Twelve high school seniors have been chosen to meet the Pope when he visits an East Harlem elementary school next week. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed this report.

Forget Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé. For one group of teenagers, meeting Pope Francis is the ultimate celebrity encounter. 

"Woooh. Well, I hope I don't faint, first of all," said student Tiffany Le.

"I'll probably be a bit awestruck when I first meet him," said student Daniel Afrifa.

The superintendent of the Archdiocese of New York introduced the 12 high school seniors who will meet the Pope. 

"We're extremely proud of them," said Schools for the Archdiocese of New York Superintendent Dr. Timothy McNiff.

Each student was chosen to represent his or her school. In most cases, the principal made the decision, based on academic and extra-curricular accomplishments. 

"Tiffany is the perfect example at Spellman of what it means to be a Catholic youth in the Archdiocese of New York. She is a leader in our community service organization. She is very involved in our mass program," Cardinal Spellman High School Principal Daniel O'Keefe said.

"Daniel is a member of our president's men club, a member of our student council," said Cardinal Hayes High School Rev. Joseph Tierney. 

When the Pope visits Our Lady Queen of Angels in East Harlem, he'll first be greeted by hundreds of elementary school students outside and then have the chance to really interact with a small group of third and fourth graders. The high school students will be the final group to greet him.  

Unlike the younger students who are just starting their Catholic school experience, the Archdiocese hopes this group of high school seniors can really speak to the value of the parochial system here in the city. 

"I think that it's made me a well-rounded individual, prepared spiritually, emotionally, socially. I’m prepared to take on the world, take on jobs, careers. I'll be ready. And I'll have my faith along with me," says student Robert Ruszkowski.

All of the students said meeting a pope is the greatest honor, and many said Pope Francis, in particular, really speaks to them. 

"He's a breath of fresh air for the Catholic Church. It's becoming kind of popular to reject religion. I think the Pope makes it cool again to be religious, to be a Catholic. So I want to let him know that—that I appreciate him," Afrifa says.