For 13 years, Jade Schottstaedt has attended the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Schools in Petaluma.  Like her two older brothers, she chose to attend SVHS because she “knew they had great teachers”.  Now, she cites that the faculty as the main reason why she was “able to acclimate to high school so quickly”. 

AMBITIOUS ACADEMICS + LEADERSHIP

At St. Vincent de Paul High School she was able to take an extensive schedule of challenging classes in AP Physics, AP Computer Science, AP Calculus, AP Literature, AP US History and AP Spanish where she earned a 4.429 GPA.  A truly exceptional student, she will begin her journey as an undergraduate studying Computer Science and/or Robotics.  While she is still waiting on a decision from the University of California campuses, she has already been accepted to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

During her four years at SVHS, she played both club volleyball and for St. Vincent’s where she was team captain.  In addition to her accomplishments on the volleyball court, she was the President of the Ping Pong Club and Manager of the D&D Club.

WELL-LIKED AND RESPECTED AMONG HER PEERS 

Principal Patrick Daly noted that “Jade is one of the top students in her class.  But more than that, she is humble, genuinely well-liked and full of life.”  He continued, “Jade is committed and patriotic; she raised the flag at school every morning.”

“She puts an extraordinary amount of thought into her work,” teacher, alum and moderator of the D&D (‘Dungeons & Dragons’) Club, Steven Weiser commented.  “Jade is ambitious with her academics and goals. In fact, she was the one who prompted the school to continue the D&D club into the summer so that her peers had the opportunity to stay connected.”

Jade shared many compliments for her teachers, but noted one particular faculty member.  “I had many impactful teachers over the years at St. Vincent’s but especially Señor Vela.  He clearly puts so much time and effort into his lesson plans.”  She added, “He always makes himself available to the students who need help and pushes us to do our best in class. Learning a new language is hard but his class was interactive, fun and engaging.” 

Jade’s father Karl Schottstaedt encouraged all three of his children to attend St. Vincent’s.  He shared, “I wanted my children in a school that excelled in academics and provided a smaller environment where there was genuine student-teacher interaction.  At St. Vincent’s, the teachers consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to help the students explore new opportunities.”

GETTING INVOLVED CAN MAKE AN IMPACT

While she is impressive in the typical ways high school students are measured, there is even more beneath the surface to admire about Jade. Her mother’s best friend is a special education teacher in Montana who wanted to help her students in a unique way.  Jade took the initiative to regularly exchange letters with each individual student.  Jade has a close friend with a developmental disability and felt compelled to help these students.  While she initially felt it was a chance to help them improve their communication skills, it has blossomed into genuine friendships.  Jade shared, “I love learning more about them. They’re wonderful people and I’m glad that I have this special opportunity.”

We would be remiss if we did not mention that Jade loves playing poker — which she learned during regular game nights with family friends and classmates — and enjoys archery and “BB” guns.       

“St. Vincent de Paul High School challenged my children academically”, Mr. Schottstaedt added.  “It also helped them to become more confident, well-rounded and empathetic.  As a parent, it is comforting to know that they now have all the tools they need to be successful in life.  St. Vincent’s is a real gem in our community and was a great choice for our family.” 

Jade has accomplished a lot in four years at St. Vincent de Paul High School and we wish her well in college and beyond.  She has been a wonderful student at the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Schools for 13 years.  We are honored to feature her as one of the outstanding students from our Class of 2021.