September Students of the Month
Published 12:21 am Sunday, October 6, 2013
Ben’s Ford
Alyssa Penton
Alyssa Penton, a senior at Ben’s Ford Christian School, is the daughter of Allison Taylor of Sandy Hook, Miss., and Wayne Penton of Crain’s Creek. She has two brothers, Cole and Zane, both of Hattiesburg, Miss. Her maternal grandparents are Clyde Boone of Anococo, and the late Lennie Boone, and her paternal grandparents are Ester Penton of Crain’s Creek and the late Donia Penton.
Throughout her school years, Alyssa has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She has attended the District Science Fair, and has participated in the Academic Betterment Competition since seventh grade, and also has also been a Taylor Scholar since seventh grade. In addition, she has received numerous academic awards, including the President’s Award.
Alyssa was inducted into Beta Club in the ninth grade and the National Honor Society as a junior. She is a member of the Drama Club and has volunteered in the distribution of Bibles for BEAMS.
Away from school, she enjoys shopping, traveling and spending time with friends and family. She babysits two children after school. Alyssa attends Turnage Chapel Congregational Methodist Church where she is active in helping with children’s ministries, such as Children’s Church and Vacation Bible School. She also volunteers every year for the collection and distribution of boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
Following graduation from Ben’s Ford, Alyssa plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University where she will major in early childhood education.
Bogalusa
Daphne Owens
Daphne Owens, a senior at Bogalusa High School, is the daughter of Linda Owens and Gregory White. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arvene Owens and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph White. An active member of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist church, she is part of the usher board and also a member of the choir.
Throughout her high school career Daphne has maintained a 3.88 GPA. She currently is ranked number one in her graduating class.
She has received numerous academic awards in science, English, mathematics, history and Spanish while at Bogalusa High School. She is an active member of Beta Club, National Honor Society and the National Society for Black Engineers. She also is a member of the service sorority, Upsilon Lambda Mu. In addition, she represented her sophomore class as homecoming maid.
Daphne, who sang soprano in the Bogalusa High School Chorus for three years, has been a guard on the girls’ basketball team for two years. She also has been a member of the JROTC Drill Team and Color Guard for three years, and served as the unarmed commander while on the Drill Team.
She has received many awards and accolades for academic excellence, community service, leadership skills and physical fitness while at BHS. She was awarded the Superior Cadet award, the award for Veterans of Foreign Affairs and the President’s Silver Medal for Physical Fitness.
Daphne, who has been nominated for Who’s Who Among American High School Students, has participated in the District Literary Rally in physical science, American history and English throughout her high school years. She was chosen to represent Bogalusa High School at Nicholls State University as a Trailblazer for LOSFA. She also was chosen to attend LSU SpringFest with other high school students from across the state.
Daphne plans to attend Howard University next fall where she will major in biomedical engineering. She said she has her sights set on a future in the medical field.
Bowling Green
Hope Thomas
Hope Thomas is the 17-year-old daughter of Randy and Marietta Thomas of Pine. She has one sister, Lauren Pittman, who is a Bowling Green School alumna, and two precious nephews, Tucker and Harper Pittman. An active member of Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, Hope enjoys singing in the church choir, attending church functions and substitute teaching for the Pre-K Sunday school class.
Hope has attended Bowling Green since kindergarten, and has been an active member of the student body for many years. She is a three-year member of the varsity cheer squad, the current Interact president, an active FCA member, a four-year member of Student Council and a founding member of the new BG club, Friends of Rachel (FOR). Hope is also a three-year member of Senior Beta Club and has served as club chaplain. This summer Hope attended the Rotary Club sponsored leadership camp, RYLA. She said it was an amazing experience, and she was chosen to return next year as a counselor. Hope was also voted as a senior homecoming maid this year.
Hope’s hobbies consist of hanging out with her friends, babysitting, working, cheering and helping others. Her future plans are to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, major in lower elementary education and minor in child psychology. She plans to live in Hattiesburg, Miss., and pursue a teaching career.
Throughout her years at Bowling Green Hope said God has blessed her beyond measure and opened many doors for her. She also said she is honored to have been chosen as the September student of the month.
Franklinton
Logan Brian Seal
Logan Brian Seal, the 17-year-old son of Tim and Missy Seal, is the grandson of Leon and Wilma Seal of Varnado, Betty and Frank Graham of Tylertown, Miss., and Tim and Rita Leslie of Bogalusa. He has one sister, Madysan, who is a sophomore at Franklinton High School.
Logan has attended Franklinton schools since the sixth grade and has been very involved in sports and extracurricular activities. While at Franklinton High School, he has maintained a 3.97 GPA. He has received academic awards in IBCA, agriculture I, geography, algebra I, civics, biology, algebra II, geometry, English II, biology II, English III, chemistry and advanced math (dual enrollment). He has been the recipient of both the Taylor Award and the Washington Parish School Board award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA for three years. Logan was also recognized for scoring a perfect 800 on his English II EOC test.
