Meet Our Upper School Class Chaplains

As a Catholic Dominic school, the foundation of our community is our faith. We strive to foster a vibrant and deeply rooted faith life among our students. From student-led devotions, to retreats, and prayers of encouragement, our students take an active role in helping each other grow in their faith. 

Together with SGA Chaplain Stella Bounds, our Upper School Class Chaplains Claire Wetick (freshman), Emma Caesar (sophomore), Lillian Brent (junior) and Ava Podnar (senior) play an essential role in the process. Recently, these young ladies have been bringing you messages of hope each week during this Lenten season, so we thought this would be a great time to introduce them to you! Watch for their continued weekly messages on our social media each Friday during Lent.

Claire Wetick (’27)

Claire joined the SAA community as a freshman from St. Louis School.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

I enjoy going to a Catholic school because throughout the day there are opportunities to grow in my faith, holding accountability to my relationship with Christ.

Why did you want to be class chaplain?

I wanted to be chaplain for my class because I thought taking on the role would help me grow closer to God, and maybe inspire others to grow closer to Him too.

What is something you have learned in this role?

Being chaplain, I have learned that not everything has to be perfect. Saying a quick heartfelt prayer could be just as meaningful if not better than a long and complicated one that took 20 minutes to make. It takes responsibility to keep up with the extra tasks being a chaplain throws at you, but taking these tasks on has taught me to be more independent.

What other activities are you involved in, on and off campus?  

Out of school, I am very involved in athletics. I am a CBHS cheerleader, pole vaulter, track runner, and enjoy running on my own and racing in local 5ks and the St. Jude Marathon Weekend. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends A LOT on the weekends and cooking!

Emma Caesar (’26)

Emma Caesar joined the SAA community as a freshman from St. Louis School.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?
Being able to express my faith at school is important to me because learning about and sharing my faith has helped me grow closer to God throughout high school. Attending a school centered around faith has guided me to put God at the center of my daily life!

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class?

I wanted to be the chaplain for my class because I enjoy writing prayers that share my faith, which is one of my main jobs! As chaplain, I hope to help my classmates grow in their faith and trust in God.

What is something you have learned in this role?
As chaplain, I have written a lot of prayers to share at class meetings and on holy days. This has taught me to be confident, open, and honest in sharing my faith in front of others.

What other activities are you involved in, on and off campus?  

At Saint Agnes, I run cross country and am involved in several different clubs. I like to attend Donuts and Devotions most Wednesdays! I also do competitive dance at Studio B. I love getting to be onstage with my friends, and I look forward to practicing every day.

Lillian Brent (’25)

Lillian Brent came to SAA in 7^th grade from Richland Elementary in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

I think it is important to attend a school where I can openly express my faith because I think it is vital to grow in our relationship with God along with others. I can deepen my faith in the classroom, and I get to surround myself with people of different beliefs than me.

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class?

I wanted to be chaplain of my class because I wanted the opportunity to share my love of God with others. I am greatly involved in my youth group, and I have learned ways to share God with others through that experience. As chaplain, I have the goal of bringing the girls in my class closer together and to God!

What is something you have learned in this role?

Being chaplain, I have learned that everyone has grown up with different faith backgrounds, and we all have something to bring to the table. I can learn from other girls-things about Christianity that I have not known before-and I can share things other girls don’t know.

What other activities are you involved in, on and off campus?  

In school, I am the Business Manager of Ducks Unlimited Club, a member of Key Club, HOSA, and Government Club. I am on the varsity bowling and softball teams. I am also a retreat leader at school. Outside of school I am on ACCYM, which is a youth leadership conference for United Methodist youth across the state of Arkansas. Some of my hobbies include shopping, hanging out with friends, baking, and going to the movies!

Ava Podnar (’24)

Ava Podnar joined the SAA community as a freshman from Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

Attending a school that encourages me to openly express my faith allows me to strengthen my relationship not only with God, but with those around me. It is important because my faith is extremely valuable to me.

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class?

I wanted to be the chaplain for my class because I wanted to be able to share my faith with my classmates. Having a safe place to strengthen your faith is extremely important and as chaplain, I wanted to be there for others whenever they needed it.

What is something you have learned in this role?

I have learned the importance of collaboration. I would not have been able to plan any of the retreats without the help of the other chaplains and those who lead us.

What other activities are you involved in, on and off campus?  

I have played tennis the past 3 years and currently am the manager of the lacrosse team. I am a part of many school clubs such as Forever Friends, Ducks Unlimited, and Pep Club. I also enjoy reading and taking cycling classes.