Parents brought balloons and other gifts. Fellow students lined the hallways. And 18 EBR Schools students received a surprise celebration honoring their achievements in the classroom and beyond.
“I can’t describe the feeling,” said Lincoln Lee, a fifth-grader at Parkview Elementary.
For three days, Oct. 26-28, school district representatives visited 16 campuses to present the inaugural “Eighteen Under 18” award to 18 outstanding students. The districtwide campaign recognized six elementary, six middle and six high school students.
“We are acknowledging the best 18 students in our school system under 18, and we have a young student in this class who has done a phenomenal job as a student, phenomenal job in our community as a young person and just an all-around, outstanding human being for us to acknowledge,” Cole announced at one school.
At another school, Cole said, “I enjoy the work we do every day, but today is particularly special because I get an opportunity to celebrate outstanding students all throughout the city.”
“Eighteen Under 18” is a districtwide campaign honoring the remarkable young people in EBR Schools who are chasing excellence. Families were invited to attend the presentation and share this special moment with their students.
For the Hossian family, the celebration brought double the excitement. Glasgow Middle eighth-grader Naqeeb Hossain was a recipient, along with his sister, Nabeeha, a fourth-grader at Wildwood Elementary.
“It felt great to have both of us win,” Naqeeb Hossain said.
Baton Rouge Magnet was the only school to boost three winners: sophomores Harrison Breaux and Jason Zhou and senior Doruk Sayal.
Cole encouraged students to recognize their peers’ accomplishments.
“If you’re in the classroom with them, you should be giving them a high-five. You should be celebrating them. You should be celebrating the excellence that is the outstanding high school students,” Cole said.
The districtwide “Eighteen Under 18” was launched in September. Students, families, educators, employees and community members were given 10 days to nominate students 18 years old or younger who are making their mark in their schools, communities or areas of personal passion.
Nominees included academic standouts, athletes, artists and creators, leaders and changemakers, entrepreneurs and innovators, STEM and career-ready students, community contributors and rising stars.
Students were allowed to nominate themselves.
The remarkable 18 recipients are:
Elementary school
- Nabeeha Hossain — Wildwood, fourth grade
- Kaleah Williams — Forest Heights Academy of Excellence, fifth grade
- Lincoln Lee — Parkview, fifth grade
- Jenna Thomas — Westdale Heights Academic Magnet, first grade
- Analise Funchess — Westdale Heights Academic Magnet, fifth grade
- Kali Clark — BR FLAIM, first grade
Middle school
- Naqeeb Hossain — Glasgow, eighth grade
- Safoora Jafri — Mayfair Lab, eighth grade
- Leighton Stage — Westdale, sixth grade
- Cannon Hollins — McKinley, seventh grade
- Jace Diaz — Scotlandville Middle Pre-Engineering Academy, eighth grade
- Maya Luter — Woodlawn, eighth grade
High school
- Harrison Breaux — Baton Rouge Magnet, 10th grade
- Doruk Sayal — Baton Rouge Magnet, 12th grade
- Jason Zhou — Baton Rouge Magnet, 10th grade
- Camryn Cole — Broadmoor, 11th grade
- Gabrielle Bennett — Glen Oaks, 10th grade
- Eric Vaughn — Liberty, 12th grade
