CBC High School is pleased to announce Richmond Lingard as the school’s 2025 recipient of the Archbishop John L. May Service Award.
The award is presented annual by the Office of Catholic Education and Formation of the Archdiocese of St. Louis to a senior from each of the 26 Catholic high schools in the archdiocese. It recognizes outstanding leadership, community service, and volunteer achievement.
Lingard, who has amassed approximately 500 service hours during his time at CBC, spoke to the entire school at the Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday morning.
“My commitment to service began in fifth grade through Jack and Jill of America, though my mom often had to push me to go,” Lingard said. “Since then, I’ve actively served my community through sock drives, Motion for Kids, Walk to End Alzheimer's, and more.”
Lingard said from sixth to ninth grade he attended Aim High, a “life-changing summer program” where he made lifelong friends. He returned to Aim High as a teaching assistant for three summers, spending four to five weeks of the summer break to mentor young minds and witness God’s work through service.
“In Matthew 20:28, Jesus says ‘just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…’ I believe my God-given strengths are to uplift those people around me,” Lingard said. “My faith drives my passion for community and leadership, leading me to volunteer nearly 500 hours over the past three and half years. Whether mentoring, creating opportunities, or celebrating others, I strive to reflect Christ's love, believing every act of kindness has eternal significance.”
In his nomination letter to the Office of Catholic Education and Formation, Tom Eichwald ’07, CBC’s Vice President of Mission and Ministry, wrote that Lingard’s commitment to service throughout his CBC career has been remarkable.
“He recognizes that many people took the time to serve and mentor him in life, and serving in response to this simply comes naturally to him,” Eichwald wrote. “In the three-and-a-half years that he has been at CBC, Richmond has completed nearly 500 verified hours of community service — more than four times his required total. I have no doubt that he has performed even more that have simply not been entered for credit, as well. This total includes service to CBC at events like Open House and our Mother-Son Mass and Brunch, as well as hours spent volunteering for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.”
“His greatest passion, however, has been his work with Aim High, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting middle school students from high-risk environments,” Eichwald wrote. “His work there has become a central part of his life. He continues to serve as a teacher’s assistant, and has been invited to continue working for the organization following graduation. His work there has deeply impacted him, as well, inspiring him to seek a leadership role at CBC. His leadership is especially evident in our Esports program, where has actively engaged and mentored younger students to get more involved. When you combine Richmond’s heart for service with his kind, caring demeanor and his considerable intellectual talent, we have no doubt that he will be a tremendous source of good in his community and in the world. Richmond is an outstanding example of what it looks like to live the love of God and neighbor through his service work.”
Lingard and his fellow Archbishop Mass Service Award winners were honored at a special Mass on March 3 at the Cathedral Basilica where they were formally presented their awards by Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski.