Live Oak Senior Named Louisiana’s Student of the Year

Victor Rushing, a senior at Live Oak High School, has been named the Louisiana’s 2015 Student of the Year by the State Department of Education.  Rushing is the son of Dana and Jodi Rushing of Watson.  He is an accomplished musician, playing the piano since he was in first grade. He has received dozens of superior ratings and various honors at prestigious state and district music competitions. Victor is a member of Beta Club, Student Council, National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, Mu Alpha Theta, Future Business Leaders of America, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and is the Senior Class and Student Council President and Chaplain for FCA. For the past four years, he has been a volunteer for the Special Olympics. Victor wants to study political science and business and enter the Marine Corps and earn a Juris Doctorate.

Livingston Parish Recognizes Top Students of the Year

The Livingston Parish School Board and Superintendent John Watson on May 7 recognized all parish students in grades 5, 8 and 12, who were awarded Student of the Year honors at their respective schools.  The parish’s top three 2015 Student of the Year winners were Live Oak Senior Victor Rushing, North Corbin Junior High School 8th Grader Emily Seighman, and Live Oak Elementary 5th Grader Carson Jones.

LPPS 2015 Elementary Students of the Year

Those 5th grade Student of the Year winners included, pictured from left to right: (front row) Sophie Kelly, North Live Oak Elementary; Rita Lind, Walker Elementary; Gavin Reine, Maurepas Elementary; Breelyn Voivedich, South Live Oak Elementary; Bryce Onellion, Eastside Elementary; Carson Jones, Live Oak Elementary; Luke Lebourgeois, Holden Elementary; Elise McElroy, Seventh Ward Elementary; Abrielle Ochsner, Albany Middle; Carson Pittman, Denham Springs Elementary; Kierra Barrera, North Corbin Elementary; (back row) Cameron Cockerham, Lewis Vincent Elementary; Nicholas Pendleton, Gray’s Creek Elementary; Madelyn White, Doyle Elementary; Matthew Larpenter, Springfield Middle; Haley Hoover, Southside Elementary; Ana Hardison, South Walker Elementary; Shane Easley, Levi Milton Elementary; Alicia Stanga, French Settlement Elementary; Hayden Hand, Freshwater Elementary; Brady Forbes, South Fork Elementary; Kate Price, Northside Elementary; Alexa Ardoin, Frost Elementary; and Ethan Quebodeaux, Juban Parc Elementary.

2015 LPPS Middle School Students of the Year

Those 8th grade Student of the Year winners included, pictured from left to right,: (front row) Sara Anne Martin, Live Oak Middle; Andrew Larpenter, Springfield Middle; Mayce Balfantz, Doyle Junior High; Emily Seighman, North Corbin Junior High; Codie Hicks, Juban Parc Junior High; Collin Bueche, Denham Springs Junior High; (back row) Melanie Tircuit, French Settlement Junior High; Cameron Mangus, Westside Junior High; and Alyssa Blount, Holden Junior High. Not pictured are Michael Diez, Frost Junior High; Ava Borskey, Maurepas Junior High; and Collin Turner, Southside Junior High.

2015 LPPS High School Students of the Year

Those 12th Grade Student of the Year winners included, pictured left to right: Alexis Ferguson, Maurepas High; Ryan Miller, Walker High; Morgan Rea, Denham Springs High; Victor Rushing, Live Oak High; Megan Lanoy, Holden High; Cheyenne Reyes, Doyle High; and Jacob Pettigrew, Albany High. Not pictured is Christen Wall, Springfield High.

Holden High School Freshman Competes in National Braille Challenge

Holden High Freshman Chloe Ashford will represent the blind and visually impaired high school community in Louisiana this summer in the National Braille Challenge, which will be held June 20 in Los Angeles, California. Ashford competed against about 70 to 80 other students from all over the state, according to Blanche Faulk, outreach coordinator for the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired.  She said the Braille Challenge includes both transcription of an audio passage in Braille, with grading based on speed and accuracy, and reading comprehension in Braille. Ashford will be traveling to Los Angeles for the second time to compete in the National Braille Challenge.  She has said she has a good feeling about her chances this year, since she knows what to expect. Ashford participates in the regular classroom at Holden High School, where her Braille teacher translates her assignments into Braille so she can attend classes with her peers.  She said her experience has allowed her to learn a lot about the “sighted world,” and her sighted peers have learned a lot about her world.