Ouachita Parish Schools hosted its annual Student of the Year Luncheon, sponsored by Centric Federal Credit Union on Monday, Nov. 19 at ULM's Bayou Pointe. CommuniHealth, West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce and ULM were also sponsors of the room-filled gathering.
Students of the Year from 34 schools were in attendance representing fifth grade, eighth grade and twelfth grade students.
Every year, each school in the district selects a Student of the Year who competes at the district level with multiple facets making up their final score. Students must submit a portfolio of their accomplishments, go before a panel of judges through an interview process and complete an essay with a writing prompt they are not given until the time of the essay.
The interview and writing portion each make up 25 percent of the final score. As a result, OPSB created a new awards category this year. The top finishers in the writing and interview portion of the judging process were recognized on Tuesday, prior to the finalists and ultimately the winner being announced in each division.
On the Elementary School level, Aly May from Drew Elementary was named the Ouachita Parish Student of the Year.
She, along with Rylan Armfield from George Welch Elementary, Mikayah Rose from Swartz Upper Elementary, Clyde Pepper from Highland Elementary and Eleanore Williams from Central Elementary made up the Top 5 for Elementary.
The Top 3 in the writing category were Eleanore Williams, Rylan Armfield and Penelope Pepmiller from Woodlawn Elementary.
The Top 3 in the interview category were Aly May, Tennyson Parker from Riverbend Elementary and Piper Roberts from Sterlington Elementary.
In the Middle School Division, Josie Borden from Calhoun Middle Elementary was named the Ouachita Parish Student of the Year.
She, along with William Lyon from Sterlington Middle and Gavin Korn from East Ouachita Middle, made up the Top 3 finalists.
The Top 2 in the writing category were Borden and Madison Colvin from Cuachita Junior.
The Top 2 in the interview category were Borden and Isabella Onyemechara from West
Ridge Middle.
In the High School Division, Colton Brasher from West Monroe High School was named the Ouachita Parish Student of the Year.
With only five high schools in the parish, there was not a finalist list, but the interview award was given to Travis Adams from Sterlington High School and the writing award was given to Addyson Wade from West Ouachita High School.
Aly May, Josie Borden and Colton Brasher will now advance to the next level - the zone competition, which takes place in December.
