St. Matthew the Apostle Earns Apple Distinction

At St. Matthew the Apostle in River Ridge, dedication to innovation in education has garnered them recognition as an Apple Distinguished School for the 2025-2028 program term. Schools are selected through a rigorous application process that reviews how the school uses Apple products to make an impact in teaching and learning at their schools. St. Matthew is the only school in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the first in the region to claim this esteemed distinction.

The school celebrated this achievement April 25 by giving Archbishop James Checchio a tour of the school to view projects and even try some of the technology firsthand in the new Saint Carlo Acutis Innovation and Design Lab that he blessed that afternoon. A presentation ceremony with Apple account executive Jana Hart followed the tour and demonstrations.

“At St. Matthew we believe education is about forming the whole child through our Catholic faith,” said Emma Castay, assistant principal of student development. “The journey challenged us to take risks and pushed us to create something better for our students.”

“We are honored to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School,” she added. “This has been an incredible achievement for our school - one made possible by the dedication, perseverance and unwavering commitment of our teachers, students and families who celebrate this honor with us.”

“I loved the tour and was impressed by how the devices were used by the students and the creativity that shined through,” said Apple account executive Hart. “Education is one of our top four values, and we believe that Apple Distinguished Schools are among the most innovative schools around, all demonstrating exemplary learning practices.  St. Matthew joined these ranks because they did the work over the years and completed the rigorous application process. It has been a privilege to work with this team.”

St. Matthew utilizes Apple products in all areas of learning throughout the school and with most grade levels. One shining example of a project was completed in fourth grade theology this year. The students used Keynote to draw pictures of each station of the cross and wrote their own prayers and reflections. All of their work was put together using Reality Composer so students could walk through the Stations in augmented reality (AR). According to Kimi Klotz, digital education specialist and Holly Pisciotta, fourth grade teacher, this helped them slow down, pray and think about Jesus’ journey in a way that felt real and special.

“Our students are given a different way of thinking outside of the box but in a way that doesn’t take away from the core skills of reading, writing and arithmetic,” said Father Leon Poche, pastor St. Matthew the Apostle. “They are challenged even further to not be afraid to take chances educationally. We couldn’t do any of this without the hard work of the faculty that had this vision to see the Apple project through to fruition.”

Fifth grade students created books based on Jesus’s miracles using Pages to share with the younger students. They also made stop-motion videos about the Corporal Works of Mercy to show real ways they can live these daily. 

Sixth graders explored the Old Testament in an immersive and creative way through a virtual reality project. Each student selected one of the Ten Plagues and brought it to life using coding and AR design. After building their projects, students were able to experience their creations firsthand using virtual reality (VR) goggles, deepening their understanding of these biblical events.

In Math, third graders worked on data projects collecting information and turning it into charts and graphs to better understand real-world problems. Teachers said the students also used robotics, like Photon robots, to practice coding and problem-solving. Students learned how to program the robots to move, follow paths and complete challenges. 

Fourth graders completed a project inspired by the show Shark Tank. They created a realistic invention based on something that already exists and researched ways to improve it. Then they built their invention using a 3D printer to bring it to life. Students then presented their ideas to a panel of “sharks” to learn about investments, profits and the art of making a sales pitch. 

In Social Studies, fifth and sixth graders completed projects based on what they learned about in history through virtual reality projects using VR goggles.

“One cool activity we do is use AI tools to “chat” with historical figures,” said Klotz. “Students can ask questions and get responses as if they were talking to people from the past. This helps us understand different perspectives and makes history feel more real and engaging.”

In English, students work on a variety of creative and writing-based projects.

“First graders created kite journals to share about their annual Kite Day. They also used an app called ChatterPix to make their Play-Doh monster models come to life by describing them with fun adjectives,” said Pisciotta. “These activities help students build early writing and speaking skills.”

In sixth grade, students take things further with projects like 3D printing and writing thankful journals, combining creativity, technology and reflection. And in reading, novels are taken to the next level using creative tools like Keynote and Canva.

“Instead of just writing reports, students create presentations, digital projects and visual stories that show their understanding of the books,” Pisciotta said. “This helps us think more deeply about characters, themes and plot while also being creative.”

In science, learning happens at all grade levels in different ways. Second graders used Keynote to create projects about habitats. They researched animals and environments and presented what they learned. In fifth, sixth and seventh grades, students completed more advanced science projects, including experiments, research and presentations that explored real-world scientific concepts.

Designed by a group of seventh graders to honor Carlo Acutis who is the patron saint of technology and the internet, the Saint Carlo Innovation and Design Lab has taught the school community about Saint Carlo and his life by integrating various Apple products. 

“I enjoyed seeing the projects and the Saint Carlo Acutis area,” said Archbishop Checchio. “It was neat to see how these tools are used for education. At St. Matthew you learn reading, writing, math and about Jesus. This Easter season is about God’s love for us, make time every day for him and remember how much he loves us and that you are never alone.”

The Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of leadership and educational excellence, with a clear vision for how technology-rich environments support learning goals. As teachers incorporate technology into their lessons, they empower students to lead, learn and thrive, to discover new opportunities, and to make their world a better place.