Upon graduation, Logan will have earned 12 hours of college credit through the Southeastern Louisiana University Early Start Program. He is a four-year member of the National Beta Club and National Honor Society, currently serving as vice president. He has been a Student Council class representative for four years, a member of Interact for three years and a charter member of the FHS Quiz Bowl team.
Logan, who is a four-year member and letterman of the varsity basketball team in the power forward position, was named team offensive MVP his junior year, as well as First Team All District. For the past three years he has played on the summer league team. In addition he has been the videographer for the FHS Demon football team for the past two years.
This past summer Logan was chosen by the Franklinton Rotary Club to represent FHS at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp at Pearl River Community College. While there, he demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and was one of four out of 60 campers selected to return in 2014 as a camp counselor. He is a member of First Missionary Baptist Church of Varnado, where he is active in the youth group and choir.
After graduation, Logan plans to attendcollege and pursue a bachelor’s degree in a science field. He then plans to attend medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Mount Hermon
Lindsey Renee Yates
Lindsey Renee Yates is the 17-year-old daughter of April and Bruce Simpson and Adrian Yates, and the granddaughter of Ned and Joan Simmons of Mt. Hermon. She has two siblings, Ryan and Casey Forrest.
A student at Mt. Hermon School since kindergarten, Lindsey has maintained a 3.9 GPA throughout high school and has received many departmental and Washington Parish School Board awards.
She was nominated to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence and Diplomacy. She also was nominated to attend the Career in Medicine Conference.
Lindsey has been a member of Senior Beta Club for four years and served as president last year. She also has been on the Student Council for three years. Lindsey, who was chosen by her peers to serve as a maid on the basketball and football homecoming courts for several years, is also a member of the varsity cheerleading squad. She attends Clifton Baptist Church.
After graduation, Lindsey plans to attend Nicholls State University in the pre-pharmacy program, before transferring to the University of Louisiana-Monroe to complete her degree in pharmacy.
Pine
Cody William Cooper
Cody William Cooper is the son of Clint and Carmen Cooper of Pine and the grandson of Elder Clyde and Gayle Cooper and Mike and Charlotte Williams. He has a brother, Chase, who attends Pine Junior High. He is an active member of Forest Haven Missionary Baptist Church.
Cody has attended Pine School since sixth grade and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. He has received many academic and athletic awards while in junior high and high school, including being chosen as Pine Junior High Student of the Year and Washington Parish Student of the Year in 2010. He is a member of the Student Council, Beta Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and currently serves as Beta district lieutenant governor. For the past three years he has represented PHS at the district literary rally in algebra I and II and biology. He advanced to state literary rally in algebra I and II.
Cody was voted junior class favorite and placed first in poetry in the Washington Parish Young Author’s Contest in 11th grade.
A member of the PHS basketball team for four years, the baseball team for five years and the track team for one year, Cody has received All District honors in basketball and baseball, and he placed at the district track meet in two events. In addition, he has received several individual athletic awards for baseball and basketball.
Cody plans to attend LSU and major in civil engineering.
Varnado
Kamerhon Moses
Kamerhon Moses, the 17-year-old son of Nicole and Broderick Moses of Varnado, is the grandson of Leon Moses of Varnado and the late Emma Lou Moses and Richard and Carrol Pearsall of Kenner. He is the brother of Latisha, Trinette, Leonard and Ericka.
Kamerhon maintains a 4.0476 GPA and he has been recognized and received many awards during his four years of high school, including the Academic Achievement Award, President’s Educa-tion Gold Medal, Who’s Who Among American Scholars, Citizenship Award, Character Award, National Minority Leadership Award, PBIS Good Behavior Award, Literary Rally First Place Award and various other individual class awards. He is enrolled in the Early Start and Advanced Placement courses, and will earn nine hours of college credit during his high school career.
He is a member of the Beta Club, Key Club, National Honor Society (NHS), FFA and Project Grad. He is very involved in the total school program at VHS. In addition, he was selected to represent Varnado High School at Boy’s State at Northwestern State University during his junior year.
Kamerhon is very involved in athletics at VHS. He plays football (four years), baseball (three years), and track (four years) at the varsity level. He has received the scholar athlete award in all sports and the Most Improved Player award for baseball.
Active in both church and community, Kamerhon attends Mt. Pleasant Church in Bogalusa, and he has been involved with local canned food drives, toys for tots, campus beautification and several other community service projects through the National Honor Society and the Key Club.
After high school graduation, Kamerhon plans to attend Louisiana State University where he will major in mechanical engineering.