OPSB.net - HIGH SCHOOL NEWS FROM AROUND THE PARISH

Cheerleading Competition

This past weekend Ouachita Parish High School, West Ouachita High School, and West Monroe High School competed in the Louisiana State Cheerleading Competition in New Orleans. OPHS placed first in the Large Varsity Division, WOHS placed first in the Small Varsity Division, and WMHS placed third in the Small Varsity Division. Each squad was given a bid to compete at the UCA National Cheerleading Competition in February, in Orlando, Florida. Congratulations to all these girls, coaches, and sponsors.

Ouachita Band Brings Home Nine Trophies

The Ouachita Parish High School “Pride of Ouachita” Marching Band attended the Northwestern State University 18th Annual Marching Contest in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on November 4, 2006. The competition included thirty high school bands from across Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas. The Pride of Ouachita performed their “Wizard of Oz” show, and received scores of “Superior” in Colorguard, Percussion, Drum Major, and Band. The Pride also won “Best in Class” awards for Drum Major, Colorguard, Percussion, and Soloists. Additionally, the Pride of Ouachita’s show was named “Most Entertaining Show” among all thirty performances at the contest. The band directors are John Lindsey, Nathan Randall, and Larry Lashley. Percussion instructors are John Pirkey, Daryl Wolgemuth, and Michael Holdiness. The colorguard instructors are Whitney Futch and Rhonda MacLaughlin. Drum Major is Christina Jones, Drum Captain is James Burns, and Colorguard Captain is Jennifer Korn. Soloists are trumpet players Toby Miletello and Robin Walker. Congratulations on a wonderful performance!

Sterlington High School Places First in Food Drive

Students and staff of Sterlington High enjoyed their second year as First Place winners in the KTVE/KARD Food Drive. The school collected 10,221 pounds of food which averaged 31.7 pounds per student. The school received a $1000 award and will appear in the commercial celebrating the event. Congratulations!

WOHS Art Students Win 1st place in the 5th Parish wide Christmas Card Contest

Hannah Goodfellow, senior art student at West Ouachita High School, won 1st place in the Christmas card art contest held by Representative Mike Walsworth. This is the 4th year out of five that WOHS art students have won the contest. In addition, senior art student, Amy Cady's beautiful card will be mailed to the President by Representative Walsworth. The soldier in uniform on this piece was so well drawn that it deserves such an honor. Congratulations to both and to all of the art students that submitted work. Your talent and motivation is greatly appreciated.

WOHS Earns National Recognition for Narrowing Achievement Gaps

Governor Kathleen Blanco recently announced that Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation identified 12 Louisiana schools that significantly narrowed the achievement gap between higher- and lower-performing student groups during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years.

To be recognized for significantly narrowing these achievement gaps, schools had to meet all of the following criteria: --test at least 30 students in each student group being analyzed; --reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in Reading and Math Proficiency (RaMP) rates by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise the RaMP rates for each student group being compared; and --reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in a grade-level reading test by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise that grade-level reading proficiency rate for each student group being compared. Schools must demonstrate similar progress in math, though not necessarily at the same grade level.

Of the 12 schools in Louisiana that have narrowed the achievement gap, three are recognized for reducing their black-white gap, and eight are recognized for narrowing the gap between economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged students. West Ouachita High was one of the eight recognized in the latter category for a 9.9 point change in proficiency gaps.

Congratulations to Principal Mickey Merritt and his faculty and staff for a job-well-done!!

West Monroe High School Awarded for Academic Success

West Monroe High School was one of five Louisiana high schools awarded the Louisiana 2005 School Academic Success Award by ACT. These schools were recognized for significantly increasing ACT composite scores over the past five years, increasing participation in ACT, and improving student college readiness. Congratulations to Principal Shere May and her faculty and staff for a job-well-done!!

West Monroe High School All-State Choir Update from Greg Oden, Rebel Choir Director

LMEA ALL STATE ROUND I AUDITIONS: We had LMEA All State Round I Auditions. The top 5 in each voice part (5 Soprano 1's, 5 Soprano 2's, 5 Alto 1's, etc.) moved on to the Round II in Pineville, LA on October 14th. They were in score order: Kallie Stephenson, Bristen Witty, Laura Townsend, Malissa Chambers, Rachel Brown, Betsie Everritt, Carly Hogg, Claire Givens, Mallory Debnam, Brooke Procell, Megan Coleman, Jordan Roark, Britney Pickering, Jessica Whitlock, Katlyn Wilson, Dex Poindexter, Thomas Bracy, Daniel Zeagler, Cory Telano, Chas Jackson, Wesley Winnon, Ryder Flowers, Joe Ford, J.D. Perez, Chaz Lambert, Brandon Myers, Jonathan Swafford.

Alternates were: Alex Campbell, Joli Neal, Jessica Betts, Kelsey East, Taylor Dalfiume, Felicia Fuller, Chase James, Cory Schutz, Cody Munholland, and Caleb Smith.

