PUBLISHED ON January 30, 2025
By: SuSu, Payton, and Abbey
Do you wonder how our 8th graders are after their first semester in high school? Starting high school at a different school with new people can be alarming, but these eighth-graders at Chapelle share their experiences of starting high school firsthand. We reached out to 8th graders about how their first semester went. Here are some tips and advice from the Class of 2029 to incoming 8th graders!
Eighth-grade year can be intimidating for girls, with being in a new environment with new people and new opportunities. Some girls go into high school not knowing many people. But, here at Chapelle, we have many opportunities to bond with your grade and make new friendships that could last a lifetime! After easing into the new school year in the first semester, the Class of 2029 is learning the ropes around Chapelle. These girls, who are involved in many activities around the school, give advice on how to balance school and extracurriculars while enjoying their first year in high school!
Being involved at Chapelle will help you to meet new people and experience new opportunities. “I was worried about my classes and worried I would make a bad first impression. However, my sisters at Chapelle helped me through it! I was able to get through my 1st semester with no stress. My advice for future 8th graders is to not worry and be involved!”, says Caroline Gaudet ‘29, who is involved in activities like Hi-Steppers and Student Council. Having no stress and taking it one day at a time is key to enjoying high school. Remy Robin ‘29, who is a Chapelle Cheerleader and also the eighth-grade class vice president, balances academics and activities at Chapelle. “My best advice for an incoming 8th grader is to definitely ask all the questions and get all the help that you can and don’t be scared to tell the teacher when you don’t understand and make sure to really try and study.” Asking questions will help you to better understand the topic and form a better relationship with your teachers. “My first semester as an 8th grader was great! If I could give any advice it would be to join clubs and be as involved as you can. Also to go to all the beginning of the year events like back-to-school dances.”, Madelyn Dabdoub ‘29 says. Making friends and being involved at the beginning of the year will help you adjust more easily and see all that Chapelle has to offer. With all these tips and tricks, the Class of 2029 wishes the Class of 2030 the best of luck as they embark on their new journey into high school!
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Choosing the right high school is a major step—and Archbishop Chapelle High School is excited to help you and your daughter find the perfect fit! Our Admissions Events offer a firsthand look at the “Chipmunk Spunk” and vibrant community waiting here in Metairie. 🗓 Upcoming Events Spend-A-Day - 9 DAYS AVAILABLE! A true inside experience—prospective students spend a day attending classes, meeting students, and exploring campus life. Chipmunk Night Out - Saturday, September 20th @ 6:00-8:30PM A fun-filled evening showcasing all things Chapelle in a relaxed social atmosphere. Future Scholars Night - Wednesday, October 1st @ 6:00-8:00PM An informational evening for academically-minded families to learn about course offerings, honors/AP tracks, and scholarship opportunities. Open House – November 6, 2025 The pinnacle event for families to tour campus, meet teachers and coaches, and hear from student ambassadors. (Mark your calendars!) To register for these events or request more information, visit https://www.archbishopchapelle.org/admissions-events
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Belize Mission Trip 2025: A Journey of Faith, Service, and Transformation This summer, Chapelle and Rummel missionaries returned from their unforgettable journey to Belize! The group arrived home bursting with joy and the Holy Spirit—quite literally singing “This Little Light of Mine” as they exited the airport and reunited with their families. Their hearts were full, and their spirits on fire after a week of transformative service and Christ-centered community. This mission trip was more than a week of travel—it was a week of living out the Gospel. Our students not only served others but encountered Christ in new and profound ways. Through simple yet powerful moments—playing with children, sharing meals, praying together—they saw the light of Christ alive in the village of San Marcos, and in turn, allowed their own lights to shine. Junior, Audrey Dubuc, reflected on her experience, sharing: “Attending the Belize mission has truly been a fulfilling and life changing experience! The mission has shown me how powerful God’s love can be. In just one week I was able to see the light of Christ active in everyone I encountered. Being able to witness his healing done on this mission trip was so inspiring, and has shown how beautiful His love is. Specifically through the children of Belize, their pure joy was a true reflection of Jesus active in their lives. While serving their community, I got the opportunity to see God’s light shining through them. It brought me so much joy to see how, while we may live different lives, we are all still a part of the one Church and share in God’s love.” Our students took Christ’s words from Matthew 28:19-20 to heart: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” And they did just that. By answering His call and stepping into this mission, they not only brought faith, hope, and love to the people of San Marcos, but also encountered Christ in deeper, more personal ways. This mission marked our fourth year serving the San Marcos community, and we are beginning to witness real, lasting change. Through your support, our missionaries are not only growing spiritually, but helping to build something beautiful and lasting in Belize. The seeds planted over the years are bearing fruit, both in the hearts of our students and in the lives of the people they serve. We are overwhelmed with gratitude to everyone who made this mission trip possible—thank you for your prayers, donations, and support. You have played a vital role in making this journey one that our students will carry with them forever. We leave you with the words of Psalm 105:1-5, which beautifully capture the spirit of this mission: “Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds! Sing praise to him, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds! Glory in his holy name; let hearts that seek the LORD rejoice! Seek out the LORD and his might; constantly seek his face. Recall the wondrous deeds he has done!”
