After being nominated in December, senior JP Torack was recently presented with the Archbishop May Service award during a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. 

The award is given annually by the Archdiocese to one senior from each of the area’s Catholic high schools.

“The Archbishop May Service Award is given to a senior in each of the Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese who, in the opinion of the Campus Ministry Department and the Administration, is an outstanding example of rendering Christian Service within his community and school,” said campus minister Stephen Deves. 

Along with winning the award, Torack, his parents, Fr. Matt Stewart, SJ, math teacher Stephen Deves, and theology teacher Brian Gilmore attended the award ceremony, which took place on Monday at the Cathedral and included Mass with the Archbishop. After the Mass was over, the Archbishop presented awards to each of the winners, who had their photo taken with the archbishop and received the plaque. 

Torack said he was grateful to be celebrated and rewarded for his hard work, but felt odd to be rewarded for helping others.

“So Mrs. Anzalone told me in December that I was nominated as a recipient and it was a very big surprise. I had no idea it was even something I had been considered for, I didn’t even really realize it was a thing, but it's nice to have some sort of recognition for some of the work I've done,” said Torack. “But at the same time, it's kind of a weird award because they're celebrating you for being selfless. I appreciate it, I'm glad that I'm being recognized for the hard work I've done, but it's weird, because it's rewarding me for doing something I should be doing. But also doing something that's not usually meant to be noticed.”

In order to win the award, Torack had to do countless hours of service; he is most proud of the he has done with the Clavius Project. 

“I think it's a super cool program. We really pride ourselves on many things like our STEM education, but having that is very expensive, and so not a lot of schools have great educational access to that. So we work to provide laptops and robotics kits, so they can learn basic robotic skills,” said Torack. 

Although it was nice to win the award, the main reason for doing the service for Torack was to help those in need.

“It's a wonderful honor for JP and something he should be proud of. The unique thing about it too, is that nobody who wins this award does the service because they want the award,” said Deves. “When JP started doing the service that he is involved in, he wasn't doing it so that he could get some recognition in senior year. When I think back to all the people that have won it from SLUH, none of those guys cared about that award. They did the service because they're passionate, because they cared about others, because they cared about the organizations they were supporting. And that's very much who JP is.”