Founder & President, Special Olympics College Club at UL Lafayette Chapelle is proud to spotlight Marissa Rinderle ’24, who is already making an incredible impact during her time at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Marissa is the Founder and President of the Special Olympics College Club at UL Lafayette, a student-run organization dedicated to creating meaningful connections between college students and individuals with disabilities through athletics and campus events. “I actually founded the club after Special Olympics Louisiana reached out to me in hopes of expanding the college club program,” Marissa shared. “Rachel Meariman ’23 and I collaborated to get it all started!” The Special Olympics College Club at UL provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to connect with college students through various athletic events. The mission is simple yet powerful: to promote inclusion on the UL campus through sports, friendship, and the celebration of all abilities. Marissa’s passion for inclusion is deeply rooted in her involvement with the UL LIFE Program, which is designed to give individuals with disabilities the opportunity to experience college life while furthering their education and life skills. “The LIFE Program has encouraged and prepared me to begin Special Olympics UL,” she said. In addition to leading the Special Olympics College Club, Marissa also serves as Vice President of the Kinesiology Professional Association, demonstrating her continued commitment to leadership and service. At Chapelle, Marissa served as a Student Ambassador, a role she credits with helping her grow as a communicator and leader. “Being an ambassador enhanced my communication and leadership skills, preparing me for the various roles I now have in college,” she shared. Marissa exemplifies the Chapelle mission by leading with compassion, courage, and a heart for service. We are so proud of the difference she is making and can’t wait to see how she continues to inspire inclusion and build community. Congratulations, Marissa! Your Chapelle family is cheering you on!

Celebrating Excellence at the Spring Athletic Awards 💚🌸 Chapelle Athletics proudly honored our spring student-athletes at this year’s Spring Athletic Awards Banquet. The evening celebrated dedication, perseverance, teamwork, and academic excellence across Bowling, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, Flag Football, and Softball. Team Awards Track & Field Most Improved: Nikita Molaison Academic Award: Allyson Dardar Golf Most Improved: Egan Guidroz Academic Award: Miley Perkins Flag Football Most Improved: Olivia Atkins Academic Award: Allyson Dardar Tennis Most Improved: Ava Landry Academic Award: Ava Landry Softball Most Improved: Ava Martinez Academic Award: Kamryn DiMaggio Bowling Most Improved: Alexandra Young Academic Award: Alexandra Young These awards recognize athletes who showed tremendous growth throughout the season while maintaining a strong commitment to their studies. LHSAA Academic All-State Composite Team Each year, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association selects the All-Academic Composite Team for each sport. This prestigious recognition is awarded to seniors across all classifications and divisions who maintain the highest Grade Point Average among athletes during their academic career while participating in varsity athletics for two or more consecutive seasons. (Students must earn an unweighted 4.0 GPA with no B’s on any report card.) Bowling: Alexandra Young Tennis: Ava Landry We are incredibly proud of these student-athletes for their exceptional dedication in the classroom and in competition. LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Athlete Program This award is presented for outstanding academic achievement by seniors maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5000 or higher during their academic career while participating in varsity high school athletics. Tennis: Blythe Bonnaffons Track & Field: Allie Mixon Softball: Kelsie Schmidt These athletes exemplify what it means to balance academic excellence with athletic commitment. The Linda Munn Award A meaningful highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Linda Munn Award. This award is given to student-athletes who exemplify sportsmanship and teamwork. They are kind and well-rounded, care deeply about representing their school and team in the best possible light, and display the utmost school pride. The award is named in honor of Ms. Linda Munn, who served as a teacher and coach at Chapelle for over three decades. Ms. Munn embodied these same qualities throughout her distinguished career and remains deeply loved and respected by the entire Chapelle family. We were honored to invite Ms. Munn on stage to help present the awards. Linda Munn Award Recipients: Bowling : Taylor Bourdonnay Golf : Elise Nelson Tennis : Blythe Bonnaffons Track & Field : Saige McReynolds Flag Football : Macey Lane Softball : Kelsie Schmidt