LMEA ALL STATE ROUND II AUDITIONS: The students selected to participate in the Louisiana Music Educators Association All State Chorus were: Kallie Stephenson, Bristen Witty, Laura Townsend, Rachel Brown, Betsie Everritt, Carlie Hogg, Claire Givens, Mallory Debnam, Brooke Procell, Megan Coleman, Jordan Roark, Katlyn Wilson, Dex Poindexter, Thomas Bracy, Daniel Zeagler, Chas Jackson, and J.D. Perez.

LA-ACDA All Sate Choirs: The LA-ACDA All State Choir consists of the Women's Choir, Junior High Choir, and the Elementary Choir. They traveled to Baton Rouge on October 19-21. We had 9 ladies from Rebel Choir audition for the Women's Choir made up of 10-12 grade women. All nine of our young ladies made the choir. They were: Akeista Abrams, Rachel Brown, Joli Neal, Tatum Saucer, Kallie Stephenson, Laura Townsend, Bristen Witty, Carly Hogg, and Lisa Mulhearn.

We had 21 ninth graders selected for the Junior High All State Choir. They were: Allie Adams, Blake Bosely, Miranda Davis, Michael Garoby, Claire Givens, Jayme Glass, Chase Gonzales, Anna Kate Hogg, Kayse Holmes, Spencer Hutchinson, Austin Jackson, Ashton Johnson, Ali McCandlish, Savannah Moffett, Brooklyn Morris, Tara Nordan, J.C. Perez, Tori Redding, Jaymie Thiessen-Betts, Iris Tuttle, and Katlyn Von Diezelski.

We had 1 Fourth Grader and 1 Fifth Grader selected to the Elementary All State Choir. They were: Blake Oden and Allison Freeman. They are both students at Claiborne Elementary School.

ACDA National Honor Choirs: The American Choral Directors Association selected the following students to participate in the National Multi-Cultural Honor Choir. There were 4 students selected from the state of Louisiana and 3 of them were from West Monroe High School. They are: Dex Poindexter, Jessica Whitlock, and Daniel Zeagler. Another West Monroe student was selected to participate in the National Honor Choir Treble Chorus. She is Claire Givens. These students will travel to Miami, FL to rehearse and perform in March 2007.

The director of the West Monroe High School Rebel Choir is Greg A. Oden, Ouachita Parish Music Coordinator.

The director of the West Monroe High School Women's Choir is Vickie Freeman.

WMHS Rebel Band Achieves 40 Years of Superior Ratings

On Tuesday, October 31, The Rebel Band performed at the District I Marching Band Festival at Malone Stadium on the campus of ULM. The band received Superior ratings in each caption: Drum Major, Percussion, ColorGuard, and Band. Only two bands received Superior ratings in each caption that night. Congratulations to the OPHS Band!! This marks the 40th consecutive year that the Rebel Band has received straight Superior ratings at the District Marching Festival. Many thanks to our parents, boosters, students and staff for your continued commitment to excellence.

WMHS Student Represents Louisiana at John Deere Leaders Academy

WMHS Junior Lauren Ogles represented Louisiana at the 2nd Annual John Deere 4-H Youth Leaders Academy, September 14-17, 2006, at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The academy, sponsored by John Deere, brought youth-adult teams from land-grant institutions together to build their skills and knowledge to increase youth voice and participation in decision-making roles in the community, specifically around the issue of healthy lifestyles. Working alongside teams from across the country, Lauren and her mother Tammy Rodgers Kennedy developed an action plan to expand the current workshop Lauren created and held last year in several parishes called "Get Cooking Kid". Lauren added fitness activities, more nutritional information, and different recipes to her existing program. She plans to extend her workshop across the state by teaching her program to the Louisiana State 4-H Food and Fitness Board members so that they can hold workshops in their own parishes. Each team that participated in the John Deere academy is required to reach a minimum of 100-200 youth and adults in their state to promote healthy lifestyle education and youth in governance, supporting work already being done in their states around that issue. Lauren has already held her workshop for 35 elementary 4-Her’s on November 4 in Ouachita Parish as part of her initiative.

WMHS Teacher and Student Honored by LACUE

A West Monroe High School teacher and student were recently recognized as Region 8 winners for the Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators in Louisiana. Mr. Greg Oden, choir director, won the Region 8 High School Teacher of the Year, and Mike Thompson, a junior at WMHS, won the Region 8 Special Category for non-educators. Oden was selected for his audio/visual recording for music at WMHS as well as his contributions to the homecoming production each year. Thompson, the webmaster for WMHS, was selected for his design and maintenance of the WMHS website, www.wmrebels.net. Oden and Thompson were honored in Baton Rouge Nov. 30 at a luncheon where they received a plaque and recognition. Only eight winners in each category were chosen statewide.