PURVIS NAMED LOUISIANA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR
Superintendent Jody Purvis was recently awarded the 2026 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year award by the Louisiana School Superintendents’ Association (LASSA). LASSA Executive Director David Claxton presented Purvis with the award during the LASSA Annual Conference in Lake Charles.
Livingston Parish Schools Superintendent Jody Purvis has been named the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents (LASSA) Superintendent of the Year for his outstanding leadership, vision and unwavering commitment to public education.
The award was presented during LASSA’s Annual Conference, which was held this month in Lake Charles.
“I am greatly honored to receive this award from my fellow state superintendents,” said Superintendent Jody Purvis.
“I want to thank my central office team, our school leaders and all our teachers and staff, who are the real champions of our school system. Their hard work and commitment to excellence are what make a positive difference for our students every day. I am proud to say I work with such dedicated and caring professionals who support my vision for a better system,” Purvis said.
Purvis is serving in his third year as the district’s top administrator leader. He has worked for the Livingston Parish Public School System since 1998.
WALKER HIGH GRADUATE NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR
Collin Sprouse, National Merit Scholar
Walker High School 2026 Graduate Collin Sprouse has been named a 2026 National Merit Scholar, an elite honor bestowed this year on only 6,700 students across the nation.
Sprouse received word last fall that he had been named one of 16,000 semifinalists in the 71st Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
“A much-earned congratulations goes out to Collin, his parents and his academic counseling team at Walker High School for staying the course for this award. This is quite an honor to be celebrated,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said.
Other accolades that Sprouse enjoyed his senior year include being named the Walker High School Student of the Year, an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, a member of WAFB’s Best of Class, captain of the Walker High Boys Soccer Team and finalist for the Louisiana Soccer Association’s 2026 Young Referee of the Year.
Sprouse said he aspires to study biology and nursing in college to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). He said he gained a passion for working in healthcare after founding KidCreations, a volunteer service organization that assembles and delivers activity bags to pediatric patients.
Sprouse graduated with a 4.2 GPA and a composite score of 35 on the ACT. He accumulated 58 college credit hours through Walker High School’s dual enrolment and AP courses, giving him a significant head start on his college studies.
DENHAM SPRINGS JUNIOR HIGH RECOGNIZED AS 2026 MODEL SCHOOL
DSHS Principal Justin Wax will be a presenter at the 2026 Model School Conference in Orlando, Florida
Denham Springs Junior High School has been named a 2026 Model School at the prestigious 2026 Model School Conference, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, June 28-July 1 at the Orland World Center.
The Center for Model Schools, which is sponsoring the conference, honors forward-thinking schools that drive transformation, inspire change and implement groundbreaking strategies to improve student outcomes. More than 5,000 nationwide educators are expected to participate in the conference’s presentations and discussions.
DSJH Principal Justin Wax will present “Becoming a Capacity Catalyst” to the large assembly as part of his school’s recognition.
“We are honored to be recognized as a Model School at MSC 2026,” said Wax. “&Our school demonstrates what we call three years of awesome, and that really says it all. We want to do everything with excellence for the sake of our students and community.”
DSJH is being showcased for its unwavering commitment to student success and innovation. The school fosters a culture of collaboration, ambitious instruction, and continuous improvement.