Celebrating Excellence at the Winter Athletics Awards 💚❄️ Chapelle Athletics proudly celebrated the accomplishments of our winter student-athletes at this year’s Winter Athletics Awards ceremony. The evening honored not only athletic achievement, but also dedication, perseverance, leadership, and academic excellence. Team Awards: Soccer Varsity Most Improved: Sophia Stevens Varsity Academic Award: Allie LeSieur Powerlifting Varsity Most Improved: Adamarise Melare Varsity Academic Award: Isabella Arboneaux Basketball JV & Varsity Most Improved: Karoline Roche Varsity Academic Award: Penelope Haley These student-athletes demonstrated tremendous growth throughout the season while balancing the demands of competition and academics. LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Athlete Program We are especially proud to recognize several seniors who were honored through the LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Athlete Program. This award is presented for outstanding academic achievement to seniors who have competed for two or more consecutive seasons and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5000 or higher within their sports division during their academic career while participating in varsity athletics. Soccer: Gabriella Saia Basketball: Jena Gaudet Kelsie Schmidt Penelope Haley Powerlifting: Victoria Frey Isabella Arboneaux Ella Growl Isabella Holt These student-athletes exemplify what it means to compete at a high level while excelling in the classroom. The Linda Munn Award One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was the presentation of the Linda Munn Award. This award is given to student-athletes who exemplify sportsmanship and teamwork. They are kind and well-rounded, care deeply about representing their school and team in the best possible light, and display the utmost school pride. The award is named in honor of Ms. Linda Munn, who served as a teacher and coach at Chapelle for over three decades. Ms. Munn embodied these same characteristics throughout her distinguished career and is deeply loved and respected by the entire Chapelle family. We were honored to invite Ms. Munn on stage to help present the awards. Linda Munn Award Recipients: Soccer : Allie LeSieur Basketball : Penelope Haley Powerlifting : Kathleen Sunseri

New Principal of St. Louis King of France School We are proud to spotlight Shannon Landaiche Culotta, Class of 1993, who has been named the new Principal of St. Louis King of France School. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience and success as both an educator and administrator. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal at St. Angela Merici Catholic School, where she continues to demonstrate strong leadership rooted in faith and academic excellence. Reflecting on her time at Chapelle, Shannon shared: “During my time at Archbishop Chapelle High School, my Catholic faith truly deepened and strengthened the values that guide me today. Chapelle not only provided me with leadership opportunities that helped me grow in confidence, but it also rooted me in the value and mission of Catholic education—something that continues to guide me now as a Catholic school administrator.”  We are incredibly proud of Shannon’s accomplishments and grateful to see a Chapelle alumna continuing the mission of Catholic education. Congratulations on this exciting new chapter!

Lights, Camera, Creativity! 🎬 Our Reading Lab students recently stepped into the roles of writers, directors, and producers as they created their own movie pitches inspired by what they have been learning in class. Blending their understanding of author’s purpose and genres of writing, students developed original movie concepts that reflected specific themes, tones, and writing styles. From persuasive dramas to imaginative adventures, each pitch demonstrated how literary elements shape storytelling across different formats. The project required students to craft a compelling movie summary and design a creative movie poster to bring their vision to life. The results were impressive, showcasing not only their comprehension of literary concepts but also their creativity and collaboration skills. By transforming reading strategies into cinematic storytelling, our students proved that strong literacy skills can shine on any stage — even the big screen!

Class of 2026 Valedictorians We are proud to celebrate the three Valedictorians of the Class of 2026: Alexandra Elizabeth Daigre, Anita Ning Shan Li, and Emma Mong-Ai Tran! Over the past five years at Chapelle, these remarkable young women have demonstrated exceptional dedication, perseverance, and academic excellence. Their commitment to striving for their very best has earned them the distinguished title of Valedictorian.  We are incredibly proud of Alexandra, Anita, and Emma, and we have no doubt that they will continue to accomplish extraordinary things as they begin their college journeys and step confidently into the future. 💚

Alumna Spotlight: Karen Hassinger Virga ’87 💚  We are proud to celebrate Karen Hassinger Virga, Class of 1987, who was recently honored with the Credit Human Teacher Excellence Award, presented by Good Morning Louisiana. This well-deserved recognition highlights her decades of dedication to Catholic education and student leadership. Karen is completing her 34th year of teaching at St. Benilde School, where she has taught every subject to grades 5 through 8 over the years. While much of her career has focused on religion and math, she currently teaches 6th and 7th grade math and science. Beyond the classroom, she has coached for many years and has served as Athletic Director for the past several years. Her commitment to forming young people extends far beyond academics. Karen has long been involved in parish youth ministry, previously serving as Director of St. Catherine of Siena CYO and continuing to volunteer as a coach and chaperone. She remains active in her parish community and is a member of both national and Louisiana professional organizations for math and science educators. This summer, she will also serve as an adult advisor for the WorldStrides Junior National Young Leaders Conference, mentoring middle school student leaders from across the country. Karen credits Chapelle with helping form the strong foundation of faith and perseverance that guides her vocation today. As a Chipmunk athlete and student, she learned teamwork, resilience, and the importance of striving for excellence — lessons she now passes on to her own students. We are incredibly proud of Karen and the countless lives she has impacted through her ministry in education. Congratulations on this special honor, and thank you for continuing to live out our motto, Deus Providebit — God Will Provide.