St. Mary’s Catholic School is proud to announce Miss Ainsley Armstrong and Mr. Peter Kautz as the 2024-25 recipients of the distinguished Mr. and Miss SMS honors. Chosen by the faculty and administration, this recognition is one of the school’s most highly honored traditions. This title is awarded to students who exemplify the values and mission of St. Mary’s through faith, service, and outstanding character.
The Mr. and Miss SMS tradition is a longstanding honor bestowed on students who are not only academically successful but are also committed Catholics, servant leaders, and positive representatives of the school’s mission. Each year, the honorees crown the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the May Crowning ceremony, a symbolic celebration of faith and devotion. This year’s ceremony will be Friday, May 2nd at 9:00am, at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church.
Miss Ainsley Armstrong is the daughter of Tracy and Richard Armstrong and the sister of Camille and Elise Armstrong. She has been a student at St. Mary’s for six years. Ainsley was named both the 12th Grade Student of the Year and the Diocese of Alexandria’s Catholic Student of the Year. She has taken multiple honors and dual enrollment courses throughout high school, while actively participating in academic, athletic, leadership, and service-based organizations.
Ainsley has served as class president for three years and is the current president of both the Beta Club and the Student Council. She is a member of the National Honor Society, FBLA, and 4-H. She has competed at FBLA District for four years, qualifying for state twice in Current Events. She helped organize St. Mary’s first District VII Student Council Convention in 2023, which hosted over 300 students from 20 schools.
She is also a four-year member and officer of Cooking for a Cause, which raised nearly $20,000 for local charities. She qualified for the state level of the National History Day competition. In 4-H, she was a member of the Shooting Sports Rifle Team, qualifying for state competition twice and placing 11th in the state her freshman year. Ainsley received the Tiger Integrity Award and has been recognized with the Virtue of the Month for both Charity and Courage.
Outside the classroom, Ainsley is a four-year varsity cheerleader and was named an All-American Cheerleader at UCA summer camp. She is also a four-year varsity tennis player, serving as captain and qualifying twice for the state tournament. She was a Summer Dance Committee member, a two-year member of the Mayor’s Youth Council, and served as a Calico Belle. Ainsley was presented as a Maid at the 2025 Mystic Krewe de St. Denis Mardi Gras Ball and as a Lady of the Court at the 57th St. Denis Art League Spring Festival. Ainsley is an active parishioner of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and serves as a lector at school Masses. She plans to attend Louisiana Tech University in the fall, majoring in speech pathology.
Mr. Peter Kautz is the son of Drs. Kathleen and Steven Kautz and the brother of Carissa Kautz (St. Mary’s Class of 2020) and Andrew Kautz (Class of 2024). Peter has attended St. Mary’s Catholic School for thirteen years and is the Class of 2025 Valedictorian. A dedicated scholar with a 4.0 GPA, Peter has excelled in both honors and dual enrollment coursework while maintaining active involvement in academic competitions, athletics and community service.
Peter is a four-year member of Student Government, FBLA, 4-H, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a three-year member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Cooking for a Cause. As FBLA President, he has earned district titles four years in a row and was named State Champion in Securities and Investments his junior year. He has competed at the District and State Literary Rally in Biology, Calculus, English, Chemistry, and Health.
Peter also earned top honors at the National History Day competition, winning the Regional Senior Individual Exhibit in 2023 and placing second in 2024, advancing to the state level both years. A standout athlete, he is a four-year member of the varsity golf team, a two-time District Champion, and the 2025 team captain, having competed at the state tournament in both 2023 and 2024. He also plays varsity tennis, reaching the regional semifinals and qualifying for state in 2024 and 2025. Peter has earned All-State Academic Team recognition in both sports.
In addition to academic and athletic success, Peter won the State Photography Grand Champion award in 2023. He is a two-year member of the Mayor’s Youth Council, regularly volunteers at the Cane River Food Pantry, and helped organize a special food collection. He was also presented as a Gentleman of the Court at the 57th St. Denis Art League Spring Festival. A faithful member of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Peter serves as an altar server at school Masses. He will attend Texas Christian University this fall as a Chancellor’s Scholar in the John V. Roach Honors College, majoring in biology.
St. Mary’s Catholic School is honored to recognize Ainsley and Peter for their outstanding commitment to faith, service, scholarship, and leadership—hallmarks of the Mr. and Miss SMS distinction.