Following a tradition that began in 2015, members of the St. Joseph Women’s Club again sponsored Jacqueline Cambre Scholarship awards to two local students.
“Jackie,” as she was fondly called died March 29, 2015 of cancer. She had served as longtime sacristan at St. Joseph Church and Shrine in Gretna as well as Treasurer of the club for many years. She is remembered for her sweetness, good deeds, and quiet spirit.
Scholarship Chairperson Linda LaBorde announced the 2023 winners of the scholarships for $1,000 each, Enrico Lazarus Tapia, presently a junior from Archbishop Shaw High School and An Nguyen, a junior from Academy of Our Lady. Father Gary Copping, pastor of the church presented the awards at 11:30 Mass on June 4. The honorees’ parents were present, as well as Jackie Cambre’s daughters, Mayor Belinda C. Constant and Wendy C. Bush. Their brother, Lester Cambre Jr. was not able to attend.
Both students have exemplary grades, project good character, and are extremely active in school and community activities. As an added bonus to the deserving teens, the Cambre family gifted a laptop computer to each.
Shaw student Enrico Lazarus Tapia, 17, is from Marrero, the son of Marci and Joshua Couture. In his blended family, he has six siblings from both sides. Enrico wants to attend LSU for Agricultural Business when he graduates next year.
“I am grateful to have been chosen for this scholarship out of the many that applied. Receiving this scholarship proves that my decision to attend Archbishop Shaw and staying on the Westbank for my high school career was the right move. I contribute my accomplishments to being in the right environment to be successful and grow as a young adult,” Enrico said.
He is captain of the Shaw Cross Country Team, member of the Shaw Track and Field Team and the Shaw Golf Team. He’s Shaw Ambassador, Peer Minister, and a Eucharistic Minister.
AOL student An Nguyen is the daughter of Diem Cao and Henry Nguyen. She said, “With my hard work, along with the many people who have guided and helped me throughout my life, I am very honored and happy to be able to receive this award.”
“I’m not super sure of what I want to be in the future, but I’m aiming high.
I have an older sister who is three years older, who is in college at Loyola University. I currently have a job at Sharetea (sells Taiwanese bubble tea drinks) in Harvey and I started around late April. I do many extracurricular activities and I’m most involved in Cross Country where I am co-captain of the team.
“My biggest school accomplishment in junior year was qualifying for state for the State Rally in physics and being able to go test at Southeastern and LSU. Also, I won first place for the LASC state convention for the Decorated Shoe Contest which represented the school with my original design. My parents are from Vietnam and they have sacrificed and done everything they can to support my education,” An said.
An’s mom, Diem Cao said, “I was born in Vietnam and came to the U.S. My family is still in Vietnam. It is an honor to know that my daughter, An, is getting this award and I am so proud of her. I wanted to become a teacher since I was young and I was for a while when I still lived in Vietnam. In my daily life, I go to work, pick up my daughter from school, cook for the family and practice singing for choir since I am a choir member and I do power points for my church, (St. Agnes) Le Thi Thanh Church (in Marrero). The most important thing in my life is family.” An’s father, also a volunteer at their church was unable to be at the award presentation.
St. Joseph Women’s Club is a service organization widely known for its St. Joseph Day Altar and annual Italian cookie sale, but also is responsible for many other good works.
Jackie Cambre founded two ongoing traditions at St. Joseph’s, the annual Living Rosary in the Garden held each October and Group #135 of the Schoenstatt Rosary Family of Louisiana which is continued by 10 members of the women’s club. The ladies receive the blessed picture shrine of Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt monthly for three days each in their homes to pray the rosary.
###
