas Achee and Ethan Wilson earned the title of Salutatorian.
Twelve seniors will attend colleges and universities on scholarships that will allow them to continue their athletic careers: Joshua Achord will play golf at University of South Alabama, Jacob Johnson will attend University of Southern Mississippi where he will play football, Andrew Viener will play football at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and Jack McNamara will swim at Loyola University New Orleans. Danny Wayert and Brennan LeBlanc will both play soccer at Spring Hill College; Brody Sawyer will go to Belmont Abbey College to play tennis, and Reece Seicshnaydre will play basketball for Loyola University New Orleans. Colin Simon will play baseball at Louisiana State University Eunice, Drew Bode will play baseball at Spring Hill College, and KadeAnderson will play baseball for Louisiana State University. Landry Barker will wrestle at Loras College.
Awards presented at the graduation ceremony included valedictorian and salutatorian recognitions given by Principal Joe Dickens. The Christian Brothers Visitor’s Award was presented to Benjamin Barousse and Samuel Gold, and the Signum Fidei, the highest award conferred by the Christian Brothers and given with the Brother Cassian Lange Scholarship, was awarded to both Peter Verges and Ethan Wilson.
The Class of 2023 gathered on the lawn in front of the Briggs Assembly Center to sing the school fight song and toss their mortarboards in the air as the graduates have in years past to end the ceremony.
