Prefreshman Anthony Charles Amadeo III has been named the 2024 Catholic Student of the Year for the State of Louisiana. Amadeo attended Our Lady of Prompt Succor School in Chalmette and is the son of Anthony and Brandie Amadeo.

Amadeo’s journey to this prestigious state title began with his recognition as prefreshman Student of the Year at Jesuit, followed by his securing the title at the archdiocese level in New Orleans. He then advanced to the statewide competition, where he competed against students from other dioceses including Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma-Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport.

The Catholic School Student of the Year competition features a rigorous process that evaluates candidates based on a comprehensive portfolio of accomplishments, a writing sample, and an interview with a panel of unbiased judges. Students are assessed not only for their academic achievements but also for their leadership roles in school, co-curricular activities, church parish, and the wider community. Additional criteria include service, discipleship, citizenship, and other awards, honors, and accolades.

At Jesuit, Amadeo has been an active student leader and member of several co-curriculars. He maintains an impressive 4.0 GPA while actively participating in his school and community. He is an altar server, a member of the 8th-grade football team, and a wrestler on Jesuit’s state champion wrestling team. Additionally, Anthony is involved in the Marine Corp Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and serves as an 8th-grade class representative on the Student Council.

Illustrating his commitment to serving the wider community, Amadeo is a Star Scout and Patrol Leader of Troop 11. He has raised over $100,000 for the Make-A-Wish program by collecting Santa letters.

“Put more into the world than you take out.”

Anthony Amadeo III

Remarkably, this is not the first time Amadeo has received an award at the state level in this competition; he was also recognized as a 5th-grade student at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chalmette, Louisiana.

Amadeo who is deeply committed to service, said, “By serving others, you serve the Lord and yourself.” His personal mottos, “Put more into the world than you take out” and “Leave everything better than you found it,” reflect his commitment to pursuing God’s glory by becoming a man for others.

Details on The Catholic Student of the Year Selection Process

Following recent adjustments to the Louisiana Department of Education Student of the Year process, Catholic schools established their own Student of the Year Award program.

Martha Mundine, deputy superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and coordinator for the Louisiana Catholic School Student of the Year, highlighted the elimination of a non-public category in the traditional state competition as a pivotal reason for this initiative. This new program encompasses the Dioceses of Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Houma-Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and the Archdiocese of New Orleans, allowing each diocese to compete as a single entity by nominating one student per grade level to vie for the state Catholic School Student of the Year award.

Criteria for selection include demonstrating exceptional discipleship, leadership, service, citizenship, and academic achievement, with a minimum 3.2 GPA over the past three years and the first grading period of the current school year. The competition retains familiar elements such as portfolios, writing assessments, and interviews, but introduces extra guidelines, particularly in discipleship.

Students progress from school system contests to Diocesan Student of the Year regional competitions, with 21 finalists advancing to the state level where they undergo a writing assessment and an interview by a panel selected by diocesan superintendents or their designees.