AMY SZPARA

PHOTO: ELIZABETH DESIMONE, an aspiring young writer and avid reader, is one of four parochial school students named Student of the Year by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. LAPLACE – A 13-year-old aspiring writer and lover of Charles Dickens novels, Elizabeth Desimone is a recent graduate of St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in LaPlace and was named Student of the Year by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Along with three other students of parochial schools in the area, Desimone was chosen as a finalist because of her dedication to school, academic achievement and extra curricular involvement. After being selected by her school, she completed a packet including descriptions of her leadership abilities and an autobiographical sketch. A straight A’ student, Desimone was on the yearbook staff deciding which pictures to include in the volume and a member of the Beta Club. A strong leader, she was at one time the president of the Beta Club, the head of a T-shirt committee and a forerunner on other committees, and she is also involved in the Christian Youth Organization and choir. Having graduated eighth grade May 21, Desimone plans to attend Ursuline Catholic School, an all-female school in New Orleans, next school year. About herself, she said she is a computer person and loves to get on the Internet, and she created her own website. “I have everything from things about my life to my annoyances. I have a page for everything,” she said. Desimone’s true love in life is writing, though. She wants to write fiction and become a novelist. Already working on many pieces, she has also started writing features about her fellow students. She wrote one story about a student at St. Joan of Arc who sings and acts in plays which was published in L’Observateur earlier this year. There is nothing she won’t write, having done poetry, short stories and plays. When it comes to her favorite pastime, Desimone said, “I’m basically playing the field. I like to write anything.” She plans to join a writers group when she gets to high school, has already won essay contests and a creative writing competition at the state level for Beta Club and said that she has started many beginnings to books. “Sometimes I get writer’s block, though,” she added. Desimone is not just a writer, though. She also loves to act and read. She has participated in community, church and school theatre. Some of the plays she has acted in are Oliver, Lil’ Abner, Cindarella, and Annie. “I will read anything, too,” she said. “I usually like fiction better, but I’ll try my hand at anything that looks good. I also like anything fantasy. Sometimes it’s an escape.” Desimone said that her favorite author is Charles Dickens, and she likes Oliver Twist the best of his work. “I like the way he words things, the flowery, flourishing twists. It’s inspirational. He’s a social satirist and was responsible for a lot of changes in an unjust society,” Desimone said. “His father was in debtors’ prison, but he rose above that and went on to solve problems for others.”