Emily Allen, daughter of Ashley and Scott Allen of Livonia, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a state-level Certificate of Excellence for the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. Emily was nominated for this award by False River Academy where she is a junior. Emily earned her award by her volunteer services for the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter.

Students Vote on Electronic Voting Machines

On September 18, 2007 the FRA high school and faculty were treated to a special session on voting rights and the importance of voting. Mrs. Naomi Guidroz, Mrs. Shanika Olinde, and Mrs. Lanell Swindler were among the special guest speakers that spoke about the different jobs involved with the election process and how teenagers can even help to pitch in on Election Day. They talked about how to get registered to vote and what their job offices do, and how their jobs pertain to an election. After our guests spoke, the students voted on electronic voting machines for the 2007 Homecoming court. That was an especially big treat, because those were the machines that will be used when elections are held on October 20th.  Overall, the experience was very educational and the students and faculty were very grateful to Mrs. Guidroz, Mrs. Olinde, and Mrs. Swindler for their presentations.

National Merit Scholorship Winner-Taylor Bazzell
            Principal, Kenneth LeBeau, announced that Taylor Bazzell has been named Commended Student in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. Taylor is the son of  David and Lisa Bazzell of Jarreau.  A Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to this scholastically talented senior.
            About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2008 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 competition by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).
            “The young people named Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program are distinguished by their strong academic performance in this rigorous competition," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "Our nation's pursuit of educational excellence can be furthered by publicly honoring these outstanding students and by acknowledging the important role schools play in fostering their development. We hope that this recognition will contribute to their educational opportunities and encourage all students to strive to realize their potential."

FRA’s Katherine Robillard Represents Louisiana On National Youth Council
     Katherine Robillard, a senior at False River Academy will represent Louisiana as a member of the Youth Leadership Council of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Katherine’s initial experience, resulting in this honor, began in June of this year, as she was among approximately 1,500 high school students, sponsored by their local electric cooperatives, who attended the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.
     During the YLC Washington trip, Katherine and other young leaders from around the nation experienced first hand leadership and team building exercises, including a gathering on Capitol Hill with cooperative staff members. Additional opportunities were provided for the students to compete for selection as National Youth Spokesperson. Katherine has the honor of being chosen by YLC peers to represent our state at the National Conference.
     Katherine was sponsored by the Association of Louisiana Electric Co-ops in cooperation with Louisiana 4-H. She will be participating in the 2008 NRECA Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, along with 44 other members of the Youth Leadership Conference. At this National conference, Katherine will be an assistant to the NRECA staff in numerous ways, will participate in the Parade of States at the opening ceremonies, and will experience a variety of educational activities.
     Miss Robillard is very active in her school and community. She is a member of Beta, Key Club, Student Council, SADD, and  4-H, serving on two State 4-H Boards (State Executive and State Food and Fitness), along with the State Advisory Committee. Katherine is a Girls Scout and Head Wrangler at Camp Mary Dale Girls Scout Camp in St. Francisville. She leads and teaches children about care of horses and horse management. She was awarded the Certificate of Merit for her volunteer community service last year (working with the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter where she has taught children about horse care after Hurricane Katrina.)
     Katherine is presently involved in the Change and Challenge Program, a project encouraging youth to focus on a community problem, set up a potential plan for solution, and work toward resolve of that problem through a positive approach. Katherine is the daughter of Mary Robillard and the late Michael Robillard of Morganza.

Masons honor FRA students
On Tuesday night Fordoche Masonic Lodge #292 presented 4 FRA students with the Honesty and Integrity Award. They were seniors, Kaitlyn Grissom and Bradley Hunt, and juniors Emily Allen and Zachary Rhorer

BESE Names State Superintendent of Education

By a vote of 10 to 1, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) selected Paul G. Pastorek of New Orleans as the new State Superintendent of Education during a special meeting on March 1, 2007. He will begin his tenure no later than March 30, 2007. Pastorek, 52, replaces Cecil J. Picard, who passed away last month.

The terms of Pastorek's contract will be negotiated in the coming days by BESE President Linda Johnson, the members of BESE's Finance Committee, the Governor's Office, and the Commissioner of Administration. By law BESE can only appoint a state superintendent of education to serve through its term, which ends in January, 2008. At that time, Pastorek will have the opportunity to serve on a month-by-month basis until the newly elected board makes its own selection.

False River Academy Athletic Department Prepares For The Future
The False River Academy Athletic Department has recently moved their new state-of-the art weight training facility. The weight facility has 1600 square feet of workout space and houses some of the most modern weight equipment offered. This facility is currently being used on a daily basis by all athletes at FRA and should be instrumental in helping all sports teams become more productive in the years to come.

This dream of the athletic department was made a reality by the support and generous contributions of time and talent by many False River Academy supporters. The FRA Board of Directors and the school's Booster Club were extremely helpful in the construction and final preparations to make the facility available for use during the current school year. These efforts support the school's objective to make FRA a place where excellence meets honor and tradition.