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ScholarChip Reception🌟👏 Congratulations to our 15 ScholarChips of the Class of 2030! These incredible young women, from 8 different Catholic Elementary schools, will be awarded over $300,000 over the next 5 years towards their tuition—What an amazing accomplishment! We are beyond excited to see these bright minds flourish and thrive as they embark on their journey at Chapelle, and we know they will achieve incredible things! Check out the full list of our remarkable ScholarChips below and join us in celebrating their success: Abigail Riehm - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Isabella Finnegan, Elise Lazier, Charli Adams, Lily Beach and Brynn Caire- St. Ann School Truc Dao Le - St. Edward the Confessor School Fiona McDaniel - St. Rita School in Harahan Andrea Calub and Kiley Greenwald - St. Philip Neri School Katelyn Marks - St. Angela Merici Catholic Church Sophie Becnel - Atonement Lutheran Church and School Ellie Concepcion and Milan Vitrano - St. Clement of Rome School Elise Nelson
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On Thursday, May 8, the Class of 2025 and their loved ones had a busy day of Graduation fun! In the morning, Archbishop Chapelle High School hosted the 2025 Baccalaureate Mass at the St. Louis Cathedral, and in the afternoon, Graduation was held at the Pontchartrain Center. Throughout both ceremonies, members of the Class of 2025 were presented with several awards. See below for all award recipients: Valedictorians Rowan Fryou Dalila Gulati Elizabeth Hamilton Maisy O’Brien Gianna Rodriguez Katie Scuderi Our Lady of Prompt Succor Award This award recognizes the senior(s) who, throughout the entire duration of her high school career, has exemplified what it means to be an Outstanding Catholic Student by her consistent example of faith Rachelann Potter The Emerald Awards Emerald Awards are intended to recognize outstanding accomplishments by seniors over the course of the five years they have attended Archbishop Chapelle High School Alaina Sauvage (The Art Excellence Award) Earla Fleischer-Djoleto (The Athletics Excellence Award) Menasah Benoit (The English Excellence Award) Lynsey Marrone (The Foreign Language Excellence Award) Olivia Farrell (The Mathematics Excellence Award) Keely Edrington (The Music Excellence Award) Dalila Gulati (The Science Excellence Award) Katherine Tuttle (The Social Studies Excellence Award) Katie Scuderi (The Theology Excellence Award) The Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle Outstanding Graduate Emerald Award This award goes to a senior who exemplifies Christian faith, love, and values; one who has achieved academic success; and one who has shown loyalty, service and leadership at Archbishop Chapelle for the past five years. This student epitomizes what it means to be a Chapelle Chipmunk. She loves her school and it shows not only to our student body, but to our community and beyond. Sophie Panzavecchia Matthew 25 JoAnn LeCarpentier Service Award 100 hours of service to the community in each of the five years at Chapelle Elizabeth Hamilton Olivia Srirerg Outstanding Students in Various Subjects Emma Alvarado (Outstanding Student Award for Civics) Shay Au Shay (Outstanding Student Award for Life Skills) Menasah Benoit (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering, Biology Dual Enrollment Honors, and Probability & Statistics) Savanna Corales (Outstanding Student Award for Law Studies and Positive Psychology) Sophia Davis (Outstanding Student Award for Advanced Math Precalculus and Positive Psychology) Ava Edie (Outstanding Student Award for Civics Honors, English IV Honors, Life Skills, and Physics Honors) Keely Edrington (Outstanding Student Award for Advanced Band) Sadie Faucheux (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering) Baylee Gaethe (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering, English V, and Environmental Science) Alessandra Galvan (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering) Dalila Gulati (Outstanding Student Award for Ap Calculus AB, AP Environmental Science, AP Government & Politics, AP Research, and Theology IV Part 1) Elizabeth Hamilton (Outstanding Student Award for Business Economics) Raegan Harmann (Outstanding Student Award for Positive Psychology) Destiny Johnson (Outstanding Student Award for Holocaust & Genocide Studies and Television Production Part 1) Brianna Killian (Outstanding Student Award for Pre-Calculus Dual Enrollment Honors and Veterinary Science) Libbey Luminais (Outstanding Student Award for AP English V – English Literature & Composition, Apologetics, and Probability & Statistics Honors) Lynsey Marrone (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering) Mia Martello (Outstanding Student Award for Life Skills) Taylor Mateu (Outstanding Student Award for Life Skills) Nyasha Mutepfa (Outstanding Student Award for Advanced Band) Sydney Nuss (Outstanding Student Award for Positive Psychology) Maisy O’Brien (Outstanding Student Award for AP Research and Life Skills) Ella Primeaux (Outstanding Student Award for Television Production Part 2) Brooke Provenzano (Outstanding Student Award for Life Skills) Katie Scuderi (Outstanding Student Award for Apologetics and Theology IV Part 2) Addison Stein (Outstanding Student Award for Creative Writing) Kaitlyn Stremlau (Outstanding Student Award for Anatomy & Physiology Honors) Audrey Weidner (Outstanding Student Award for Advanced Band) Kate Wibel (Outstanding Student Award for Television Production Part 2) Anya Claire Wimprine (Outstanding Student Award for Audio Engineering) Kelsey Yanez (Outstanding Student Award for Advanced Band and Audio Engineering) Avery Young (Outstanding Student Award for English V Honors and Positive Psychology) Honor Roll Status 3.3 or higher GPA for each quarter of past 5 years Sophia Altamirano Kayden Dempster Aubrey Dunn Averey Dunn Nyasha Mutepfa Olivia Myer Audrey Weidner Meghan Wolfe Distinguished Honor Roll 3.6 or higher GPA for each quarter of the past 5 years Menasah Benoit Sophia Calico Savanna Corales Cadance Corcoran Sophia Davis Ava Edie Keely Edrington Olivia Farrell Earla Fleischer-Djoleto Rowan Fryou Isabella Gibson Alexa Grouchy Dalila Gulati Elizabeth Hamilton Raegan Harmann Brianna Killian Lynsey Marrone Stella Merrill Sydney Nuss Maisy O'Brien Sophie Panzavecchia Hailey Reuther Gianna Rodriguez Alaina Sauvage Katie Scuderi Addison Stein Kaitlyn Stremlau Katherine Tuttle Avery Young
