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The DeLuca Group honors and remembers the late Dr. Gerald F. DeLuca (1938-
2018) through fellowship and giving. A native of McDonoughville, Dr. DeLuca was a Westbank
educational icon and academic prodigy who excelled in all things scholastic, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, English, Spanish, writing and school administration. He was a beloved member of Shaw’s 1962 founding faculty, who became Shaw’s Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs, Co-Principal in 1973-74 and later Provost of Our Lady of Holy Cross College in Algiers and a 2019 inductee into the Shaw Hall of Fame. He was a mentor, counselor, friend and role model who paid individualized attention to his students’ lives and contributed to their development into men.

The DeLuca Group strives to maintain Dr. DeLuca’s memory and legacy of love and
academic excellence at Archbishop Shaw High School through activities and donations, either
directly to the school in his name or through the Dr. Gerald F. DeLuca Academic Advancement
Fund, a separate component of the Archbishop Shaw High School Alumni Association, Inc.
501(c)(3). The account will receive and direct donations to Archbishop Shaw High School to fund:

–The Gerald F. DeLuca Academic Scholarships, awarded annually to one or more current Shaw students and incoming eighth-graders based on financial need,  grades and standardized tests scores show his potential for academic excellence in math and science; the infrastructure and equipment needs of Shaw’s Gerald F. DeLuca Chemistry Lab, including the Forensic Chemistry Program; and an endowment to generate future proceeds to sustain and increase the DeLuca scholarship and chemistry lab, its equipment and instructional programs.

Gerald F. DeLuca Academic Scholarship Recipients (2019-2024)

Braden Cortez ’24, Carson Jeansonne ’25, Patrick Strahan ‘25, Stephen Houin ’25; Joshua Russell ’26; Jayce LaCava ’23; Ethan Dixon ’27, Corey Strong ’27, Jacob Schultz ’27, Tyler Louque ’27, Noah d’Avonzo ’28, Patrick L. Gomez ‘28, Manuel Davis-DeLaCruz ‘28, Isaiah D. Jeffers ’28, Hayden Tran ’28, Stephen Nguyen ’27, Caleb Lance ’28, Caleb Nguyen ’29, Jourdan Loyola ’29, Givanny Lizardo ’29, Kruz Hernandez ’29, Jace Bradshaw ’29, Grant Thiaville ’29, Tony Kimbrough ’29, Logan Morales ‘29

DeLuca Group Awards Ten (10) Scholarships; Boosts Endowment

   The DeLuca Group has awarded ten (10) academic scholarships with a total value of $32,000 to Shaw students for the 2024-25 school year and added $20,000 to its growing endowment of the Gerald F. DeLuca Scholarship program into the future

   Eight (8) DeLuca scholarships were awarded to the following incoming Shaw eighth-graders, who will be members of the Class of 2029: Caleb Nguyen of St. Andrew the Apostle School in Algiers; Jourdan Loyola of Visitation of Our Lady School in Marrero; Givanny Lizardo of St. Cletus School in Gretna; and Logan Morales, Grant Thiaville, Tony Kimbrough, Jace Bradshaw and Kruz Hernandez of Immaculate Conception School in Marrero. 

   Two (2) DeLuca scholarships were awarded to current Shaw students. They are rising senior Carson Jeansonne and rising freshman Caleb Lance. 

   Scholarship recipients were selected by members of the DeLuca Group based on demonstrated academic performance, standardized test scores, personal interviews, recommendations from school officials, potential for academic success, good character and financial need. 

    In addition, $10,000 in DeLuca Group donations received in 2023-24, together with the second of three $10,000 installments of a grant obtained by the DeLuca Group from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation, were deposited into the DeLuca Scholarships component of the Catholic Community Foundation Saint John Bosco Salesian Endowment. The principal amount on deposit in the DeLuca endowment stands at $52,338.81 as of June 1, 2024. The DeLuca Group hopes to make annual additional annual deposits to this endowment fund to add to the final Taylor grant installment so that the endowment funds DeLuca Academic Scholarships into the future.  

   Since its inception in 2018, the DeLuca Group has raised and donated to Shaw more than $180,000 to fund scholarships, equipment and supplies for the Gerald F. DeLuca Chemistry Lab and sponsorships in Dr. DeLuca’s memory at school events. Friends and alumni who want to make contributions or join the DeLuca Group in its activities should contact Jackie Berthelot ’72 at jberthelot1028@aol.com or Jay Wilkinson ’73 at jayw4918@icloud.com.

Alumnus Rick Hess ’73 

Bequeaths DeLuca Endowment

$500K in His Estate Plan

Alumnus Rick Hess has amended his will to bequeath $500,000 to the DeLuca Scholarships component of the Catholic Community Foundation Saint John Bosco Salesian Endowment benefitting Shaw students with tuition assistance into the future. Hess, an honors graduate of Shaw’s Class of 1973, is happily retired and living in Colorado after earning two degrees from Louisiana State University and completing a distinguished 40-year career as a software engineer, specializing in the development of Artificial Intelligence applications for national defense, aerospace and other advanced technological functions. Rick recently toured Shaw’s campus, met with school administrators, current students and a couple of his 1973 classmates on his first return to the Westbank in decades. He plans additional visits to Marrero and support for our alma mater in the near future. The DeLuca Group expresses its gratitude to our friend and classmate Rick Hess for his generous and enthusiastic support of our efforts and our school. 

2024 DeLuca Christmas 

Luncheon Scheduled

The annual Christmas Luncheon honoring the memory of our friend and mentor Dr. Gerald F. DeLuca has been scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Tony Mandina’s Restaurant in Gretna. Join us for fellowship, story-telling, good food and to remember Dr. DeLuca by contacting Tony Baez ’73 at anthonybaez@gmx.com