20 Gulf Pine Catholic • June 19, 2026 HATTIESBURG -- Asher Liew has been named Valedictorian of the Class of 2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Hattiesburg. Asher is the son of Judy Liaw and Yu-Loong Liew and has attended Sacred Heart since Pre-K4. Asher serves as president of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and is a member of National Honor Society and Beta Club. He serves as vice president of the Book Club and historian for the French Club. Asher was named Outstanding Undergraduate in 2025 and has received numerous academic awards during his years at Sacred Heart. He received recognition for his performance on the ACT as a member of Sacred Heart’s ACT 30+ Club and was named a Master AP Scholar his senior year by scoring a 5 on at least three AP Exams. He was honored by the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter as the 2026 DAR Good Citizen Award recipient. Asher has been an attorney on the Sacred Heart Mock Trial Team for five years and has competed at the regional, state and national levels. The team recently earned 13th in the Nation honors at national competition. In his Valedictorian speech at graduation, Asher shared the story of the miraculous healing Asher Liew Valedictorian Richard Conville Salutatorian Sacred Heart High School engineering. Richard Conville has been named Salutatorian of the Class of 2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic School. He is the son of Mary Moore and Ward Conville of Hattiesburg and has attended Sacred Heart since Pre-K4. Rick was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and he will graduate as a Mississippi Scholar. He is a member of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Beta Club and National Honor Society. Rick served as an attorney on Sacred Heart’s State Champion Sacred Heart Mock Trial team and was awarded Most Effective Attorney at the state level and Top 10 Attorney at the national level. Rick has received numerous academic awards at Sacred Heart, and was named a Master AP Scholar his senior year for scoring a 5 on at least three AP exams. As a student athlete, Rick competed on the swim team for six years and was a top 10 swimmer in the state for 200 meter Individual Medley and 100 meter Butterfly his tenth grade year. He was first in the conference for both events in eleventh grade. Rick was Sacred Heart’s Lindy Callahan Scholar Athlete nominee for 2026. SEE SACRED HEART HIGH, PAGE 21 of his body in the womb through prayer and how God has a purpose for everyone or we would not be here. “It is by no accident that you and I were born into this day and age, at just the right time and just the right moment to be in this class. Each and every one of us has a mission to fulfill, and we are about to go out into the world to accomplish that goal,” said Asher. Asher is an active parishioner at St. Fabian Catholic Church. He plans to attend Mississippi State University to pursue a degree in aerospace BILOXI -- St. Patrick Catholic High School is proud to announce the Class of 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Joseph Ross, Valedictorian of the St. Patrick Catholic High School Class of 2026, has excelled as a scholar, leader, and athlete throughout his high school career. Graduating with a 4.22 GPA and ranked first in his class, Joseph has pursued a demanding academic schedule that includes Advanced Placement and dual-credit coursework in subjects such as AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP U.S. History, AP Literature, and DC Psychology. He earned a 31 ACT composite score with a 32 superscore and achieved Platinum Level recognition on the ACT WorkKeys assessment. A dedicated leader within the St. Patrick community, Joseph has served in numerous student leadership roles, including Student Council Class President, Executive Board Historian, and Student Body Vice President. He is actively involved in organizations such as the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, English Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, Catholic Athletes for Christ, and Students for Life. Joseph also founded the school’s ACT Club and has accumulated more than 200 hours of community service during his high school years. Joseph’s athletic accomplishments are equally Joseph Ross Valedictorian Nora Mestayer Salutatorian St. Patrick Catholic High School scholarship, where he plans to major in Electrical Engineering. With his exceptional work ethic, leadership, and dedication both in the classroom and in athletics, Joseph is poised for continued success at the collegiate level and beyond. Nora Mestayer, Salutatorian of the St. Patrick Catholic High School Class of 2026, has distinguished herself through outstanding academic achievement, leadership, athletic excellence, and service to her community. Graduating with a 4.19 GPA and ranked second in her class, Nora has challenged herself with a rigorous curriculum that includes numerous Advanced Placement and honors courses such as AP Calculus, AP Literature, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP U.S. History, and AP Language & Composition. She has also earned an impressive ACT composite score of 31 and achieved a Gold Level on the ACT WorkKeys assessment. Beyond the classroom, Nora has demonstrated exceptional leadership and involvement throughout her high school career. She serves as the Students for Life Bible Study Coordinator and has been actively involved in Campus Ministry and Camp Wonder as a counselor. SEE ST. PATRICK HIGH, PAGE 21 remarkable. A standout competitor in cross country and track and field, he is a six-time team state champion and two-time individual state champion in cross country. In track and field, he earned one team state championship and an extraordinary seven individual state championships. Over the course of his career, Joseph has set 11 school records across cross country and track, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished athletes in school history. This fall, Joseph will attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville on a cross country and track
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