St. Mary’s Dominican students know their Spanish

Five St. Mary’s Dominican High School students were among 73 outstanding Hispanic scholars from 20 participating high schools in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes honored at the 2019 New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundations (NOHHF) scholars’ ceremony. NOHHF is a non-profit community organization that provides an organized and directed effort in cultivating and promoting the Hispanic heritage of New Orleans and the Southern region.

At the NOHHF scholars’ ceremony are (from left), St. Mary’s Dominican High School Principal Carolyn Favre, NOHHF recognized students for academic excellence Maria García, Carolyn Sosa, Eryka Vázquez, Natalie Canizales, and Natalie Rodriguez-Ema, Dominican President Dr. Cynthia Thomas, and Dominican alumna Maria León Vallejo with the NOHHF Board of Directors.

The Sociedad Española of New Orleans, which celebrates the Spanish cultural and historical heritage in New Orleans and Louisiana, honored junior Vivian Liu for exceptional achievement in the Spanish language in the Greater New Orleans area. Recognized for her passion for the Spanish language and her enthusiasm to learn about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, Liu was awarded a certificate and a copy of the masterpiece of Spanish literature, “Don Quijote.” 

Liu is the Southeastern scholarship winner for scoring first in her division, Level 4, at the District Literary Rally, and placing third in the Literary State Rally as well as  earning excellence in the extemporaneous category of the State Literary Open Event. She is president of Dominican’s Spanish Club and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, Chapter Las Adelitas.