Moving On

The Louisiana Department of Education has narrowed its finalists for statewide Student of the Year honors, and one of Lincoln Parish’s representatives is among them.

A.E. Phillips eighth grader Melissa Le has been named Region 1’s Middle School Student of the Year and will compete for the state title.

After earning the Lincoln Parish honor, Le stacked up against 14 students from other Region 1 districts across northwest Louisiana and emerged on top.

“I am extremely proud of Melissa,” AEP principal Jenny Blalock said in a release. “She works so hard and deserves the recognition she is receiving. It’s heartwarming to watch our students being celebrated for their accomplishments.

Le and the six other middle school finalists will be interviewed by the state selection committee, who will review the students’ portfolios and writing samples before choosing a winner.

While earning a 4.0 GPA, Le participates in student council, National Junior Honor Society, choir, and competitions like Mathcounts, robotics and the Science Olympiad.

Le is also an accomplished pianist, competitive swimmer and community theater participant. She’s also active in Girl Scouts and 4-H.

Her business Made by Melissa Macarons sells her homemade macarons and donates a portion of proceeds to the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home.

She’s also the reigning Miss Louisiana Teen Volunteer and stands on a platform of encouraging equal opportunities and awareness for girls in STEM fields.

The finalists will participate in an awards ceremony on April 13, where the winners will be announced.

“I’m proud of each of these students and honored to have them represent us as Louisiana Student of the Year finalists,” State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said.